Hands-on: Ecobee unveils Smart Thermostat lineup with air quality monitoring, premium design, more
Head below for the full details on Ecobee’s new smart thermostat lineup, with some hands-on experience and notes as well..
Smart thermostat Premium
The Smart Thermostat premium is Ecobee’s latest high-end smart thermostat. The Smart Thermostat Premium features an all-new design with a 4-inch display and a design that’s made out more premium materials. The 4-inch display features a resolution of 540 x 540, and one of the biggest changes is that the new design helps the display blend in bezels so there is less of a gap between the display and the edges of the thermostat.
While previous Ecobee thermostats were primarily made of plastic, the Smart Thermostat Premium is made out of Zinc. This gives it a more luxurious look, especially from the sides. There’s also what Ecobee describes as a “glass face and smooth waterfall edges that create a timeless look and feel.”
In terms of functionality, the new Smart Thermostat Premium sets itself apart with the integration of a built-in air quality monitor for the first time. This air quality monitor displays information about your indoor air quality, including relative humidity, estimated volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and estimated carbon dioxide (CO2) levels. The Smart Thermostat Premium can display the air quality information and the Ecobee app for iOS allows you to view it.
The interface for the Smart Thermostat Premium was also redesigned in order to take full advantage of the bigger display and incorporate new data from our air quality monitor.
A more responsive display is 50% larger than previous models and boasts more colorful and vibrant resolution, while the refreshed user interface embraces ecobee’s signature squircle shape and improves ease of navigation. Larger temperature sliders make changing the temperature a breeze, and an easy-to-find menu helps users discover and engage with new features.
Finally, the Smart Thermostat Premium is fully integrated with the Apple ecosystem. HomeKit and “Hey Siri” support are available (as long as the HomePod or mini is connected to the same network), along with AirPlay support. There’s also built-in Bluetooth connectivity, Alexa support, and smoke alarm monitoring as well.
SmartThermostat Enhanced
A more affordable alternative to the Smart Thermostat Premium is Ecobee’s new Smart Thermostat Enhanced (Enhanced is < Premium, apparently).The Smart Thermostat Enhanced packs many of the same upgrades as the Smart Thermostat Premium, including the larger 4-inch display, redesigned interface, and even the built-in air quality monitor.
The Smart Thermostat enhanced’s body is constructed from white plastic, which is the same material used in previous Ecobee models. This means you miss out on the sleek new zinc finish offered by the Smart Thermostat Premium.
The Smart Thermostat has HomeKit integration but does not include a speaker or microphone to support Siri, AirPlay Spotify or Bluetooth. You also miss smoke alarm detection capabilities. These features are only available on the Smart Thermostat Premium. It has the hardware necessary to run them.
Other than these limitations, there is one difference between Ecobee’s new thermostats. The Smart Thermostat Premium comes with a separate Ecobee Smart Sensor, while the Smart Thermostat Premium requires you to purchase one to use in conjunction.
9to5Mac’s Take
I’ve been testing the new Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium for the past several weeks, and it’s a really, really nice upgrade compared to the Smart Thermostat with Voice Control that I reviewed back in 2019. I think the most notable change is the larger and more luxurious display. The Smart Thermostat Premium Premium is instantly noticeable when you open the box.
If you read my review of the Smart Thermostat with Voice Control from 2019, one of my biggest (and one of my only) complaints was the plastic, white design. These concerns were addressed by the Smart Thermostat Premium’s new zinc design and larger display.
The built-in monitor for air quality is also a great addition. Although other companies provide standalone solutions for smart air quality monitoring, the thermostat has this functionality. Although I wish the Air Quality Data could be accessed via HomeKit (which it is), the Ecobee app as well as the thermostat are the best places to see the data.
As far as installation goes, Ecobee’s guided process is as good as it’s ever been. I had no issues swapping out my Smart Thermostat with Voice Control and replacing it with the new Smart Thermostat Premium, although you do have to make sure to use the updated mounting bracket included with new model.
As always, scheduling and automation are the real power of ecobee smart thermostats like these. With cross platform support for HomeKit, Alexa, the Ecobee app, and Google Assistant, Ecobee’s smart thermostats give you a number of different options in this area.
I’ll have more details in a full review soon, but the new Smart Thermostat Premium is a continuation of Ecobee’s excellent HomeKit-compatible smart thermostat lineup. With wide support for HomeKit, AirPlay, and more, both the Smart Thermostat Premium and Smart Thermostat Enhanced are perfect additions to the Apple ecosystem.
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium is available to purchase starting today for $249. 99, while the Smart Thermostat Enhanced is available for $189.99.