Ecobee has been one of the top smart thermostats on the market, and for a good reason. They have always gone above and beyond to deliver an eco-friendly option for those looking to save money and help the planet as they do so. So, with the release of the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced, we were excited to see if it is worth the investment.
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced is a mid-range model, sitting right between the Premium, and Lite, but offers a very compelling package. You will lose out on some of the more advanced features like the built-in indoor air quality monitor, a SmartSensor in the box, a smart assistant and the premium Zinc body, but ecobee manages to keep a very sharp look despite these omissions.
Opening up the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced, you’re treated to a sleek and straightforward setup. The instructions are easy to follow, and it’s immediately clear that this is one of the most premium thermostats on the market. While the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced has a plastic body compared to the Premium’s zinc construction, it still looks fantastic compared to past iterations, and it’s clear that a lot of time and effort went into making something truly unique. The new screen is much larger, and even the unboxing experience is refined compared to older models.
The setup process is a breeze, especially if you’ve used an ecobee product before. If you have all the necessary wires, you can just unhook the old system after shutting off the furnace or AC. Then, by following the in-app instructions, you can get the ecobee up and running with your equipment.
“After you set up the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced, you’ll immediately see how it’s an evolution of the design.”
20 minutes is all it took to get our new ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced up and running, and that includes getting everything customized to our needs. Users should make sure you have a C wire ready for use with the ecobee, but if you’re missing the C wire, don’t worry: ecobee has included a wiring kit to get you up and running. Just be warned that this might be a little too advanced for some DIY homeowners.
After you set up the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced, you’ll immediately see how it’s an evolution of the design. With its plastic body and glass front, it has a much more refined look. The UI is focused on using the equipment to control your house’s temperature instead of on superfluous settings that you might not need. You can still customize the thermostat using the app, but it’s easy to use right out of the box.
“If you are sitting on the fence, you owe it to yourself to give the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced a look.”
Ecobee has done a great job making the system easy to understand, with it lighting up when you are near and clear colours depicting if the heat or cooling is on and to what temperate things are set. It quickly becomes second nature to check the system, get a sense of how your home is doing, and if things need to be adjusted for comfort. If you happen to have eco+ working, you can interact with the UI to learn more about what it is doing, a great touch for people that want as many details as possible about their cost savings.
The new ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced comes with built-in radar that helps the device see what is going on in the house, giving it more information about whether anyone is home and if the system should be running. The radar sensor can be hidden in the system, which helps give the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced a more streamlined look.
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced is one of the best options on the market. It has a polished visual look and improvements throughout the experience. It does lack some of the visual flares and advanced features of the Premium, but for the significantly lower price, it still is a very appealing option. It is easier than ever to use and includes features that other brands should take note of. If you are sitting on the fence, you owe it to yourself to give the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced a look. It just may be the centrepiece of your new smarter household.
