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internet capable thermostats .. like NEST?

2K views 9 replies 7 participants last post by  av-geek 
#1 ·
I was thinking of getting a NEST, because my thermostat is pretty old...and i'd love one I can control via phone, or computer. The NEST is nice, looks like it does history, no monthly fees, etc...also NEST 2 does humidifier which I have.

Any other decent options I am overlooking, possibly cheaper?
 
#4 ·
Remote control is one feature of thermostats like that, but it's not the main point. The NEST uses the network connection to discover local weather conditions and can use that as part of it's calculations on energy use. It's a pretty clever setup. As for why you'd use it, ever leave the house without setting it back? Or know you're coming home sooner than the typical scheduled time? Remote control gives you the opportunity to control it with a little more flexibility. Do you 'need it'? No, but it's certainly a handy feature.
 
#6 · (Edited by Moderator)
Yup, that is another good one, uses the internet to modify the temp for me ... hoping that works well.

Just curious. Why do you want to control your thermostat from your phone or computer?
It is in an odd location ... kept looking at the NEST, and it was on sale at Amazon for $179, so I picked it up.... looks like it still is if anyone is curious:

but I disliked having to spend 30 minutes modifying the temp schedule by pushing the buttons a few hundred times. It also has some neat logging/history features I am looking forward too. The thermostat is upstairs, and my main room is downstairs..i'd rather just do it from my phone.

I am not saying the NEST is anything better then a $50 programmable, but it looks pretty awesome with no monthly fees.

I also checked some others, they generally want monthly fees.
 
#5 · (Edited)
While the Nest is the most advertised web-enabled thermostat, there are several others out there too. Honeywell and Hunter both make them. They do not cost as much as the Nest, but also do not do all the other functions like averaging and stuff, and doesn't look quite as fancy. I know the Honeywell one will do useage tracking though. That's the one I have:

http://yourhome.honeywell.com/home/Products/Thermostats/7-Day-Programmable/RTH8580WF.htm



I have found the web-enabled thermostats handy within the house too. I live in a tri-level, where the thermostat is in the dining room on the main level. When my wife and I are in the bed and want to tweak the climate up or down, I can just grab my smartphone and make the adjustment from the bed without having to get up and go downstairs. It's been especially nice on winter mornings, being able to warm up the house before getting out of bed by grabbing my smartphone.

Many people may be able to accomplish this with an automatic setback thermostat, but the problem is my work schedule changes. One day I may be getting up at 5AM, and the next day 7am depending on what my schedule looks like.

One of the features I find MOST useful is the temperature warning function. It will display a warning if the house gets too hot or too cold. I have an oil furnace that can sometimes get a little flakey (due to be replaced next season) I can tell if it's tripped off or not by the temperature reading my smartphone gets from the thermostat
 
#7 ·
I also hate the endless button pushing that comes with most programmable units. It seems like the same engineers that set up VCR programming found work designing those devices.

The Nest looks interesting but I don't think it'll work for us. We've got geothermal in the new house and there's not the same amount of energy savings to be had, nor by using the same techniques. That and the occupancy sensing might be a bit problematic given how we'll be using the new spaces. Not saying it's a bad idea, it's certainly a clever looking device.
 
#9 ·
I also hate the endless button pushing that comes with most programmable units. It seems like the same engineers that set up VCR programming found work designing those devices.
There's always going to be a tradeoff. It costs money and aesthetics to put a thousand buttons on a device like that, and even more money to add a touchscreen (and they can be had, if you're willing to pay for them). If you want a bunch of features and only four or five buttons and want to pay 40 bucks... it's going to require a lot of button pushing. Or you can spend 200 and have it intuit what you want and listen to your smarthpone. Your choice.
 
#8 ·
I recently purchased the 'Honeywell' Internet thermostat

the Honeywell RTH8580WF thermostat and Nest 2nd Gen thermostat, which I've spent considerable time with over the last two months.

With limited options on the market for a 7-day programmable thermostat with an intuitive user interface, a straightforward attractive minimal physical design, WiFI capabilities, and a reliable brand name, the Honeywell RTH8580WF thermostat has proven to be somewhat of a lifesaver, and in my opinion, the best bang for the buck in these categories.
 
#10 ·
I've always desired to have MORE buttons on a device, and not less. More buttons (knobs, switches, etc) means features are directly accessed, versus having multiple features accessed under one button. For example, a digital camera could have a 4-way rocker to access menus to adjust exposure, white balance, and all the other numerous features, but why not simply place the buttons for the most commonly used features directly on the camera instead of having to make the user search for them through confusing menus and sub-menus?
 
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