Smart thermostat Ecobee4 practical
“With an easy-to-use interface, home sensors and Alexa control, the Ecobee4 is a great addition to your wall.”
Avg
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Sets temp based on schedule and geo-fences
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Remote sensors improve accuracy
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Works with other Alexa devices
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User-friendly interface and application
Against
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Unable to change Alexa wake word
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No Alexa HVAC control
When people think of smart thermostats, the Nest Learning Thermostat usually comes to mind. But hardware store shoppers now have a choice as a line of lesser-known competitors recently hit the shelves. When it’s time to buy a smart thermostat, don’t overlook the Ecobee4. With an interesting array of features — including a built-in speaker and microphone that embeds Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant into your HVAC controller — as well as great temperature control capabilities, this product literally brings the heat. Find out what it was like to live in our Ecobee4 review.
Out of the box
Ecobee’s latest smart thermostat costs $249 and comes with a single remote sensor, though there are more expensive packages that come with multiple wireless satellites. You can also buy them separately. These sensors, which can measure temperature, humidity, occupancy and proximity, are perhaps the smartest thing about the Ecobee, and we highly recommend using more than one. Their ability to collect information in multiple rooms greatly contributes to the accuracy and efficiency of this smart thermostat.
For us, installing the Ecobee4 was relatively painless; this is partly due to our familiarity with the Ecobee3, which has a slightly different wall footprint but similar wiring layout. Whether you are familiar with Ecobee products or not, most people find this model easy to install.
There are two installation issues worth noting. First, when we originally got the Ecobee3, we decided to have it installed by a professional because our test home is heated by an electric heat pump and a gas furnace. The heat pump has a non-return valve, which can complicate the installation of the thermostat. However, in this case, since the wiring of the Ecobee3 is similar to the wiring of the Ecobee4, we did the installation ourselves. Also, some people’s HVAC wiring may require installing a power extension kit, and the Ecobee4 comes with one included.
Installing the Ecobee4 involved turning off the heat pump and furnace circuit breaker (which also cut power to the thermostat), removing the old thermostat, and following the colored wire diagrams to reinstall the Ecobee4 back panel. The smart thermostat also comes with a trim panel that can cover up any unsightly holes left by your previous thermostat. Once the back panel is wired, simply place the thermostat on it and the device starts to power up. Setting up the software is quick and easy, and connecting the app to Wi-Fi brings the new thermostat online.
Features and design
Ecobee4 is an Android and iOS compatible thermostat with an integrated color LCD touch screen. It has a refined, modern look, but would not be out of place in more traditional homes. The apps and the thermostat’s smooth touchscreen interface work identically, which is nice, and there’s also a web dashboard for deeper dives into settings and system monitoring.
It has a refined, modern look, but would not be out of place in more traditional homes.
One feature packed into the device is a microphone and speaker so the thermostat can access Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant. In repeated and extended testing (within earshot of an Amazon Echo speaker, no less), Alexa did its job very well. Despite being in the hallway between the kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom, she heard every request sent her way and relayed the response in a crisp, clear voice. Plus, the Ecobee4 now works with Alexa Announcements, meaning you can say, “Alexa, announce it’s homework time,” and the Ecobee4 will act as a speaker to announce that information along with your other Amazon Echo speakers. We have yet to test the device with Google Assistant, but we hope to do so soon.
The Ecobee4 is a thermostat with a speaker stamped on the back, but temper your expectations by playing high-quality music. However, for listening to podcasts, breaking news, controlling smart home equipment, or asking random questions, it works great with two exceptions. First, you can’t change his wake word from “Alexa” (too bad if you have a family member with that name). The second is that the voice assistant, strangely, does not control the thermostat very well. This is not necessarily Ecobee’s fault. It’s early days for voice-controlled hardware in general, and asking Alexa to control lights or other smart home devices is vague and requires the user to know the exact string of words to ask — and even then, there’s no guarantee it’ll do the job . For example, we can ask Alexa what the temperature is in the bedroom, and the Ecobee4 will connect to the remote sensor and transmit the information without any problems. But if we ask the same question about the children’s room, the answer is “The children’s room does not support it.”
The Ecobee4 is also compatible with Apple HomeKit, a feature we love in theory. But the reality is that we only had our Ecobee3 connected to it for a few weeks before it somehow lost its connection to the home network. Honestly, we didn’t bother connecting the Ecobee4 to it, because if it works like before, there’s no point. However, it’s worth noting that Apple changes HomeKit all the time, and perhaps the Ecobee4’s iOS compatibility will be a noteworthy feature. We like this thermostat for being future-proof, even if they don’t work particularly well together now.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
But the biggest flaw in the voice control of the thermostat is that when the system is off, we could never turn on the cold air (or heat) with our voice. We don’t understand why Ecobee or Apple or Amazon haven’t made it possible, but some of us live in a house with windows, and if the window is open, we don’t want the air conditioner on — so “off” is the default. Maybe one day connected home sensors will be smart enough to block cold air from entering if a window is open, but we’re not there yet.
Otherwise, since the interface and systems of the Ecobee3 and Ecobee4 are identical, we can say that in the years we have used the Ecobee we have had few complaints. It would be great if the Ecobee4 allowed us to view the performance of our HVAC via an app — minor gripe. Also, compared to the website, the scheduling options in the app are limited. This may seem like a minor point, but for those who want comfortable settings tailored to their taste, it’s hard to go to a website to set it up.
Performance
Whether you’re using Ecobee4 schedules or geofencing to regulate your home’s heating and cooling, a smart thermostat does a fantastic job of turning the system on or off seamlessly, saving you energy (and money) if you configure and use it correctly. Likewise, as an Alexa-connected device, it hears and responds well, rarely missing a request despite its microphone and speakers being neatly placed between the thermostat and the wall.
But the smartest technology built into this system is the Ecobee4 remote sensors. These battery-powered satellites allow you to measure the temperature in rooms around your home. From there, you can perform various heating and cooling related repairs. For example, an obvious use is the average temperature of the rooms in your home, a function that helps ensure that one area is not more drafty than another. Also, through the “follow me” feature, the Ecobee4 can adjust the temperature of your home depending on where you go (so there’s no need to measure the spare bedroom, if you don’t spend time there). These two tricks alone make the Ecobee4 a great thermostat for older homes that may not have multi-zone heating and cooling. We recommend Ecobee4. Largely thanks to its ability to connect to remote sensors, the smart thermostat works extremely well, offering users a range of features and configurations that can make homes warmer and perform better.
Warranty information
Ecobee offers a generous three-year warranty on all of its thermostats.
Our download
We recommend Ecobee4. Largely thanks to its ability to connect to remote sensors, the smart thermostat works extremely well, offering users a range of features and configurations that can make homes warmer and perform better.
Is there a better alternative?
The $169 Nest Learning Thermostat E is a fantastic choice for bargain hunters, while the third-generation Nest Learning Thermostat, at $249, remains a great choice and has recently been enhanced with remote temperature sensors.
How long will it last?
Although still a relatively new company, Ecobee has a track record of regularly updating firmware for all available hardware, and the device should last you several years.
Should you buy it?
That. With an excellent whole-home sensor system, an easy-to-use interface, and a simple app, the Ecobee4 is a solid choice for a smart thermostat. The fact that it’s an Amazon Alexa speaker only sweetens the deal.
Updated September 2018 to note that Ecobee4 supports Amazon Alexa announcements.
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Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn