Rabeea Malik

10 Best Smart Programmable Thermostats A thermostat is a device which keeps system’s temperature maintained near a desired set point by sensing the temperature of a system. It is something that is very crucial and is found in nearly every home. If your energy bills are overwhelming, a programmable thermostat is a great way to cut costs. A programmable thermostat reduces energy cost by interacting with heating and cooling systems. With the passage of time and inflation of technology, manufacturers started including variety of other features making a simple thermostat a masterpiece that not only complements the decency and décor of you home but also offers you features compatible with today’s hustle. Smart thermostats have become very popular round the globe since they ensure a comfortable environment in every home. These are hottest doodads in home automation. If you are thinking why you should upgrade to a smart programmable thermostat, apart from the fact that these are cool, let’s have a look into some compelling reasons: Save money- heating and cooling utilizes 42% of your home’s energy. Many people just leave the temperature set at constant 70 degrees whether you are at home or not. If you are a person wanting a computer to automatically handle your home’s temperature then smart programmable thermostat is the right choice for you because a Wi-Fi enabled smart thermostat allows you to adjust your home temperature from anywhere with an app. Get feedback on your energy usage- smart programmable thermostats provide energy usage report enabling you to understand more about energy consumption resulting in lower bills. You can save money by optimizing your energy usage. Keep an eye on your home- They feature intelligent alert system that sends emailed alerts about unusual increase or decrease in temperature, filter changing needs etc. and especially useful if you live in an extreme climate. Their programming feature allows you to adjust temperature according to your schedule also providing vacation setting. Seasonal/Day/night time changes- smart thermostats take into account time and seasonal changes. You don’t have to program every time. Motion sensor- it allows the unit to sense when someone is at home and then adjusts the heating and cooling systems accordingly. Bigger screens- no more squinting on smaller screens. Smart programmable thermostats provide you bigger and clearer screens that come with web portals and companion apps so you can program your thermostat the way you want. The smartest way to select a smart programmable thermostat is to find a unit having features that you want and can communicate with your current devices. If you have been thinking about swapping out your old thermostat or getting for the first time, these newfangled smart thermostats might fit your needs. The 10 best smart programmable thermostats are: Lux WIN100 /heating and Cooling Programmable Outlet Thermostat: In terms of programming, Lux has made a very versatile thermostat. It’s a very handy gadget for you to have in your home or anywhere else you use portable air-conditioning system or a space heater. It is designed to use with electric space heaters and window air conditioners. It supports a heat/cool switch as well as a positive on/off switch enabling you to use this product for summer and winter. For easy programming along with a battery-free memory storage feature, there is a patent speed dial. It provides you the option to set a program Monday to Friday and a different one for Saturday and Sunday. It offers you four different temperatures in each 24 hour period: morning, afternoon, evening and overnight except from 11:45pm to 6am, temperature set between these times is the same. It includes temperatures range from 45 degrees F to 90 degrees F. it uses 120v AC power outlet which should be grounded. It also utilizes 1.5v G13 button style alkaline batteries; these are used to power the clock. It provides you the ease of programming it without plugging it into the power. This model is designed keeping energy saving in mind, it could save you as much as 33% on your electric bills for a year. It is very inexpensive costing about $38 and is safe and eco-friendly choice for your family. Pros: Energy saving ELT approved 3 years warranty Cons: Suitable for units having automatic restart after power resume Timer is limited to 5-day and 2-day cycle. Honeywell RTH6580WF Wi-Fi 7-Day Programmable Thermostat: It is one of the best smart programmable thermostats. It provides you 7 programmable days with 4 daily periods. 4 daily period features allow you to setup four different temperatures for those time periods. This type of HVAC system programming helps you reduce energy bill because your settings can be adjusted according to your schedule. It also offers you to adjust it according to your absence if you are not at home. It provides you all the flexibility you need. It’s one of the tremendous features include Wi-Fi connectivity allowing you to take manual control of this device when you are not at home as long as your device is connected to a Wi-Fi network. This model comes with a free smartphone app compatible with iPad, iPhone and android operating systems. There is a also an app called wink app that allows you to control this smart product and others. Through web portal or free app, you can keep intact with local weather making it easier to find out natural temperature you are up against. One of its features is its backlit display that provides clear display even when room is dark. It also gives you intelligent alerts that come in terms of various notifications. These alerts warn you about unusual change in temperature either high or low as well as loss of Wi-Fi connection. It is pre-programmed with energy saving schedule saving 33% on your electric bills. Its price is $89.89 Pros: Friendly web interface fantastic customer service no monthly charge Cons: Setup is a long process Lacks premium features of more expensive products Honeywell RET97B5D1002/U Wi-Fi Programmable Touchscreen Thermostat: It is a programmable touch screen thermostat and is more like air conditioning, ventilation and heating management centers. It controls temperature within +/- 1 degree of your set point. It offers 7-day timer with 4 separate timing cycles per day. Its Wi-Fi feature allows you to connect from anywhere through a smartphone, tablet or a computer. With its alert option, it warns you about change in temperature, loss of Wi-Fi connection and air filter changing need. You can view local weather and 5-day forecast through your app. The thermostat pretty much runs itself once the initial programming is completed. It provides options to either temporarily or permanently nullify the settings as well as manual vacation setting. Its real time clock stores time during power outrages and automatically update for daylight saving time which is optional. Due to its ability to hold temperature in an accurate band, you don’t waste your energy and money. For installation, it needs 24v power from C wire; if C wire is not available it offers alternative installation using G wire. It costs CDN$168.71 Pros: Touchscreen Vacation setting Real time clock Cons: Doesn’t work with blueberry and this could be a problem for some. Sensi WI-FI Smart Programmable Thermostat 1F86U-42WF: Its full name is White-Rodgers Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi Thermostat. It supports four-stage heating rendering it more flexible than many higher-ranked programmable thermostats. It also includes two-stage cooling and a programmable fan keeping your home comfortable throughout the year. It offers temperature swing of 1 degree. It is missing advanced tools that other programmable thermostats offer such as auto-scheduling, geofencing, motion sensors and a large selection of energy management features. It provides 7-day scheduling, onscreen weather condition display, equipment status alerts, humidity sensor and away settings. Wi-Fi availability allows you to control home temperature from anywhere outside home. It can also be controlled by an online portal. It is compatible with the Wink app and Amazon Echo offering you control with your voice. This model has a black and white interface. Its simple design makes it easy to use. The menu is very basic, with buttons that access fan, mode and schedule settings. With programmed seasonal temperature settings and day/night time, you can conserve energy and money on your utility bills. It costs $113.99 Pros: Supports four-stage heating system Humidity sensor +/- 1 degree swing range Cons: Lack energy management features like motion sensor technology and geofencing Honeywell Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat TH9320WF5003: It’s a colored touchscreen with Wi-Fi availability that allows you to control your home thermostat from any smart device. Wi-Fi gives you automatic software updates. You can adjust color of the screen to match you home décor scheme. It offers heating temperature range from 40 degrees F to 90 degrees F and cooling temperature range from 50 degrees F to 99 degrees F. it includes electrical rating of 10 to 30 Vac, a supply voltage and an easy to use display screen that can be operated for multilingual use. It allows for both manual and auto changeover having a frequency of 50 and 60 Hz. Its display is 8 square inches. It costs $164.86 Pros: Independently of programming, it controls over your house fan Easy over-ride function Intuitive interface full featured touchscreen. Cons: No data reports Weather service can be unreliable if your area has micro climates. Nest Learning Thermostat, 3rd Generation: It is one of the best smart programmable thermostats. Its attractive having excellent customer support and works with most residential HVAC systems. Its digital thermostat gets the knack of your schedule and automatically readjusts its temperature. You can also adjust temperature from your smartphones at any time. Most of your homes heating and cooling requirements can be handled by this Wi-Fi thermostat. It works with many heating units including radiant heaters, forced-air furnaces, dual-fuel systems and heat pumps. It works with the equipment that is most suitable for your local climate which varies from place to place. It accommodates two- stage cooling and three-stage heating using a variety of devices. Theses multiple heating stages allows your home to use energy more effectively. If one stage doesn’t heat your home to your comfort level in desired timeframe, the next stage kicks in and adjusts the temperature. It causes significant changes on utility bills and helps environment by conserving energy. It also offers daily reports on energy consumption. It also features whole-home humidifiers, fans and dehumidifiers. Its keypad lock ensures no one can change temperature without permission. It has a temperature swing of 1 degree. It includes built-in sensors for humidity, movement, temperature and light and notifies the need to change filter. Its price is $145.00 Pros: Large display Easy to install Intuitive interface Cons: Doesn’t work with apple home kit Can’t monitor temperature in multiple rooms. Ecobee3 Smarter Wi-Fi thermostat: It works for a constant temperature throughout your home including all you rooms. It prevents uneven heating throughout your interior and save money by learning your preferred automated settings. It only turns on heater and air conditioner according to your home requirement. Wi-Fi availability offers remote monitoring of the system. It alerts user by sending notifications if something doesn’t work correctly. It provides 5-day forecast on local weather. It only occupies four square inches of your wall. You can program it for 7-days for easy use. It is perfectly compatible with modern heating and cooling systems. It also offers vacation mode. Its other features include home IQ energy report, remote sensors, free mobile app and full-color touchscreen. It costs $242.89 Pros: Amazon Echo integration for voice control Room sensors System alerts Cons: Getting you room cold up to ideal temperature may exceed cost savings. Nest Learning Thermostat 2nd Generation: Due to the arrival of the Nest 3, the 2nd generation has already had a price cut down to $199. It low price makes it more attractive for budget smart home users or to those who want to upgrade their first generation unit. Because of its extra pair of connectors, it supports a wide range of home heating and HVAC systems. It also offers hybrid heating systems and humidly stats. It supports all of 1-2 stage cooling and 1-3 stage heating systems making it more practical for home with advanced HVAC setups. It also use system match feature to work more in tune with your specific HVAC system. Other features include early on mode for cold morning starts, a true radiant that improves the use of thermostat measuring actual amount of heat created. Nest 2 and Nest 3 both have some similar features like front screen, dial, Wi-Fi availability and both connect to a heat link device that connects to the boiler over wireless or existing wiring. It has built-in sensors for temperature, near-field activity, ambient light, humidity and far-field activity. Pros: Energy reports Wide range of HVAC system Auto away and auto learning feature Cons: Doesn’t run multistage functions properly No adjustable temperature swing or cycles per hour Radio Thermostat CT80 B 7-Day Programmable Thermostat: In programmable thermostat manufacturing, radio thermostat is not a well-known name, but CT-80 is one of the best thermostats that offer your full control of your environment over a Wi-Fi network. This thermostat doesn’t have many sensors but it provides several heating and cooling stages and a user-friendly touchscreen making it easy to program. It is an affordable thermostat that gives you seven day programming and drag and drop mobile app controls. It includes basic auto-schedule feature that allows you to quickly save your preferences in mobile app. You can override a schedule for an entire week or just one day with a single button and you don’t have to reprogram settings after. It also features humidity sensors, equipment alerts and weather assessment. It is one of the best smart thermostats that support geofencing conserving energy. It has a simple retro-style touch screen and is compatible with Z-wave and Zingbee radio frequencies. It costs $149.99 Pros: Easy to use Works with almost every HVAC system Cons: Wi-Fi requires a strong signal Lux Products GEO-WH Wi-Fi Thermostat: This product has both beauty and brains. It has soft curves and attractive design. it offers control wheel interface, large display and free android/iOS app that offers intuitive functionality. The GEO gives you easy to understand programming and built-in radius geofencing that automatically save energy when you are not around. It provides you full control. This thermostat utilizes 2 AA lithium batteries. It comes with micro-USB connection and a system power. These Wi-Fi thermostats are very crucial not only to your home but also to your daily activities. They offer seven programmable days, through the web, app or at the device, selectable Fahrenheit/Celsius setting, adjustable temperature swing, dual mount (vertical/horizontal), air filter monitor, low battery detection etc. These are easy to use, install and also offer ultimate performances. Their affordable price range ensures that there is something for everyone. It costs $98 Pros: Affordable Geofencing feature Cons: Dated interface trickier installation