The best smart thermostats allow for precision control of your heating from your phone or tablet, allowing you to come back to a warm home when temperatures drop, and some smart thermostats will even learn your preferred heating routines, so that you don't even need to remember to preset anything.
Smart thermostats are especially useful this time of year, when the weather is unpredictable, and it can suddenly feel very chilly by late afternoon. You didn't think you'd need the heating on, but you do after all: with a smart thermostat, you can remedy the situation well before you get home.
Browse our pick of the best smart thermostats below.
Stylish on the outside and intelligent on the inside, the is the top smart thermostat around. But why?
It learns your behaviours
Designed to learn and interpret your heating behaviours, this clever device will quickly become familiar with your temperature preferences throughout the day, as well as your daily routine (at least in terms of when you're in and out of the house) and how draughty your home is. Using this information, it can optimise your energy use and, ultimately, save you money.
Control your hot water
A relatively new addition, it's now possible to control your hot water, as well as your heating, from the Nest app. On a day-to-day basis, this means you can schedule hot water for the hours that you're at home, as well as being able to turn everything off from afar if you head off on a spontaneous trip. Got caught out in the cold? You can even super heat your water in preparation for your return home.
Monitor how much you've saved
Half the fun of saving money is knowing how much you've saved, right? Well, the Nest Learning Thermostat allows you to do just that by tracking your energy history and producing monthly reports with your progress. Plus, the presence of a handy leaf symbol on your thermostat helps you keep on top of your daily energy saving progress.
Connect to a wider system
Connect your Nest Learning Thermostat to Nest Protect (sold separately) and simultaneously protect your home against carbon monoxide leaks.
Stylish design
It's available in four stylish colourways, including black, white, copper and stainless steel, so you're sure to find a scheme that either complements, or blends in with the rest of your scheme. Depending on your preference – and current heating set up – you can choose between wall mounting your thermostat, or placing it out of sight on a shelf.
Designed to ensure you’re never paying over the odds for your energy, and perfect for those on a budget, the uses technology to control the temperature of your home. Here's everything it has to offer:
Climate Assistant
Much like the Nest Learning Thermostat, this offering from Tado works to learn your heating behaviours, adjusting the climate of each room, individually. Plus, it offers practical advice to help prevent mould, reduce humidity and more.
Geofencing
Using GPS to track your location, Tado is designed to ensure you never heat an empty house. Once you step outside your geofence heating turns off automatically, ensuring energy is saved, even if you forget.
Affordability
Although the Tado is half the price of the Nest, it is compatible with a range of heating systems, including underfloor heating, and you can use it alongside the Amazon Echo for complete smart home functionality.
Perfect for large homes, or those looking to create heating zones, the is next in our list. Here's what it has to offer:
Smart zoning
The option to create up to 12 heating zones is ideal for larger homes, homes with multiple occupants or for those who have different preferences when it comes to the temperature of their bedroom, living room, bathroom and so on. Control the temperature of each zone, hassle free, from one app.
Flexible control
Whether your preference is to control your smart thermostat from your phone, or via a smart assistant, the choice is yours.
Heating analysis
It can monitor how long your property takes to heat up, then adjusts its timer settings to ensure it's always at the ideal temperature. You can also control your heating using the app, with options to turn it up, down, on or off.
The is another great choice if you're looking for a budget friendly option. Here are our favourite features:
Save energy
Similarly to other models in this list, the Netatmo is designed to optimise your heating, minimising energy use and saving you money in the long term. According to Netatmo, the average user will use an average of 37 per cent less energy.
Set separate room temperatures
With the addition of Smart Radiator Valves, The Netatmo enables you to control your heating room by room, perfect if you're heating a larger home or have different preferences when it comes to the temperature of different rooms.
Create a heating schedule based around your lifestyle
While this offering doesn't offer smart learning like some of the pricier brands, it does provide you with the option to input your information. Netatmo can then use this to design a heating schedule based on your lifestyle.
Unique design
The work of French designer Philippe Starck, Netatmo certainly offer a unique and contemporary take on the smart thermostat.
While it's not one of our top rated smart thermostats, the still has a lot to offer. Here are our favourite features:
Control your heating from afar
Similarly to other smart thermostat models, this option from Hive allows you to control your heating from your smartphone. Far from a gimmicky feature, this allows users to prepare their home's temperature while on the way from work, or a holiday. Alternatively, it makes turning off the heating, should users forget, the easiest it's ever been.
Set a heating schedule
Much like the Netatmo, the Hive Active Heating doesn't offer learning technology, but it does allow users to set their own heating schedule according to when they're in and out of the house. Plus, there's the option to overwrite the schedule, should plans change at the last minute.
Plus, with temperature tracking, Hive keeps an eye on how you're really using your heating, so you can make adjustments to your schedule as and when necessary.
Geolocation alerts
If, like many of us, you're not the best at remembering to turn off your heating, geolocation could be the feature for you. Designed to notify users if they've left a pre-set geolocation and forgotten to turn of their heating, it's functions like this that will help lead to reductions in energy use and cost of bills.
Frost protection
Perfect for those of us living in cooler climates, Hive also works to protect your heating system when you're away from home. Designed to switch on, automatically, when temperatures drop below seven degrees, it'll help protect your home from the risk of burst pipes.
Despite not being a household name, the makes a great base for a more extensive zone heating system. Here's what else we like about it:
Voice control
Because the thermostat is compatible with Amazon's smart assistant, Alexa, it's possible to use your voice to control your heating. Handy if you're building a larger smart home system.
Optimise individual rooms
Thanks to the option for separate radiator valves, the Drayton thermostat allows you to set the temperature of each room, depending on your preferences. As with other models in this list that offer zoning, it's perfect for larger homes or spaces with multiple occupants.
Affordability
While this offering from Drayton doesn't come with the same kudos of other big name brands, it boasts a lot of similar features at a fraction of the price, making it an ideal solution for those on a lower budget.