Ecobee introduces a range of smart thermostats with air quality control, premium design and more

Popular smart home accessory manufacturer Ecobee has officially unveiled two new smart thermostats that have joined its lineup today. The new Smart Thermostat Premium and Smart Thermostat Enhanced offer larger 4-inch displays, a completely redesigned interface, HomeKit integration and more.

Below you will find full details of the new Ecobee range of smart thermostats, as well as practical experience and notes.

Smart Thermostat Premium

First, the Smart Thermostat Premium is a new high-tech option for the Ecobee smart thermostat. The Smart Thermostat Premium features a brand new design with a 4″ display and a design made from higher quality materials. The 4-inch display has a resolution of 540 x 540, and one of the biggest changes is that the new design helps the display blend in with the bezels, so there’s less gap between the display and the edges of the thermostat.

While the previous generation Ecobee thermostats had a predominantly plastic construction, the new Smart Thermostat Premium uses a body made of zinc, giving it a much more premium look, especially from the side. There’s also what Ecobee describes as “a glass top and smooth waterfall edges that create a timeless look.”

In terms of functionality, the new Smart Thermostat Premium stands out because for the first time it integrates an integrated air quality monitor. This air quality monitor displays your indoor air quality information, including relative humidity, estimated volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and estimated carbon dioxide (CO2) levels. Air quality information can be viewed directly from the Smart Thermostat Premium display and via the Ecobee iOS app.

The Smart Thermostat Premium interface has also been redesigned to better take advantage of the larger display and include new data from the air quality monitor.

The more responsive display is 50% larger than previous models with a more colorful and vibrant resolution, while the updated user interface includes the signature ecobee shape and makes it easier to navigate. Large temperature sliders make it easy to change temperatures, and a handy menu helps users find and use new features.

Finally, Smart Thermostat Premium is fully integrated with the Apple ecosystem. This includes HomeKit support, Hey Siri support (if you have a HomePod or HomePod mini on the same network), and AirPlay support. There’s also built-in Bluetooth connectivity, Alexa support, and smoke alarm monitoring.

Improved Smart Thermostat

A more affordable alternative to Smart Thermostat Premium is Ecobee’s new Smart Thermostat Enhanced (obviously Enhanced is

One difference from the Smart Thermostat Enhanced is that the thermostat housing is made from the classic white plastic of previous Ecobee models. This means you’ll be missing out on the new sleek zinc finish offered by Smart Thermostat Premium.

The Smart Thermostat Enhanced has HomeKit integration but lacks a built-in speaker or microphone to support Siri, AirPlay, Spotify, or Bluetooth. This also means you are missing out on smoke detection features. These integrations are exclusive to the Smart Thermostat Premium, which is equipped with the necessary hardware to power them.

Aside from these limitations, the only other difference between the two new Ecobee thermostats is that the Smart Thermostat Premium includes a standalone Ecobee Smart Sensor in the box, while you will have to buy it separately to pair with the Smart Thermostat Premium.

Sight

I’ve been testing the new Ecobee Premium smart thermostat for the past few weeks and it’s a really nice upgrade over the voice-controlled smart thermostat I reviewed back in 2019. premium design and large display. The difference in design is noticeable as soon as you take the Smart Thermostat Premium out of the box.

If you’ve read my 2019 voice-controlled smart thermostat review, one of my biggest (and one of my few) complaints was the plastic white design. The new Smart Thermostat Premium zinc design and enlarged display successfully solve these problems.

The built-in air quality monitor is also a very handy addition. While other companies offer standalone smart air quality monitoring solutions, it’s nice to have the functionality built right into your thermostat. I wish the air quality data was available through HomeKit, but at the moment it looks like the only ways to view the information are in the Ecobee app and on the thermostat itself.

In terms of installation, Ecobee’s guided process is as good as ever. I had no problem replacing my voice-activated smart thermostat with a new premium smart thermostat, although you should make sure you use the upgraded mounting bracket that came with the new model.

As always, the true strength of smart thermostats like these from Ecobee lies in scheduling and automation, as well as features like presence detection. With cross-platform support for HomeKit, Alexa, the Ecobee app and the Google Assistant, Ecobee smart thermostats give you a range of options in this area.

I’ll have more details in a full review soon, but the new Smart Thermostat Premium is a continuation of Ecobee’s excellent line of HomeKit compatible smart thermostats. With broad support for HomeKit, AirPlay, and more, Smart Thermostat Premium and Smart Thermostat Enhanced are the perfect addition to the Apple ecosystem.

Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium is available today for $249.99 and Smart Thermostat Enhanced is available for $189.99.

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