I’m comparing a few smart thermostats for my home and would love to hear what others here are using. My priorities are easy setup, reliable temperature control, smart-home compatibility, and good energy-saving features. Which one would you personally pick and recommend? thanks
depends a lot on what radio you already run, but if i were picking again for openHAB id probably go zigbee (or zwave) over a cloud nest-style box.
in my experience something like a eurotronic spirit / similar zigbee TRV, or a plain 24v thermostat that talks local mqtt/zigbee, has been less annoying than anything that needs a phone app cloud login. setup is a bit more fiddly day one, but after that bindings just keep working when the vendor app changes.
if you need a full-house thermostat (not TRVs), honeywell / emerson local-api-ish models are what people seem to keep the longest here, but i’d check the binding thread for your exact model before buying. cloud-only stuff tends to break after a firmware push. shrug
That makes sense, especially the point about avoiding cloud-dependent thermostats. I’m leaning toward something with local control since I’d rather have reliable openHAB integration than depend on a vendor app. I’ll check the binding support for the specific models before deciding. Thanks for the suggestions!
Is you question addressing wall thermostats or TRVs (smart valve attached to the radiator)?
@bozak What’s your current setup?
I’ve had great luck with the Ecobee’s. Open api and a binding for openhab. They can use multiple temp sensors for multiple rooms/zones (also accessible as their own things in OH) and have some decent smart features.
I’ve actually used all three of these and have had a good experience with each of them.
The Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) is probably the simplest one to live with. I like that it learns your routine over time and takes care of a lot of the adjustments automatically. The interface is also pretty easy to get used to.
I’ve also used the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium, and this one stands out if you want more control over different rooms. The room sensors are really useful, especially when some rooms tend to be warmer or cooler than others. It’s been reliable for me and the smart features are genuinely useful.
The Amazon Smart Thermostat is a good choice if you want something more basic and affordable. It doesn’t have all the extras of the ecobee, but it handles the everyday stuff well and I’ve found it efficient and easy to use.
Honestly, I don’t think you’d go wrong with any of these. Since you’re using openHAB, though, I’d definitely check the current binding support for whichever one you’re considering.
Some newer thermostats support Matter. For those you can have both local and cloud control.
Even rather “old” thermostats like e.g. my Livisi controllers can be exposed to Alexa using Matter as bridge between openHAB and Amazon. This works out despite the fact, that they don’t have a Matter pairing code.
I don’t see Venstar mentioned yet. I recently got some of those and they work well. Controlled via IP, but it’s a direct API inside the device, so no cloud service required.
I have been using the Netatmo radiator valves for a little over 4 years. These are my takeaways:
- They cannot be controlled locally/offline from OH without the Internet, only manually on the valves.
- They use AA batteries.
- The binding has had outstanding support and constant development.
- The valves operate on 2 schedules (Night, Comfort) defined in the Netatmo app, which can be overridden by sending “manual” temperature updates.
- They have integrated temperature sensors and some logic to detect open windows.
- I started having battery issues about a year ago. After contacting Customer Support, I was told they had developed a new battery contact. I purchased them and haven’t had issues so far.
The only reason I wouldn’t recommend them is because of the lack of local (offline) control.
I’ve always wondered if the ones from Ecobee or Tado work offline.
I use a HomeMatic Subsystem with an OpenCCU Server (so no need for a cloud). I love the HomeMatic devices. Expensive, but good!