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These days, you can find Wi-Fi connectivity in all kinds of unusual items. Coffee makers, outlets, watches, air purifiers…the list goes on, and on, and on. If you’re a fan of high-tech gadgets, you’ve probably got a bunch of these things already. But if you’re looking for a new and improved way to manage the temperature in your home, we’ve got the smart solution you’re looking for.
Smart thermostats are exactly what they sound like — thermostats that are connected to the internet. With that Wi-Fi connection, you’re able to control the thermostat with a companion app on your smartphone or with any voice assistants you have connected in your home. How cool is that!? Most of them will also learn your habits and can help you save money on energy bills.
If a smart thermostat sounds like the right addition to your home, we’re on board with that! And we’d love to help you pick out your perfect match. Smart thermostats will vary in a ton of features including price, size, connectivity, scheduling capability, level of automation, and more! And you’ll want to think about every single one.
This comprehensive guide will investigate the best smart thermostats in Canada right now and outline the criteria you should consider while making your purchase decision. Let’s dive right into our top five products.
Top Pick: Ecobee Enhanced Smart Thermostat
Smartest Pick: Google Nest 3rd Generation Learning Thermostat
Budget Pick: Sensi Lite Smart Thermostat
Detail-Minded Alternative: Honeywell Home RTH8800WF2022 T5 Smart Thermostat
Runner-Up: Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat
We really like the Ecobee Enhanced Smart Thermostat. We doubt that’s a surprise considering it’s our top pick this year, but it’s still worth saying. This option is perfect if you love a minimalist look. The display has very small icons and an easy-to-read temperature, and it also shows you the current humidity in your home. Everything you need, nothing you don’t.
This smart thermostat is the best for people who don’t want to think about monitoring the temperature themselves. It has an automatic away mode that will adjust the temperature when you leave and when you’re coming home, and it also heating/cooling times depending on the cost of electricity at that moment. Helpful, right? This thing will last at least a decade, too, so you’re in good hands for years.
The only thing that might sway you towards a different option is the price of this one. It costs almost double what the most affordable smart thermostats are priced at, so if you’re shopping on a budget, you can definitely do better. If you have the extra money to invest in a higher-end thermostat, you really can’t go wrong with this one.
Overall, the Ecobee Enhanced Smart Thermostat is as close to flawless as smart thermostats can get. It’s not the most affordable option, but it’s reasonably priced considering all you get out of it. Intelligent temperature monitoring and exceptional connectivity are the highlights.
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 5/5
Price: 4/5
Quality: 5/5
Reviewers have a high opinion of the Ecobee Enhanced Smart Thermostat. The installation process was very straightforward for most of them, and they absolutely love the convenience of the companion app. The thermostat’s automation makes their lives a lot easier too thanks to occupant detection and automatic learning over time. Their homes always feel exactly right.
Buy If…
You’d like to keep an eye on your home’s humidity as well
A minimalist display is ideal
Temperature automation is what you’re after
Longevity is important to you
Don’t Buy If…
You need something budget-friendly
Dimensions: 4.1” x 1” x 4.1”
Connectivity: Companion app, Siri, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
Automatic Programming: Yes
Scheduling: Yes
Energy Star Certified: Yes
Warranty: 3 years
The Google Nest 3rd Generation Learning Thermostat is truly the smartest thermostat around. It will learn your routine with only a few days of consistent manual temperature changes, and then you never have to touch the thermostat again. Plus, when the home is empty for a day of work/school or during a vacation, it’ll know! And it’ll turn down the settings to save money until you come home. How nice.
We also really like the display design. The only thing you see on the screen is the current temperature and the target temperature. It’s super easy to check while you’re just walking by. One of the other things we really appreciate is the Energy History that will be provided to you. You’ll be able to track how your energy usage changes over time so you can make informed decisions for the future.
There are only two things we need to warn you about before you fall in love with this one. First, the price tag is a bit high, so it won’t be a reasonable option for everybody. That’s disappointing because we want everyone to take advantage of its excellence. Aside from that, the limited voice assistant compatibility might be your only deterrent. It only works with Amazon Alexa.
All in all, the Google Nest 3rd Generation Learning Thermostat is a pretty cool piece of tech. It isn’t the most affordable thing out there, but you truly do get what you pay for. And if what you’re looking for is ease, consistency, and intelligent automation, you won’t find better than this one.
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 5/5
Price: 3.5/5
Quality: 5/5
Reviewers are blown away by the quality and usability of the Google Nest 3rd Generation Learning Thermostat. Installation was easy, the companion app is super intuitive (even for non-techy people), and it learns routines very quickly. They really love that it can automatically switch between heating and cooling, and it runs the furnace a lot more efficiently than their old thermostats.
Buy If…
You’d prefer to avoid a cluttered display
You want to save money on heating/cooling costs when you’re out of the house
Monitoring your energy usage is important to you
You don’t want to set a schedule manually
Don’t Buy If…
You want to use voice assistants other than Amazon Alexa
You’re shopping on a budget
Dimensions: 3.2” x 3.2” x 1.1”
Connectivity: Companion app, Amazon Alexa
Automatic Programming: Yes
Scheduling: Yes
Energy Star Certified: Yes
Warranty: 1 year
The Sensi Lite Smart Thermostat offers a very well-rounded list of features for its price. One of its main claims to fame is its superb connectivity. You’ll be able to control the thermostat by touch, with a companion app, or one of three home assistants (Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Samsung SmartThings). The options are endless!
The companion app lets you set your own daily and weekly schedules so you don’t need to micromanage your thermostat every day, and you’ll also get monthly reports on your energy usage so you know where you’re at. Pretty cool, huh? All of your data is securely stored and won’t be shared with third parties, so you can feel good about your privacy, too.
There are two main shortcomings that we need to talk about before we wrap this up. First of all, this thermostat has a tendency to drop the Wi-Fi, so if you want to make changes a lot while you’re away from home, you’ll want to look for a more reliable option. The other potential issue is the size of the wall unit — it’s a large rectangle rather than the typical small circle, so it will become more of an eyesore than the average smart thermostat. Some of you won’t mind, but some will.
All in all, the Sensi Lite Smart Thermostat is a great way to step into the smart thermostat game. It isn’t the most high-tech or intelligent option out there, but its superb connectivity makes up for a lot of that. And you really can’t beat the price!
Performance: 4.5/5
Usability: 4.5/5
Price: 5/5
Quality: 4/5
Reviewers have mostly positive things to say about the Sensi Lite Smart Thermostat. The main problem that people run into with it is the Wi-Fi connection dropping off without warning. It’s annoying. Otherwise, it works well. It does a great job of sticking to schedules they set and doesn’t stick out too much on the wall. The monthly energy usage reports are a nice addition.
Buy If…
You want to set precise schedules
Privacy (data protection) is important to you
Affordability is a priority
You’d like to know what your energy usage looks like
Don’t Buy If…
You’d prefer a small wall unit
You’d prefer to avoid the hassle of an unreliable Wi-Fi connection
Dimensions: 5.1” x 3.1” x 0.9”
Connectivity: Companion app, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings
Automatic Programming: No
Scheduling: Yes
Energy Star Certified: Yes
Warranty: 3 years
The Honeywell Home RTH8800WF2022 T5 Smart Thermostat has a lot going for it. It’s one of the rare few thermostats that offer Apple HomeKit connectivity, and you can still use Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant with it as well. The companion app is also super easy to figure out, and it makes it really easy to set your ideal schedule for a repeating day or a unique week.
It also has geofencing technology if you’d prefer it to change the temperature based on where you are. It’s also a super convenient option. The thing we love most about this thermostat is how much info you get on the screen when you wake it up. You’ll be able to view the current temperature, time, Wi-Fi strength, and current mode, plus make any changes you need right there. So easy!
There are only two potential reasons you might want to move on from this thermostat. One of them is the lack of intelligent learning technology — if you want this thing to run on a schedule, you’ll have to program it yourself. The other reason is the display — while we love the amount of detail you get at a glance, it might feel a bit busy for some of you. We get that.
Overall, the Honeywell Home RTH8800WF2022 T5 Smart Thermostat is a really great choice for folks who prefer to see all of the details of their home’s status at once. It’s really easy to make adjustments to the temperature manually, but there are tons of remote connectivity options as well. Plus, it couldn’t be priced any better!
Performance: 4.5/5
Usability: 4.5/5
Price: 5/5
Quality: 4.5/5
Reviewers really like the Honeywell Home RTH8800WF2022 T5 Smart Thermostat. The modern aesthetic means it looks great in every room, and they appreciate how much information is displayed all on one screen. They also enjoy how many options they have for controlling the thermostat. Some of them ran into issues with the geofencing, though. It’s not a super reliable feature.
Buy If…
You want to see everything important on one screen
You’re shopping on a budget
Versatile connectivity options are a must-have
You’d love a thermostat that knows whether you’re home or not
Don’t Buy If…
You’d prefer a thermostat that can learn your routine by itself
You don’t like a busy display
Dimensions: 4.1” x 4.1” x 1.1”
Connectivity: Companion app, Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant
Automatic Programming: No
Scheduling: Yes
Energy Star Certified: Yes
Warranty: 2 years
The Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat was an easy addition to our top five list this year. It has a versatile range of home assistant compatibility, so you can use whatever you’ve already got, and the companion app does a great job of connecting you to your thermostat remotely. You can set daily schedules, receive energy usage reports every month, and more!
This thermostat is also great for non-techy individuals who don’t want to hire a professional — you’ll be able to do the installation yourself! It’s pretty straightforward and comes with excellent instructions. You’ll be able to see your home’s humidity level and temperature at a glance, and you can even connect to a weather network to monitor the outdoor temperature. It looks great on the wall, and you can even buy extras to expand the system and add smarter features (occupancy detection, single-room monitoring, etc.).
The main feature that is missing from this thermostat is intelligent learning for automatic programming. You’ll need to set the schedules yourself with this one. If that doesn’t sound like a huge deal to you, then you may have just met your perfect smart thermostat! If it is a big deal to you, don’t worry, you still have plenty of options out there to consider (like the top pick!).
Overall, the Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat is a pretty awesome option for, well, everybody. It looks great on the wall, it’s easy to install, the companion app works flawlessly, and it connects to a ton of home assistant devices…what more could you ask for?
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 4.5/5
Price: 4.5/5
Quality: 5/5
Reviewers have great things to say about the Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat. It looks really great on the wall and the companion app is well laid out and easy to figure out. They had no trouble setting up a schedule and are very happy with how well the thermostat follows it. They also appreciate the monthly reports and the extras that can be purchased to expand the system.
Buy If…
An easy installation process is important to you
You want to monitor your home’s temperature and humidity level
You’d love the option to upgrade your thermostat system
Aesthetics matter to you
Don’t Buy If…
You don’t want to set the schedules yourself
Dimensions: 4” x 2” x 4”
Connectivity: Companion app, Siri, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
Automatic Programming: No
Scheduling: Yes
Energy Star Certified: Yes
Warranty: 3 years
Most smart thermostats will be priced between $100 and $350. There isn’t a ton of variability in the market, but in general, more expensive smart thermostats will be able to learn and program themselves and will have a higher level of connectivity.
Smart thermostats can connect to a variety of devices. They’ll all come with a companion app for remote control of the temperature, but many will also allow you to connect to voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa, Siri, and more.
Some smart thermostats are capable of learning your habits and will be able to program themselves in a way that meets your needs. Many will also monitor the temperature in certain rooms for more precise control where needed (such as in a nursery). You’ll just need some extra pieces for that functionality.
Many smart thermostats are also capable of scheduling, whether that’s a daily schedule or a weekly schedule. With a little bit of setup time, you’ll never have to adjust the temperature manually again. And most thermostats that offer scheduling will also come with away modes and other similar programs to save you money while you’re on vacation. Or even while you’re just at work.
Almost every smart thermostat out there will be Energy Star certified, but you should make it a priority to double-check before you buy. No one wants to spend more money on heating and cooling than they need to, right?
Different thermostats will offer different screen sizes, shapes, and details. You can find round, square, and rectangular screens in a variety of sizes. Generally, they’ll only display the current temperature when you wake them up, but you can find options that give more details, such as the current time, Wi-Fi strength, and even mode/temperature changes right on the home screen.
Disclaimer: The prices displayed are accurate at the time of publication. We’ll do our best to keep them as up-to-date as possible, but you may see slight changes. The products in this list are ranked by independent third parties. Rankings are based on both reviews and independent testing.