March 2, 2017

Is the Nest Learning Thermostat Worth the Money?

Nest Learning Thermostat for homes

Save money and sleep soundly with a Nest Learning Thermostat

You might think that the Nest Learning Thermostat is a bit left field for me to review. However, since we are all about finding strategies that help you to sleep better during the day or night, being too hot or too cold in bed can give you a restless sleep, leaving your tired the next day.

This is where a thermostat can come in handy, which is why I am taking a look at the Nest Learning Thermostat and similar options, for you.

You might have noticed that has been a lot of noise online about the Nest Learning Thermostat and whether it is really worth the money. So let’s firstly take a look at the features of the Nest Learning Thermostat 3rd generation, then we can look at why you might need this type of thermostat and lastly, compare a few other thermostats that offer similar features.

Features of the Nest Learning Thermostat:

Best Seller on Amazon.
Designed to work with Amazon Alexa.
Can be controlled with your voice through any Alexa device.
Regulates the heating and cooling (HVAC) in your home.
Learns the temperatures you like and programs itself.
30 minute easy install.
Saves you money when you leave the house (turns itself down).
Let’s you know when your desired temperature will be reached.
Shows you how much energy you use every day.
Multiple ring tones.
Lights up when you enter the room.
Stainless ring around the exterior of the thermostat.
Alert notifications if a problem occurs in your HVAC system.
Works with the Nest Carbon Monoxide sensor.
Connect to WiFi and control your home’s temperature on your smartphone, tablet or laptop.
Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
Free Nest account.
Size: 3.30 x 3.30 x 1.21 inches.

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How does the Nest Learning Thermostat save you energy and money?

Nest Learning Thermostat for homes This home thermostat was designed with energy saving technology in mind, giving you the opportunity to fine tune your home’s heating and cooling systems to your personal taste. Many of the Nest Thermostat’s features help you to save energy and as a consequence, save money on your power bills.

This thermostat actually observes your day to day schedule and uses this information to maintain your HVAC system at temperatures that you find comfortable. It also let’s you know the which temperature settings saved you the most energy during the day and sets itself to a minimal mode when you leave home.

Knowing which temperature settings are costing you the most and the least amount of money can be very helpful, especially if you only need to make small changes to see big reductions in your energy usage.

You can change the temperature setting manually if you prefer, when you are at home or even remotely from work, or you can leave it to the Nest Sense Technology to run your daily HVAC system.

When you select energy efficient temperature choices, the Nest Learning Thermostat let’s you know by displaying a green energy leaf on the front of the dial. The more leaves that are displayed, the better your energy choices. This feature helps you to fine tune your energy consumption based on selecting the temperatures that are both comfortable and saving you money.

Lastly, you can control your home HVAC from your smartphone, tablet or laptop, helping you to keep an eye on the temperatures at home. This is ideal for when you arrive home early and unexpected (or even later than usual), as you can ensure that you home is a comfortable temperature when you arrive home and not a minute sooner – saving on your energy bills.

What’s new in the 3rd gen Nest Learning Thermostat?

Nest Learning Thermostat review The 3rd generation Nest Learning Thermostat has an all new design, when compared to the 2nd generation Nest Learning Thermostat. It has a larger screen area, a slimmer profile and a few new features as well.

Overall, there are not a huge number of changes between the two models, but since the older 2nd generation model will no longer be made and will only be sold until the stocks are depleted, it is good to know that they have made some upgrades in the newer model.

Let’s take a look at the changes that come with the newer 3rd gen thermostat.

Far-field sensor: This is a very useful feature, because you can view the time and temperature from across the room, simply making the thermostat more user-friendly. The 2nd gen Nest Learning Thermostat only has a 3ft motion detection sensor, but with this increased to 20ft in the 3rd gen device, you should have no problem seeing the display without needing to be on top of it.

New design: You still have the same round design and display screen, but the screen is now 40% larger with better resolution, giving you a much sharper image. The device is also slimmer than in the earlier model (not much though – only 1.26 inches vs 1.21 inches in the new model), but it doesn’t stand out as much from the wall.

Family accounts and home away assist: With the newer 3rd gen model you can set up multiple Nest accounts for family members, which lets the thermostat log everyone’s location via their smartphones. The older 2nd gen model only allowed you one household account, so with multiple accounts your Nest thermostat can have your home at the right temperature, when any family member arrives home.

Furnace Heads Up: Essentially, if you have a forced air furnace in your home, the Nest Thermostat logs each time the furnace turns on and off. If your furnace turns off because it is starting to overheat, the Nest app sends you a notification of the problem. This is a great safety feature for home owners with a forced air furnace.

Who would benefit from using the 3rd Gen Nest Learning Thermostat?

Nest Learning Thermostat for home Anyone who already uses the Nest products for their lights and locks will greatly benefit from adding this remote controlled thermostat to their home system.

Also anyone who uses Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Wemo, LIFX, Rachio, Jenn-Air and Skybell (and a lot more devices as well) can easily add the Nest Learning Thermostat to their smart home automation system.

If you are fed up of coming home to a hot or cold house, the Nest Thermostat will have it as cool or as warm as you want, as soon as you open the door.

How does the Nest Learning Thermostat compare with other options?

The only real contenders for an equivalent home thermostat are the Honeywell Smart Thermostat and the Ecobee3 Thermostat.

The Nest Learning Thermostat does top out on most categories, however the Ecobee3 does give you one additional sensor (you can add up to 32 in your home), so that you can control the temperature in different rooms. Compared to the Ecobee3, the Nest Learning Thermostat and the Honeywell Smart Thermostat only allow you to customize the temperature through your entire home.

What do customers think of the Nest Learning Thermostat?

The vast majority of customers find the Nest Learning Thermostat easy to install and setup, they love how it helps to reduce their energy bills and wonder how they ever lived without it.

A few people however have had problems with this thermostat not being compatible with their furnace.

What do customers think of the Ecobee3 Smart Thermostat?

Ecobee3 Thermostat Most customers love the remote sensors throughout their homes, because they can customize different rooms to their personal taste.

They also like that the Ecobee3 is super easy to control and install. The one problem mentioned by a lot of customers however, is a problem with customer support not being easily accessible for help.

What do customers think of the Honeywell Smart Thermostat?

Honeywell Smart Thermostat Customers like the easy setup process, the remote access, that you can customize the display on the touchscreen and the app is easy to use.

On the negative side, some customers have found that the temperatures are not very reliable ( 2 to 3 degree difference between settings and actual room temps) and others found that it did not work correctly at all and returned the unit.

Is the Nest Learning Thermostat worth the money?

Nest Learning Thermostat for homes When you compare the three best thermostats for home use – the Nest Learning Thermostat, the Ecobee3 Smart Thermostat and the Honeywell Smart Thermostat, the Nest Gen 3 comes out on top, but the Ecobee3 isn’t far behind.

The Nest Learning Thermostat is easy to install, saves you money on your power and is simple to use. The Ecobee3 does offer you additional sensors for other rooms, which the other two do not, so you might prefer the Ecobee3 to the Nest Learning Thermostat for this reason.

In terms of costs, the Nest and Ecobee3 are in at a similar price point (around $250 depending on the vender), whilst the Honeywell is about $100 cheaper.

So is the Nest Thermostat worth the money? My answer is yes, because of a variety of reasons mentioned above. There is nothing quite like living in a temperature controlled home, and saving money at the same time to put a smile on your face and help you to sleep more soundly at night (or day).

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