Top 5 Smart Thermostats in 2018
Read about our five favorite Smart Thermostats of 2018 to help you narrow down your choice for a WiFi thermostat to make your home smarter and save you money.
If you are looking to make your home smarter, starting with a new thermostat can save you a considerable amount of change on your next energy bill.
When considering which smart thermostat to go with, there are a lot of different options. The good news is, most of them are high-quality products with the ability to save you significant amounts on your energy expenses. We’ve listed out our five favorites (in no particular order) to help you narrow down your options and select the best WiFi thermostat to make your home smarter.
Ecobee 4
We like the Ecobee 4 because it offers a ton of features for its price. In addition to the usual suspects like smart home integration (Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Homekit, and more), programmability, and geofencing, the Ecobee 4 has some unique features that we really like.
For one, Far-Field voice technology allows users to give the thermostat voice commands without having to stand right in front of it. Being able to speak to it from across the room makes taking advantage of the voice technology incredibly convenient.
Another exciting feature is the room sensors. Where most thermostats only measure the temperature in one place, the Ecobee’s room sensors allow you to track and maintain temperatures in different rooms. These sensors will enable you to get your ideal temperatures in the rooms that matter most. For example, an office with large windows located on the West side of your home might run hotter than the location of the thermostat. With these sensors, you can ensure that your office reaches an ideal temperature while you work. How cool is that?
Nest Learning Thermostat
The Nest Learning Thermostat offers a sleek design and is easy to install. If you have other Nest devices in your home, the thermostat can communicate with them as well. Similar to the Ecobee, Nest Learning Thermostat also has Amazon Alexa integration to control the device with your voice.
The Nest Thermostat learns your daily habits and automatically adjust the temperature accordingly. There are ten temperature sensors, as well as humidity, ambient light, and activity sensors. Other features of this thermostat are WiFi capabilities, Bluetooth radio, and 512MB of memory. It supports three-stage heating and two-stage cooling, three fan speeds, and humidifier and dehumidifier add-ons.
Farsight is also a new feature of the Nest Learning Thermostat. The device lights up to show you the temperature, weather, or time. This device also offers Geofencing.
What sets the Nest Learning Thermostat apart from other smart thermostats is its ability to auto schedule. It learns your daily heating and cooling temperatures during the first week of use and creates a schedule based on your preferences. This is a nice feature for those that don’t want to spend time programming their schedule.
Lux/Geo WiFi Thermostat
The Lux/Geo gives homeowners an accessible entry into the world of smart thermostats. Starting at just $100, this thermostat is a great way to make your home smarter (and cut down that energy bill) without breaking the bank. This device is easy to install, offers geofencing, mobile and web support, and a lot of scheduling options. With the Geo/Lux WiFi Thermostat, you can change your target temperature and create customized schedules from anywhere.
Its LCD panel displays target and current room temperatures, the heating mode, WiFi status, the date, and the time. The thermostat can be used with two-stage heating, one-stage cooling, and supports gas and oil furnaces with forced air, hot water, baseboard, radiator, and electric heating systems.
With its auto scheduling abilities, you can create custom schedules for every day of the week. You can also configure your system from anywhere using a web browser or the mobile app.
Overall, while you lose some of the cooler features of higher-end products, the Lux/Geo WiFi thermostat covers all the essentials at a generous price.
Lux Kono Smart Thermostat
The Kono Thermostat runs from $77 – $149. The Kono Thermostat is compatible with most two-stage heat, one-stage cooling systems, as well as most heat pump systems with two-stage heat, one stage cooling, and auxiliary heat.
This device can be controlled via a web browser or the Android or iOS apps. It has an Away mode that can save you energy while you are not at home, as well as a Radius button that allows users to configure a geofence perimeter that automatically puts the system in Away Mode when you leave and Home mode for when you return.
The Kono Thermostat allows for features such as Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri voice commands, as well as geofencing and smart scheduling. Although the Kono offers runtime usage reports, it does not provide outdoor weather or humidity conditions, both of which can affect how your system runs.
Overall it’s yet another affordable option that’s perfect for homeowners who want the essential energy-saving features without paying a premium for bells and whistles.
Honeywell Lyric T5 WiFi
The Lyric T5 WiFi is reasonably priced at just $98. This option features geofencing technology and support for Apple’s Homekit and Amazon Alexa.
The T5 works with 24-volt conventional forced air, heat pump, hot water, and steam heating systems. It supports two-stage heating and cooling. If you are looking for a device that supports humidifier and dehumidifier add-ons, consider upgrading to Honeywell’s Prestige or other Lyric devices.
The touchscreen display allows users to configure WiFi settings, change temperature scales, and check the status of your equipment, as well as other device information.
One feature that makes the Lyric product line unique is access to Honeywell’s Monthly Energy Report. You can register your device and receive a monthly report that breaks down your energy usage, compares it to past months, and even compares it to averages for your area. Then it provides tips to lower your bill even more next month.
Technology is awesome, but sometimes all we need to save more on our power bills is some information.
Make Your Home Smarter in 2018
Those are our top 5 picks for smart thermostats in 2018. Of course, there’s a wide variety of products on the market today, each of which has its strengths and weaknesses. If you don’t already have a smart thermostat, whichever one has the features you like within your budget will make a significant impact on your energy bills.
Most of these smart thermostats can be installed yourself, using the step-by-step directions they come with. If you need help for any reason installing your new device, feel free to give the professionals at Sig Cox a call, and we’ll be happy to take care of it for you.
Schedule A Service Call!
Customer Reviews
“I called 6 other companies when my AC stopped pushing air at 5PM. None of them seemed to want my business. When I got to Sig Cox, the guy who answered the phone was polite, knowledgeable, and was even trouble shooting with me before sending someone out. The agent got to my house in 30 minutes, troubleshoot, and fixed the problem in another 30. He even topped off the freon for free. The pricing was definitely agreeable. You’d get charged the same or more with any other company. Some of the best customer service I have seen. You should absolutely consider Sig Cox for you HVAC problems, I won’t be looking anywhere else.”
Nicholas BrennanGoogle Review
“These people are amazing. After hiring Sig Cox the first time to fix my HVAC unit about a year ago, I was more than happy, to say the least. Then about a week ago I had them install a new HVAC unit for me. This is by far the best a/c repair company in Augusta GA. They are professional, timely, and really take care of their customers. I highly recommend them and proudly give them an A+ rating! Thank you all so much!”
Chris KirkseyGoogle Review
“This company did some work for my mother-in-law, of which she was quite pleased, so she recommended them to us. We had a downstairs unit that just wasn’t putting out any cool air. They came by post haste and assessed the unit, gratis. Of course it was a compressor failure so we had to make the hard decision to buy a new unit or fix what we had. The advice we got from our man on the scene was honest and sincere.
Since we had an older unit that used the phased out Freon and compressors are ugh, expensive, we went with a new unit. We decided on the Amana since it had a lifetime warranty on the compressor and rated well in Consumer Reports.
A month later the other unit failed and we replaced that as well. Six Cog worked with us on the price, we were never hassled on the payment, nor did they demand any payment on the spot and never did I feel pressured into anything. The install was smooth, fast and highly professional. Both units fired up, granted a month apart, and the house was cool almost immediately.
This company has a great reputation from what I can garner in the community, and I’m here to tell you that I recommend them highly as well. Please note that this is first recommendation I have ever put online.”
Donald BradshawGoogle Review
“Very good experience. The Service Technician, David, went above and beyond to assist us in our AC repair.”
Daniel BrownGoogle Review
“From the first time that Mr. Boarwright came out, I knew that your company was top of the line. None [of the other companies] laid it out on paper like Sig Cox.”
Steven BurrisGoogle Review
“Thank you and your crew for your profession assistance in solving our unique heating and cooling situation that involved two seperate zones.”
PJ RodgersGoogle Review
“It was a pleasure doing business with your staff. They were professional and provided the solution to our problem.
Margaret BrubakerGoogle Review
My air conditiong system went out, Sig Cox was recommended so I called them. Technician Andrew came out, was on time, and he properly diagnosed the problem. He had the part ordered. When the part came in, Nolan installed the part perfectly. Both technicians were very professional and knowledgeable. I even talked to the owner of the company who is involve day-to-day with his company. Very nice people to deal and they really go beyond what’s expected to help you get things fixed. I highly recommend Sig Cox!! Ask for Andrew or Nolan, they know what they’re doing!!
Dan CanGoogle Review
“We had a heating and air company we were satisfied with, but when we needed a new unit we went with Sig Cox because of the deal we couldn’t beat. We have been SO impressed with everyone we have worked with, from the customer service, to the salesman, to the technicians, they are all so friendly and professional! We will be loyal customers from now on!”
Ashley MarksGoogle Review
Recent Comments