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Choosing The Best Smart Thermostat For Your Home In 2025

By Travis Baugh

Finding the best smart thermostat for your home is crucial for enhancing comfort and energy efficiency. In this guide, we’ll walk through the variables involved to help you make the right choice, including knowing your existing HVAC system’s thermostat capabilities, understanding the types of thermostats, and weighing the different features and benefits each thermostat possesses.

a carrier dealer shows a couple the best smart thermostat features on a mobile app

Know Your HVAC System’s Thermostat Capabilities

Make sure the thermostat you choose is compatible with your home’s HVAC system. Whether you have a single-stage heating and cooling system with one speed or a multi-stage system with high and low speeds will affect your thermostat choices. If your home has a heat pump, you'll need a thermostat that can manage auxiliary heat. You will want to confirm that the thermostat works with your specific heat source (electric, gas, or oil).  If you have a zoned heating and cooling system, make sure the thermostat supports it. This feature allows you to control the temperature in different areas of your home independently.

Check if your current thermostat uses a C-wire (common wire), which many newer, smart thermostats require for power. If your current setup lacks a C-wire, some smart models offer power adapters or workarounds.

Understand A Smart Thermostat vs. A Programmable Thermostat

Selecting the best smart thermostat for your home requires knowing what a smart thermostat is versus a programmable thermostat.

Smart Thermostats

Smart thermostats connect to Wi-Fi and can be controlled remotely via a smartphone app. They offer features like learning capabilities, geofencing, and voice control. You can adjust the temperature based on your phone’s location, turning the system on or off when you leave or return home. Many are compatible with smart home assistants. Settings can be personalized to your home comfort preferences and weekly and monthly energy insights are available. Smart thermostats use occupancy sensing to tell if you are home or not and can automatically adjust to the weather outside.

Programmable Thermostats

Programmable thermostats allow you to manually set a schedule for different temperatures throughout the day and week, which can help with energy savings. While the feature set is not as robust as smart thermostats, programmable thermostats often allow you to put your system in vacation mode if you are going away and can send you temperature, humidity, and system alerts. Geofencing is not available nor is remote control via an app.

a carrier dealer finishes installing the best smart thermostat for a home

Key Features To Consider When Selecting The Best Wifi Thermostat

Once you understand your existing HVAC system’s thermostat capabilities and know the types of thermostats available, you are able to dig into the following features of the best wifi thermostats to help make your decision.

  • Thermostat Ease of Use: Look for a user-friendly interface with easy-to-read displays, especially if you prefer manual controls. Touchscreens can be convenient but make sure they are intuitive.
  • Energy Saving Features: Many smart thermostats come with features like energy reports, which help you understand your energy usage and find ways to save.
  • Mobile App Ease Of Use: With smart thermostats, you can adjust the temperature from anywhere using a mobile app. Read reviews of the app online to see how intuitive the mobile app is to navigate and how often the app faces bugs or issues.  
  • Smart home assistant capability: You’ll want to research if the smart thermostat is compatible with any smart home assistants you may be using at home such as Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple HomeKit for hands-free adjustments. 
  • Temperature Sensors: Some smart thermostats come with additional temperature sensors you can place in different rooms, allowing you to prioritize certain areas of your home to maintain comfort in specific zones.
  • Energy Star Certification: Look for thermostats with Energy Star certification for optimal energy efficiency. These models are designed to save energy and help lower your utility bills.
  • Rebates: Check with your utility company for potential rebates or discounts for upgrading to an energy-efficient thermostat, especially if you choose a smart model.
  • Budget: Higher-end smart thermostats with advanced features like learning capabilities, remote sensors, and better integration with smart home systems may carry a higher price tag than basic thermostat options. Determine what models fit your family’s budget.

Selecting The Best Thermostat For Your Home

Carrier offers a wide variety of thermostat options for you to pick from for your home.

Infinity System Control

Slick and intuitive, the Infinity System Control helps you maximize the features of an Infinity System. When part of a complete Infinity System with Greenspeed® intelligence, the control makes subtle adjustments for precise temperature and humidity control. With Wi-Fi® connectivity and built-in smarts, the Infinity System Control puts you in command of comfort and energy savings like never before. Optimize your savings by smoothly and efficiently bringing comfort levels to programmed settings. Occupancy sensing automatically sets the system to its highest efficiency when you’re away. The Infinity System Control even reminds you when it’s time to change filters, humidifier pads, UV lights or schedule a system checkup. Control your comfort hands-free as it works with Amazon® Alexa® and other home automation devices. Quick-read icons and simple, on-screen prompts make it easy to take control of your comfort needs

ecobee for Carrier Smart Thermostats 

Carrier and ecobee offer innovative smart thermostat technology with savvy ecobee for Carrier Smart Thermostats.  These thermostats allow you to set a home schedule and personal comfort preferences in addition to helping you save on your annual energy costs. Pair the ecobee for Carrier with Intelisense with the Intelisense-enabled Performance Series equipment and opt in to data sharing for connected comfort benefits. Intelisense Technology allows for critical equipment performance data to be gathered and shared with your dealer who can reassure you that your system is running properly.   This smart home compatible thermostat works seamlessly with third-party smart home platforms such as Apple® HomeKit®, Amazon® Alexa®, Google® Assistant, Samsung® SmartThings® and IFTTT®. The ecobee3 lite is constantly analyzing patterns and adjusting itself to help you save on your annual energy costs. 

Carrier Smart Thermostat

The Carrier Smart Thermostat is the newest and most affordable model in our growing family of thermostats. With a simple touch, it clearly displays system mode, current temperature, fan mode setting, and set-point temperature. This smart thermostat manages single- and two-stage systems as well as indoor air quality accessories to provide comfort-boosting control. Your Carrier dealer can even provide improved system service by remotely viewing the Carrier Smart Thermostat’s operating status data. To enable this feature, you’ll need to accept our terms and conditions, including system status viewing by your dealer. Set customized comfort schedules to match your lifestyle on the Carrier Home App. This thermostat works seamlessly with most third-party smart home platforms. Intuitive LED lighting allows you to see the current operation mode. 

Work With Your Carrier Dealer To Select The Best Wifi Thermostat

Whether your goal is to cut down on energy bills, gain better control over your HVAC system, or simply upgrade your home’s intelligence, a Carrier smart thermostat is the ideal choice. Schedule an appointment with your local Carrier dealer to identify the best solution for your home’s HVAC system. Working with an HVAC contractor is important when selecting the best smart thermostat for your home because they can assess your system's compatibility and ensure the right fit for your needs. An experienced contractor will help you choose a thermostat that works efficiently with your HVAC system, optimizing performance and energy savings. They can also handle the installation, ensuring that wiring, connections, and setup are done correctly. By consulting a professional, you’ll avoid potential issues and maximize the benefits of smart features like remote control and automated scheduling.

a woman sets the temperature on the best wifi thermostat for her home

Frequently Asked Questions About The Best Smart Thermostat

If the Wi-Fi goes out, a smart thermostat will continue to control your home's heating and cooling using the last programmed settings. You can still adjust the temperature manually using the thermostat's physical controls, but remote access and smart features like app control, voice commands, and energy reports will be unavailable until the Wi-Fi connection is restored. Basic functionality remains, ensuring your home stays comfortable even without internet.
A smart thermostat can still be worth it if you're always home, as it offers precise temperature control, energy reports, and convenience through voice commands or smartphone control. It can adjust automatically to small temperature changes throughout the day, optimizing comfort and reducing energy waste. However, the energy savings might be less significant than for those with varied schedules, making it more about comfort and ease of use than cost savings.
 
Yes, smart thermostats can lower the heating and cooling portion of your electric bill by optimizing heating and cooling schedules, adjusting temperatures when you're away, and providing insights to improve energy efficiency. These features help reduce unnecessary energy use, leading to cost savings.
 
To determine if your HVAC system can use a smart thermostat, check if it has a C-wire (common wire) for continuous power. You can also consult the thermostat's compatibility guide or ask an HVAC professional to ensure compatibility with your system.
 
While many smart thermostats are designed for DIY installation, it's often recommended to hire a professional if you're unsure about wiring or your HVAC system's compatibility. A pro can ensure proper installation, avoid mistakes, and help integrate it with your system effectively.
Yes, switching to a smart thermostat can be worth it as it offers energy savings, convenience, and improved comfort. It allows you to control your home's temperature remotely, optimize heating and cooling schedules, and reduce energy usage, potentially lowering utility bills over time.
 
Yes, many smart thermostats can automatically switch between heat and cool modes based on your home's temperature. This feature helps maintain a comfortable environment year-round without manual adjustments.
 
No, you don't need a smart thermostat in each room. A single smart thermostat can control the temperature for the entire home, but if you want room-specific control, you can use smart vents or additional sensors for more precise zoning.
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