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Including the best Amazon smart thermostats with Wi-Fi connectivity and Homekit compatibility. Temperature & Humidity Controller
We’ve looked over our recommendations in this guide in April 2023 and continue to stand by them.
Picture it: You’re in bed. The lights are off. The kids are asleep (we know, but pretend), and then you realize you didn’t adjust the thermostat for the night.
Instead of getting up, smart thermostats control the temperature of your home automatically and allow you to make adjustments from your phone, so you can maintain the temperature you want no matter where you are. Not only does this make it easier to keep your home at a comfortable temperature, but according to data from the U.S. Energy Department, it could save you $100 or more a year on energy costs.
While upgrading to a smart thermostat is a no-brainer, figuring out which one to purchase is not. At the Good Housekeeping Institute, we've tested hundreds of smart home devices, from smart light switches and smart locks to smart air conditioners and even smart toilets. For this guide, we tested 20 of the latest smart thermostats to find the best models on the market that are easy to set up and use and are compatible with other smart home systems.
Head to the end of this article to find more information on how we test smart thermostats and what to consider when purchasing. For more information on thermostats and smart home devices, check out our articles on how to install a smart thermostat and the best wireless home security cameras.
The sleek Ecobee with voice control is the most versatile device to control your home's heating and cooling systems. As the name indicates, you can control it with your voice thanks to its integrated Alexa speaker.
In our Lab tests, we found it comparatively easy to set up and use. The thermostat comes with remote occupancy sensors that allow you to regulate the temperature in the areas of the home you use the most. We also like that the Ecobee incorporates helpful features like energy consumption tracking and geofencing — meaning it detects when you're not home and adjusts the temperature accordingly.
Beyond temperature management, it can also sense and regulate indoor humidity to maintain an optimal level. One tester loved how the Ecobee got to know their habits and adjusted accordingly over time, and they loved that it saved them money on their energy bill, too.
Wyze’s reputation for value-driven smart devices continues with its smart thermostat. In our hands-on review, the device didn’t win any beauty awards, but if you’re looking for a no-nonsense thermostat that’s relatively easy to install with intuitive controls, Wyze is the way to go. Even at its bargain price, the thermostat has several features our engineers like, including voice control, geofencing and sharing access if you want to give temperature control to long-term visitors.
The Bosch smart thermostat has many of the features we appreciate, including Alexa integration. It's also popular with HVAC professionals because it’s such a robust device, controlling not just temperature, but other air conditioning equipment that may be installed in the home, such as ventilation systems or whole-house dehumidifiers.
Its large touch screen is great for viewing info like the time, temperature and local weather. While this thermostat is compatible with most HVAC systems including heat pumps and conventional systems, it does require a Wi-Fi connection and a C-wire, which provides continuous power to the digital display. If your home is not already equipped with a C-wire, one should be professionally installed.
Nest is the leading name among smart thermostats, and it’s now part of the Google smart home ecosystem. The third-generation version was one of the favorites from our tests due to its capability to learn your habits over time.
Another standout feature is its ability to alert you if your HVAC is acting up or if there is a danger of your pipes bursting due to freezing temperatures. Similar to the Ecobee, the Nest can track energy usage and provide energy-saving tips. One tester found that the Nest learned when they came home and was able to adjust the temperature accordingly, which ended up saving them money on their heating bill.
The display screen offers helpful information like the time, temperature and weather. We also love that it comes in a variety of designs and finishes. One tester did have issues with integrating the wiring of the device into their current heating and cooling system and had to call in professional help. Be sure to ensure the installation compatibility matches your current setup (more on that below).
Smart thermostats used to be hard to come by for homes with baseboard electric heating, which is why our experts like the Mysa Smart Thermostat for electric baseboard heaters. (There’s also a version specifically designed for electric in-floor heating.) We found the app experience to be similar to what you’ll find with other smart devices, and one of our testers loved that she could plan ahead for her day and come home to a comfortable temperature.
We liked its ability to remotely control the system, chart energy consumption and set up geofencing options. While the Mysa doesn't control cooling equipment, it plays nicely with smart home assistants including Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
The Nest E smart thermostat has most of the same features as its more expensive counterpart, just in a more affordable design. For example, its frosted display only tells you the temperature, whereas the mirrored glass display on the premium Nest also tells you the time and weather.
But the Nest E is still loaded with helpful attributes like geofencing, alerts and energy tracking. Consumer feedback on the frosted display was split – some found it really aesthetically appealing, and others found it difficult to read. If you live in an older home that doesn’t have a C-wire, you might have to bring in a professional to install one.
Ever since the first smart thermostats came out more than a decade ago, products across the category have gotten better and better thanks to improved sensor technology, smarter home integration and other innovations.
The engineers and product experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute have evaluated brand leaders in the smart thermostat category — like Nest, Ecobee and Honeywell — and kept close tabs on up-and-coming brands as well. (That’s where the innovations usually come from.)
In our latest round of testing and researching, we spent more than 40 hours analyzing the current marketplace and collecting hundreds of data points during our in-Lab and at-home consumer testing.
We narrowed our selection down to 20 of the latest models and put them through hands-on testing, some for at least three months. We assessed the ease of installation, the intuitiveness of operation on both the device and app and the functionality of advanced features like Alexa integration or humidity-control capabilities. Our Lab experts also gave ratings based on power consumption and compatibility with other smart home systems.
If you’re not particularly tech-savvy, shopping for smart home devices might be overwhelming and confusing. Here are five things to keep in mind as your narrow down to find the perfect model for your home:
✔️ Ease of installation: Many of the newer smart thermometers come with detailed instructions so if you’re an experienced DIYer with a firm understanding of your home’s electrical system, you should be able to complete your own installation and connect it to other smart devices in your home or to an app on your phone. That said, if you do find yourself struggling, a professional electrician can do the job for around $150 to $200.
✔️ Installation compatibility: Most smart thermostats match up with common heating and cooling equipment, but if you’re in an older house you might be missing something like a C-wire at your current thermostat hook-up. A C-wire provides continuous power to a digital thermostat. Many manufacturers have compatibility tools on their website so you can check to see if there might be any problems with installation compatibility; though many smart thermostats come with C-wire adapters, some don’t. And at that point, it would probably be better to hire an electrician to replace the wire as well as install the thermostat.
✔️ Smart speaker compatibility: The majority of smart thermostats can pair with both Android and Apple devices, but check to see what other devices it may be compatible with that you may already own, like an Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant device.
✔️ Features: The definition of “smart device” changes from brand to brand and can mean a number of different features. Those with machine learning create temperature schedules on their own. Some have extra sensors built-in to help recognize when people are in a room or not. Others include geofencing capabilities that are able to determine your location so it can start warming or cooling your house as your vehicle approaches. Another smart feature is energy history, which lets you track energy consumption to identify additional ways to save.
✔️ Aesthetics: While most thermostats have similar features, the design of smart thermostats can vary. If you have a very traditionally styled home, an ultra-sleek thermostat might not match the vibe of your home.
The Good Housekeeping Institute provides expert reviews and advice on all things home-related, including climate control and smart thermostats.
In his role as director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab, Dan DiClerico brings more than 20 years of experience to the Institute, having reviewed thousands of products for Good Housekeeping, as well as brands like This Old House and Consumer Reports. His coverage of the earliest programmable thermostats from the 2000s helped reveal that some models were so confusing to set up that they ended up costing homeowners in lost energy.
For this report, Dan worked closely with Rachel Rothman, chief technologist and director of engineering at the Institute. For more than 15 years, Rachel has put her training in mechanical engineering and applied mathematics to work by researching, testing and writing about products in the HVAC space, doing cross-category tests for not just thermostats, but also air purifiers, air conditioners, heaters, humidifiers and more.
Rachel Rothman (she/her) is the chief technologist and executive technical director at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she oversees testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. She also manages GH’s growing research division and the analysis of applicants for the GH Seal and all other testing emblems. During her 15 years at Good Housekeeping, Rachel has had the opportunity to evaluate thousands of products, including toys and cars for GH’s annual awards programs and countless innovative breakthroughs in consumer tech and home improvement.
Having written thousands of product reviews and how-to articles on all aspects of home ownership, from routine maintenance to major renovations, Dan (he/him) brings more than 20 years of industry experience to his role as the director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. A one-time roofer and a serial remodeler, Dan can often be found keeping house at his restored Brooklyn brownstone, where he lives with his wife and kids.
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