The most feature-rich and user-friendly smart thermostats on the market, Ecobee thermostats also provide energy cost reductions thanks to eco+ software.
The Ecobee SmartThermostat, which serves as both a voice assistant and a thermostat, is our favorite.
Pros
- Flexible timetables
- Logical touchscreen user interface
- Automated power-saving settings
- Compatible with several smart hubs
Cons
- Slow SmartSensor for Doors and Windows activation
- Wi-Fi connection that is unstable
- With certain outdated heating systems incompatible
Ecobee Thermostat Comparison
The Ecobee SmartThermostat with voice control (also known as the SmartThermostat Pro) and the Ecobee3 Lite are the two thermostats that Ecobee presently offers for sale.
Additionally, the SmartThermostat contains wire connectors for HVAC accessories like dehumidifiers and ventilators, a microphone and speaker for voice control, an occupancy sensor, and 5G connectivity.
| Product | Built-in voice control | Built-in occupancy sensor | SmartSensor | Connectivity | ACC- and ACC+ wire terminals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Ecobee SmartThermostat |
Yes | Yes | Included | Wi-Fi, 2G, 5G | Yes |
 Ecobee3 Lite |
No | No | Sold separately | Wi-Fi, 2G | No |
What Is Inside The Box
SmartThermostat by Ecobee:
- SmartThermostat by Ecobee
- Supporting plate
- SmartSensor from Ecobee with removable stand
- Quick Start Guide & Installation
- Label wire
- Plugs for drywall and screws
- Equipment for extending power
- Plate trim
Ecobee3 Lite:
- Thermostat Ecobee3 Lite
- Backplate
- Installer’s manual
- Label wire
- Plugs for drywall and screws
- Equipment for extending power
- Plate trim
Schedules for Ecobee Thermostats
The Ecobee thermostats allow you to set up heating and cooling routines, just like any programmable thermostat worth their salt.
These schedules change the temperature in your house to save you money on your energy bills since it’s not necessary for it to be the ideal temperature when no one is home or awake to enjoy it.
Comparing the Ecobee to a conventional thermostat, it is significantly simpler to set up a schedule because to its user-friendly touchscreen.
If you’d like, you may also create schedules using the Ecobee app.
#1. Determine the Temperature
You may arrange Ecobee’s three available modes into any time window.
- Home
- Away
- Sleep
To change the temperature for each mode, go to the Menu and Comfort Settings.
As an example, you may set the temperature to be 72°F while you’re at home, 70°F when you sleep, and 65°F while you’re abroad.
#2. Organize a Schedule
- Go to Menu and Schedule to establish a schedule.
- Tap the plus-sign symbol, then tap the day of the week you wish to change.
- Select the start time for the mode you want to use, either Home, Away, or Sleep.
The scheduled temperatures may be seen on the schedule screen, but they cannot be changed there.
To adjust the temperatures, go to the menu and choose Comfort Settings.
#3. Remember To Use Vacation Mode.
For a while, vacation mode supersedes your regular routine.
Go to Vacation and the Menu.
Add your preferred temperature and fan settings, along with the start and finish timings.
The correctness of the time and date.
If the date and time on your thermostat are set incorrectly, schedules won’t operate as planned.
By navigating to Settings on the Ecobee, you may change them.
SmartThermostat: Putting The Smart in smart
The Ecobee SmartThermostat’s intelligent heat/cool recovery mode and intelligent home and away mode are where it elevates it from ordinary to brilliant.
#1. Intelligent Heat-And-Cool Recovery Mode
Schedules are often used by other programmable or smart thermostats as a prompt to activate the HVAC system.
To prevent entering a frigid home, you would need to set the thermostat to “Home” around an hour before your anticipated arrival time.
With the Ecobee, none of that guessing is necessary.
The Ecobee intelligently determines when to switch on the system when the smart heat recovery or smart cool recovery modes are activated, ensuring that your house achieves the right temperature precisely when your Home, Away, or Sleep mode starts.
This ensures that every time you return home, the temperature is just right.
#2. Smart Travel and Home
If you alter your usual home/away routine, don’t be concerned.
The occupancy sensor determines whether or not you are at home.
It is only included with the SmartThermostat or SmartSensor accessories.
- The Ecobee will immediately switch to Home mode if it senses your presence while it is in Away mode.
- While in Home mode, the Ecobee will automatically switch to Away mode if it detects that no one is home.
By tapping Menu and Sensors, this function may be turned on or off.
Alternately, you may rapidly change modes by selecting Settings, Home for now, or Away for now.
Integrated Alexa Voice Control
You effectively get an Amazon Echo cloaked as a thermostat when you purchase an Ecobee SmartThermostat.
The SmartThermostat is Alexa; you don’t need to link it with her.
Through the Ecobee SmartThermostat, use your voice to control the thermostat, check the weather, or carry out any other Alexa skill.
Also Works With Other Voice Assistants
If you already use another voice assistant, you shouldn’t worry since both Ecobee thermostats are compatible with Apple Homekit, Google Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings.
The main distinction is that you must own the relevant hub and couple it through the app since they aren’t included into the Ecobee Thermostat.
Before Purchasing, Check Your Internet Capacity.
Ecobee thermostats use 15 to 20 MB each month.
For maximum performance, you may need to get a bigger internet plan.
To find out how much more bandwidth you have, get in touch with your internet service provider.
The Eco+ Program
A free software update called Eco+ suggests customized energy-saving thermostat settings for you.
It examines local weather predictions, relative humidity, and changes in the price of power.
Additionally, Eco+ collects information from the motion and occupancy sensors on SmartSensors and SmartThermostats.
“The eco+ is my favorite feature. It allows you to choose an extra savings percentage and then offers suggestions for what temperature to set your thermostat at to meet that goal.”
—Suzi Brzezinski, a tester for Ecobee
Use the slider to specify how much energy you wish to conserve by accessing eco+ settings from the main menu.
Ecobee says it can reduce energy use by 1 percent to 20 percent, while no savings are guaranteed.
Eco+ won’t alter anything without your consent.
Each eco+ parameter may be turned on and off, or eco+ can be completely disabled.
What to anticipate from the eco+ settings is as follows:
- Humidity adjustments: Ecobee concentrates on the “feels like” temperature of your house, enabling it to run up to several degrees warmer or colder than the standard temperature setting.
- Time of use: Ecobee precools or preheats your house during periods of the day when power is less expensive. If you purchase your power at a set rate, this functionality won’t function.
- Community energy savings: Ecobee changes the temperature of your house to consume less energy if your local power grid encounters a surge in usage. Through this initiative, your town may stay away from using coal-based energy and other dirty energy sources.
- Schedule assistant: Ecobee advises creating a new timetable if your home-and-away behaviors consistently deviate from the present schedule. This is comparable to the headline function of the Nest Learning Thermostat, except it needs your permission.
- Smart Home and Away: This function is supported by the SmartThermostat occupancy sensor or the SmartSensor motion sensor. If it detects that you are home during the “away” time or vice versa, it overrides the thermostat schedule. Although it isn’t exclusive to eco+, Smart Home and Away is included in the eco+ menu.)
You may get monthly energy reports by email from Eco+.
Alerts For High/Low Temperatures And Humidity
The Ecobee SmartThermostat allows you to specify personalized alarm thresholds for indoor temperature and humidity levels under Settings and Preferences.
You may avoid issues like frozen pipes, moldy walls, and warped wood by doing this.
These warnings also provide you the opportunity to take action before the issue affects more vulnerable members of your family, pets, or even houseplants.
Below 32°F, not even the SmartThermostat will function.
You may choose to simply get notifications on your smartphone or to have them appear on the thermostat itself.
Reminders for Maintenance
Important house care chores include expert inspections and regular HVAC filter replacements.
If you neglect to perform them, you are not alone, but your home’s air quality and energy efficiency are at risk.
Ecobee is here to help you.
You may set up repeated reminders for filter replacement and professional servicing under Settings, Preferences, and Maintenance Reminders.
Extras available for Ecobee
#1. SmartSensor
The wireless SmartSensor functions as an additional temperature and occupancy sensor.
One SmartSensor is included with each SmartThermostat, but more ones may be purchased.
For instance, the occupancy sensor won’t be activated if you aren’t likely to walk by your SmartThermostat when you come home.
To fully use motion-dependent features like Smart Home and Away or the eco+ Smart Schedules, place a SmartSensor next to the entrance.
The SmartSensor may be used to monitor hot and cold regions in the nursery or other areas of your house.
The SmartSensor’s temperature readings will let you know when to change the thermostat, add a space heater, or switch on a fan, despite the fact that Ecobee cannot generate hot and cold zones in your house (dampers are required for that).
#2. Intelligent Sensor for Windows and Doors
Your house cannot keep the proper temperature with a door or window open.
Overworking your HVAC system can result in increased energy costs for you.
This issue is resolved with the Ecobee SmartSensor for Doors and Windows.
The Ecobee thermostat stops heating or cooling if a door or window is left open.
Although we like the idea, it is not without flaws.
Prior to the Ecobee turning off, the door or window must be left open for five minutes.
That is a considerable amount of time and wasted breath.
Two minutes would be more appropriate.
In addition, it’s difficult to anticipate which windows will be left open.
If you’re on a tight budget, think about how long it will take the sensors’ energy bill savings to cover their cost.
#3. Smart Security by Ecobee
When you purchase a SmartThermostat (base station), SmartSensor (motion sensor), and SmartSensor for Doors and Windows, you have the beginnings of a basic home security system (entry sensor).
The range may also include an Ecobee camera.
The built-in speaker of the SmartThermostat keeps an ear out for the sound of your current smoke alarm.
When it hears this siren, it utilizes RapidSOS to alert first responders and sends a notification to your phone.
Third-Party Integrations for Ecobee
For more automation and control, Ecobee thermostats integrate with various smart home devices and apps:
- IFTTT
- Abode Home Security
- Blue by ADT
- Brilliant Smart Home Control
- Flair smart vents
- Keen smart vents
- Alarm.com
- Microsoft Cortana
- Control4
Not Compatible With All HVAC Systems
Make sure your system is compatible before purchasing an Ecobee:
- A gas fireplace is an example of a millivolt system.
- A common DC voltage system in RVs
- Electric baseboard heaters or forced fan heaters are examples of line- or high-voltage systems.
- Heat from radiators
A “communicating” HVAC system becomes a “non-communicating” system when an Ecobee thermostat is used, which disables built-in efficiency.
Brands of communicating HVAC systems include ComfortNet, Infinity, Affinity, iComfort, and Evolution.
Wi-Fi Connection Issues
We discovered recurrent complaints from Ecobee consumers about inadequate Wi-Fi connection.
You may want to pass on the Ecobee if you are aware of your inconsistent Wi-Fi or have previously had difficulties getting smart home gadgets to connect to your Wi-Fi.
Without Wi-Fi, the Ecobee performs as a standard thermostat but is devoid of all its intelligent capabilities, such as smartphone control.
Other Smart Thermostats Against Ecobee
| Best for | Product† | Remote temperature sensor | Occupancy sensor | Smart home integration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Google Nest Learning Thermostat | Add-on | Yes | Alexa, Assistant, IFTTT |
| Best for voice control | Ecobee SmartThermostat | Included | Yes | Alexa, HomeKit, Google, IFTTT, SmartThings |
| Best for rentals |  Honeywell Home T5+ | No | No | Alexa, HomeKit, Google, IFTTT |
| Budget pick |  Google Nest Thermostat | No | No | Alexa, Google, IFTTT |
| Best design |  Honeywell Home RTH9585WF1004 | No | No | Alexa, Google, Cortana, IFTTT, SmartThings |
Last Word
Energy-conscious homes may benefit greatly from Ecobee thermostats.
There isn’t much that can be stated negatively about the Ecobee that can’t also be said about other smart thermostats, such as compatibility issues and a possible requirement for expert installation.
Because of the voice control, integrated occupancy sensor, and free SmartSensor, we advise the Ecobee SmartThermostat over the Ecobee3 Lite.
FAQs
The operation of an Ecobee thermostat?
Your HVAC system is linked to Ecobee thermostats.
The HVAC system is instructed to switch on and off by the thermostat’s built-in temperature sensors.
All thermostats, whether they are “smart” or not, share this property.
Additional sensors that detect motion and humidity are necessary for the Ecobee’s smart functions.
Wi-Fi connectivity allows Ecobee thermostats to obtain local information such as weather and power prices.
Calculations are made using all of this data to determine the appropriate temperature setting.
Why doesn’t “Hey Siri” work with my Ecobee SmartThermostat?
Make sure you have a Homepod and the most recent version of the Ecobee app.
Then adhere to these guidelines to switch from Alexa to Siri on your voice assistant.
How can I adjust the Ecobee thermostat?
The touch screen of each Ecobee thermostat and the Ecobee app may be used to operate any Ecobee thermostat.
If you own a smart speaker from Amazon, Google, Apple, Microsoft, or Samsung, you can also use your voice to operate simple thermostat operations.
The Ecobee SmartThermostat is the lone exception; it comes with an integrated Alexa voice assistant and doesn’t need a separate smart speaker.
Does Ecobee support 5 GHz Wi-Fi?
The Ecobee3 Lite can only connect to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, but the Ecobee SmartThermostat can connect to 5 GHz.
Can Ecobee be used without WiFi?
Without Wi-Fi, Ecobee smart thermostats can’t operate its sophisticated functions, but they can still switch on and off your HVAC system like a regular thermostat.
Can I use my Ecobee while I’m not at home?
Yes, with the Ecobee app, you can operate the Ecobee thermostat from anywhere in the globe.
