Google Nest Thermostat

A sleek, budget-friendly smart thermostat

Nest's smart thermostats have always had a design-friendly look and a robust feature set. Happily, the new Google Nest Thermostat continues this trend, and it does it at their most economical price point yet. Plus this model has an eye-catching mirrored display with an interface you can easily navigate using the touch-sensitive strip on the outer ring. 

Easy setup

The Google Home app on your mobile device will walk you through everything from removing your old thermostat to installing the new one with the included hardware.

Scheduling is similar to the traditional thermostat system you might be used to — you program when you're at home, away, and asleep, then you select the temperature you want for each situation. But you do it all right from within the app, which is so much easier than stabbing the same buttons over and over on an old thermostat interface.

Smart features that save energy

The Google Nest Thermostat also works a lot harder  — or smarter — than a traditional thermostat. For example, if your schedule is variable, you can enable Home & Away Routines. This feature of the Google Home app will use your phone's location to determine if you're home or away, and it will adjust the temperature accordingly.

Of course, you can also use the app to turn the temp up or down anytime you like, from wherever you are. Or if you have an Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant device, you can simply ask for the temperature you want.

Helpful suggestions

I'm terrible about remembering to change my HVAC filter, so I love that the Google Home app can send you reminders when it's time to do that. The app also gives you suggestions for energy-saving temperatures. The energy dashboard shows your energy usage over time so you can see what a difference even a one-degree temperature change can make.

Independent studies show that Nest Thermostat users save an average of 10-12% on heating bills and 15% on cooling bills.