Let’s begin by defining our terms… There are 3 basic types of thermostats: Manual Thermostats, Programmable Thermostats, and Smart Thermostats.

Manual Thermostats, the kind you might find in a hotel room or a very old home, allow you to manually set the temperature – that is all. They’re inexpensive, but they’re not especially precise or energy efficient. Programable Thermostats, a giant improvement over Manual Thermostats, automatically adjust the temperature based on a pre-set schedule – if you take advantage of that feature.

So what makes a thermostat “smart” and are they worth the added upfront cost?

Whether it’s a thermostat, washing machine, TV or blender, the “smart” prefix simply means that the device is Wi-Fi enabled so it can connect to an app on your smartphone or tablet.

The most basic Smart Thermostats just allow you to adjust the temperature remotely. This means that you can set the thermostat to your desired temperature before leaving work for the day or on your way home from the airport after a vacation or business trip, while maintaining an energy-saving temperature while you’re away from home. Conversely, if you realize on day 3 of your vacation that you didn’t turn up the thermostat before leaving, you can correct that mistake from anywhere in the world.