Ecobee unveiled a new smart thermostat at CES 2025 and it looks pretty nifty. The Smart Thermostat Essential includes most of the features found in the $250 premium model, just with a $130 price tag.
There is a full-color touchscreen for making adjustments, although this can also be done through the Ecobee mobile app. The app will send alerts to “avoid heating and cooling interruptions” and will even compile a full home energy report each month to provide a macro view of energy usage. This is a modern smart thermostat, so customers can also use smart assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit for the aforementioned settings.
Ecobee says the Smart Thermostat Essential is equipped with software that will automatically learn how long it takes to heat and cool the house, which will then inform the device how much energy to use to reach the desired temperature. The final result? A cheaper utility bill. The company claims that this thermostat will pay for itself in just six months.
Savings can be increased by adding some of the company's optional SmartSensors, which cost around $55 per pair. These sensors will teach the thermostat which rooms are used the most, so you will get better temperature regulation.
Ecobee promises that the thermostat is easy to install, but it will likely still require some lighting wiring. Anyone familiar with smart thermostats should know the drill. The Smart Thermostat Essential will be available at major retailers in March.
