Ecobee SmartThermostat is the best thermostat option for most people, with built-in Alexa support, HomeKit support and better external sensors. HomeKit support helps you fill in some of the automation gaps between the SmartThermostat and Nest ecobee, and also gives you more options when setting up your smart home.

However, if you want a smart thermostat to learn your behaviors, Nest is great. As it stands, Nest creates an automatic program and you can still make temperature adjustments, either on the thermostat itself or with Alexa or Google Assistant.

Key differences

There are a significant number of similarities between the SmartThermostat and Nest thermostat thermostats, and both are great choices. There are also crucial differences that are essential to being aware of. For starters, Nest is a learning thermostat. Learn how you feel about your home in time. In addition, it can be set automatically in Eco Temperature mode when you are away from your home (with location data provided by the Nest app on the phone) to save energy.

The nest will also provide suggestions for energy saving settings that could help you save money on heating and cooling bills.

The most significant significant benefits of the SmartThermostat ecobee appear under its available options. Like the nest, the ecoobee SmartThermostat works with both Google Assistant and Alexa. Alexa is built into the SmartThermostat ecobee, which has several microphones so you can hear your commands. Beyond these two assistants, ecobee SmartThermostat also works with Siri thanks to the support provided by HomeKit. HomeKit support allows you to integrate ecobee SmartThermostat with other HomeKit accessories and scenes, something you can't do with Nest.

Ecobee SmartThermostat also has better external sensors than Nest. These sensors detect not only the temperature of each room in which they are located, but also whether or not someone is in those rooms, allowing you to provide heating or cooling in those rooms as needed. With HomeKit, you can even use the motion / occupancy sensor to turn the lights on and off when activity is detected by automation.

The truth is, no matter what thermostat you choose, you get a quality product. And while the two are quite similar in many ways, their differences will appeal to different people. Do you want a thermostat you don't have to think about? Take a nest. Want something with a built-in virtual assistant? Get the SmartThermostat ecobee.

However, I would recommend the ecobee SmartThermostat for most people. It has built-in Alexa, which is great for direct control, while working directly with HomeKit, allowing you to add it to scenes with other HomeKit accessories or control the Siri SmartThermostat. External sensors, located in each room, also tell you if people are in that room, allowing your heating or cooling systems to provide what is needed more efficiently. In addition, a sensor is included in the box, which is not the case with the nest.

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