Ecobee3 smart thermostat review: It’s all about that sensor The Ecobee3 works differently than the rest, which is its greatest strength. Despite notifications being reliable and delivered every time, my biggest issue with the SmartSensor is that the actual response times through both ecobee's app and HomeKit are inconsistent. This page works best with JavaScript. AirPods Max shipments in Canada were reportedly mislabeled, meaning some deliveries were returned to Apple. Save up to $70: Amazon has the Apple Watch down to as low as $169. Works Great, Averages temp among sensors. ecobee's SmartSensors are also expensive, and you will need a SmartThermostat or SmartCamera to pair them with for them to actually function as intended. It also contains the Sensory TrulyHandsfree™ Wake Word engine and far field voice recognition. Meanwhile Ecobee’s external sensors, which detect temperature and presence, have been redesigned too. Your ecobee will notify you that it has found a Room Sensor. I would like to receive mail from Future partners. I have a 1-level ranch home about 1,700 square feet. The small, white plastic rectangle with a clear plastic stand is replaced by a sleeker, more rounded industrial design with a magnetic mount. The best devices are those that do their jobs without being noticed. They were extremely fast and helpful when I contacted them and pushed the update while I was still on the phone. The "right" 1/3rd of my home stays about 5 degrees F warmer than the rest of the home when it is hot outside. Select a name for your Sensor, then tap Next. I also liked how the ecobee app keeps things simple for monitoring the home. If you have both the camera and a thermostat in your home, you are given the choice during setup as to which one will act as the hub for the sensors. Those with U1-powered iPhones and a HomePod mini will get a new Handoff experience with iOS 14.4 and HomePod software 14.4. Who doesn't love a good Easter egg in their $549 headphones? I have owned my Ecobee thermostat and the original sensor for almost a year now. If you already own ecobee devices in your home or if you just want a quick and easy way to add extra security without having to set up HomeKit, then the SmartSensors are definitely a great option. When combined with other ecobee devices and ecobee's Haven Home Monitoring subscription service, the sensors can send notifications when unusual activity is detected. Ecobee SmartThermostat review: Verdict The Ecobee SmartThermostat improves nicely upon the two core features of its predecessor. In the end, the ecobee SmartSensors are somewhat of a mixed bag. One of the smart sensors reported that the battery died exactly 6 days after installing it. You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details without your permission. 2,386 global ratings | 255 global reviews, DO NOT BUY THIS!! To disable Eco+ settings, select Eco+, then select each of the four options you want to disable. 5.0 out of 5 stars Works Great, Averages temp among sensors. Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2019. Their programmers obviously do not own an ecobee. They’re above your sensor settings. Our sensors connect with ecobee thermostats and cameras to effortlessly extend comfort and security throughout your home. Each … Amazon has the Apple Watch down to as low as $169, [Update] AirPods Max deliveries returned marked 'hazardous', New HomePod 14.4 beta includes HomePod mini's fancy U1 Handoff feature, There’s an Apple Watch hidden in your AirPods Max and it's very Apple, These smoke and CO detectors work seamlessly with Siri and HomeKit. Sensor status is communicated wirelessly to an associated hub device within 80 feet, over a 915 MHz RF signal. I estimate that the entire setup process, from unboxing to pairing, took around 5 minutes. I used these sensors to balance the registers between the lower and upper levels of our house. The sensor has a small on-board LED that flashes green when a change of status occurs, and the entire operation is powered by a single coin-shaped CR2477 battery that is rated for up to 3 years of use. Both portions of the sensor attach to doors, windows, and trim using double-sided mounting tape that comes pre-attached. The Bottom Line While the Ecobee3 doesn't quite match the … However they are amazing in action. If the thermostat does not find the sensor after you remove the pull tab or re-seat the battery, you will need to contact ecobee support to request a firmware update. Select when your Sensor will be active, then Tap Next. They release a GARBAGE product thats severely defective. Introduced alongside ecobee's SmartCamera just a few weeks ago, ecobee's SmartSensor for doors and windows is another key part of the company's push into the home security market. As always though, there are a few things that keep it, and the service, from being the go-to solution for everyone. The smaller portion consists of a magnet that allows the smart sensor to determine when a door or window is opened or closed based on proximity. The other sensor I had two replace TWICE after just two months. Christopher spends most of his time writing and dreaming about all things HomeKit for iMore. On the other though, the sensor's response times can be inconsistent, which keeps them from being a good fit for other things like HomeKit automations. The battery life sucks on these, reason I bought was to replace the original sensor which was supplied with my thermostat as that too had battery issues. Some competitors also include temperature and humidity sensors as well, which almost seems like a given on a sensor from ecobee, but they are strangely absent. It’s a pretty handy feature for conserving energy: when motion isn’t detected for long periods of time, the thermostat can then reduce usage accordingly. If you wish to join him on his quest to automate everything, you can follow him on Twitter at @itschrisclose. Upon launching the app, I liked seeing a small status displayed for each sensor, and how the sensor's activity is merged with the rest of the home into one activity timeline. For those that use HomeKit and want a no-fee DIY monitoring solution, then other options may be a better fit, but ecobee's sensors are reliable, which is something that can't always be said about HomeKit. ecobee's app, while familiar and easy to use, does suffer from some strange hang-ups on iOS every once in a while. Pricing for the Haven service starts at $5 a month for unlimited entry detection with the SmartSensors, and includes support for video recording with the SmartCamera. The final option that I’m aware of is to use SmartThing’s semi-official support for ecobee, as outlined in the SmartThing’s forums. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. If you have other ecobee gear and don't mind a subscription, then these sensors enable truly hassle-free home security. Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2019. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, See all details for ecobee SmartSensor 2 Pack, White, © 1996-2020, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. While the additional sensor may seem a little redundant at first, it actually makes a lot of sense if your home consists of large open areas. Each is about the area of a matchbook. You can still see all customer reviews for the product. The ecobee SmartSensors sport a typical all-white two-piece contact sensor design but include nice touches like soft rounded corners. Finally, for those that do not have an ecobee thermostat or camera and do not plan to pick one up anytime soon, well, your decision is already made. Well, Ecobee brings to you the Ecobee4 Smart Thermostat with a wide range of features starting with the occupancy, temperature and a whole lot of other sensors. Ecobee SmartCamera: Features So, let's get to all those features. Please make sure that you are posting in the form of a question. After setup, I like just how well integrated the sensors are with the rest of my ecobee sensors and through the Haven service. “This is a SmartThermostat. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. I LOVE them. Assuming I had a bad battery i went to the store and bought 4 more. The ecobee thermostat has, in my opinion, the best customization of any smart thermostat on the market right now. The large size makes the sensor stick out a decent distance from the door or window it is installed on and is easily noticed, even on white surfaces. AVOID UNTIL THE FIX THIS GARBAGE, Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2019. I would like to receive news and offers from other Future brands. The larger portion of the sensor houses all of the smart tech, relaying the status of the home directly to an ecobee SmartThermostat or SmartCamera, which is required for operation. Each event is easy to understand, with just the name of the sensor, time, and the type of activity listed, such as "Pantry Door" opened. While not necessary, creating and editing schedules in the app is equally frustrating, as I could not find a way to delete all of the pre … * Wirelessly connects to all ecobee devices; Works with ecobee home monitoring ; Up to 5 years battery life; Manages hot or cold spots; Keeps important … Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2019. Ecobee smart thermostat models are very popular because they allow you to control the temperature in your home even if you aren't there. Published by Smart Home Guy ; April 15, 2020 ; 12:44 pm ; No Comments ; Ecobee is expanding its range of smart home accessories today, with the introduction of a new SmartCamera with voice control, the new SmartSensors for doors and windows and a new Haven … As previously mentioned, setting up the ecobee SmartSensor is quite easy, with a simple peel and stick and pairing code scan. Sounds simple, right? The technology is fantastic and was quite easily able to create my account and to use the website access and the app on my iOS devices to control my system with ease. There's a problem loading this menu right now. I connected mine to an ecobee3 lite so it should work with all thermostat versions. We mentioned that Ecobee really wants you to use Eco+, right? Unlike other contact sensors though, the SmartSensors also house a motion sensor. Voice & Audio. In my experience, the sensors are reliable, easy to install, and easy to use. The batteries in the two sensors I purchased died within 3 days, and the sensors disconnected from the paired thermostat. Utilizing RF allows the sensor to operate directly with SmartThermostats and SmartCameras outside of potentially congested Wi-Fi and Bluetooth frequencies. Ecobee was the first to introduce remote sensors, with presence detection allowing the thermostat to target temperatures according to actual room usage. Chris Young 1213 Views The Ecobee Smart Sensor is the first Homekit compatible device that combines motion and contact sensor into a single device. Home » Guides » News » Review: Ecobee debuts Haven security system with HomeKit SmartCamera and contact sensors. ecobee thermostat prices. So you've automated your lighting, your blinds, your thermostat, your dog's feeding schedule, etc. Through the usage of geo-fencing with ecobee's Autopilot mode, I really like how ecobee incorporates not just the phone of one person, but all of your household members to make arming and disarming automatic. The ecobee models with internal motion sensors are able to track when you walk into a room and when you leave and account for that when maintaining an ideal temperature for you. Equipped with Ecobee3 is a remote sensor which detects the temperature of its location and subsequently adjusts the surrounding climate until a uniform temperature is reached. I should have known better than to buy something with "eco" in the name. This allows the sensor to monitor the main points of entry, as well as other windows and doors within its view without having to place a sensor on each. What's left? Introduced alongside ecobee's SmartCamera just a few weeks ago, ecobee's SmartSensor for doors and windows is another key part of the company's push into the home security market. Through testing, I have ran across several instances where the app just simply fails to load any data when launched, which can be frustrating. Since the sensor doesn't use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, I expected ecobee's solution to be faster and more consistent than others, but unfortunately, it isn't, which was a little disappointing. In short there are many things to … I had to replace the battery THREE TIMES on one of the sensors over the course of a month. Well, why not add some smarts to your smoke detector with these HomeKit-enabled options? Great product, or so I thought. I purchased the ecobee remote sensors to pair with my ecobee 4 smart thermostat because my home has thermostat in an area that is near an entrance and exposed to direct sunlight all day. For example if you have it set to "away" but someone stays home it will adjust the temperature setting to "home" while there is a presence. VPN Deals: Lifetime license for $16, monthly plans at $1 & more. Although the thermostat comes with a single remote sensor, it can support up to … Integrated voice control (via … This screen provides the exact time of the event, which device was trigged, and gives you the option to view SmartCamera feeds, turn on the camera's siren, dismiss the alert, or dismiss and disarm. The Smart Sensor is a 915 Mhz range device which means that you should get good connectivity over a wide area to the required Ecobee Smart Camera or Ecobee Thermostat. Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2019. Learn more. However, your thermostat may need to be updated with the latest firmware to recognize these sensors. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Nearly everything I’ve written for the ecobee3 is still true for the ecobee4. The sensors allow for the Ecobee to switch modes automatically if it senses that someone is present in the house. The ecobee app was quick to pick the sensors up, and I like having the option to decide which device acts as the hub that they are paired to, although there is no explanation or suggestions that recommend one over the other. They are essentially the same thermostat except the ecobee4 has added an integrated speaker for Amazon Alexa support. ecobee SmartSensor Review: Clever coverage. After review, the rep agreed that this was indeed supposed to be two packages of two sensors (four total), and shipped another, which I am awaiting delivery. The programming is excellent, and by adding room sensors I am able to make the best of a single-zone system in hot Florida. The SmartSensor2 is a defective product that DRAINS the batteries like mad!! The concept is pretty simple. SmartSensor one never had any battery issues and could at least last a year, this junk will cost you 100s of batteries a year. It comes bundled with the new ecobee, but also backwards compatible and sold independently in 2-packs for $79. We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Combined with a subscription to the Haven Home Monitoring Service, it makes purchasing the sensors something to carefully consider beforehand, and not just an easy impulse purchase. No spam, we promise. The Eco+ settings are above the settings to change your HVAC mode or turn on your fan. Ecobee says the sensors have an enhanced wide-angle detection range, an extended five-year battery life, and can pair up to 60 feet. The manufacturer diagnosed my Smart Sensors as defective after I reported this to Ecobee, but they are unable to ship replacements under the warranty right now. The Ecobee’s sensor is able to detect changes in temperature, occupancy, proximity, and humidity. Bought for improved battery life but the battery was dead 1 week after I received it. Disabling it will result in some disabled or missing features. Ecobee makes the absolute best smart thermostat we’ve tested, and it has a pretty good home security camera.Both devices connect to sensors you … Sometimes status updates and notifications can take as little as 2 to 3 seconds, but other times they can take upwards of 7 or 8 seconds. The Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat also supports separate room sensors, which you can use if you want to, but the price of getting extra sensors … Replaced the battery, and died again after another week. UPDATE: Contacted Ecobee about the dead battery and they determined the sensor itself was bad by accessing it remotely. Replaced the battery and 2 days later the same sensor reported the battery was dying. 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