Every now and again we come across a product that impresses us so much that we’re compelled to blog about it. Enter: the ecobee home thermostat. We’re sure you’ve heard of Google Nest, which seems to be the most well-known smart thermostat. Over time, we’ve come to prefer ecobee’s digital thermostat for a variety of reasons.
TEMPERATURE CONTROL
Obviously temperature control is the number one goal of the thermostat. You can set your own schedule on the app, but what makes ecobee different is that it uses remote sensors to track temperature and motion. So if the sensor detects that you and the kids are spending time watching a movie in the family room, it can tell the thermostat to adjust accordingly. Or, it can average the temperature across two or more rooms in a single zone, so one area doesn’t overheat and another isn’t super cold.
EASE OF USE
These days there seems to be an app for everything, so of course you can use your smart phone to make temperature adjustments. Plus, ecobee learns and adapts to your routine over time. However, ecobee also has an Alexa speaker built-in to the thermostat (other systems, like Apple Home Kit, can also be integrated). Feeling a little chilly? Simply ASK ecobee to turn up the heat!
ENERGY COST SAVINGS
Ecobee is Energy Star certified. They estimate that homeowners will save 23% on their home heating/cooling costs (compared to “set it and forget it” at 72 degrees). Further, ecobee provides detailed analysis of your heating and cooling usage over 18 months to optimize your savings. If you’re into technology and data analysis, this is pretty cool feature.
COST
The ecobee system cost ranges from $169 to $249 – so it’s a bit of an up-front investment. The $249 version includes a SmartSensor, built-in Alexa (and you can also stream Spotify!), intercom and hands-free calling (this seems like overkill, but since it’s already got the built-in speaker, it might be fun).
If you decide to try the ecobee don’t forget to apply for a rebate. Mass Save offers up to $100 when you purchase a smart thermostat!
No comments yet.