What's so smart about smart thermostats? They not only keep your home at a comfortable temperature, but they also help you save money and fight climate change by better conserving energy resources. And the smartest people do it all automatically.
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium we chose maintained a more consistently comfortable temperature year-round than any other model we tested. This is probably due to the ability to calculate the influence of humidity on comfort. It comes with a remote SmartSensor to balance your home's temperature, and it also has a built-in smart speaker that can be used with Alexa and Siri. Ecobee's privacy policy is best in class, and the company still provides support for even its earliest models.
our picks
Ecobee's top model comes with the best remote sensor we tested, a built-in microphone and speaker, Alexa for voice control, and an air quality monitor.
Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings
Our top pick, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium, isn't the easiest model to set up, but it's the best overall model for extracting efficiency down to the last BTU. It has tons of settings to fine-tune your indoor environment, includes the smartest remote sensors, lets you tweak with voice commands, and can play audio via the built-in Alexa smart speaker. In our tests, it performed by far the best at keeping the entire home consistently comfortable. (Ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced has fewer features, but works just as well and costs much less.)
runner-up
The smartest thermostats are the easiest to set up using AI, but the extra brainpower comes at a higher price.
Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings
If you want an easier setup, the Google Nest Learning Thermostat is a great choice because the built-in AI does most of the work for you. It doesn't come with a remote sensor (Nest isn't as convenient as Ecobee) and doesn't have smart speaker functionality built-in, but some owners may not need these anyway. Additionally, some users have found it necessary to override Nest's AI to optimize comfort and energy savings.
budget selection
Although not as sophisticated as other products, this thermostat works with a variety of HVAC systems, is very easy to use, and is inexpensive.
Compatible models: Amazon Alexa, Ring
Amazon smart thermostats may be basic, with simple controls and rudimentary AI, but they have great features that make them ideal for some people. You can set it to run on a timed schedule or use Alexa Hunches (Amazon's term for Alexa's AI-based learning capabilities) to eventually learn patterns and suggest customized settings. can also do. One notable missing feature we would like to see is compatibility with the remote sensors found in our top picks.
our picks
Mysa is one of the few smart thermostats that can control inefficient electric baseboard heaters, using schedules, geofencing, and an “eco” mode to help you save money and energy.
Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home
If you have electric baseboard heating (or another type of high-voltage resistance heating), the Mysa Smart Thermostat (v2) adds smart control to those inefficient units. (You can't control the cooling system.) To save money and energy (as much as 26% of your annual heating bill), use scheduling, geofencing, and a subtly power-saving “eco” mode. Mysa claims that they are using it. Adjusts temperature without affecting comfort. Many electric baseboard systems require a thermostat in each room, which can come with a hefty price tag. If you're setting up multiple rooms, you might want to consider the more affordable Mysa Lite. Mysa Lite has the same performance but more basic controls and fewer features.