Ecobee has built a name for itself as one of the best smart thermostats on the market, for good reason. While there are plenty of smart options out there, few go above and beyond to deliver an eco-friendly option for those looking to save money, and help the planet as they do so. Ecobee products have been in many guides from CGMagazine, so when we heard they had a new smart offering, we were excited to see how it compares.
Looking at the list of features, ecobee has taken the time to refine the formula with the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium. Delivering all the features you have come to expect from the brand, it also boasts an improved display, radar, an indoor air quality monitor and an embedded smart speaker with a choice of Siri 1 or Alexa built in. They have thrown everything a homeowner would need to bring a new level of efficiency to their heating and cooling and have done so with style.
Unboxing the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium, you will be presented with a straightforward setup, easy to understand instructions, and one of the most premium thermostats currently on the market. Boasting a new zinc body, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium screams quality, with time taken to deliver something unique. The new screen is noticeably bigger, and even the unboxing presentation is refined from previous models.
The setup process is painless, especially if you have ever used an ecobee product before. Provided you have all the wires needed, you simply unhook the old system after turning off the furnace or AC, and following the in-app instructions, get the ecobee setup and running with your equipment.
In a space that previously used an older generation ecobee, the process took only around 20 minutes, and that includes getting everything customized to our needs. It should be noted that if you are missing the C wire, ecobee has included a wiring kit to get things up and running, although this could be more advanced than many DIY homeowners would be interested in doing.
Once setup, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium immediately feels like an evolution of the design. The new materials, including the zinc body and glass front, all compliment a much more refined UI that brings the control of your house’s temperature to the forefront of the experience. While there are still plenty of menus to dive into, along with many ways to customize it using the app, the central focus is using the equipment, and not stressing about the superfluous settings unless you need them.
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.
As mentioned before, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium brings some new sensors to the table to make the system work better all around. The new built-in radar lets the ecobee see what is going on in the house, giving it much more information about if anyone is home, even around corners, and if the system should be running or if there is a disturbance in the home while you are away. The fact the radar sensor can be hidden in the system helps give the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium a much more streamlined, refined look overall.
“Once setup, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium immediately feels like an evolution of the design.”
While it may sound like a gimmick, one of the most exciting features when testing out this latest offering was the air quality sensor. There are plenty of things in your home that affect air quality. Anything from the stove burning to dust or mould can make the house much less healthy than anyone would like. The fact that the new flagship ecobee displays important data about your indoor air quality, including relative humidity, estimated volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and estimated carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, is just a brilliant move.
You can see this easily right on the screen of the ecobee, and you can dive into more details should you like by checking out the companion app. This is something other brands should take note of going forward, especially after so many have been stuck inside for so long, this just feels like a game changer.
Ecobee has also improved the voice assistant for this outing, delivering a much more responsive, and accurate voice interface. Featuring your choice of Siri or Alexa built in, you can adjust everything with your voice, with details displayed right on the ecobee screen. It will even give you details about music playing with Siri, and music, timers and alarms with Alexa. For people that are already looking for their next voice assistant addition, ecobee have made the thermostat a much more exciting option.
With a polished visual look, and improvements throughout the experience, ecobee has made the Smart Thermostat Premium one of the best options on the market. It looks great, is easier than ever to use, and includes features that other brands should take note of. For anyone sitting on the fence, you owe yourself to give the Smart Thermostat Premium a look, it just may be the centrepiece of your new smarter household.
