I have been in the market for a wi-fi thermostat for a LONG time (like 3 years). My main wish list of features was:
-- Something MODERN looking...like a small cell phone stuck to the wall.
-- Ability to remotely control my AC (obviously that's the whole point of a wi-fi thermostat)
-- Reasonable price
-- Easy programming
-- Maybe cool bonus features like playing music, reading email, etc.
Based on this list, I considered the Nest but then decided against it. Nests have really nice screens, but I don't like the round look. That does not say "modern" to me. Also, I work from home so I really didn't like the idea of having Nest "learn" when I am away (because when I am sitting in my office working, I am not away, but Nest would probably think I was gone).
I also looked at a few other brands, but many of these were already looking older/tired. I kept waiting for someone to come out with a new model, but nothing new ever arrived.
So, when I saw this Sensi thermostat I thought -- hmm, could that be the one? Well, I bought two of these a few days ago from my local big box home store (the blue one, not the orange one). They happened to have a 10% off sale (they were trying to compete with Amazon's Prime day), so the price was really reasonable.
As for the units themselves -- they certainly met my criteria of looking like a cell phone stuck on the wall....so CHECK to that box! They also have a cool back light feature which Emerson refers to as a "night light". If you've ever seen the movie Ex Machina, there are scenes where they show some sort of keypad on the wall that's backlit with very bright blue LED lights. I always wanted something like that, but that's not really what you'll get here. First, the night light is very dim, and the light is just plain white. Sort of a missed opportunity there -- it seems like for maybe 5 cents more, they could have given you the option of multi-colored backlighting with various brightness levels. Ho-hum, maybe the next version will include that.
Anyway, overall I am VERY impressed with these things. The backlight is still pretty cool, even though it's not terribly bright.
The screen is also VERY nice....not quite as nice as a modern cell phone, but much sharper and better than other brands I've looked at.
One minor complaint -- you can't actually leave the screen on full time. Instead, the screen will "sleep" after about 10-15 seconds. At that point, you have the option of allowing it to go full dark, or you can have the screen remain on with only the temp showing, but with a very dim screen. Some of the photos attached to my review show this -- if you see just the number 78 on the screen with nothing else, that's the "sleep mode". It's very dim, but the screen instantly returns to full brightness if you tap it anywhere, so no huge issue.
I feel like this is not a big deal....do you really need your screen to remain on when you're not using it? I don't, but on the other hand the screen is so nice, it would be better to give consumers the option of leaving it on. My guess is they will push out a firmware update that add that option, and even if they don't, it's not a deal-breaker.
If I have any other complaint, it's just that the default temperature setting did not seem to match my room temp (I have other thermometers in the same room reading 84 degrees when my Sensi is displaying 78). Yes, there is a setting in the app to adjust this, but you can only go +/- 5 degrees. In my case, I adjusted the setting by a full 5 degrees, and I am not sure that's enough. This isn't a life or death problem....you can always just set the cooling temp a few degrees lower to make the room comfortable (i.e., I used to keep my AC set to 78, but now I need to set it to 74 because the thermostat thinks the room is colder than it actually is).
Having said all this, I still think these units deserve a strong 4.5 star review....which I'll round up to 5. Yes, they have a few minor issues, but overall they are a solid value if you're in the market for a new thermostat (and no, they don't play music, but really, that wasn't a serious requirement).
P.S. These also were VERY easy to integrate with my Amazon Echo, so now I can change the temp just by yelling out: "Alexa, set downstairs to 76 degrees." This works instantly and seamlessly. Very impressive.
P.P.S. I hate the lack of user-submitted photos, so I have attached a bunch...enjoy!
I was looking for a smart thermostat to replace a 16 year old digital one. I was also hoping to find an option that would no longer require batteries. I researched many styles and brands and decided on this one because of a review for it that described how to add the "C" wire to power the unit, the ability to slow the run cycles down and the sleek look. (I think the Nest is way overpriced and looks like it came from the 1970's) My old unit only used the "Y" "W" "R" & "G" wires which I assumed was all that was available in my home. After reading the review on Amazon I realized that the wire loom between the thermostat and the furnace actually has 7 wires in it. Once I removed the old thermostat and opened up the furnace I found 3 wires in the loom that were unused. Also in the furnace, I found a 2 wire loom that goes to the A/C unit outside. Those 2 wires were attached to the "Y" & the "C" posts in the furnace. (Picture attached) I simply attached one of the unused wires in the 7 wire loom (I chose the orange one) to the "C" post and then attached it to the "C" slot on the installation plate for this thermostat along with the previously used four by following the directions that the phone app walks you through. I then powered the furnace back up and bingo. It works perfectly with no batteries required. I have no idea why this option isn't more well known or utilized but I couldn't believe I've had the option to set it up this way all along. The app also walks you through how to get linked up to your network which was quite easy. Once linked to my network, I can control it from my phone or the unit itself. My favorite thing about it is that it offers the ability to slow the run cycles down. The old digital unit had such a small upper and lower parameter for the temperature setting that it would cycle on and off every 5-10 minutes. With this one you can put it in a setting that widens the parameters so it cycles much less often and runs longer once it does. I would much rather have the temperature range be slightly wider and not run so often which is easier on the igniter and fan. My only knock is that the display only offers for the temperature to be displayed or nothing when it goes to sleep. I think an option to display the time and outside temperature as well would be cool since the phone app does it already. Last note is the nightlight function is a cool feature to make it look fancy but it would be nice if it had more than one dimmer setting.
I have had the older Sensi Thermostat for a couple years now. I love that thermostat and I will still use it. I will be setting that up in my detached garage. Issues I ran into that one with, did come to haunt me with this upgrade. I used to wonder why my old Sensi Thermostat, which was connected to the common wire (black), required batteries to operate correctly. I help a friend out doing HVAC, but I do most of the grunt work. So, after installing this new, Sensi Touch Thermostat, I found it to have no power. This thermostat does not take batteries. I had hooked it up the same as my old Sensi, and as I had finally figured out, my common wire (black) was not actually live. To make sure, our thermostats come with a jumper wire. I used this jumper wire to go from the red (power) to the yellow (air) in the thermostat. I then waited a minute or so, and my unit kicked on. That told me the unit was good and that I had no power to the thermostat. This is the bypass.I have yet to go under the house, but my friend who is in the business, states this is common. I had to take the panel off my outside unit to get to my thermostat wires. I decided, since it was around 11PM at night that I didn't want to go under my house, so I tried using the other, available common wire (blue). I replaced the black thermostat wire, which was connected to the blue wire from the unit, with the darker blue thermostat wire. I was lucky. That wire was hooked up correctly under my house. So, the only reason I share this information, is because I could not find it in Google, on the White-Rodgers/Emerson Sensi Q&A, nor Youtube. I don't want people to give this a bad rating for an experience like mine. It's a great product. I will eventually have both thermostats displaying actively on my app.
I have also seen some reviews stating issues setting up because the person does not have a cell phone, wifi, or ability for apps. This is a Wi-Fi thermostat. I can't go purchase products for a smart home, without smart home capabilities, and expect things to work or install correctly. This thermostat is for those with today's technology.
It's basic as far as a Wi-Fi tstat goes. However, if that's what's your looking for (which I was) then you can't go wrong with the Sensi Touch.
It VERY EASY to install. Emerson does a fantastic job in provided very straightforward directions and the Sensi App takes you step by step through the very short process. I think it took me 10 minutes to set it up and connect to my network.
The unit itself is very stylish and I really like the touch screen.
The app is very intuitive and is really where you should do all your settings and adjustments.
Customer support is outstanding. There is currently a glitch in the software that gives you an error with the current time shown on the unit. I called Emerson and within a couple of minutes I had that fixed. Everything else was perfect after initial setup.
It's not the cheapest unit out there, but you get what you pay for. This one is truly a keeper!
Excellent thermostat. The customer service and tech service is excellent. They will explain and walk you through everything if needed. The thermostat works with GH and Alexa. I used smart hub to connect it and signed on with the sister company wink to connect to GH.
I got it to work. This is how using ALEXA.
I selected FORGET device.
I DISABLED skill.
Quit out of Alexa app.
I went into Sensi app and named it whatever "SENSI MAIN FLOOR"
I went online to the sensi website using browser and opened my thermostat and made sure the new name was there...and it was.
THIS IS CRUCIAL...THE ORDER.
Find the SKILL Sensi and ENABLE it, link it . CLOSE TAB (following the directions).
Then select the DISCOVER box . WAIT for new name to be discovered.
Then give command.
I knew it was working when Alexa stated that it was in AUTO mode.
I tested this method with different names and thats how i know the steps work.
The panel is large and stays on. I like the orange for heat and blue for cooling. The blue should be a more distinguishable color to the grey base color. Schedules can be set with this thermostat.
Feature Product
- Named the 'Best Overall' smart thermostat of 2018 by USA Today's Reviewed.com
- SAVE ABOUT 23% ON HVAC ENERGY*: The ENERGY STAR certified Sensi thermostat helps you save on your HVAC energy costs, with features like geofencing, 7-day flexible scheduling, remote access and energy usage reports
- GET REBATES: Find utility rebates in your area through the rebate finder at sensi.emerson.com/rebates
- MOST INSTALL IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS**: Use the built-in level, illuminated easy click terminals and step-by-step in-app instructions for quick DIY installation
- EXTENSIVE COMPATIBILITY***: Works with the HVAC equipment found in most homes - ALL system types require a common wire (c-wire). To check system and router compatibility, refer to our online compatibility resources at sensi.emerson.com/compatibility.Display width:3.75 inches
- SMART HOME COMPATIBLE: Works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit and Wink smart home platforms. CONTROL FROM ANYWHERE: Remotely control your home comfort from your smartphone or tablet using the free mobile Sensi app for Android and iOS devices
- HD TOUCHSCREEN DISPLAY and ENHANCED FEATURES: Features HD touchscreen color display with backglow; and smart alerts to detect extreme temperature and humidity levels in your home
Description
The Sensi touch Wi-Fi thermostat puts comfort control anytime, anywhere, at home or on-the-go. A tap of the easy-to-use touchscreen display or free mobile app allows for remote access to change or program home temperatures. Integrates with apple home Kit, Amazon Alexa and wink smart home platforms, and works with Google Home and Google assistant via the free wink app. Designed to work with HVAC (Heating, ventilation & air conditioning) equipment in most homes with its Universal compatibility: heat, Cool, heat pump, dual fuel - all system types require a common wire (c-wire). geofencing smart feature can automatically adjust temperature settings, or use the intuitive controls to create a custom Schedule. The color touch screen has unmatched clarity and usability. Connect to comfort in color with design features like intuitive menus, easy-to-read temperatures, precision temperature control, high/low temperature alerts, indoor humidity sensor, and keypad lockout.
This is my 3rd wifi thermostat purchase (2 Sensi, 1 Honeywell) which I consider a need, not a want, as we have more than one residence in the oh so hot south so it's imperative that we know if a system has shut down! First off, I received what I believe was a returned item. A tiny screw dropped out upon removing from box (but installer said not important so con't install) but then there was difficulty getting a wire connected due to a semi broken slot. Installed and used it but then there was trouble making solid contact so it would work (was able to eventually wifi connect it tho) so I contacted Amazon who exchanged it w/no problem. The replacement installed w/no problem and it seems to be working fine though I find the click when it powers on/off loud and slightly annoying. My old T stat was practically silent. I also feel like maybe it cycles on/off more than my old one but maybe I just notice it more because of the loud clicks. Other annoyance is that there is no battery backup like the Sensi ST55 T-stat (which I also have) , if the power goes out I'd like it to be able to maintain the settings (and be able to see the temp/humidity in the room) but you cant with the Touch. I also had to adjust this -3 for accurate interior temps, where the ST55 was dead on. I easily connected it to Alexa and it responds to voice requests w/o a problem. Aesthetically speaking-it gets 5 stars (yeah, I'm guilty of choosing form over function-otherwise I'd have just purchased another ST55) but functionally 4 stars due to what I perceive as shortcomings.
Edit! *I forgot to mention you can't connect to wifi using 5G, you must use your 2G! I found this out only after I had trouble and called Sensi support-this info was nowhere to be found in the setup info and the Sensi rep acknowledged this. It's Inexcusable!
Ok first off, I must say i almost returned this item thinking it wasn't compatible with my home. well turns out it is a C wire comes with all homes just have to look for it. I installed it and never knew that my C wire wasn't connected to my Ac unit. well i called customer service, just amazing service guys knew how to guide me step by step . don't get frustrated if you can't connect it just call customer service they will help you and you will have a successful connection. really great product and well build. 5 stars for me thank you sense support.
So the product itself it awesome! Does the job I wanted it to do. The problem with it is if you have a heat pump, some of the newer thermostats have a built in O/B terminal but still looks like it’s plugged into the W slot. I did not realize this and spent hours trying to get the heater and air conditioner to work correctly.
You have to take out the W and put it into the O/B on the new device and you’ll be off to th races. None of their tutorials cover this possibility.
I am in the process of turning my house into a Wi-Fi smarthouse. When I started looking at thermostats, I was a little hesitant at some of the prices (Ecobee, Nest, etc). Then I happened upon this Emerson Touch Thermostat. Though it may not have as many features as some of the really expensive ones, but still has plenty of features to make one happy.
First of all, it has an attractive blue backlight that you can have on all the time or turn it off (I prefer on).
Because it requires a "C" wire (like all new Wi-Fi thermostats) to keep current on all the time for the electronics and my old thermostat didn't have one, I had the HVAC company that installed my Trane unit send a tech in to install it.
The tech was very impressed with the look and ease of installation on the thermostat. Their company installs many other brands, but this was a first for them and they were most impressed.
Before the tech arrived, I downloaded and installed the Sensi app on my android phone. I created the account and left the app open to the installation page. The tech said that the instructions were super clear and especially like the illustrations that were available for the novice.
After he finished installing it (he ran new thermostat wire with the extra C connection), we turned the power back on. The thermostat immediately recognized the router. I followed the step-by-step instructions on the app and was up and running in less than 5 minutes.
I then linked the thermostat to my Google Home account and I can now control the thermostat verbally by command. There are quite a few "tweaks" that you can perform in the app. For example, you can adjust the length and sensitivity of the on and rest cycles. The shorter the cycle, the more consistent the temperature in the house (very few temperature swings). The factory setting defaults to "medium". As the windows in my Florida home are not well insulated, I found too many temperature swings, so I changed it to "fast". The house always stays within 1 degree of the setting and the humidity level stays around 42% (great for a South Florida home for comfort).
You can also set schedules for total automation. There are 4 times throughout the day accommodating for waking up, going to work, returning home and sleep temperatures.
The thermostat also can be set for "geo fence" automation. It senses when everyone in the home is gone and adjusts the temperature to a user-defined setting. There's even an option to pre-cool the home before your return so you never come home to an uncomfortable house.
In conclusion, I feel that this thermostat from Emerson is a far better choice than Ecobee or Nest. The design is very slick and attractive, I have always trusted the Emerson name since my first ceiling fan in the 1970s, and the price is very affordable.
As I said, it may not have ALL of the bells and whistles that the ones in the $3-400 range, but it has plenty of features for the average home and family. I highly recommend this thermostat.
Excellent Smart Thermostat with Great Customer Support!
I did considerable research and picked the Sensi Touch ( Emerson Sensi Touch Wi-Fi Thermostat with Touchscreen Color Display for Smart Home, ST75 ) because of simple, intuitive design, nice looks and its capability with Apple Homekit. Installation and setup was easy, but don't forget that you must use a 2.4Ghz home network for it to connect. My system was a 2-wire, heat only, without a C-wire. I could't easily run an additional wire to the thermostat so, after getting a recommendation from customer support, I purchased a 24 VAC transformer (24 Volt C-Wire Power Adapter/Transformer for Ecobee Nest Honeywell Smart Wifi Thermostat and Ring Doorbell by Fyve Global | 25 ft Cable) to supply external power to the Sensi Touch.
At first, there were a few bugs with the interface between the Sensi Touch and Apple Homekit. I contacted support and defined the problems and within a few days they pushed a new firmware to my Sensi and all was fixed. I have to say, this is one of the best experiences I have ever had with any purchase in getting problems resolved correctly and promptly.
The Sensi is easy to install and setup, has great features and intuitive menus. You can define and name as many schedules that you want with as many as 4 temperatures on any given day. I especially appreciate the large colored screen for easy reading and making changes. It looks good and works well with Siri and Homekit. I tell Siri "Good Night" and she turns the lights off, locks the front door and sets the thermostat to my desired "sleep" temperature. I highly recommend the Sensi Touch to any one looking for an attractive and easy to use smart thermostat, with excellent costumer support!
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