5 Best Nest Thermostat Alternatives
Smart thermostats are becoming increasingly popular, and the Google Nest thermostat is arguably the leading product on the market. But just because it’s the most popular product doesn’t mean it’s the best.
Some homeowners benefit from similar products for various reasons, be it compatibility or price. In this article, we’ll explore 5 of the best Nest alternatives and why you should consider them.
Best Nest Thermostat Alternatives
Our picks for the best Nest Thermostat alternatives are as follows:
- Ecobee Smart Thermostat
- Honeywell Home T5+
- Sensibo Sky
- Honeywell Home T9
- Bosch BCC100 Connected
Let’s break down each option and see how well it compares to the Nest.
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Ecobee Smart Thermostat
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat is one of the most popular alternatives to the Nest, with its sleek single-touch screen look that lets users swipe and tap to adjust their thermostat settings.
While the screen is sleek and easy to use, its compatibility with your smartphone makes the Ecobee an especially versatile product. It can also connect with tools like Amazon Alexa, Apple Homekit, and Google Assistant.
The Ecobee easily connects with your HVAC system and allows you to set up cooling and heating schedules while selecting “comfort settings” to analyze hot or cold spots in your home.
One of the best parts about the Ecobee is that it comes with a temperature sensor that you can put around your home for greater control over your home climate. You can connect over 30 additional sensors.
The price, however, depending on which version you buy, can be steeper than the Nest. This makes the Ecobee perfect for homeowners who want more out of their smart thermostats than the Nest currently provides.
Honeywell Home T5+
The Honeywell Home T5+ is an excellent choice for Apple users. It seamlessly integrates with your Apple Homekit and iPhones better than the Nest.
After integrating with your HVAC system, it lets you set up a 7-day temperature program just like the Nest. You can also set up geofencing for optimal energy savings when you’re not in the house.
The Honeywell Home T5+ costs about as much as the Nest. If your home has a lot of Apple products and you want your thermostat to connect with those devices, the T5+ is a must-have.
Read our full Honeywell Lyric T5 Review
Sensibo Sky
Say you live in an apartment and the Nest just isn’t a practical option for improving your home insulation. That’s what the Sensibo Sky is for.
Window AC units can be unreliable, but the Sensibo Sky lets tenants control them using their Alexa, smartphones, or Google Home. Seven-day schedules and geofencing are also available through the Sensibo Sky.
Those without central HVAC systems can enjoy the Sensibo Sky for both its dynamic features as well as its price – about $15 cheaper than the Nest.
Honeywell Home T9
On the flip side, the Honeywell Home T9 is an excellent option for homeowners with much ground to cover. The Nest’s limited battery and lack of external sensors can limit its use in larger homes, which is what the T9 is for.
The T9 is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home and comes with sensors that can sense when people are in your home. The T9 lets you have up to 20 sensors to optimize the temperature for virtually every room in your house.
It’s more expensive than the T5+ and sports a similarly sleek touchscreen. It’s a great Nest alternative that doesn’t skimp on any energy-efficient benefits.
Bosch BCC100
If you’re tired of flipping through clumsy buttons on your old thermostat but aren’t interested in the tiny screens of the Nest, the Bosch BCC100 might be the option for you.
The Bosch gives you a much wider screen to schedule your thermostats. While it’s compatible with Alexa, it doesn’t require you to have an Alexa-enabled device.
The price is around the same as the Nest’s cheapest version, but with a much more legible display. The Bosch does require a C-wire, but doing so gives you control over not just your HVAC systems but also your humidifiers for maximum temperature control.
Nest Thermostat Overview
Let’s look at our control group – the Google Nest Smart Thermostat.
There are many reasons why the Nest is a popular choice. Its ability to connect with smart home systems gave it a distinct advantage at the time.
Consumers can take complete control over their home environment while simultaneously saving on their energy bills. Its sleek look, puck design, and LED lights allow the Nest to fit seamlessly into most homes.
While the price ranges from $130 to over $200, the Nest has found a home in millions of houses nationwide.
With all that being said, only some homeowners will find the Nest the right choice. Let’s look at a few reasons you should consider an alternative to the Nest.
Why Consider an Alternative?
One of the biggest knocks against the Nest is its price.
Paying $200 for an accessible smart thermostat might not be a big deal to some homeowners. When there are similar and much cheaper options out there, however, customers are bound to consider those alternatives.
Considering these factors, homeowners who want to increase their home’s value may wish to explore more affordable and convenient options that provide similar features without additional installation costs or lack of precision.
Because the Nest has so many capabilities, more than its internal battery might be needed to power specific HVAC systems. This means homeowners might need to install a C-wire, which requires getting an electrician.
The Nest also doesn’t come with external sensors. While you can buy them and install them around your home, other smart thermostats often come with external sensors included.
The Nest is also known to have a 3-degree temperature swing. This means setting it to a specific temperature might cool or heat your room 3 degrees higher or lower than that mark. While this isn’t detrimental to most, some homeowners might want more precision.
How to Choose an Alternative
If you’ve decided that the Nest is an attractive smart thermostat option but don’t think it’s the perfect fit, we’re here to help you find an alternative.
In the following section, we’ll be outlining 5 of the best Nest Thermostat alternatives based on the following criteria:
Design
Some smart thermostats have a sleek modern design, while others look more traditional. We will look at each alternative’s design to judge how it can fit into certain homes.
Compatibility
A key determining factor is how well and effectively your new smart thermostat can connect to your home’s HVAC system. It would be best to look at how well your smart thermostat can integrate with the rest of your smart home capabilities.
Energy Efficiency
Smart thermostats help homeowners tweak their energy usage to be as efficient as possible when cooling and heating a house. As such, we’ll judge each alternative’s ability to save energy.
Price
Price is a significant factor when choosing between different smart thermostat options. Heating and cooling your home doesn’t have to be a bank-breaking venture, so we’re looking at each of our alternatives’ pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Nest alternative?
From our experience, the Ecobee smart thermostat is the best Nest alternative based on comparable features, price, and design.
What thermostat is better than Nest?
Google Nest is the most popular smart thermostat for a variety of reasons. A handful of alternatives, including thermostats designed by Ecobee and Honeywell, provide some advantages over the Nest. Whether they are “better” than the Nest is somewhat subjective as all smart thermostats have different pricing, compatibility with other technology, and design.
Is Ecobee better than Nest?
Not necessarily, but the Ecobee thermostat is better than the Nest if you don’t have a common wire (C-Wire). A C-Wire provides Wi-Fi thermostats with continuous power by connecting them to a heating and cooling system. If you don’t have a C-Wire and choose the Nest thermostat, you’ll either have to opt for a less-than-ideal workaround or purchase additional equipment to make it work.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Nest?
Yes, there are a few cheaper alternatives to Nest. Ecobee and Honeywell Home are cheaper alternatives to Nest that offer similar smart thermostat features such as remote control via a smartphone app and voice assistant integration.
Is there an Amazon equivalent to Nest?
Yes, Amazon has a line of smart thermostats called Amazon Smart Thermostats that are similar to Nest in terms of features and functionality, such as remote temperature control via Alexa voice commands and mobile app. Amazon also offers the option to control other smart thermostats compatible with Alexa, such as Ecobee and Honeywell.
Summary
While the Nest Thermostat is a popular smart thermostat option, great alternatives exist. Use this article to find your home’s best possible smart thermostat and save on your energy bills today!