Ecobee3 Smart Thermostat with Apple HomeKit Review
Overall
Best thermostat for home comfort and saving money
Installation
Some installations may need a professional
Ease of Use
Well thought out interface across all devices
Support
Website search could be better but phone support is very good
What I Don't Like
- Installation will most likely require working with furnace control board
- Only one sensor included in box, have to buy more separately
What I Like
- Room sensors provide greater control and comfort
- Automatically sets up schedule to save money on utility bills
- Integrates seamlessly with Apples HomeKit
Summary: After five months of testing, the Ecobee3 stands out as the best thermostat I have ever used. It combines ease of use with a number of solutions to age old problems. At the same time, while these types of thermostats are advertised as easy to install, that may not be the case for everyone.
You can find thermostats that are similar but in my opinion they won’t give you the improved comfort, convenience, or utility savings the Ecobee3 can give you.
*At the time of publishing
Why You Should Listen to Me
For 30 years I’ve been a contractor in the heating and air conditioning trade. That’s a long time of listening to manufactures and their sales people hype their products. A long time of watching most of those products fail to live up to that hype.
How Does An Air Conditioner Work?
I remember sitting in a meeting one summer as a “high tech professional” from a manufacturer described how an air conditioner works. I can honestly say I was amazed.
Not by the quality of his explanation but by how far this guy was off the mark. He used words like “atomized” and a number of other $10,000 words. None of which described the relatively simple process of air conditioning. By the time he was done I felt...dumber.
The Easy Explanation
It’s a common misconception that air conditioners put cool air into your home. An air conditioner actually removes heat from the home. The easiest way to think of an air conditioner is to think of it as a sponge.