Smart thermostats from Canadian home automation company Ecobee let you adjust the temperature in your house from any location with a smartphone app and cellular data or the Internet.
The original Ecobee Smart Thermostat and the more affordable Ecobee Lite are two of the company’s most well-known offerings. Which, however, will serve your smart home the best?
If you’re looking for a more comprehensive home automation experience and don’t mind spending a little more money, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat is your best bet. If you want a smart thermostat but don’t need all the bells and whistles, the Ecobee Lite is a cheaper alternative that still has many of the same capabilities as the original Ecobee.
While these smart thermostats’ primary function is to allow users to adjust the temperature from afar, they also provide a number of other useful features.
In order to help you make the most educated decision possible, this article will compare and contrast several popular smart home products and highlight the benefits and drawbacks of each.
1. Ecobee vs. Ecobee Lite
1.1. Voice Control
2. Pros and Cons of the Ecobee vs. Ecobee Lite
2.2. Cons of the Ecobee Smart Thermostat
Ecobee vs. Ecobee Lite
Taking a look at how these two smart thermostat products compare across a variety of criteria is useful when making your final decision.
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat has more features, but the Ecobee Lite still performs well for its lower price.
So, knowing which of these features are most important to you will help you choose the best home automation system for your needs.
Voice Control
When it comes to voice control features, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat is unrivaled.
The Ecobee smart thermostat is advertised as a voice-controlled thermostat.
The most expensive version has Amazon Alexa pre-installed, so it can be used to set the temperature with voice commands right away.
With the latest updates, some models now come with Apple’s Siri, which makes them more appealing to buyers.
The Ecobee Lite can work with Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri, but it doesn’t come with those services pre-installed.
So, for voice control to work, the Ecobee Lite needs to be connected to the house’s larger smart home system.
However, once installed, the Ecobee Lite may be used to make and receive calls, read and respond to texts, and play music, all of which are standard on the more expensive standard model.
With no additional setup required, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat takes the cake as the best smart thermostat for voice control.
Versatility
Even though the Ecobee Smart Thermostat will come pre-installed with either Alexa or Siri, it works with almost every other smart home system, such as Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, IFTTT, and Samsung SmartThings.
Because they are an integral part of the thermostat, you can rely on them even if you switch to a different kind of smart ecosystem.
If you want to use an Ecobee Lite in your preferred smart home setup, you’ll need to configure it for that system.
While it’s not a huge dealbreaker (after all, it’s handy to have your smart thermostat working within the same ecosystem as your other smart home features), it does reduce the device’s versatility and make setup a bit more of a pain.
In this case, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat is better because it can be easily added to a number of smart home setups that are already in place. No extra setup is needed.
Temperature Controls
Both thermostats allow users to adjust the temperature either at the point of installation, like a standard thermostat, or from afar with the help of the Ecobee app.
Both devices allow for control via voice commands, as was mentioned before.
Each thermostat has a sophisticated temperature sensor that lets it respond instantly to changes in its surroundings.
This is a useful function that prevents pipes from freezing while you’re away from home and the temperature drops unexpectedly.
Both thermostats are ingeniously made to give the user a variety of options for adjusting the temperature and for keeping tabs on the environment. In spite of this, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat has a slight advantage because of how well it responds to voice commands.
Occupancy Sensors
An occupancy sensor is integrated into the Ecobee Smart Thermostat.
By doing so, the gadget can determine if you are actually there.
In the event that the Ecobee senses that you are not at home, it will automatically adjust the temperature settings to save as much money as possible on utilities.
A thermostat should be put in an area with a lot of foot traffic so that the system doesn’t think there’s no one home when there is.
If you need more occupancy sensors, you can buy a set of two for $80.
These are useful in homes with multiple rooms that rarely see foot traffic, even when people are at home, making zone heating a viable option.
Unlike the Ecobee 3, the Ecobee Lite does not have an in-built occupancy sensor.
You can buy occupancy sensors separately and have them set up to work with your Ecobee Lite, though.
The Ecobee Lite has a vacation mode that lets you tell the thermostat (or the app) that you will be away from home for an extended period of time and let it set the temperature for you.
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat wins because it has an occupancy sensor, which is one of the most important parts of a smart thermostat.
Appearance
The Ecobee and Ecobee Lite are both available in a modern black finish that complements a variety of decor styles.
Both also have lights that turn on when you move in the dark and touch screens that are easy to use at the point of installation.
The Ecobee measures 4.29 x 4.29 x 1 inch, while the Ecobee Lite is only 4.05 x 4.05 x 1 inch.
Both models are sleek and don’t take up much space, so you can feel good about adding either one to your home’s climate control.
Price
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat retails for $249, while the Ecobee Lite retails for $169, a $70 savings.
However, for an additional $5 a month, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat can be upgraded to the more robust Ecobee Haven home security system.
For both systems, you can buy a two-pack of smart sensors for a total of $160.
The Ecobee Lite is superior due to its cheaper retail price.
Other Notable Features
Both systems’ heating and cooling schedules can be watched for a whole week.
They do an energy audit every month, which gives homeowners a detailed look at how much energy they use and lets them compare their numbers to those of their neighbors.
Pros and Cons of the Ecobee vs. Ecobee Lite
Once the most important aspects of these well-liked smart thermostats have been outlined, it’s time to compare and contrast them to determine which one is best for your connected home.
Due to the fact that they are both produced by the same parent company, it is likely that some of the benefits and drawbacks will overlap.
However, the Ecobee’s built-in features and the Ecobee Lite’s lower price tag are the primary points of differentiation.
Pros of the Ecobee Smart Thermostat
If you want the most cutting-edge technology available in a smart thermostat, the Ecobee is a great choice thanks to its extensive feature set.
Below is a summary of all the features and advantages of the Ecobee:
- Integration of a digital assistant like Alexa or Siri for hands-free voice control
- An occupancy sensor that maintains a comfortable temperature in your home even when you’re not there.
- By taking advantage of the home’s innovative Time of Use feature, heating and cooling can be done at times when energy costs are lowest without compromising on comfort.
- Using the Ecobee app, you can regulate the temperature in your home from anywhere.
- Effortless setup with the rest of your smart home system
- A central point for the Ecobee Haven home monitoring system, which works to improve and connect Ecobee gadgets.
- compatible with Bluetooth audio devices for wireless playback of music.
- Modest and sophisticated, this all-black design would look great anywhere in your house.
- limited warranty that lasts for three years.
Cons of the Ecobee Smart Thermostat
Though the Ecobee Smart Thermostat is packed with convenient smart features, not everyone is happy with it.
Ecobee’s flagship product is dissected below, along with some of the product’s drawbacks:
Increased Energy Consumption
A smart thermostat can theoretically cut your energy costs in half since you can maintain precise temperature control even when you’re not at home.
Users of the Ecobee Smart Thermostat have complained that their energy bills have gone up since installing the device.
The constant hum of the fan is probably the result of a bug in the system’s software.
The Ecobee keeps the fan going even when the temperature is set to the ideal level, so it doesn’t waste energy. Some families have had to pay more for electricity than usual because they use fans all the time.
No Spanish Language Settings
There is a significant gap in the market for the Ecobee because of the lack of Spanish-language support.
Some Mexican customers have also said they had trouble getting the Ecobee, getting help from customer service, and getting the thermostat to work with the local Wi-Fi.
Unexpected Modifications
Some Ecobee users have said that after installing the latest software update from the company, the settings on their systems were changed without their knowledge.
Due to this, temperatures have fluctuated and energy consumption has been erratic.
Erroneous Vacant Detection
It has been seen that the occupancy sensor has wrongly decided that a home is empty when it is not.
Some people have found that this makes their homes unbearably hot if they stay still for any length of time.
Placing the thermostat in a heavily used room, like the kitchen or bathroom, will allow it to detect when people are in the house and adjust the temperature accordingly.
App Logout
One complaint about the Ecobee app is that users sometimes find themselves logged out without warning.
This makes remote temperature control a hassle because you’ll need to enter your username and password again and again.
Pros of the Ecobee Lite
The Ecobee Lite may not have as many bells and whistles as its more feature-rich sibling, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat, but it does have a number of important advantages that make it a viable choice for anyone considering a smart home solution.
The advantages of the Ecobee Lite are summed up here:
- Manage your home’s temperature with the tap of a button using the Ecobee app.
- The ability to integrate into your preferred smart home ecosystem
- Efficiency Star-approved
- Savings of about 23% on average in energy costs compared to homes kept at a constant 72 degrees Fahrenheit, according to some estimates.
- Occupancy detection compatible with smart sensors
- Lights that turn on when motion is detected automatically
- Modernize the look of your home with this sleek black design.
- user-friendly interface at the point of installation
- limited warranty that lasts for three years.
Cons of the Ecobee Lite
Some users have complained that the Ecobee Lite has a number of drawbacks, such as its lack of voice controls and occupancy sensors found on the Ecobee Smart Thermostat.
- Some customers have said they had trouble connecting their Ecobee Lite to their smart home ecosystem, and the help they got from customer service did not always help them fix the problem.
- Concerns with the included adapter The Ecobee Lite can be used in homes with a four-wire wiring system (the Ecobee Lite comes with five wires). There have been reports of the adapter’s performance diminishing in some homes as the temperature outside drops.
- constantly having trouble disabling eco+, which assists the Ecobee Lite’s smart temperature controls. Users who prefer more precise manual temperature control have reported challenges in disabling eco+.
- Some users have reported that their Ecobee Lite loses connectivity after a power or Internet blackout, and they have had difficulty reconnecting it. When the system needs a hard reset, it makes it harder to change the temperature from a distance.
Why Buy the Ecobee Smart Thermostat?
If you want the most cutting-edge smart home experience possible but don’t mind spending a little more, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat is the way to go.
Voice controls and occupancy sensors have made it unnecessary to change the thermostat by hand.
It’s also a great option for the platform-agnostic techie who likes to keep all of their smart home gadgets in one place.
Even though it would be ideal to have a unified smart home ecosystem through which all smart devices could be connected, it can be difficult to do so given the sheer number of options currently available.
Because of this, the Ecobee’s built-in features make it easy to install and use the thermostat without worrying about compatibility issues.
Last but not least, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat is a must-have for anyone planning to subscribe to Ecobee Haven and enhance their smart home experience.
The smoke alarms in this home security system will go off if there is a fire. This will let you know what’s going on without you having to remember any passcodes or worry about accidentally setting off the alarm.
Why Buy the Ecobee Lite?
If you’re trying to save money, the Ecobee Lite is your best bet.
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat, which is more feature-rich, retails for $229, making this model a savings of about $80.
It’s cheaper than the flagship Ecobee, but otherwise identical in features and performance. The only differences are the lack of a built-in voice control interface and occupancy sensors.
The Ecobee Lite, then, is a great option for novices who want to test the waters with a smart home thermostat.
The Ecobee Lite can be easily integrated with smart home systems like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, but only if you don’t already have a lot of other home automation devices.
And while the Ecobee Lite doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles of the full-size Ecobee, it is compatible with them, giving you the flexibility to add them whenever you like.
If you’re on the fence about purchasing a smart thermostat but know you want one, this is a great option because it allows you to start small and build up as your comfort level grows with the device.
Why Buy the Ecobee Lite?
Smart thermostats are Ecobee’s claim to fame, and the company is based in Canada.
One of its most well-known offerings is the Ecobee Smart Thermostat, while another is the Ecobee Lite.
Both the Ecobee Smart Thermostat and the Ecobee Lite are excellent choices for the home automation fanatic. However, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat is the better option for those who want cutting-edge voice control and motion sensors.
