Ecobee is a legend in the smart thermostat market. It was 2008, the original iPhone was just over a year old and Ecobee announced their very first smart thermostat to huge fanfare. Like the iPhone, Ecobee products have been trendsetters and more recently, their newer thermostat products rank amongst the best in integration with Apple products. However, fierce competition has significantly changed the landscape. Tech titans like Google (which bought Nest) and Amazon developed some of the top selling smart thermostat products and use their large ecosystems to their advantage by pricing their products more competitively and creating exclusive features. In the other corner, you have the old thermostat guard including Honeywell and Emerson with their own innovations. The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium is Ecobee’s big play building on Apple’s close integration on top of a truckload of features. Does this strong combination justify the $249.99 USD / $329.99 CAD price? It all boils down to what features matter the most to you.
Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium
Summary
Although Ecobee really crammed in everything including the kitchen sink into this smart thermostat, my hands-on experience has shown the Ecobee Thermostat Premium is truly worthy of the “Premium” title with its large screen, great looks, and very intuitive interface.
Pros
- Easy set-up and installation
- Looks attractive
- Intuitive interface
- Included SmartSensor
- Integrates with smart home assistants
- Added security features
Cons
- Paid Smart Security subscription
About the Ecobee Thermostat Premium
The Ecobee Thermostat Premium is Ecobee’s flagship thermostat product and to be perfectly frank, it doesn’t do a significantly better job in saving heating and cooling costs compared to Ecobee’s less expensive models. Ecobee’s own comparison page estimates just a 3% increase of annual energy savings compared to the $149.99 USD / $199.99 CAD ecobee3 lite so what you are really paying for is the extensive additional feature set.
What’s in the Box?
Unboxing the Ecobee Thermostat Premium you get the thermostat unit itself along with an Ecobee SmartSensor accessory. You also get a comprehensive quick guide booklet along with a wire labels guide to aid in installation. Underneath the thermostat packaging layer lies all the accessories required for wall mounting including a backplate, some screws, a power extension kit, and a trim plate.
Watch my full hands-on review of Ecobee smart thermostat on my YouTube channel
SmartSensor included
Every Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium comes bundled with a SmartSensor which is a small, wireless sensor which monitors not just temperature for other areas of the home, but movement too, if you opt into Ecobee’s additional security features as well.
I placed my smart sensor in the basement of our home since there is often quite a difference in temperature from the lower to the upper floor. You can actually choose whether or not Ecobee will adjust your heating or air conditioning based on the temperature registered at the thermostat itself, or at the SmartSensor. You can also purchase additional sensors for each room.
One of the Ecobee features that can work in tandem with the SmartSensor is the “Follow Me” function which helps the thermostat calculate the best temperature according to your Comfort Settings taking into account how long you spend in different areas of the home.
(While the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced is compatible with the SmartSensor, you must purchase a 2-pack separately for $99 USD / $119 CAD. Factor in the cost of a single SmartSensor and you nearly get the price difference between the Enhanced and Premium version. So if you want some extra automation convenience across multiple rooms, you might as well go for the Premium version even you don’t plan on using the other features.)
Installation
Depending on your situation, you can mount the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium to your wall in under an hour.
Simple version is that if you are even slightly familiar with thermostat or furnace wiring, and your wiring is labelled or you can transpose the locations of the existing wires into your new thermostat, setting this up is pretty easy. I’ve installed probably a dozen different smart thermostats and I can attest that well it seems intimidating it’s actually quite straightforward.
Ecobee’s app will walk you through it in detail complete with illustrations, diagrams, and various scenarios depending on whether you have a C-wire or multiple G-wires.
Don’t know what a C-wire is? The Ecobee manual explains how to check if your HVAC system has it. If your setup lacks the C-wire you have to use the included power extension kit and follow some extra steps that involve some electrical wiring. And if that turns you off right there, you can always hire a pro since it will take them less than an hour and possibly 30 minutes.
Core Features
Spending more than $200 on a smart thermostat has its advantages and with the Ecobee Thermostat Premium, it seems like you’re getting a lot for the money. Let’s dive in.
eco+
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat’s approach to reducing energy costs lies in its eco+ experience – a collection of features that dynamically and automatically adjust the temperature based on certain conditions. Ecobee recommends leaving the feature enabled to maximize savings without sacrificing comfort. In case you notice any inconsistencies, you can selectively disable certain features of eco+ to maximize comfort while saving as much money as possible. I opted to do just that for the time being so I could experience the features.
One cool component of eco+ is its ability to adjust the temperature based on the humidity. The smart thermostat feature also has a built-in occupancy sensor that can detect your presence in the room. The Smart Home & Away eco+ feature takes advantage of this sensor by changing the temperature when you leave the home and restoring the settings when you return.
The occupancy sensor can also detect patterns of your presence over the last five weeks and generate a daily home/away schedule. The sensor continuously monitors for pattern changes and can recommend a new schedule accordingly. Of course, you may customize the schedule to your liking for each day.
It also appears to choose preset thermostat temperatures (Comfort Settings) for you which I would say are a little bit outside what most peoples comfort zone would be. By that I mean the default temperature for kicking on the air conditioner was auto-set to 28°C/82F. Now that’s warm! Heating wasn’t set to come on until it dropped to 18C/64F which is quite cool. I did revise those to something a bit more palatable.
Ecobee also worked with various utility providers that offer variable electricity pricing. If you currently have that plan and Ecobee supports that utility, you can activate the “Time of Use” feature which can lower your energy usage during time periods where power is more expensive. The smart thermostat takes advantage of cheaper time periods by preheating or precooling the room. If your utility provider supports it, you can also opt in the “Community Energy Savings” event to let the thermostat conserve energy depending on local community demand where you can earn cool cash rewards for participating.
Apple Integration
One of the key strengths of the entire Ecobee experience is its integration with Apple’s ecosystem. For starters, Ecobee’s app works on the Apple Watch allowing you to adjust the thermostat or change the HVAC mode from your wrist.
Pairing with HomeKit is not so easy. If you go into the app and choose HomeKit Integration, it looks like you should just be able to add it, but it will demand you generate a QR code somehow to scan… without telling you in the app how to do that.
To generate the code you’ll need to go to the Ecobee unit on the wall and open settings then look for the option for HomeKit pairing. That should generate a set up code for you which you can then scan with the app. With that code scanned it took me through a few set up steps and I was connected to HomeKit in under a minute.
If you’re a power user and enjoy tinkering with home automation, you’ll enjoy how well the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium works with Apple HomeKit. Many of the essential settings you can change on the Ecobee app are present in HomeKit as well and you can apply them when creating home automation scenes greatly expanding its functionality. If you don’t have an Apple device or Home hub, you may also integrate the Ecobee thermostat with Alexa, Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, and IFTTT. I opted to set it up with Amazon Alexa and that pairing process was similarly quick and easy.
Whichever digital assistant you choose you will be able to ask what the current temperature is or ask for it to be adjusted, among a handful of other commands.
Display and User Interface
Besides controlling the thermostat with the Ecobee app, HomeKit, and other smart home platforms, you can also interact directly on the thermostat’s large 4-inch display. The display is larger than older Ecobee models and boasts a 540×540 screen resolution so text looks sharp and readable even from a far distance. Ecobee also improved the user interface with more accessible menus and refined icon layout.
I actually really like the way this looks. It’s super simple and clutter free yet houses all the options you might need for on device controls. Including acting as a display screen for your Ecobee doorbell!
Live View for Smart Doorbell Camera Owners
An unexpected, yet welcome feature of the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium is how it can act as a remote viewscreen whenever your Ecobee Smart Doorbell Camera detects activity or a doorbell ring. Having that large 4-inch screen really has its benefits!
Now this will only be useful if your thermostat is in a convenient location to go and take a look… but I’ll take what I can get. Particularly since I was recently cracking on Amazon echo hub’s limited user interface and suggested it should be re-tooled as a hub-thermostat-viewscreen. My wish has come true!
Now the truth is a 4 inch screen is pretty tiny, but at least it gives you some clue about what’s going on. Now of course if you have other devices in the Google or Alexa ecosystem you can simply connect those screens with Ecobee and get remote viewing in whatever rooms you might be in. Since I have Alexa connected, I get visual alerts to my echo devices anytime someone presses the bell. But I digress…
Scheduling & Comfort Settings
While you can let Ecobee do its own thing and automate a lot of settings for you, you can also set your own heating and cooling schedule and choose the default temperatures that work for you.
You can make changes in the Settings Menu by looking for Comfort Settings, then change at what temp your thermostat will begin heating or trigger cooling. You can also modify these settings based on whether you are at home, have left the house, or are asleep. Taking it one step further, you can access Schedule in the settings menu to adjust the times of day or days of the week when each of these actions will trigger. Everything is really intuitive and easy to understand inside the app.
Smart Security Alarm
The Ecobee thermostat can also use the occupancy sensor to function as a rudimentary security alarm. By changing the Smart Security Alarm mode to “Arm Away”, your thermostat will monitor for unexpected movements. Ideally, you want to use this option after everyone leaves the house although you could get some false alerts if you have a pet roaming in the house. An “Arm Stay” option is also available if you want to arm specific additional sensors such as ones outdoors. If you do not see this option, update your Ecobee app and the thermostat to the latest firmware.
The thermostat offers several other security features as well, but they require an additional monthly fee. Check the “Smart Security Subscription” part of the review below to learn more.
‘Premium’ Features
Impressed with the Ecobee thermostat’s feature set so far? You could save about $60 USD / $80 CAD and go for the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced. You won’t get the SmartSensor but it still has the built-in occupancy sensor and all the available settings required for maximum savings. But paying top dollar for the Premium model means better materials too! The Premium version has a more luxurious look and feel thanks to the Premium’s zinc body and silver accents. Consider that as a symbol for all the extra features that make the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium far more than just a thermostat.
Smart Hub Capabilities: speaker and mic
The Smart Thermostat Premium has both a speaker and microphone built into the device effectively making this a small smart hub or an initial building block to establishing an Ecobee ecosystem. With support for Amazon Alexa, the Ecobee thermostat can masquerade as an Amazon Echo device too with support for Alexa’s skills! Amazon’s “Drop In” feature, which acts more like an intercom, is supported as well. You won’t get the full feature set and speedy responsiveness of a standalone Echo, but it can act as a convenient extension to your existing Alexa network. The idea of having access to wall-mounted Alexa in your hallway is pretty cool! In fact I already found that the Ecobee Thermostat Premium was far more useful than the Echo Hub I reviewed a few months ago.
If you’re not fond of Alexa or want voice control for your HomeKit scenes, you may let the Ecobee thermostat operate as a Siri speaker instead. This feature requires you to have a HomePod or HomePod mini in your network. Like the Alexa integration, Siri may not process all commands, particularly some that involve access to data in other services, but you could do some neat things like send an iMessage to a contact.
Plays music and audio
Because of the built-in speaker, the thermostat can stream music from Spotify, or play Alexa news updates too! The speaker is tiny and pales in comparison with dedicated smart speakers in general, but it’s a cool thing to use for podcasts and downtempo music. You can also enable AirPlay via the Ecobee app so you can stream other sources directly from your Apple device. Multi-room integration with other smart speakers isn’t supported though.
While it may seem like all of these little extras are overkill, there are definitely going to be people that will use them, and I really like the option of having all of this diversity of function.
Air Quality Monitoring
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium also has a special sensor that can estimate carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) within the area you installed the thermostat. A change in these levels is often caused by cooking, painting, and other pollutants.
The thermostat can then assess these levels and display an indoor air quality rating on the interface itself and on the app. Below the rating is a breakdown of the measurements along with some advice on how to keep the rating on the recommended “Clean” level which is ideal for your health. The Ecobee app can also send a push notification to your device if your air quality falls to a “Poor” level.
To get accurate results, you must let the sensor go through a calibration process which can take the entire morning or afternoon. The interface guides you through the steps. My sensor seemed to calibrate itself quite quickly and after that I was getting constant data on the air quality which simply displays above the temperature inside the app or on the device.
Smart Security Subscription
Ecobee tucked away the security hub aspects and extra features of the Smart Thermostat Premium behind a monthly paywall. After a free 30-day trial, you can enjoy these extra features for $5 USD or $7 CAD a month.
Let’s see what that involves:
Auto Siren
When editing the arming modes in the Smart Security status pane, Ecobee offers an option to use the thermostat’s built-in speaker to play a siren sound when an armed sensor detects motion which is useful for driving away potential intruders. This feature is off by default.
Smoke Alarm Detection
Like Ecobee’s older flagship thermostats, the Smart Thermostat Premium can trigger an alert if your smoke alarm sounds off and you set the Smart Security Alarm to an armed state. For proper detection, the smoke alarm must emit the standard T3 alarm pattern which consists of 3 consecutive beeps and a brief period of silence before repeating. You can test the smoke alarm detection from the thermostat interface to make sure this feature works. I don’t have the fire or smoke detector that supports this… nor did anything catch on fire so I didn’t have an opportunity to test this feature.
Expanded Family Support
Even without a subscription, the Ecobee app allows you to grant access to up to 15 family members. You can configure the permissions of each member although adding members and enrolling features are limited to the owner. But if you have an active subscription, you can also receive notifications when other family members arrive home and disarm your security. You can also enable Arm and Disarm Assistance, which is a geofencing feature that reminds you to arm your home when everyone in the household leaves.
SmartSensor Enhancements
Unfortunately, some of the Ecobee’s Smart Security Subscription perks have nothing to do with security at all. This is most apparent with the SmartSensor for doors and windows accessory which isn’t included in any of the Ecobee thermostat models. Once you install the sensor on your door or window and configure it, your thermostat can automatically shut off your HVAC system if you leave your door or window open for at least 5 minutes. The bad news is that this feature requires an active subscription. Without one, all you get is a push notification.
Even the SmartSensor included with Smart Security Premium is a bit handicapped. While your thermostat can actively monitor motion while armed for free, SmartSensors cannot participate even when armed unless you pay up for the subscription.
I understand adding an extra monthly cost to security features and in fact, you can probably use the money you saved from the Ecobee’s fantastic eco+ features and pour it on the subscription. But adding some quality-of-life energy saving features behind a paywall is a bit counterproductive if the whole point is to reduce energy costs.
I really wish Ecobee made those features free. HomeKit may be your saving grace though since you can include the SmartSensors to your HomeKit scenes allowing power users to mimic the functionality or perform advanced automation actions.
Ongoing support & integration
Just for reference, Ecobee supported their very first smart thermostat for a good 16 years. After July 31, 2024, the original Ecobee thermostat will lose its smart features, but can still function as a dummy thermostat. With the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium released in 2022, you can expect a lengthy support period.
While the integration with HomeKit remains as Ecobee’s strong suit, it is worth noting that support for Matter and Thread is absent at the time of writing and judging from an official post on X, Ecobee doesn’t have any concrete plans to adopt the fledging standard. Matter has had its growing pains though, so you’ll have to follow their social media pages for updates.
Overall Thoughts: Ecobee Thermostat Premium
Although Ecobee really crammed in everything including the kitchen sink into this smart thermostat, my hands-on experience has shown the Ecobee Thermostat Premium is truly worthy of the “Premium” title with its large screen, great looks, and very intuitive interface.
Let’s round up the pros and the cons.
On the pro side, the set up is easy and installation isn’t hard. The thermostat looks premium and I like the simplified touchscreen display. It’s easy to operate both on the device, and the Ecobee app posted a boatload more features in a simplified format also. And you can also easily schedule your thermostat to adjust temperatures and set what your baseline temperatures are for both heating and cooling. It integrates with all the major smart home assistants and you can use them for voice control too, and add multiple family members to the home for additional control. I also love that with the Premium version, I get the room sensor too. The ability to view your Ecobee doorbell on the thermostat is futuristically cool and so smart! Added security and motion sensing features in the thermostat are a nice little extra.
Plus, Ecobee seems to have a great track record in supporting its products.
On the cons side, I’m legitimately having a hard time trying to find some things that I don’t like about this thermostat. Ecobee has by far been one of the easiest thermostats I’ve ever set up, programmed and used. I suppose the biggest thing I could crack on would be the attempt to get you onto a paid subscription which would lasso you into Ecobee’s larger smart home subscription circle. At the price of this single device alone, I’d like to see them either drop the subscription price significantly or include a year or two of service with your purchase.
While it is nice of Ecobee to offer a stripped-down Enhanced model, my overall recommendation is to go Premium because of that included SmartSensor.
The extra features, you have to evaluate and think about your smart home needs for the long-term, but the price difference isn’t that huge especially since you get a physically better-looking thermostat. Moreover, smart thermostats save you money in the long run and the eco+ features and deep customization features make this thermostat a solid product.
For the paid subscription, I recommend taking full advantage of the free trial and evaluating its features. In an age where online services and subscriptions continue to rise in price, the extra cost will definitely be felt by folks on a budget. But you can get more out of your subscription if you decide to invest in the Ecobee platform by adding more sensors or other products like the Ecobee SmartCamera and Ecobee Smart Doorbell Camera because the subscription adds benefits to those products as well.
In short I think the Ecobee Thermostat Premium is a dynamite addition to your smart home. You not only get everything you expect but a whole lot more too, for the price.
Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium sells for about $249 USD/$329 CAD and you can get it from Ecobee, Amazon or any number of electronics retailers.
And check out my other smart thermostat reviews:
1. Google Nest Learning Thermostat
**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
