It is easy to be overwhelmed with the many different thermostats on the market and all the features!\u00a0 Which one is right for you?\u00a0 We’ve taken three of the top thermostats and done a comparison for you: the Honeywell WiFi, the Nest (now owned by Google), and the Honeywell Lyric. All tout easy installation and setup, and all allow you to control the thermostat remotely from a smartphone via a free downloadable app.\u00a0 All will save you money on your utility bills if used appropriately. \u00a0Each of these thermostats uses different programming methods – or better said, what triggers the change in temperature settings – is quite different among the three.\u00a0 So, depending on your habits, one might be better for you than another.<\/p>\n
Honeywell WiFi<\/strong><\/p>\n User ratings of this thermostat are very high, and higher than the user ratings of the Honeywell Lyric and Nest in most cases.\u00a0 Users like the smartphone app a lot, and you can operate it from a website, too. You can schedule temperature changes for waking, leaving, returning, and sleeping. \u00a0Programming is a matter of setting up a 7-day schedule for each of these changes.\u00a0 You can override the schedule at any point, but this method works well if you have a fairly predictable schedule most of the time. Temperature control is spot on, within +\/- 1 degree. The touchscreen wall unit offers a multitude of preferences: colors, displays (Fahrenheit\/Celsius, 12\/24 hr. time, temp\/humidity, etc.), brightness, auto\/manual, keypad lockout, hold temperature option, and much more.\u00a0 Plus, there is a smart mode whereby it learns how long it takes to reach a desired temperature and proactively adjusts, and it reminds you when it’s time to change your filters. The cons were few:\u00a0 If your internet connectivity is down, you can only control the thermostat from the wall unit (same as a traditional thermostat), your color preferences cannot be saved, and circulate mode (fan) is preset at 35%.\u00a0 Depending on the retailer, the cost for this unit varies from $193-$230 (not including installation).<\/p>\n Google Nest\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n By comparison to the Honeywell WiFi, the Nest is more simplistic. The display only offers temperature, and not the multitude of preferences (colors, etc.) like the WiFi does.\u00a0 Also, unlike the WiFi, you cannot do all the functions from the thermostat wall unit that you can do from your smartphone. There is no hold temperature option, and the temperature control was only +\/- 3 degrees (a 6 degree swing is enough to make it feel too hot or too cold). Like the WiFi, it learns how long it takes to heat up and cool down to your set temperatures and proactively adjusts.\u00a0 There is no need to enter a 7-day program, though you may.\u00a0 You can merely set target home and away temperatures (for cooling and heating) for a single day or week, and it uses that as a starting point.\u00a0 Then, the Nest “learns” your patterns by having a sensor that senses when someone is home.\u00a0 So, if you have an erratic schedule, this feature might be ideal.\u00a0 However, user reviews say if you have a big house, its line of sight will not cover the entire house, so you may be home but in another room where the sensor can’t sense you, and thus the “away” mode kicks in. \u00a0Many users found the “learning” was imprecise at times, and some gave up on it and opted for straight programming of temps at specific times.\u00a0 The thermostat is accessible via the internet and the unit itself maintains connection to an internet website to tell you the outdoor temperature.\u00a0 Nest offers usage reports and shows you, via a green leaf on the display, when you’re saving energy.\u00a0 Users reported many frustrations, including software updates that wipe out your settings and any “learning” that was done, and time changes (for Daylight Saving Time) did not update the temperature settings, but many problems have since been fixed in newer updates. The Nest’s construction is solid (glass and stainless steel vs. the Honeywell’s plastic) and costs for the “second generation” of Nest units vary from $249-$300 (not including installation).<\/p>\n Honeywell Lyric<\/strong><\/p>\n The design of this unit at least on its face is similar to the simplistic display of the Nest.\u00a0 But its geofencing feature represents a totally different programming alternative. It uses your smartphone’s location to determine whether you are home or away, and sets the temperature accordingly.\u00a0 If you’re the type of person that doesn’t go anywhere without your smartphone, this might be for you, but be aware that everyone in the household must have the app installed on their smartphone. \u00a0Multiple thermostats can be controlled from the same app. \u00a0Users say the Lyric does a better job than the Nest at fine-tuning the temperature: it considers both indoor and outdoor temperature and humidity to reach a set point. Users found the software app with the Lyric more clunky than the Nest, and some functions can only be done from the smartphone or web, not from the wall unit. Many reviewers reported the geofencing was not reliable, problems working with iOS 8, multiple manual resets when internet connection was lost, and other frustrations causing them to set up shortcuts or do manual overrides or to swap out the unit due to frequent breakdowns.\u00a0 Others reported poor experiences with Honeywell’s customer support, or that they did not like the wobbly plastic feel of the device.\u00a0 As with the Nest, there is both an older and newer model, plus there is a retail and contractor’s version.\u00a0 Costs for the newer retail model range from $219-$280 (not including installation).<\/p>\n With all smart thermostats, you’ll want to check compatibility with your home’s HVAC system before purchasing one.\u00a0 Some do not work with baseboard heat, for example, and if you have multiple zones in your house, you’ll need multiple thermostats.\u00a0 Installation can be done by the homeowner, but know that we are happy to help you install any thermostat of your choosing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It is easy to be overwhelmed with the many different thermostats on the market and all the features!\u00a0 Which one is right for you?\u00a0 We’ve taken three of the top thermostats and done a comparison for you: the Honeywell WiFi, the Nest (now owned by Google), and the Honeywell Lyric. 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