What you need to know
- ecobee has released a pair of new HomeKit-enabled thermostats.
- The latest thermostats include larger screens and new radar motion detection technology.
- Both thermostats are available today directly through ecobee and via select retailers.
After a series of leaks over the last few weeks, ecobee has finally taken the wraps off its latest smart thermostats — the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium and the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced. ecobee's newest thermostats feature significantly larger screens, better motion detection, and more over the previous ecobee SmartThermostat — our top pick for the best HomeKit thermostats.
"At ecobee, we believe the future smart home will be more resilient and efficient, and we remain committed to achieving these goals by offering advanced technologies designed to improve everyday life and create a more sustainable world," said ecobee Founder and CEO, Stuart Lombard. "Our all-new smart thermostat lineup is our smartest yet, with industry leading technology including radar and a new intuitive user experience, and is designed to bring families more comfort, energy savings, and peace of mind, while improving home health and looking great on your wall."
As you might have already guessed, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium is the company's new flagship offering which sports a stunning zinc chassis with smoother "waterfall edges" and a larger, four-inch screen. The screen on the Premium edition is 50% larger than previous models and coupled with an all-glass front, UI refresh, and higher 540 x 540 resolution, the thermostat is now easier to view from a distance.
Alongside the metal finish, the Premium ecobee thermostat is also the first smart thermostat to feature an integrated air quality sensor. ecobee's air quality sensor allows the thermostat to display estimated VOC and CO2 levels and relative humidity in the home and puts the data on display in the ecobee app and on-device. ecobee also still includes its signature SmartSensor with the Premium, which monitors temperature in remote locations around your home.
The top-of-the-line ecobee continues to be the only thermostat around that supports on-device Alexa and Siri voice control via a built-in microphone and speaker. While Alexa works right out of the box, Siri integration requires a HomePod mini as it relays commands through Apple's smart speakers before replying on-device. Of course, with HomeKit support, you can always control the thermostat via Siri on an iOS device or HomePod, even if you decide to disable the onboard mic.
On the other hand, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced forgoes the zinc frame, air quality sensor, SmartSensor, and built-in voice control in favor of a lower price. However, ecobee's Enhanced thermostat still includes the more extensive, four-inch display with increased resolution and smoother waterfall edges.
Both of ecobee's new thermostats also feature a new Radar Sensor for motion and occupancy detection. ecobee claims that, unlike a traditional passive infrared sensor, the new sensor allows the thermostat to determine occupancy from further away and around corners. The new sensor also allows for the cleaner, all-glass front design on the new thermostats as it rests inside the thermostat instead of within the small window seen on previous models.
ecobee's latest thermostats are available for purchase now through ecobee.com and select retail partners such as Amazon, Best Buy, Home Depot, and Lowes. The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium retails for $249.99, and the Smart Thermostat Enhanced retails for $189.99. ecobee is also continuing to offer the more affordable ecobee3 Lite model thermostat for $149.99.
Stunning design, smart features
ecobee's flagship thermostat features a stunning zinc frame and tons of smart features such as built-in Siri/Alexa, an air quality sensor, and advanced radar technology.
Bigger and better
As the name suggests, ecobee's new Enhanced thermostat goes above and beyond the ecobee3 Lite with radar motion detection and a 50% larger screen.
