Ecobee vs Nest vs Sensi: What’s The Best Smart Thermostat in 2018?

Ecobee3	Nest	Sensi
Best Overall: Unmatched Features	Runner Up: Cool Learning Features	3rd Place: Cheapest Option
Buy Ecobee on Amazon	Buy Nest on Amazon	Buy Sensi on Amazon

Smart thermostats begin saving you money the moment you hook it up to your home. Three of the most popular smart thermostats are the Ecobee, Nest and Sensi. These three products allow you to control your homes temperature from your smart phone, pair with virtual assistants like Amazon Echo, and can even learn your patterns and preferences. Each of these thermostats have some key advantages over the others, but the Ecobee smart thermostat has the best features and has a seriously easy set up so anyone can hook it into their home’s HVAC system. Buying a smart thermostat is a great way to introduce smart technology into your home that will save you money and add convenience to your life. Plus, Ecobee’s “Follow Me” feature is one of the coolest things we’ve seen from a smart thermostat, and it sets it over the top as the best smart thermostat you can buy.

Wifi Thermostat Set Up Comparison

They all have relatively simple setup that you can do in 20-30 minutes. Once you remove the cover from your old thermostat, you remove 4-5 wires that run from your wall into the old thermostat, and connect them into whichever smart thermostat you bought. With a few very minor differences, setup for all three systems is basically the same. Most thermostats have what’s called a “C-wire,” which more or less powers your thermostat. You’ll want to check whether your existing thermostat has a C-wire before you buy, because Nest requires a C-wire in order to work. Ecobee and Sensi either don’t require a C-wire or have a power extender kit that will allow for power without a C-wire. You will need a screwdriver to remove old thermostat and install new.

• Only Nest requires C-wire
• Ecobee vs Nest vs Sensi all simple setup with walkthrough videos on app

Ecobee vs Nest vs Sensi: Cost and Savings

One of the most important aspects of getting a smart thermostat is it’s cost. The Nest is the most expensive at . Ecobee3, the newest product in the Ecobee line, costs . Finally, the Sensi is the cheapest smart thermostat and costs .

Even if your smart thermostat has all the bells and whistles, it doesn’t matter much unless you see some energy savings in the end. These smart thermostats all do a great job at cutting down on your heating and cooling bill, but depending on the size of your home and how you prefer to set up your system, energy savings vary from one thermostat to the next. The Sensi is great for simple commands like cooling during the day, or more heat at night. The Nest’s learning capabilities are fantastic and the more you use the Nest and Nest app, the more savings you’ll see. Finally, the Ecobee does a great job at cost savings when you program it with smart sensors around your home.

• Ecobee3 – and great savings when utilizing full list of features (one sensor included)
• Nest – and great learning capabilities
• Sensi – makes it cheapest and great for anyone who doesn’t want to think about using features and capabilities

Smart Thermostat Features

Whether you’re a data-nerd or you just want to have more options as to how to use your Thermostat, Ecobee really stands out in this category. Ecobee3 has optional motion sensors you can place around your house. These sensors work with your Ecobee to track where you spend the most time in your home, and can heat or cool that area of the house without you having to adjust the thermostat at all. The “Follow Me” feature learns what temperature you prefer, and as you move from one area of your house to another, it will automatically adjust the temperature in whichever room you enter. On top of that, it will adjust the temperature in the room you left to minimize energy consumption and save you money.

The Sensi doesn’t have much in terms of unique features, but it does a good job at energy savings so if that is all you care about, the simplicity of that system might be right for you.

The Nest has a few cool features, like learning your daily schedule and adjusting temperatures accordingly. The Nest also displays a green leaf when you are in “energy savings mode,” which doesn’t sound like much, but it is exciting to see how much time you spend in a high-saving state.

All three units will pair with virtual assistants like Amazon Echo, but we found the Nest to be the most difficult to pair. What the Nest does do though, once you get it set up, is work with other Nest products like home security cameras.

• Ecobee offers most data and has better features than competition
• Sensi great for money savings, but it is very limited feature-wise
• All pair with virtual assistants

Design

Having a good looking face to a smart thermostat is important, as it adds to the overall aesthetic value of the product. The Ecobee vs Nest are similar in style, with each having sleek finishes and a modern look. They both have some touchscreen capabilities as well. The Nest allows you to quickly adjust temperature by physically turning the device, and allows for many different display settings. The The Sensi, on the other hand, looks a lot like traditional thermostat panels.

• Nest click wheel and touch screen with modern round design
• Ecobee has sleek modern look, but somewhat clunky touchscreen capabilities
• Sensi traditional thermostat face with hard buttons

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Sensi vs Nest vs Ecobee: Final Verdict

While the Nest and Sensi would both be great for certain homes, we love the features the Ecobee has to offer and the easy setup for installation and connecting to your home’s wifi. The “Follow Me” feature is the best thing we tested and the idea of having these stationed throughout your home is the best way you can ensure whichever room you move to will be heated or cooled to your preferred temperature. While there is value in all three smart thermostats we reviewed, the best product for your dollar is the Ecobee.

Learn more about the Ecobee3 in this video:

Ecobee3	Nest	Sensi
Best Overall: Unmatched Features	Runner Up: Cool Learning Features	3rd Place: Cheapest Option
Buy Ecobee on Amazon	Buy Nest on Amazon	Buy Sensi on Amazon