Nest vs Honeywell: Smart Thermostat Comparison

In Winter, we rely on the heater to keep us warm and in Summer, the air conditioner becomes our best ally. These two appliances are known for consuming a lot of energy, but we need them in order to keep an ideal temperature. They are crucial for people who live in places where extreme weather conditions could lead to health issues. The problem is that the use of heaters and air conditioners result in high electric bills, which is why many of us look for options that are more affordable and that are also more environmentally friendly. If you are considering getting a smart thermostat, you are in the right place as we will compare two high quality smart thermostats. We’ll start by taking a look at the main features of smart thermostats in general.

Smart WiFi Thermostats: The Basics

Smart WiFi thermostats allow you to control the heating or air conditioner at home. They are thermostats that can be programmed, they can connect to the internet and you it is possible to access them remotely. Below you will find more about the features they support:

Schedule Temperatures

It is possible to set up a schedule and use the smart WiFi thermostat to control the temperature at home during the day. Just like you would with a programmable thermostat. You can choose the best settings according to the time of the day.

Remote Access

One feature that makes smart WiFi thermostats stand apart from standard programmable thermostats is the fact that the former can connect to the internet. This gives you the chance to adjust the temperature settings at home using other internet enabled devices like your smartphone. If you are not at home, but want to turn on the heater to make sure that the house is warm by the time you get there, you can access the smart thermostat using its app to make the necessary adjustments.

Energy efficient and a money saving solution

The majority of thermostats display information about your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. They let you know how long they have been on, the energy consumed and other details. With a smart thermostat, you can adjust the settings as preferred to save money and avoid hefty energy bills. Although smart thermostats are more expensive than regular programmable thermostats, the fact that they are convenient and that they can help you to save money, make them an investment worth making.

Nest Learning Thermostat Features

With a smart device, it is possible to adjust the heating, ventilation and cooling to reduce your energy bill, even if you are not at home. It is a solution that will save you money and that will also help to reduce your impact on the planet. The Nest Learning Thermostat was originally launched in 2011 and it became very popular as an energy-saving solution, even earning an Energy Star. It is small, but offers a great deal of features. The Nest Learning Thermostat is easy to use and it has a simple design that makes things easy when it comes to managing the settings. You just need to rotate the dial and press to select. The Nest Learning Thermostat has been upgraded over time and its third generation offers additional features that make it even easier to use. Let’s take a look at them:

Remote Control

Since the thermostat is connected to the internet, it is possible to use your computer or smartphone as the HVAC system remote control with the help of the Nest Thermostat app. If you are not at home or outside the country, it is possible to adjust the heating and cooling at home. You just need an internet connection.

Home/Away Assist

The Nest comes with a feature that automatically turns the HVAC system off or that switches it to an Eco Temp when you are not at home. The Home/Away Assist feature allows you to save money and energy. It can even track when you are away using your phone location and it automatically turns down the thermostat.

Auto Schedule

This feature allows you to enjoy optimal temperature conditions that suit your preferences. The Auto Schedule option takes note of your habits over time and it programs itself to adapt to them. You also have the chance to make manual adjustments if needed. The Auto Schedule learns your habits at home and makes the adjustments for you. For instance, if you usually change the temperature in the morning, or turn off the system at the same time every day when you leave home, the Nest follows your habits for a week or so and then it makes the changes automatically.

Farsight

The latest Nest Thermostat also gives you updates in temperature, weather or time, and you won’t even need to tap the device. With the Farsight option on, the Nest will light up automatically whenever it detects that you are in the room, using its 150-degree activity sensors.

Nest Sense

This is the core of the smart performance of the Nest Thermostat. With its learning algorithms, it can learn how long it will take to cool down or heat up your home to a specific temperature. When it takes note of your schedule and your preferred temperatures and times, it can make the necessary adjustments on its own. It is designed to save energy.

The Nest also offers a feature called Sunblock, which prevents the heat coming from the sun to get directly onto the device. This allows you to avoid false temperatures that could affect the performance of the Nest. With the Nest Smart Thermostat it is also possible to use the heating and cooling systems to regulate the humidity at home. This gives you a healthier living environment and it stops mold from growing inside your house. If you are in a dry area, the Nest can increase the humidity at home so that you can breath easier.

Auto Alerts

The Nest also allows you to monitor the temperature at home to ensure that it doesn’t get too hot or too cold. The Nest app notifies you if it detects any issue. The alerts can help you to prevent system overheat and other problems. You will also be notified if the filters have to be changed, allowing you to get the best performance out of your HVAC.

It supports Smart Assistants

The Nest can work with Amazon Echo devices and Google Assistance. This allows voice control and also lets you enjoy additional features with other smart devices.

Keep in mind that the Nest changes its batteries automatically. The issue with this is that the thermostat needs a C wire (common wire) to be hooked up to it. Otherwise, it will turn the HVAC system on to change the batteries. You can try to install the wire or call a professional to do it.

Honeywell Thermostat Features

Honeywell is a well established name in the industry and it offers a larger selection of options that suit different requirements and budgets. We will focus on the Smart WiFi, the Honeywell WiFi 9000 and the Lyric. Here are the features that are worth mentioning.

Remote Control

When you set up the Honeywell Smart Thermostat with your WiFi connection, you just need to register the device in the Honeywell Total Connect Comfort website. You will be able to access the thermostat from any location, as long as you are connected to the internet.

Auto Schedule: 7-day programmable smart scheduling

The Auto Schedule feature allows you to program the thermostat, entering your preferences for the following 7 days. You can let it know what temperature you want at a specific time.

Geo-Fencing – Honeywell Lyric

The Lyric offers a zoning feature that lest you cool or heat individual rooms. This allows you to save energy as instead of applying the temperature to the whole house, you can heat or cool down the areas where you are actually in.

Smart Response Technology

The smart thermostats created by Honeywell can calculate how long it can take to heat or cool down your house. Thanks to this, it can offer the right temperature at the the time you prefer. It is possible to save energy and stay comfortable when needed.

Auto alerts

You will also get alerts sent to your connected device, letting you know of any unexpected weather changes, extreme temperature and will also be notified when you need to change the filter.

Integrated Voice Control – Honeywell WiFi 9000 with Voice Control

The Voice Control model lets you manage the thermostat using voice commands. It works well and responds to a wide selection of commands. You can tell the thermostat to raise the temperature and provide a specific number.

Supports Smart Assistants

You can use the Honeywell Thermostat with Alexa, iOS (Siri) and Android devices for Google Assistant. This lets you use voice control, even if you don’t get the model that supports this by default.

Overall Nest Vs Honeywell

The choice between the Nest and Honeywell Smart thermostats depends on your personal preferences and your home. If you are looking for an easy to use solution that allows you to regulate the temperature at home without much input from your side, the Nest is the most convenient solution. It provides instant information about energy saving so you can get the most out the system and cut down on your energy bills. It offers integration with smart assistants so you can control it with your voice.

The Honeywell Smart WiFi RTH9580WF and the WiFi 9000 (TH9320WF5003) are the best options. If you live in a large house, the Honeywell Lyric would be the most convenient solution thanks to its geo-fencing feature. It can adjust the settings on appliances in different rooms to save energy.