Detailed Review: Ecobee 4 Thermostat

Ecobee has become the dominant force in Smart Home technology.  It began as a nascent idea of engineer Stuart Lombard in 2007 to build a more ecologically sound thermostat that was also easy to program and use. Today, Ecobee has challenged Nest as the premier provider of home technology. The Ecobee product line has been slowly gaining in popularity over the last few years due to its compatibility with Apple and Amazon voice and assistant programs as well as its shapely European designs.  Recently, the Ecobee 4 Thermostat line has received a lot of good press and high consumer opinion ratings prompting some technology magazines like Wired to signal the end of Nest’s dominance of the Smart Home market.  So what is it about their thermostat’s that garners such praise?

It’s attractive.

In a world that repeatedly chooses minimalist designs when it comes to its technology, the Ecobee 4 aims to please. Is it round? Is it square? It’s neither and both at the same time.  The Ecobee 4 attempts to conceal itself rather than stand out, allowing it to blend with room like an intelligent introvert at a party.

It’s smart.

Unlike the other brand it is often compared to, the Ecobee is much better at detecting human activity in the home enabling those who work from home to not have to check the thermometer every hour to ensure the house neither turns into an ice box or an oven. It comes with a room sensor (you can buy more if you need them) to help manage those hot and cold spots in your home more effectively.  It is has Amazon Alexa built in, making it easy to both change the temperature and get your morning news at the same time.
The Ecobee promises to save you 23% off your annual heating and cooling costs simply by using temperature patterns and algorithms to predict and manage temperature levels. And if that is not enough, the Ecobee 4 can also connect to humidifiers, dehumidifiers, and ventilators to create the perfect home atmosphere.

It’s easy to install.

Consumers have stated that they are very happy with Ecobee’s installation instructions and have had no real issues with setting the system up in the home.  The step-by-step guide walks homeowners through the process every step of the way.

It’s remotely accessible.

The Smart Home revolution began with the idea that people should be able to use technology to manage their household systems while they are away.  In this Ecobee is no different. Using your phone or tablet the system is connectable through the home Wi-Fi enabling homeowners to set temperatures while they are away.
The Ecobee 4 was clearly designed to elevate the brand above its competition. It feels like the designers used the critiques of other models on the market to design and deliver a product that has an answer to them. For example, its sensors are capable not only of detecting even minimal human activity while also being able to accept commands from a good walking distance away.  The system works with multiple comfort systems of the home to create an actual environment versus just raising and lowering temperatures.
In short, it is everything you could want in a Smart Home Thermostat in a price point more people can afford. That does not mean that the Ecobee 4 is cheap. It’s not, but it also won’t put you in debt to purchase it.So to finish up this detailed review of the Ecobee 4, let’s review some of the specs (for detailed specifications we recommend the Ecobee site):

Size

The thermostat itself is 4.29 inches tall and 4.29 inches wide or 109 mm x109 mm for you metric system users out there.  The sensor that comes with the model is smaller at 1.7 inches tall and wide (44mm respectively).  The Ecobee has a 3.5 inch full color touchscreen with 320×480 pixel display.

Sensors

The Ecobee’s sensor is able to detect changes in temperature, occupancy, proximity, and humidity.

Voice & Audio

As we stated earlier in the review Amazon Alexa is built into the thermostat, meaning that the device has both microphones and speakers built in. It also contains the Sensory TrulyHandsfree™ Wake Word engine and far field voice recognition.
In short there are many things to like about the Ecobee 4. It has a nice touchscreen display that provides relevant information. It enables you to create schedules, create reminders, and develop comfort settings that enable you to maintain your heating and cooling preferences at different times of the day. And while it doesn’t have some of the aesthetic quality of the Nest products or the large LED color touch screen of the Honeywell, what it does have it does well.  The Ecobee makes it very easy on the homeowner to manage temperature and humidity in the home and that is the whole point of smart home technology. It’s Alexa and compatibility with various home assistant products and services make it respond like another Echo unit in the home, allowing you to control various smart devices from the room you are in.  It is a smart, usable, functional, and reliable system that can be used by anyone, anywhere. It was made to work with the most heating and cooling systems and is easy to install. What more can someone ask for in a Smart Home Thermostat?
The Ecobee 4 Home Thermostat is a great product from a great company and we highly recommend it.