The Best Smart Thermostats of 2025
If your HVAC is working harder than a 1950s paperboy and your power bill is looking more like a mortgage payment, it might be time to stop fiddling with that ancient dial and let technology lend a hand.
Smart thermostats have revolutionized home energy savings by learning your habits and routines to optimize heating, cooling, and overall home efficiency. We've rounded up the best smart thermostats of 2025— ones that will conserve energy, lower bills, and don't make you feel like you need a PhD to use them.
1. Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen)
Best for: People who want to set it once and never think about it again.
The Nest Learning Thermostat remains a leader in smart home climate control. It learns your routine within a week or two and starts adjusting the temperature based on when you're home, sleeping, or out pretending to go to the gym.
Why it's great: This sleek thermostat learns your schedule automatically and adjusts temperatures accordingly. Seamless with Google and Alexa, a nice clean interface, and that Eco Mode feature is like a polite reminder not to overheat the house when you're away. Many users report lower bills after installation.
Drawbacks: The Nest is premium-priced, and while installation is straightforward for most homes, those without a standard "C" wire may require an adapter.
Verdict: Overall, if you want a "set-and-forget" thermostat that actively learns and saves, Nest is a top choice.
2. Ecobee SmartThermostat with Voice Control
Best for: People who want their thermostat to multitask
Ecobee's flagship thermostat is another favorite for energy efficiency. It works with Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant and comes with room sensors that can help balance out the weird hot-and-cold zones in your house. Users credit Ecobee for lowering utility bills by optimizing HVAC use.
Why we love it: It comes with a built-in Alexa smart speaker so you can listen to your favorite music and regulate the temperature indoors. Ecobee includes remote room sensors to manage hot or cold spots in your home, displays your energy usage, and even lets you issue voice commands. The touchscreen interface and app are very user-friendly.
Any downsides? The Ecobee is slightly less "sleek" in design compared to Nest, and the up-front cost is high. However, the efficiency gains and voice features make it worthwhile.
Pro tip: Position the remote sensor in your most frequently used room for maximum comfort.
3. Honeywell Home T9 Smart Thermostat
Best for: Bargain hunters who still want the good stuff
The Honeywell T9 isn’t flashy, but it’s reliable. It supports room sensors (you’ll need to buy those separately), works with most HVAC systems, and has a user-friendly app that doesn’t require tech support from your teenager.
Highlights: The T9 is Energy Star certified and can trim energy use by adjusting HVAC runtime efficiently. We appreciate that Honeywell designed the T9 to work with most 24V systems out of the box, including many older HVAC setups.
Drawbacks: It doesn’t learn your habits like the Nest. You’ve got to do a little of the legwork with schedules and settings.
Verdict: It provides excellent energy savings and reliable performance for the price.
4. Amazon Smart Thermostat
Best for: Those who talk to Alexa like she’s part family
Priced around $80, it delivers tremendous value, featuring a sleek touchscreen dial, seamless Alexa integration, and easy DIY installation.
What stands out: You can ask Alexa to set the temperature or use routines, like automatically turning the heat down at night. Reviewers love that such a fully featured thermostat is available for under $100. The Amazon thermostat maintains steady temperatures well and has an intuitive app interface via the Alexa app.
Keep in mind: its budget nature means it lacks some of the advanced sensors and learning algorithms found in pricier models. You won't get occupancy sensors or built-in voice control here. But if you already use Echo devices or want a straightforward smart thermostat to slash energy usage, Amazon's option is hard to beat.
Energy Savings Tip
Whichever model you choose, utilize features such as scheduling, eco/away modes, and temperature presets to maximize energy savings.
Studies show smart thermostats can save 10-12% on heating and 15% on cooling costs by preventing unnecessary HVAC runtime. Over a year, that adds up to serious savings on your utility bills!
Making the Most of Your Smart Thermostat
All these picks will help you save energy, but getting the best results requires some initial setup. Want to really stretch your savings?
Link your thermostat with your smart security system.
Use those monthly energy reports like a scoreboard.
Check with your utility company for rebates. Many will give you money just for installing one of these Energy Star beauties.
Smart thermostats are one of the few modern upgrades that actually earn their keep. You're investing in lower bills and a greener home while adding modern convenience to your daily routine.
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