This site is a collection of reviews, guides, and unbiased information about devices and equipment that are meant to make your life more comfortable. We don’t often think about such things until that level of comfort is gone, but it’s an area of our life of which we should all have a basic understanding.

Do You Want To Save Money?

Aside from comfort, knowing more about heating and cooling devices can save you a great deal of money over the course of the year and your life. Whether it’s an efficient space heater or a new air conditioner system for your house, choosing the right products will make the difference between sleeping well at night or huddling under the blankets.

Best Smart Thermostats For Those Getting Started

Meteorologists are predicting a cold winter for the United States this year, which means higher energy bills. Most Americans look to defray the cost of heating our homes by taking small steps to reduce our footprint. The use of Smart Home products is now ubiquitous, with people starting small and growing their product bundle.

Smart Thermostats are a great start to reducing energy and save on energy bills. it enables us to lower temperatures when we are away from home and to adjust them as needed. The purchase of a Smart Thermostat means not only saving on the cost of heating a home this winter but also being able to arrive home to a toasty warm home each day.  Smart Thermostats come in a wide range of functionality and price.

For those just starting out with Smart Home products, here are some top picks for a Smart Thermostat:

Lyric T5 Smart Thermostat

The Honeywell Lyric T5 Smart Thermostat is an affordable mid-grade system. Honeywell is a respected brand in heating and cooling and has maintained a brand presence for many years due to the reliability of its products. The Lyric T5 is no exception, receiving 4 and 5 Star reviews on consumer rating sites. This particular thermostat provides remote technology with an ample number of bells and whistles for homeowners to get excited about. I

It works with Alexa, which means voice control and a seamless fit with other Smart Home products. The Lyric T5 has built-in “adaptive recovery”, a major selling point for those trying to control heating and cooling costs.  This system is capable of learning how long your system takes to achieve your desired temperature and will automatically change the heating and cooling temperatures to reach your goal without your having to do a thing. Considering that more energy is used when trying to quickly heat or cool a space, being able to stretch this process out will reduce the burden on your system and ultimately your wallet.

The Lyric T5 is Energy Star Certified—something that should be expected of any Smart Thermostat on the market today.  It works with most of the major heating and cooling systems and both of iOS and Android operating systems. Lastly, the thermostat has “Smart Alerts” that give homeowners a heads up when a filter needs changing or the system needs repair.

Pros	Cons
– Has “Adaptative Recovery” feature allows the thermostat to adapt to the amount of time it takes a system to achieve the desired temperature and autos accordingly – Works with Alexa – 4-5 Star Consumer Rating – Energy Star Certified – Works with the tablet, laptop, and phones	– At the time of the review, the thermostat does not work with Google Assistant or Hive

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Emerson Sensi Touch

While not as showy as some of the other products out there, this one still makes the list of Best Smart Thermostats, particularly for those who are sensitive about their budget. The Sensi Touch is the minivan of Smart Thermostats. USA Today listed this thermostat as “Best Overall” by their reviewers and with good reason.

The Sensi Touch thermostat is dependable and affordable. It has an easy to read touch screen, offers easy installation, and also comes with a name that people are familiar with in home appliances.  The Sensi Touch has a great well-lit screen and easy to read and understand directions, making it perfect for those who have never used a Smart Home product before. The thermostat works with Alexa, a “must” for many Smart Home enthusiasts.

The Sensi Touch promises to save you money on home energy costs with its 7-day flexible scheduling, remote access, and geofencing. Like other top-shelf Smart Thermostats, it has a built-in alerts system that will help remind homeowners to change filters, as well as, detect extreme changes in temperature and humidity. This is an incredible boon for most homeowners because it serves to point out issues before they become too costly. The product has a 4 to 5 Star consumer rating on major retail outlets, proving it to be a safe choice for the average homeowner.

Pros	Cons
– Smart alerts – “Best Overall” by USA Toda – Easy to read touch screen – Easy installation – 7 Day flexible scheduling – Remote Access – Geofencing	– Does not work with Google, Homekit, or Samsung Smart Home (yet)

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Ecobee3 Light

Ecobee is a pioneer Smart Home brand. The Ecobee3 Light is a starter product that enables the homeowner to become familiar with the brand and the technology. The Ecobee3 Light will allow homeowners to remotely set their temperature and monitor energy costs but little else.

The product is standalone (a common complaint by reviewers) and does not contain the room sensors. However, they can be purchased with the product or at any time after. It was meant as a buildable gateway into Smart Home products, enabling new users to establish basic smart functions and also provide them with an easy upgrade as they become more familiar and accustomed to Ecobee products.

The major bonus of the Ecobee is the fact that it is compatible with so many Smart Home systems: Apple Homekit, Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, Amazon Alexa, Wink, and more. Because it is a buildable system you can add Alexa, Siri, or Google assistant at any point after the thermostat’s purchase, as well as, remote sensors and any other bells and whistles as your budget allows.  It is also compatible with all major forms of smart technology, allowing you to use your smartwatch, phone, tablet, or PC to shift temperatures in your home when you are away.

Pros	Cons
– Works with all the major Smart Home systems – Can save up to 23% on heating and cooling costs – Buildable system – Can be accessed from all smart tech (watch, phone, tablet, pc)	– Does not contain room sensors with the base model.

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iDevices Thermostat

The iDevices suite of products was designed to function with Siri and Alexa products. The iDevices Thermostat requires no particular service, hub, or subscription to use.  It works with Alexa for voice control and most major heating and cooling systems.

The Smart Thermostat allows homeowners to customize room settings using Siri and Alexa to create custom room “stories”. It allows users to make remote changes from iPhones and Android devices and even works with Google Assistant to set and monitor temperatures in the home. The most cited comment by purchasers of the product is its affordability; the iDevices thermostat is typically half the cost of other systems on the market.

Pros	Cons
– Works with Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant – Android and iOS compatible – Allows for custom settings – Affordable for those on a budget	– Not as easy to set up as other products – Not as durable as other products on the market according to user reviews.

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This is a sampling of the various products and brands currently on the market, selecting the Best Smart Thermostats in a medium price range (according to user reviews).  Each system was selected based on having a 3.5 Star Rating or higher on consumer review sites. All of the Smart Thermostats selected for this review enable remote access to the heating and cooling systems and some degree of customizable settings.