Ecobee vs Honeywell: Which Brand is Better?

Technology has advanced at such a rapid rate that sometimes it is hard to keep up with it. Increasingly more products come with multifunctional designs that, by far, bypass their intended purposes. They are abundant in features and functionality – but what if you do not require such advanced items? How do you tell the difference between brands and what they offer? Here's a breakdown of the most popular thermostats by Ecobee and Honeywell to help you make up your mind on which one suits you best.

Features of Honeywell Lyric T6

Honeywell is a smart home thermostat producer because the system's primary role is to turn the heating on when you are at home and turn it off when you are not. Its main advantage is the ease of installation since it has the same UWP mounting system as any other T-series thermostat. You can use it with any other thermostat, traditionally, or you can download the Honeywell Home app which allows you to control it remotely.

Advantages

Once it is set up and connected to the internet, the app can be controlled from virtually anywhere by using the designated phone/tablet app. This means that you do not need to make trips to the thermostat all the time – all you need to do is grab your phone and change the settings as desired.

This thermostat also helps you to save money through the location-based temp control. More specifically, it automatically switches off  when you leave home or turns on when you get back home due to the T6 sensors.

Honeywell is also well integrated with other systems – Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Siri. What does this mean? If you want to adjust the temperature, all you need to do is tell that to Siri or Alexa.

Lastly, the Honeywell system is highly functional – this means that you can override the location-based temperature control and set your own preferences. The system comes with 'sleep' mode – which automatically adjusts the temperature as needed, 'home' and 'away.' You can also set up your own daily schedules or make different patterns for weekdays and weekends if you wish. There are endless options for customization.

Disadvantages

Technological know-how is necessary to set up the internet connection. It is relatively simple, but you need to be accustomed to technology to complete the setup steps. This is a disadvantage for those who are not so comfortable with technology and may result in frustration.

Features of the Ecobee4

Similar to the Honeywell, the Ecobee4 is a smart temperature control system. While the other one works based on location, this system makes use of sensors that you place around your house. You can purchase and install as many sensors as you wish. For instance, if you want only to change the temperature in one room — let's say the bedroom — you select the sensor in the bedroom and adjust it as you wish.

Advantages

The main advantage of the Ecobee4, compared to the Honeywell is that it uses many sensors around the house to optimize temperature control. More specifically, the tiny sensors pick up on any hot or cold spots and regulate the temperature with almost no input from you.

The product also displays both inside/outside temperatures and room humidity. It has a built-in Alexa service – this means that you can adjust your temperature by simply talking to the thermostat. Once you give your command, there is a blue light that blinks as a response. You can even speak to it from across the room and adjust the volume.

The built-in Alexa services go beyond the use of the thermostat – its extended features include finding recipes you might need. You can tell Alexa to order a grocery list for you or add some products to a grocery list.

Similar to Honeywell, it is compatible with mobile devices, and it allows you to adjust the temperature from your phone. Additionally, the thermostat will bring noticeable savings in terms of power costs by adjusting the temperature as needed. This will eliminate power and energy waste.

It also has similar modes as the Honeywell – sleep, home, and away. However, the Ecobee4 is more customizable. It allows you to set up clear guidelines such as comfort zones, and if you are gone for an extended time, the app will send you a series of reminders so you can adjust the temperature.

Disadvantages

The main issue is that it is considerably more expensive than Honeywell's products.

Final thoughts

At the end of the day, we need to consider the question — Ecobee vs. Honeywell: Which Brand is Better? We could recommend the Ecobee4 as the more advanced piece of technology compared to Honeywell's. While it is more expensive, it does include a series of added features: room sensors, flexibility, Android and iOS compatibility, other features that go beyond room temperature control, such as built-in Alexa voice services. In terms of design, the T6 is similar to a digital clock, while the Ecobee4 is slightly more modern.