I am about to move and am looking at purchasing a new thermostat. I struggle between sticking with Ecobee (what I currently have) or trying the new Honeywell T6.
Price and Availability
- Due to local rebates, the Ecobee bullet is slightly easier to swallow, but it is still $100 more expensive than the T6 Pro.
- Ecobee is available in any big box store near me, while the T6 Pro is only available on Amazon in my case (Canada) imported from the US. I am unsure how easy it would be to return because of this.
Features
- Neither thermostat can control two accessories (HRV and humidifier). I will likely end up swapping out the attached device when the seasons change (HRV in the summer, humidifier in the winter) or figure out another solution for HRV.
- I am running the Ecobee through Local Homekit emulation, which worked fine. I don't have any automation for the HVAC system on HA since Ecobee follows me with the sensors and runs on its schedule.
- The Honeywell T6 can be used as a router to strengthen my future Z-Wave network, which sounds like a plus.
Sensors
- I currently have 4 room sensors for my Ecobee setup. If I get an Ecobee again, I can bring the sensors to the new place.
- I am using the temperature sensors more for presence detection; the sensor lasted the past 6 years and is still going strong. I have a few flows turning lights off based on the sensor-reported presence data, and it rarely misses.
- I am not sure if I need the temperature sensing in the first place for the new place. The new place is a brand new build and, in theory, should have decently balanced rooms in terms of HVAC. However, the new place is North/South dead on, so my future office (facing South) might get toasty in the summer.
- I should be able to create some custom logic in Node-Red with a third-party sensor. i.e. If {temperature} above X, set thermostat to 18C until X is reached. But not sure how well this will work.
TLDR: I don't know if I should go with Ecobee or T6. It's mostly about room sensors.