These devices let you control the temperature using voice commands or the companion app and also helps you set up smart schedules and routines. So on weekends, if you’d want the heating to run for an additional hour, these smart thermostats will let you do so. Besides, some come with a geofencing feature that shuts down the heating/cooling once you leave your house. More importantly, smart thermostats are known to save on your energy bills. So if you have been thinking of switching to a smart home this winter, here are the best smart thermostat in the UK. But first,
1. Hive Mini Thermostat
With support for digital assistants, you can weave a complex set of instructions per your preference and save on your energy bill. The companion app will also suggest settings and options help you save time and energy bills.
Hive also markets a set of smart valves along with the Hive Mini. They’re helpful to control individual room temperatures. These valves are easy to install but are expensive. As noted earlier, the Hive Mini is a small and minimalistic device, and most controls appear in the companion app. The device displays the current temperature and allows you to adjust the temperature. Furthermore, the app offers four slots and lets you divide the day into slots. Also, you can add more as it fits your schedule. Or, you can set up different schedules for each day. You can also set reminders to switch off the heating whenever you step out of the house. However, installing thermostats, whether smart or non-smart, is not an easy job. And Hive suggests you’ll need an experienced expert for that. It’s an affordable device and doesn’t pack features like motion sensors or packs cutting-edge modern features. Alternatively, you can check out the Drayton Wiser Smart Thermostat. It’s affordable and brings zonal radiator control to control the temperature in each room. Drayton Wiser Smart Thermostat
2. Google Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd Gen)
Despite the many features, the Nest learning thermostat covers one area. You’ll need to connect other Nest thermostats to control additional areas. If we talk numbers, it can connect up to 20 thermostats.
The showstopper feature is its learning behavior. For example, it can learn about the temperature that you like and adjust it accordingly. Or, as we mentioned above, it can detect your absence and switch the mode. It’s worth noting that the Away mode won’t notice your absence as soon as you leave your house. The folks at Tech Radar found that it takes almost half an hour for the device to register your absence. The Nest Learning Thermostat is a chic-looking device with a metal frame and touch-sensitive interface. Interestingly, the device comes with a Farsight feature which makes the screen light up when it detects anyone walking toward it. Being a Google device, this smart thermostat is compatible only with Google Home and IFTTT. This thermostat is not for smart homes that already have a HomeKit or Alexa-focused smart products. It’s easy to use, and its compatibility with other Nest smart devices is the cherry on top. Buy this if you are already invested in the Nest smart ecosystem and want a new-age thermostat. Like most new-age devices, it needs a little time to get accustomed to your habits and behaviors.
3. ecobee Smart Thermostat
This thermostat has a chic look with an all-black interface and touch-sensitive surface. And when installed, the odds are high that it won’t stick out like a sore thumb. The screen does the dual job of displaying the current temperature (and customizing) and showing the local weather forecasts.
However, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Thermostat doesn’t come with a smart sensor. So it can’t gauge the temperature in other parts of your house, making it suitable for small spaces. Despite the shortcomings, it works as expected. The companion app is incredibly easy to use. The setup process is easy, especially if you have a new boiler system. The support for other smart assistants makes it a clever pick. And the affordable price tag is a bonus. The good thing is that even if you stay in a larger space, you can still pair this ecobee thermostat with in-house sensors. The sensors are pretty expensive, though. Plus, there’s no geofencing or Away mode feature. If you forget to turn it off, you will have to set it off via the app or other smart home devices.
4. Tado Wireless Smart Thermostat
Like some thermostats above, it also needs additional sensors if you have more than one boiler/HVAC system. That said, Tado claims that it is easy to install this smart thermostat.
It comes with an intuitive companion app. Geofencing is disabled by default, but you can turn it on. It’s worth noting that Tado doesn’t let you set the heating temperature beyond 25-degree centigrade. This smart sensor for the UK has either an all-white or an all-black body. The temperature is denoted via LED lights, and you can keep the device on your desk instead of mounting it on walls. Interestingly, it has a mix of touch-based and physical buttons. For instance, to see the current temperature, you will have to press the button on the side. But the buttons to change the temperature are touch-based. It supports a wide range of digital assistants, including Google Home, Alexa, HomeKit, and IFTTT. Tado claims its smart thermostats can save up to 22% in energy bills, and the folks at Tech Radar found the thermostat helped them save under 15% in energy bills.
Bring Up the Heat
If you are thinking of replacing your house’s old heating system, it’s time you switched altogether to a combination of a boiler and a smart thermostat system. Not only will you be able to control it remotely, but you will also save a lot on electricity bills. The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
