Despite the fact that EcoBee has been in the business of making smart thermostats for years now, it’s been living in the shadow of Nest ever since the company’s iconic Learning Thermostat hit the scene. But EcoBee hasn’t been resting on its laurels. Instead, the company has quietly been planning it’s next move, and today it’s back with a new and improved version of its original thermostat.
Even amongst a rising tide of similar smart thermostats, the new EcoBee3 boasts a number of features that help it stand out from the crowd. First and foremost, in addition to all the requisite smart specs you’d expect from any card-carrying thermostat (smartphone connectivity, learning software, Wi-Fi, etc) EcoBee3 comes with an array of sensors you can place around your home. This enables the device to understand what room you’re in and adjust itself accordingly.
This extra hardware is pretty cool, and will likely make the system just that much more accurate, but EcoBee’s software is what really makes it shine. The company has been in the HVAC business for years, and the intelligent features make it show.
Take the “Free Cooling” feature, for example. In homes with whole house fans or ventilators, Ecobee3 will recognize the temperature difference on cool summer evenings and will use the outside air to cool down your home instead of the air conditioner — saving you power and money in the process.
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Another nifty addition is the ability to detect and adjust humidity. Ecobee knows that, depending on the amount of moisture in the air, 72 degrees might actually feel more like 80, so it takes relative humidity into account and tries to adjust so that your house feels just right at all times. For homes with humidifiers, ecobee3 can even regulate indoor humidity to prevent frost buildup on windows when it’s cold outside and warm/humid indoors. For homes without, the thermostat can use your air conditioner to lower indoor humidity in the absence of a dehumidifier.
And that’s just a taste. Check out the company’s website to get the full picture on features and specs. Preorders are open as of today, and you can lock down an EcoBee3 + one sensor for just $249. Additional presence sensors can be purchased in a package of two for $79. Find out more here.
