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| Nest vs. Ecobee: Which one is the better smart thermostat? |
Smart thermostats can learn your home’s heating and cooling needs and adjust accordingly, saving you money on your energy bill. They can also be adjusted remotely using an app. The savings plus convince make these devices a great addition to any home, but which one is the best? The Nest Learning Thermostat and the Ecobee 4 are two of the leading smart home thermostats and they have similar features. So, how do they stack up against each other? We decided to take a closer look.
Cost
Both the Nest Learning Thermostat and the Ecobee 4 cost $249 retail initially, although sometimes you can find deals on each. Ecobee dropped the retail price on the Ecobee 4 to $199 on its website. You can also typically buy a Nest Learning Thermostat for around $225 on Amazon. However, because the Ecobee 4 currently sells for only $199, it edges out Nest in terms of price.
Winner: Ecobee 4
Energy-saving benefits
One of the primary reasons many people choose smart thermostats is because they want to cut down on utility bill costs. Although both models mentioned here can help you reach your energy goals, the Nest approach is a little more user-friendly.
Nest wifi and a Google Home Mini
Bundle the Nest Learning Thermostat with a Google Home Mini and save a few bucks.
Nest for home
When you adjust the temperature in a way that will result in energy savings, a leaf icon appears on the thermostat. Using the Nest Thermostat for heating and setting it to 62 degrees or below will always get you the leaf, as will using the gadget to cool your home and setting the thermostat to 84 degrees or warmer.
When you adjust the temperature in a way that will result in energy savings, a leaf icon appears on the thermostat. Using the Nest Thermostat for heating and setting it to 62 degrees or below will always get you the leaf, as will using the gadget to cool your home and setting the thermostat to 84 degrees or warmer.
As the Nest Learning Thermostat gets smarter and learns the household’s preferences over time, you’ll see the leaf icon show up on the display whenever you choose temperature settings that save energy based on your preferences and habits.
The leaf icon doesn’t provide more information besides the icon cue, but Nest’s support documentation about the feature indicates it will challenge people to set the thermostat higher or lower than usual. Making one-degree tweaks could save up to 5% on energy bills.
Ecobee smart
You might also like to know that the Ecobee4 is solely a hard-wired smart thermostat, whereas the Nest Learning Thermostat can operate off of either a home’s electricity or batteries in the event of a power outage.
If a person lives in an area characterized by severe weather that often causes power outages, the choice of two power sources in the Nest product could be advantageous. That additional option, combined with its smart energy-saving feature, makes Nest the winner here.
Winner: Nest Learning Thermostat
Looks
Both thermostats have rounded shapes. However, while the Nest Learning thermostat is perfectly round, the Ecobee4 is a bit more squared.
You can buy the Nest Learning Thermostat in stainless steel, polished steel, black, mirror black, white, brass, or copper. The Nest Learning Thermostat also has a far sight feature, and it lights up when it spots you across the room
The Ecobee4 has a black front piece with a blue strip at the top, and it doesn’t have color options available like Nest.
Winner: Nest Learning Thermostat
Thermostat adjustment
A look at the specifics of each device reveals that although they look similar, there are slight differences in how to make temperature adjustments.
The Nest device uses a dial mechanism courtesy of an exterior ring that you turn manually to change the temperature. If you prefer the same temperature-adjustment technique used for conventional thermostats, the Nest Learning Thermostat is a good choice.
The Ecobee4 utilizes a touchscreen. For those already accustomed to touchscreens on their smartphones, tablets, and home appliances such as ovens, using the Ecobee4 to alter the temperature is a natural extension of those activities.
When people invest in an Ecobee4, they can also purchase wireless room sensors. These accessories detect occupancy and adjust room temperatures automatically. Each Ecobee4 also comes with one sensor.
You can also choose to average the temperatures of selected rooms with sensors regardless of the presence of people with the Ecobee4. Convenience is one of the primary advantages of having a smart home, and this smart thermostat certainly delivers it.
Concerning the Nest Learning Thermostat, you can buy Nest Temperature Sensors separately. They require you to specify the desired temperature in a room at a particular time of the day, then the Nest responds to that input, making it a must-have accessory for large smart homes. Users can prioritize different rooms as needed. However, Nest’s technology doesn’t have the occupant-sensing feature of the Ecobee4.
Winner: Ecobee4
from Smart Home – Digital Trends
Nest vs. Ecobee: Which one is the better smart thermostat?
Reviewed by streakoggi
on
December 06, 2019
Rating:
Reviewed by streakoggi
on
December 06, 2019
Rating:
