Welcome to the best smart thermostats without C wire review of 2024!
I’ve been living and breathing smart devices over the last 5 years, and I can say that after all the heavy research and analysis of customer reviews – these are 7 best smart thermostats that will leave you amazed.
Let’s face it: who wants to spend their hard-earned money on a not-so-good smart thermostat that doesn’t offer all required features or isn’t compatible with your HVAC system?
Don’t worry because these top 7 smart thermostats will give you more control than ever, with lots of convenience, and also help reduce energy bills.
With added features like geofencing, scheduling, and voice command, you can manage your heating or cooling system anytime from any place!
So, are you ready to upgrade the heat and have fun doing it?
Keep reading to find out which smart thermostat without a C wire fits you and your home perfectly.
- What is a C-Wire?
- Why Some Thermostats Don’t Require a C Wire?
- What Should I Consider When Selecting Smart Thermostat?
- Top 3 Smart Thermostats Without C Wire Overview
- Ecobee 5th Gen – Best for out-of-the-box voice control build-in (Alexa and Siri)
- Nest Learning Thermostat 3rd Generation – Best for self-learning and automatic adjustments
- Honeywell Home T9 – Best for multi-room temperature control
- What are the Most Important Smart Features in a Smart Thermostat?
- What if There isn’t a C wire in Place? Don’t worry!
What is a C-Wire?
C-Wire is critical for many smart thermostat setups; consistent power wouldn’t flow from your HVAC system to the thermostat without it. In case a smart thermostat doesn’t offer a built-in C-wire solution, there are some alternatives, such as:
- Using a C-wire power adapter with compatible thermostats
- Employing an external power pack to supply power to the thermostat
- Opting for a thermostat that runs on rechargeable batteries
These options help homeowners who lack a C-wire connection to install and benefit from smart thermostat technology without major modifications to their HVAC system.
Why Some Thermostats Don’t Require a C Wire?
There are several reasons why some smart thermostats may not require a C wire:
Many newer smart thermostats can get minimal power needed for basic operations from other wires connected to the HVAC system. This is often called “power stealing” or “phantom power.” Because they only need minimal amounts of energy for things like displaying time and simple temperature readings, it’s possible that these kinds of devices won’t need an exclusive C wire.
Even though C wire is unnecessary for essential features like temperature regulation or heating and cooling control, things can go wrong with more advanced features that have the potential to drain much more power.
Although battery backups can help some smart thermometers work without a C wire, eventually, those batteries will need replacing, and this process is bothersome. It adds additional costs compared with using the existing C wire path.
What Should I Consider When Selecting Smart Thermostat?
When choosing a smart thermostat for your smart heating system, some aspects are more important than others. The most important are the size of your house and integration with other smart devices currently in your smart home system.
Why House Size Is Important?
It is essential that when selecting a smart thermostat, its capabilities should be suitable for managing the temperature throughout your home – especially if yours is exceptionally spacious. If you have a larger home, it’s crucial to pick out a smart thermostat to successfully keep the temperature in every area of your house. When installing, ensure it’s positioned somewhere in the middle (https://tech4gods.com/best-place-to-put-a-wireless-thermostat/).
In such cases, choosing one with multiple sensors or zoning abilities would be best.
These systems are great as they have sensors that monitor different sections in your property so temperatures can adjust accordingly and provide comfortable living conditions no matter where you’re in the building.
Alternatively, you can opt for one with zoning capabilities so you don’t have to adjust temperatures as needed. That’s particularly helpful when considering areas like basements and guest rooms that are rarely used.
Integration with Other Smart Devices in your Home
Integrating with other smart devices is critical when selecting a smart thermostat.
By opting for one that is compatible with your household’s smart devices, you can expand your existing smart home automation by having a system that works around your daily schedule.
If you’ve got Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant set up in your home, getting a compatible thermostat will let you control it with just the sound of your voice. This way, there’s no need to leave whatever comfortable spot you’re settled into – as long as the temperature is right.
Integrating smart lights and blinds can offer some other excellent benefits, too.
Smart thermostats can work with these devices for an ambiance that both looks great AND saves energy! For example, if you have fancy blinds on your windows, the thermostat can adjust the temperature automatically whenever the sun’s rays hit them.
Top 3 Smart Thermostats Without C Wire Overview
Alright, my smart home shopper, I won’t keep you waiting if you already know what you want.
Here’s my list of the 3 best smart thermostats that won’t require a C-wire:
Ecobee 5th Gen – Best for out-of-the-box voice control build-in (Alexa and Siri)
Nest Learning Thermostat 3rd Generation – Best for self-learning and automatic adjustments
Honeywell Home T9 – Best for multi-room temperature control
Ecobee 5th Gen
Analyses your habits delivers tailored comfort
- Build-in Alexa and Siri
- Geofencing
- Scheduling
- Thermal Protect
- Weather Tracking
- Warranty: 5-year warranty with professional installation
- Power: Wired
- Weight: 499 g
- Dimensions: 10.4 x 10.4 x 7.4 centimetres
- Special Features: Presence detection
- Smart Voice Assistant: Build-in Amazon Alexa and Siri
- Multi-zone Control: Yes, temperature and occupancy smart sensors
- C-Wire Solution: Power Extender Kit (PEK) included
Pros
- Control your temperature using voice commands with a built-in voice assistant
- Detects when someone is in the room and adjusts the temperature automatically with remote sensors
- 5 years warranty for peace of mind
Cons
- Certain features require a subscription
- Expensive compared to other brands
The Ecobee 5th generation is like James Bond’s smart thermostats, packed with smart features that make you feel like an agent in your home. Installation is simple, with an elegant design that stands out in any room. And you only need to use your smartphone to adjust that sweet AC without leaving your seat.
Its sensors work very well and can detect your presence using the “Follow Me” feature, adjusting to create a cozy, personalized environment tailored to you. Get this – it even analyzes your schedule to make automatic changes when needed, so you’re welcomed with a warm hug whenever you walk in the door.
You can adjust the temperature using voice commands without spending extra money. With built-in voice assistants Amazon Alexa and Siri, there is no need to buy extra devices. You can use it to turn up the heat, turn down the AC, and even control other smart home devices.
You’ll get energy usage reports from the device to show precisely how much power you’re using and where you can cut back to save a few bucks! It will also send alerts when it’s too hot or cold or your heating/cooling system behaves funky. But that’s not all. The Ecobee also comes with a 5-year warranty.
The Ecobee smart thermostat is one of the few with built-in smart voice assistants. While it lacks self-learning, the presence detection is almost as powerful and should be sufficient for most users. Some reviews online have specified that the behavior is similar to Nest 3rd gen thermostats, which have full self-learning powers.
Nest Smart Learning Thermostat 3rd Generation
A stylish and intelligent device
- Self-Learning
- Geofencing
- Scheduling
- OpenTherm Compatibility
- Heat Pump Balance
- Warranty: 2-year warranty
- Power: 1.5V AAA batteries x2
- Weight: 243 g
- Dimensions: 8.4 x 8.8 x 3.2 centimetres
- Special Features: Self-Learning
- Smart Voice Assistant: Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit
- Multi-zone Control: Yes, with Google Nest temperature sensors
- C-Wire Solution: Should work without. If not, you can use Nest Power Connector
Pros
- Learns your daily routine and automatically adjusts the temperature accordingly
- Connect with other Nest products for the ultimate smart home experience
- Maximize energy savings by balancing the heat pump and central heating system
Cons
- Lack of smart radiator valves for individual room control. It will require custom integration.
Google Nest Thermostat is unique in its remarkable ability to learn and be intuitive – it’s like having a genius living in your home. Sensing when you’re “back home,” it can adjust the temperature as required – after all, who wants to come into a cold apartment? Thanks to its smart temperature sensors, this smart device will also figure out your routine and switch off accordingly while you’re away.
You can control the temperature using voice since Google Nest Learning Thermostat works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It can be combined with other Nest products – like the Nest Cam or the Nest Protect – to create an unbeatable connected smart home setup where all devices can work harmoniously.
But here’s where things get cool. The Google Nest Smart Learning Thermostat is designed to help you maximize energy savings by optimizing your heating and cooling system – specifically if you have a heat pump. It’ll prioritize running the pump for longer rather than using central heating, which can lead to immense cost savings on energy bills.
By optimizing your heat pump system, the Nest can save you up to 10-12% on your heating bills and up to 15% on your cooling bills.
Most smart thermostat models don’t have advanced self-learning abilities like the Google Nest Smart Learning Thermostat. Yet, if you require multi-room control, the Nest lacks radiator valves. It may force you to look at custom integrations where you may need to integrate with other brands via a different protocol.
However, if you’re after a smart thermostat that will think for you, then the Google Nest Smart Learning Thermostat 3rd Generation is the device you need.
Honeywell Home T9
- Warranty: 2-year warranty
- Power: Wired
- Weight: 599 g
- Dimensions: 9.4 x 12.5 x 2.4 centimetres
- Special Features: Smart response and Adaptive recovery
- Smart Voice Assistant: Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
- Multi-zone Control: Yes, wireless sensors with motion detection and temperature
- C-Wire Solution: C-Wire adapter included
Pros
- Easy to set multi-room temperature control using wireless sensors
- Prioritize temperature in occupied rooms to save energy and money
- Know how long it takes to heat your home so you always return to a cozy environment
Cons
- Lack of smart radiator valves for individual radiator control. It will require custom integration.
- No wireless option
The Honeywell Home T9 Smart Thermostat is an elegant and contemporary device. It also helps you conserve energy and your hard-earned money. It uses wireless temperature sensors to detect motion and understand which rooms are occupied so the device can act accordingly. Setting up is effortless and can be managed conveniently from most devices.
The Honeywell Home T9 Smart Thermostat is genuinely in a class of its own when controlling the temperature in each room. It can sense when rooms have been occupied. So, it can take steps to regulate the temperature accordingly—boasting wireless remote sensors that can be positioned anywhere you please.
The smart response feature is like a mini-brain within the thermostat that understands what you prefer and when you want it. Instead of manually doing all these things, your system will automatically start early enough. So everything will already be pleasant and comfortable by the time you’re ready.
It also knows when you are home and away, adjusting the temperature with fantastic accuracy. It creates the ideal setting for YOU – no more sweating bullets in your living room or through an arctic winter indoors!
Its “smart response” feature ensures energy savings without compromising convenience but doesn’t have self-learning. With a price point below previous models, this thermostat has all the smart features required to automatically maintain an ideal home environment.
Finally, the Honeywell thermostat doesn’t require a c wire because an adapter is included.
Wyze Smart Thermostat
It has a simple interface and is easy to use
- Remote Control
- Energy Usage Tracking
- Scheduling
- Geofencing
- Warranty: 1-year warranty
- Power: Wired
- Weight: 481 g
- Dimensions: 11.9 x 6.4 x 3 centimetres
- Special Features: No
- Smart Voice Assistant: Vera, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa
- Multi-zone Control: Yes, room sensors measure motion and temperature
- C-Wire Solution: C-Wire adapter included
Pros
- Smart thermostats for the price of the regular one
- Simple to use dial for cooling and heating control
- It is easy to set different heating modes (home, away, or sleep) whenever you are at home or away
Cons
- It lacks advanced features like self-learning, adaptation, or presence detection.
- Cannot be installed wirelessly
With its easy-to-use interface and wallet-friendly cost, the Wyze Smart Thermostat turns heads.
Even though it lacks more advanced smart features, this thermostat remains one of the top picks for price-conscious shoppers and users who are pretty new to the technology.
Wyze Thermostat is tiny but looks gorgeous in its glossy black or matte white finish and is just 4.7 by 2.5 by 1 inches (HWD).
But don’t let its size fool you – this smart device is competent and easy to navigate. There’s a color IPS display on the front measuring two inches. Plus, you can use that dial to control cooling/heating set-point settings and other configurations.
The background of your thermostat screen changes color depending on whether you’re in heating or cooling mode. It’s like having a little mood ring to tell what atmosphere you have set!
Press that dial to view different options. You can modify the temperature setting and get an approximate time frame for when it will reach your ideal temp. Also, activating different modes is simple. You can set Home, Away, Or Sleep with one easy button.
There’s also HVAC Mode, which lets you toggle between Heat, Cool, and Off functions quickly and easily.
The Wyze Smart Thermostat doesn’t have all the advanced smart features of some other smart thermostats on the market. Yet it’s the cheapest out there! This little guy is perfect for someone just starting their journey into the world of smart heating systems.
With its sleek design, easy-to-use controls, and compatibility with most heating and cooling systems. The Wyze Thermostat is an excellent choice for anyone looking to take control of their home’s temperature without breaking the bank.
Google Nest Thermostat
It is less magical but more affordable
- Farsight Feature
- Energy Usage Tracking
- Energy-Saving Features
- Flexible Scheduling
- Warranty: 5-year warranty with professional installation
- Power: Battery powered
- Weight: 408g
- Dimensions: 9.4 x 8.2 x 2.5 centimetres
- Special Features: Farsight
- Smart Voice Assistant: Amazon Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant
- Multi-zone Control: Not directly, but can be integrated with the existing system
- C-Wire Solution: Should work without. If not, you can use Nest Power Connector
Pros
- Modern design will blend into any home decor
- The Farsight feature lets you check the temperature from across the room
- Peace of mind with a long 5-year warranty
Cons
- It doesn’t have the smartness of the bigger brother (Nest Learning Smart Thermostat)
- It cannot be paired with remote sensors, so we may need to look at a custom solution for multi-room control.
What would be left if you took away the learning and some of the style from Google’s flagship smart thermostat?
The answer is the Google Nest Thermostat!
To make a more budget-friendly option, Google stripped down a few features of its original product. Even tho it looks attractive enough, it comes at a competitive price compared to other top smart thermostats that have been released since then.
In terms of design, the only factor that truly sets Nest Thermostat and Nest Learning Thermostat apart is their level of smartness. While both can be manually programmed, only the latter can sense your temperature preferences, track when you’re in or out, and adjust accordingly. This model provides an ability for an automated heating/cooling schedule that has to be configured manually.
The Google Nest Thermostat packs many features for an economical price, but it’s not as powerful as its big brother, the Learning Thermostat. This device will pick up when you get home and adjust accordingly with multiple embedded sensors inside.
The Farsight function that comes with this thermostat stands out from others in more ways than one. From across any room, you can peek at temperature levels or time through its eagle vision feature – talk about being eco-friendly without missing details! And speaking of efficiency, it instantly adjusts itself even after leaving the house, so keep those costs low, too.
If you are looking for an affordable smart thermostat without compromising on looks, the Google Nest thermostat is for you. Just remember, if you have cold or hot spots around your house, the lack of integration with remote temperature sensors may be a problem since you won’t be able to heat or cool them when desired.
Mysa Thermostat
Designed to work with line voltage heating systems
- Build-in Humidity Sensor
- Geofencing
- Multi-zone Control
- Scheduling
- Warranty: 2-year warranty
- Power: Wired
- Weight: 499 g
- Dimensions: 14.3 x 9.7 x 3.9 centimetres
- Special Features: No
- Smart Voice Assistant: Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa
- Multi-zone Control: No
- C-Wire Solution: Will work without
Pros
- Control multiple devices like baseboard heaters, air conditioners, and electric in-floor heating.
- Easy setup and connection may save money on professional installation.
- Adaptive Brightness Technology – sleep and wake-on approach to set your preferred brightness
Cons
- High/Line voltage systems are not suitable for traditional HVAC systems.
Suppose you need a single smart thermostat to control your high-voltage systems. With Mysa Thermostat, controlling your high-line voltage heating systems is as easy as pie! What sets Mysa’s Smart Thermostat apart from other high-line voltage thermostats is that there is no need to buy any separate bridge to connect it to your Wi-Fi network.
The Mysa Smart Thermostat offers an array of incredible functions despite its small display- and even boasts built-in humidity and temperature sensors. Plus, you can hook it up to a smart hub to get outdoor temperature data and calibrate your heating system accordingly.
The Mysa smart thermostat has a scheduling system that can be programmed for each day of the week and geo-fencing features so you can return from work to a warm home.
There aren’t that many smart thermostats for high-voltage systems, but if you are looking for an affordable one with great features, Mysa Smart Thermostat won’t disappoint. Remember, more costly though it may be, if you own these heating systems that are not centralized, buying a Mysa Thermostat would mean getting an individual unit for each room – perhaps every single room with a heater that needs controlling.
Emerson Sensi ST55
- Warranty: 3-year warranty
- Power: Wired
- Weight: 385g
- Dimensions: 9.5 x 14.9 x 2.5 centimetres
- Special Features: No
- Smart Voice Assistant: Amazon Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant
- Multi-zone Control: Yes, Sensi room sensors
- C-Wire Solution: Will work without for most applications
Pros
- Quick and easy installation
- Long 3 years warranty
- Affordable entry model into smart technology
Cons
- Not the most stylish design
- Lack of third-party devices that can connect to the thermostat
Despite its faded exterior and lack of a constant light show, the Emerson Sensi ST55 still stands as one of the most economical smart thermostats available.
At the center of this thermostat is an LCD measuring 1.7 x 2.7. Plus buttons for Mode, Fan, and Schedule on one side—and Up & Down arrows plus Menu button on the other—giving all necessary control on the panel. Using the Menu and arrow buttons, you can access thermostat settings. Those include configuring Wi-Fi, selecting a temperature mode (Celsius or Fahrenheit), adjusting cooling and heat pump settings, changing fan speed, and setting humidification points.
It has smart features like geofencing support, voice control through Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, or Google Assistant, and compatibility with HomeKit and SmartThings.
If you are after a device that is easy to install with an extended warranty but are not concerned about the looks, this one may be for you.
What are the Most Important Smart Features in a Smart Thermostat?
Learning Capabilities – This smart device learns individual preferences for each day over time, then self-optimizes accordingly towards maximum comfort combined with efficiency.
Scheduling – Smart thermostats let owners develop customized schedules for heating and cooling each day. For example, setting your temperature lower when at work to save energy; such a schedule is adjustable via the app whenever desired.
Geofencing – By tapping into location data from a smartphone, geofencing detects when everyone connected to the home’s Wi-Fi is out. So then, automatically, it adjusts temperatures and helps conserve energy while away.
Temperature Sensors – Advanced models have remote temperature and humidity sensors that you can place in various rooms. This way, instead of changing the whole house’s temperature simultaneously, you can regulate it in individual zones.
Energy Usage Reports – With data on past energy usage and costs, users can analyze their savings from making schedule changes. Detailed reports give season comparisons as well as an estimated annual saving amount.
Voice Control – Smart thermostats that are compatible with virtual assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Home may also be adjusted through voice commands. These commands include switching temperature modes, getting current settings, etc.
What if There isn’t a C wire in Place? Don’t worry!
As you know, many high-end models are designed for homes without C wire.
They come with batteries or even their extension kits – it’s nothing too complicated so that most people can manage the fitting themselves. Sure, you’ll have to replace the batteries from time to time and do some essential wiring work, but all in all, it should be straightforward enough.
If cash isn’t an issue, then Ecobee 5th Gen is worth considering.
It has built-in Alexa and Siri plus an impressive five-year warranty – making this model one helluva deal!
But if you’re after a thermostat that can think for itself, check out Google Nest Learning Thermostat. To top it off, if your home has a heat pump, this device’s Heat Pump Balance feature could help save on energy use.
If saving money is also important to you, go with Honeywell Home T9 – it offers some pretty smart features such as geofencing technology and voice command functionality, plus its Smart Response system, which helps cool or warm up rooms based on occupancy levels.
No matter which of these devices fits best into your life, though, know that investing in any smart thermostat will be worth every penny when considering comfort alone and even more so regarding power efficiency gains.
So why wait?
Make the right decision now and get yourself one today – surely something’s got you interested?!
Daniel Barczak
Daniel Barczak is a software developer with a solid 9-year track record in the industry. Outside the office, Daniel is passionate about home automation. He dedicates his free time to tinkering with the latest smart home technologies and engaging in DIY projects that enhance and automate the functionality of living spaces, reflecting his enthusiasm and passion for smart home solutions.
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