What you need to know
- Google has announced a new smart thermostat.
- The new Nest Thermostat comes equipped with Soli technology and is designed with recycled materials.
- It is now available to pre-order in the U.S. for $130.
Google today announced a new addition to its smart thermostat family, three years after the launch of the Nest Thermostat E. It comes with nearly all the energy-saving features that Google's other smart thermostats offer, but carries a lower price tag.
The new Nest Thermostat features a sleeker design and is built using recycled plastic. To help you save energy, the smart thermostat can suggest pre-set temperatures that will help you maintain the balance between comfort and efficiency. It will also suggest small tweaks to your schedule that can help you save energy, such as making a small change to your sleep temperature to aid sleep while helping you save more energy.
Like Google's Pixel 4 series phones, the new Nest thermostat uses Soli technology for motion sensing. With the help of Soli technology and your phone's location, it can determine if you have left the house and set an Eco temperature to ensure you don't waste energy cooling or heating your house when you're not there. Google claims the ENERGY STAR certified smart thermostat can help you save up to 12% on heating bills and 15% on cooling bills.
In addition to helping you save energy, the Nest Thermostat can even detect potential issues with your heating and cooling system, thanks to the HVAC monitoring feature. If it detects something isn't right with your HVAC system, it will send you an alert via the Google Home app or email. You can then schedule a visit from a technician through Handy to get the issue fixed. Google says the feature will be rolled out to all eligible Nest thermostats in the U.S. and Canada later this month.
As noted by The Verge, however, the new Nest Thermostat lacks some features that are available on the more expensive Nest Learning Thermostat and the Nest Thermostat E. It doesn't support Nest's temperature sensors, which make it easier to balance temperatures around your home without using multiple thermostats. The Farsight feature, which displays information such as the time and temperature in a large format so you can read them from across the room, isn't available either. While the other Nest models come with a built-in rechargeable lithium battery, the Nest Thermostat requires two standard AAA batteries. The new Nest Thermostat also uses a traditional schedule system, instead of the learning feature that is available on other Nest Thermostats.
Although the new Nest Thermostat will not replace the Nest E, the older model will now be sold only to professional installers. The new Nest Thermostat will be available to pre-order in the U.S. and Canada starting today through the Google Store and select retailers such as Best Buy, B&H, and Home Depot. It will be available for $130 in the U.S. and $180 in Canada. The smart thermostat comes in four attractive colors: Snow, Charcoal, Fog, and Sand.
Nest Thermostat
The new Nest Thermostat is Google's most affordable smart thermostat yet. It can not just help you save energy but is also capable of detecting potential problems with your HVAC system. You can easily control the Nest thermostat using the Google Assistant or Alexa on your smart devices.
