Ecobee’s Essential Thermostat: Smart, Simple, and Affordable

Five years ago, I fully embraced Apple HomeKit. Prior to that, my smart home was chaotic—some gadgets were compatible with Google, while others worked with Apple and Alexa, leaving me with a disjointed experience. Seeking unity, I shifted everything to the Apple Home app. My initial significant purchase was an ecobee3 lite, which I snagged at a discount from my local power company. Ever since, my Ecobee thermostat has been the central component of my smart home. When Ecobee revealed the budget-friendly Smart Thermostat Essential, I was eager to give it a try. Here’s my hands-on review of their newest thermostat.

To start off, I highly recommend downloading the Ecobee app upon purchase. It provides a step-by-step guide, helping you identify the types of heating and cooling systems you have and leading you through the installation with ease. As someone without technical expertise, I managed to set it up and have it functioning in under 15 minutes.

What you receive and the installation process

The packaging is straightforward. Inside, you’ll find:

• The Thermostat
• A wall mount back plate
• Screws

The installation itself was quite straightforward. I don’t consider myself handy, but I found the process easy. After removing my old ecobee3 lite, I ensured all cables were aligned correctly. The device even has a built-in measurement feature to help prevent misalignment. All you need is a small screwdriver, and it’s helpful to have tweezers to manage the wires.

Features and specifications

Although this is the budget-oriented model compared to its enhanced variant, it still offers a solid user experience. If you’re after a basic, user-friendly thermostat, the Essentials thermostat provides exactly that.

Here’s what you’ll find included:

• Glass display with a plastic body
• 2.8-inch full-color LCD touchscreen
• Temperature and humidity sensors
• Simple scheduling available on the device and through the app
• Compatibility with major smart ecosystems (Apple, Google, Alexa)
• Works with over 85% of HVAC systems right out of the box (may require a power extender, which the app will notify you about!)
• Home energy reports (my personal favorite feature of the app!)
• 3-year warranty

Here’s what you’ll miss out on:

• The enhanced Smart Thermostat has a 50% larger display
• Includes the power extender kit mentioned earlier
• Offers video feeds from other Ecobee security system devices, such as cameras

By opting out of the power extender (which I didn’t need), you save at least $60, and although the screen is smaller, I rarely interact with the thermostat directly.

My reflections

The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential meets my expectations for a smart home thermostat: it simply works. Installation is user-friendly, even for those with no prior experience. The touchscreen simplifies on-device controls, but I found myself mostly using the Ecobee app for everything—from temperature adjustments to scheduling daily and nighttime routines and activating vacation mode to conserve energy during my absence.

One of the standout features is the Home Energy Reports, which offer valuable insights into heating and cooling trends. It even benchmarks your energy consumption against similar homes nearby, enhancing your understanding of energy efficiency. This not only aids in cost-saving but also promotes more responsible energy consumption habits using a gamified approach. I believe they should incentivize this further with a leaderboard to encourage energy efficiency!

Pricing & availability

You can purchase the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential now for $129.99 on Amazon, Ecobee’s website, and other retailers. It’s available in one color and includes one power extender add-on. If you’re seeking a no-nonsense, set-and-forget smart thermostat that integrates smoothly with Apple Home and offers genuine energy savings, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential is an excellent choice. It’s dependable, well-crafted, and designed for ease of use, allowing effortless temperature management.

What are your thoughts? Are you currently using a smart thermostat or any other smart home devices?