EcoBee3 Lite Versus Nest Smart Thermostats

Google’s Nest thermostats have become the go-to solution for many buyers of tech in this space. However, Ecobee wants to change that. The manufacturer’s Ecobee3 Lite model has lots to offer, even when up against Nest’s market-leading products.

The $180 Ecobee3 Lite is priced squarely between the Google Nest and Nest Learning Thermostat. With that, it’s able to offer aspects of each of the two best-selling Google products. So, which should you buy – the Ecobee3 Lite, Google’s $130 entry-level Nest, or the range-topping $250 Nest Learning Thermostat?

The Ecobee3 Lite promises a smart choice of comfort, value, and energy savings. Much like any smart thermostat, the Ecobee3 Lite is equipped with all of the essential features necessary to intelligently control a home’s temperature.

And just like other manufacturers, Ecobee boasts impressive energy savings as a result. By employing an Ecobee3 Lite in the home, its maker says it’s possible to save up to 23 percent annually on the cost of both heating and cooling.

Elsewhere, Ecobee3 Lite buyers can also connect their smart thermostats to the brand’s accompanying wireless SmartSensors. Ecobee’s SmartSensor devices add extra functionality usually reserved for costlier smart thermostat models. A SmartSensor two-pack costs $99.99 and aims to deliver comfort where it counts the most – be that a bedroom, an office, or another space entirely.

With Ecobee’s SmartSensors, Ecobee3 Lite users can also turn on alerts that trigger when unexpected events occur in the home. Incredibly, the sensors boast a staggering five-year battery life. And, being wireless, users can place them anywhere, managing hot or cold spots wherever they deem necessary.

Now a decade in the making, Google’s Nest does much of what the Ecobee3 Lite does. It also does so at a cost-savings of $50. However, it’s on precisely the topic of savings that the Ecobee3 Lite, it seems, comes into its own.

Because while the Ecobee3 Lite promises energy cost savings of as much as 23 percent, Google’s Nest struggles to compete. Accordingly, Nest buyers can expect to achieve savings of between ten and 12 percent on heating and up to 15 percent on cooling. So, while similarly equipped and cheaper to buy, the savings, over time, with the Ecobee3 Lite appear to be more than worthwhile splashing out on.

That said, there’s every chance that Google’s Nest thermostat will, in reality, save buyers more than what’s stated. That’s because, with Nest devices, consumers can save further with rebates, rewards, and offers from various energy providers. While the same may be possible with Ecobee’s products, it’s a perk that’s long-established in terms of Nest’s solutions.

And finally, we have the feature-packed Nest Learning Thermostat from Google. The priciest of the three options, the third-generation Nest Learning Thermostat is unique in that it programs itself. That’s before, as Google says, it then pays for itself, too.

The Energy Star-certified Nest Learning Thermostat learns what temperatures users like and builds schedules around them. Google says that the Nest Learning Thermostat will typically pay for itself in under two years based on the energy savings it achieves. Still, it only promises the same savings as the more basic and cheaper entry-level Nest.

That, again, makes the Ecobee3 Lite a seemingly more efficient option. It’s something that’s no doubt doubly true with the addition of the brand’s SmartSensors. At the same time, the Nest Learning Thermostat is also compatible with Google’s own Nest Temperature Sensors that do much the same thing. They’re also cheaper at just $39 each.

The feature-packed Nest Learning Thermostat also enjoys various additional features missing from the other two options outlined above. For example, with the Nest Learning Thermostat, users can allow the device to tap into their smartphones’ location services to check who’s home—or not—and set more economical temperature levels accordingly.

The Ecobee3 Lite borrows nicely from both cheaper and more costly smart thermostats available from other manufacturers. Add in the company’s SmartSensors, the Ecobee3 Lite competes squarely with even range-topping smart thermostat models. Yet, buying the SmartSensor two-pack takes the overall cost of the Ecobee solution up to just shy of $280.

At that price, costlier and more established models with similar built-in functionality may be a better purchase. The Nest Learning Thermostat is a great case in point, particularly where an individual or family already has one or more existing Nest or other Google-owned product integrations in their home.

Be that as it may, where buyers are just starting out on their smart home tech journeys, the standalone Ecobee3 Lite is a fine solution at $180. That’s especially true when you consider that the Ecobee smart thermostat promises potential energy cost savings of up to 23 percent annually.

For those seeking the best, though, and with budgets in the $250-$280 range, it’s almost impossible to argue with Google’s Nest Learning Thermostat. While Google only promises energy cost savings of up to 15 percent, it’s likely that this figure will be higher.

Add in the same potential rebates, rewards, and offers from various energy providers, and the Nest Learning Thermostat is the winner when it comes to the Ecobee3 Lite versus Google’s Nest smart thermostats.

Whichever smart thermostat you choose, be sure to protect it with a warranty from Upsie. Upsie’s extended smart home tech warranty packages are available for the Ecobee3 Lite, Google Nest Thermostats and more.

Comprehensive, affordable, and easy to understand, warranty coverage with Upsie offers complete peace of mind. With that, Upsie customers’ smart thermostats are fully protected in the event of manufacturing defects, mechanical faults, and other failures.

By dealing directly with Upsie’s warranty experts, customers save up to 70 percent on the cost of coverage. Dedicated Ecobee3 Lite warranty and Google Nest warranty packages are available, as are further policies for smart thermostats from brands including Control4 and Honeywell.

Find out more at Upsie.com or download the Upsie smartphone app for further information.