The Best Smart Thermostats Available in the UK 2023 [Buyer’s Guide]

In our guide to the best smart thermostats available in the UK for 2022, we’ll be answering questions like:

• Are smart thermostats even worth it?
• Will I save money on my energy bills?
• Which smart heating controls are compatible with Alexa, or Google Home?

Whatever your question, our guide has got you covered.

Best Smart Thermostats

This guide is highly detailed. And that means it’s long. We delved deep into 5 of the best smart thermostats:

1. Nest 3^rd Generation Learning Thermostat
2. Hive Active Heating
3. tado° V3 Starter Kit
4. Honeywell T6
5. Drayton Wiser

For each, we’ve written a detailed review. But, for those that prefer not to read full reviews on all 4 thermostats, we’ve started below, with our conclusion; who should buy which thermostat, and why.

Which Smart Thermostat Should You Buy?

We’ve spent over 3 days researching the UK’s top heating controls, dozens of them. And, we’ve read the words “smart thermostat” so many times over the last few days, it doesn’t even make sense anymore 😕

From comparing features, checking warranties, and seeing how prices stack up, we came up with a list of the 4 best smart thermostats.

But, going a step further, we’ve cut two contenders from our list, based on there being a better alternative. That leaves us with just two recommendations.

You’re going to be split into one of two camps.

1. I want the very best smart thermostat, and have no budget in mind
2. I want a quality smart thermostat, but I don’t have the budget for the most expensive.

And, after our tireless research, we’ve got a recommendation for both camps.

The BEST Smart Thermostat – NEST

My time working in a plumbing merchant, and our research, means there’s no question about which the best smart thermostat is; it’s the Nest 3^rd Generation, from Google. 

We already weighed up the pros and cons, by comparing Hive v Nest here. And beyond tado°, there’s really no other contender for your cash, when it comes to premium smart thermostats.

The Nest 3^rd Generation Smart Thermostat is:

• Expensive, at around £250, but the overall package, makes it worthy of that price tag
• The best-looking thermostat on our list
• Has a host of connectivity options, from tablets, to Alexa, and mobile, through to Google Home
• Wireless, so, using a Nest stand, you can move it to anywhere you want in your home
• Has nearing on 2,000 reviews online, making it one of the most popular smart home products available in the UK
• A product that can be controlled directly and remotely (whereas products like Hive, are remotely controlled only)

If you have no budget in mind and want the best-of-the-best, we’d head straight for the Nest 3^rd Gen.

You can jump straight out now and check out more details on Nest, by clicking the button below.

Or hang-fire, as we’ve reviewed Nest in detail, and compared it back-to-back to some other top smart thermostats.

Check latest price on Amazon

The BEST CHEAP Smart Thermostat – Honeywell T6

Admittedly, the Nest smart thermostat isn’t cheap. If you’re looking for one of the best smart thermostats, and have a budget of under £150, I’d highly recommend the Honeywell T6. 

Fact is, you don’t have to spend £200+ to get a quality product.

The main letdown for the T6 is that it’s wired. That means you’re not going to be able to move it around your home. But, at around £100 cheaper than Nest, I guess that’s a small sacrifice.

We like Honeywell as a brand, and their T6 is:

• Well designed, unlike some other thermostats that cost a lot more (remember, you’ve gotta’ look at this thing, every single day!)
• Incorporates some impressive features, such as location-based temperature control via smartphone tracking (it will turn off your heating when you leave home, and switch it on as it senses you returning)
• Has a tonne of smart home connectivity options, including Apple Homekit, Apple Watch, Amazon Alexa, Google Home and IFTTT

There are cheaper smart thermostats out there. One example is the Salus IT500. However, for the extra £35-40, we prefer the Honeywell T6 in terms of design, connectivity options and functionality.

There’s also the option to go with something slightly more expensive, being the sleek looking tado° V3 Starter Kit. However, at approximately £70 more expensive, we don’t think it’s worth the cash.

You can jump straight out now, and check prices for the Honeywell T6, by clicking the button below.

Or, keep reading through our detailed reviews of our picks for the best smart thermostats, and see how they stack up, back-to-back.

Check latest price on Amazon

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Overall Best Smart Thermostats (In-depth Analysis)

Prefer to get the low down on each thermostat individually, before making a purchase? No problem!

Ready to make your heating smart? Let’s go…

#1 – Nest 3^rd Generation Learning Thermostat

We’ll start our review, with the Nest 3^rd Generation smart thermostat, the upgrade from the 2^nd Generation. You’ll already know that this is our top pick. And here’s why…

Nest is a brand that needs no introduction in the heating industry. I first heard about them whilst working in a plumbing merchant.

Interestingly, they’re owned by Google-Tron. So, without even looking into it any further, I was confident that this was going to be one of the smartest-smart thermostats on the market.

Does The Nest 3^rd Generation Thermostat Save You Money?

There’s a large debate as you whether smart thermostats actually save money.

Now, I’m not about to conduct an energy-saving study, for the sake of this section of the review.

However, there are details of how the Nest 3^rd Learning thermostat can save you money here.

According to Nest, there’s the potential for the following savings on your heating bills:

• 8.4% – 16.5% (UK)
• 9.6% – 18.1% (Ireland)

And, that means you’ll be doing your bit to save the planet, too.

Price

Let’s get the bad and ugly out the way first; price.

The price of the Nest 3^rd Gen is up there with the most expensive. That means an RRP around the £250 mark.

How does that price compare to others? Well, you’ll be looking at:

• The £160-200 range for Hive Active Heating, and the tado° V3 Starter Kit
• Roughly £135 for the Honeywell T6
• Just under £100 for the Salus IT500

Why the vague price comparison? Prices change constantly. This is technology after all. 1-year from now, there’s a good chance the prices will be slashed, as newer and more technologically advanced models are introduced.

Design

Let’s face it, you don’t just want a smart thermostat to reduce your energy bills and comply with Boiler Plus; you want something that looks sleek too. And, this is where the Nest 3^rd Gen tops the field.

It’s a sleek-looking display, replacing your tired and worn out wired thermostat. And, so you can place it anywhere in your house, there’s the option of a stand (around £30, not included in the purchase price).

Reviews

If you’ve read anything else I’ve written, you’ll know I’m a sucker for online reviews. In my opinion, specific product reviews give out more valuable information, than any manufacturer’s product description ever could.

Why? Because these are honest reviews from people that are living with this product, day in, day out.

And, it’s no surprise that Nest tops the list with their reviews. There are nearing 2,000 reviews online (that’s a lot, by the way), and they’re worth a read.

What’s interesting is that compared to other smart thermostats, it seems most Nest owners, focus on the ease of installation.

So, if you fancy your hand at DIY, you could install this yourself and save a few pound notes in the process.

Warranty

I checked out the warranty on offer and liked what I saw. You’ll get a 2-year warranty as standard.

But, given the price of the unit, it’s worth considering the extended warranty. That’s going to give you an additional 3-years (for 5-years in total).

Details of the extended warranty are over at Google’s Nest support page. And if you really have time to kill, the actual terms and conditions of the warranty are listed here.

Device Compatibility

To make the most out of Nest, it’s got to be compatible with your device. 

Covering all the basics, you’ve got the Nest App. That’s going to allow connectivity to our everyday devices such as:

• Mobiles
• Tablets
• PCs & laptops

But, further connectivity is available. And, based on the searches I can see on this very site, I know what people want connectivity too. A question I see searched time and time again:

“Is Nest compatible with Alexa?”

Yes… yes, it is 😊

Here’s the full list of connectivity options, outside of the app, including our friend, Alexa:

• Amazon Alexa
• Google Home
• Logitech
• IFTTT
• Samsung SmartThings
• WeMo
• Wink
• Xfinity

That’s a pretty-extensive list.

Heating Compatibility

In terms of heating compatibility, you’ll be able to use Nest with the following heating systems:

• Combi boilers, biomass, system and heat-only boilers
• Air source/ground source heat pumps
• Underfloor heating systems
• Zoned heating/multiple zones
• Domestic tanks for hot water
• Systems enabled with Open-Therm technology

Nest Features

It’s not all about looks, reviews and warranty. So, let’s talk about the Nest 3^rd Gen’s features, technology, and functionality.

Not all smart thermostats with a screen, allow you the ability to control hot water and heating via the screen’s interface (crazy, right?).

Nest does, and that instantly means it’s better than most smart thermostats available in the UK.

There are a few cool things you need to know about the Nest 3^rd Gen. Here are some of our favourites:

Auto-Schedule, Auto-Learn

Nest is your new smart heating control. Setup an auto-schedule and adjust temperature to suit.

Over time, Nest will learn how you use your heating, think on your behalf, and adjust based on your habits; saving you money.

Smart Heating Control, From Anywhere

You can control your heating and hot water from anywhere using devices such as your mobile, laptop or tablet.

Modulation

Boilers are becoming more efficient with every year that passes. But, Nest helps your boiler be more efficient, from day 1.

And, it does that by using OpenTherm technology. That modulates your boiler, making sure it’s not working double-time, when it shouldn’t be.

That saves you money too, by the way.

Nest Protect

CO leaks can go unnoticed, until it’s too late. Using Nest Protect, it can detect a boiler leak, and will switch off the boiler to reduce the risks to anyone in your home.

Safety first!

Nest 3^rd Gen Review Verdict

Nest is packed full of features. So much so, that it tops this list of best smart thermostats. It out-paces it’s biggest competitor, Hive Active Heating (reviewed below). And, it doesn’t just do that in terms of looks, but functionality too.

So, if you have the budget, Nest is the worthiest contender for your cash.

Check price on Amazon

#2 – Hive Active Heating Smart Thermostat

Next up in this review; the Hive Active Heating smart thermostat. Like Nest (owned by Google), Hive Active Heating is also owned by a big brand. This time, it’s British Gas.

This part of our best smart thermostats guide, is going to be short. Mainly, as Hive Active Heating is comparable to the Nest 3^rd Gen, and we’ve already wrote up a detailed Nest V Hive comparison here.

And the gist of that guide? We prefer Nest.

At the end of the day, British Gas are a heating installation company. Google, with Nest, are a technology company.

And it shows. The technological functionality of the Nest 3^rd Gen is leaps and bounds above Hive, and it looks better too.

Check price on Amazon

#3 – tado° V3 Starter Kit

tado° are a relative newcomer to the heating controls market. But, they offer some impressive kit. 

Alongside their V3 Smart Thermostat Starter Kit, they also produce a Smart Radiator Thermostat Kit. But, that’s a review for another day. If you’re interested in their Smart Radiator Thermostat Kit, there are details on their website here.

Anyway, back to what we came here for; the tado° V3 thermostat.

Does The tado° V3 Smart Thermostat Save You Money?

I came across tado°’s energy saving calculator a few months ago, and that’s worth a look. I’ve just plugged in a:

• Small flat
• Built in the 80s
• 1-2 occupants

That’s giving me a savings estimation of £246-£363. Essentially, the tado° Smart Thermostat is going to be paid for, within the first year.

Their calculator can be found here.

Price

Honestly, the tado° V3 is a decent bit of kit. The reason they struggle in comparison to Hive and Nest, is branding. Those are owned by British Gas and Google, and they’ve got the cash to really promote their products.

In fact, the RRP of the tado° V3 Starter Kit, sits at around £200. That’s a good deal, but…

Design

I don’t know about you, but I’d rather pay an extra few notes for something I like to look at. After all, it’s going be there for years to come.

Depending on the deals available, you’re probably talking about a difference in price of £35-55.

So, it’s down to you if something with a much sleeker design is worth that amount of extra cash (and, that’s assuming you agree that the Nest, looks a tonne better).

Reviews

If you search online stores like Amazon, and other large retailers, you’ll want to head to their product reviews section.

There’s no way the tado° V3 is going to have as many reviews as the Nest, but that doesn’t mean it’s poor in quality. In fact, most of the reviews for the tado° smart thermostat, are really-positive.

You’ll find a few hundred online, which might give you an idea of what the tado° V3 thermostat is like to live with, on a day-to-day basis.

One thing that stands out for me, is that lots of reviews focus on how much money they’re seeing themselves save, when it comes to their energy bills.

Warranty

Like the Nest 3^rd Gen from Google, you’ll get a base 2-year warranty, which is fine.

But, I did a few searches for an extended warranty (for instance, Nest can offer 3-years in addition to the standard 2-year manufacturer’s warranty). And, I couldn’t find anything.

So, 2-years is all you’ll be able to get with tado°, as far as I can see.

Device Compatibility

First up, you’re going to need to get connected to the app. You can download the app for your device here. That’s going to get your laptop, PC, mobile and tablet connected. And, there is a tonne of cool features, such as giving you the ability to track energy usage.

After that, you’ll want to move from this just being smart heating, to being an addition to your smart home. And, that means getting connected to other smart products in your home.

With tado°, you can connect to:

• Amazon Alexa
• Apple HomeKit
• Google Assistant

As I mentioned with Nest, it seems that people’s main focus right now, is Alexa compatibility, so there’s a thumbs up in that respect.

But, compared to other smart thermostats on this list, the range of options for connecting smart home devices, is limited.

tado° V3 Features

There’s a tonne of features to get your teeth into. And, here are some of our favourites.

Direct & Remote Adjustment

As we mentioned with Nest, not all smart thermostats give you the ability to adjust direct and remotely; but tado° does.

And, however you choose to adjust, you’ll be able to set a Smart Schedule to make sure energy wasting is at a minimum.

Energy Savings

We liked the energy-saving calculator and the thoroughness of their app’s reporting abilities.

According to tado°, this all equates to heating bill savings of up to 30%. And, that’s going to mean that the tado° V3 Smart Thermostat, basically pays for itself.

Flexible Control

What makes this one of the best smart thermostats, is its flexibility.

You’ll be able to control multiple rooms and zones. So, you can turn heating up in rooms being used, whilst maintaining a lower temperature in rooms and zoned areas that won’t be used for a prolonged period.

Geofencing

tado° also tracks connected apps and devices.

Last person leaves the house? That’s going to turn the heating down automatically.

First person is tracked as returning home? That’s going to fire up your boiler and get your house nice and cosy for when you return.

tado° V3 Review Verdict

If you go ahead and buy the tado° V3, we’re not going to judge you.

But, for the difference in price, I’d be side-stepping the tado°, as well as Hive.

As we’ve mentioned, the tado°, Hive and Nest all sit in roughly the same category in terms of price. And, in our opinion, the Nest 3^rd Gen Learning Thermostat, is the best of the bunch.

Check price on Amazon

#4 – Honeywell T6 Smart Thermostat

Honeywell is one of my favourite brands when it comes to heating controls. 

Go into any well-known plumbing merchant, and you’ll see the heating control shelves, rammed full of Honeywell’s kit.

Price

Here’s the first thing you need to know about the Honeywell T6; it’s a WIRED smart thermostat. If you want something wireless, you’ll need to spend more cash and go for something like Nest.

Wiring aside, the Honeywell T6 is basically the best smart thermostat that’s also cheap. At under £150, for a product from a leading heating control brand, we think this is a great deal.

And, whilst the Salus IT500 is around £30-40 cheaper, if you’re in this budget range, we’d pick the Honeywell T6. Honeywell is a much more reliable heating control brand, the stat looks a lot better, and the features included make it well worth the cash.

Design

It must cost millions of pounds to develop the tech behind the scenes for a smart thermostat. So, it shocks me that a lot of them, look awful. Surely, you can spare some change, to actually make it look like something we’d want in our homes?

Fortunately, Honeywell, with their T6, obviously have. It’s one of the best looking smart thermostats available in the UK (although, I’m still partial to the way the Nest 3^rd Gen looks in low light).

Reviews

Although you won’t find the volume of reviews that Nest has, the reviews for the Honeywell T6 are positive, and that’s what counts.

I’d suggest checking them out, and you’ll see that most reviewers are impressed by the level of heating automation available with the Honeywell heating app.

Warranty

You’ll get a basic 2-year warranty with the Honeywell T6. Hardly groundbreaking, but for the price, it’s certainly good enough.

It’s worth noting that more expensive thermostats like the tado°, also only offer 2-years as well.

Device Compatibility

You’ll need to hook up all your devices via the Honeywell Home App. And, it’s worth everyone on your property doing this, as will help take heating automation to the next level. 

You can check out Honeywell’s Home App here. That’s compatible with T6 thermostats, as well as other home products, such as their security cameras and leak detectors.

Once you get your day-to-day devices setup (mobiles, tablets, laptops etc) using the Home App, you’ll be able to connect further, to the likes of:

• Apple Homekit
• Amazon Alexa / Echo
• IFTTT
• Google Home
• Apple Watch

Honeywell T6 Features

For a cheap smart thermostat, the Honeywell T6 is impressive.

There is a tonne of features incorporated into the T6, helping transform standard heating, to smart heating.

Here are our favourite features, that makes the T6 a worthy contender for your cash.

Geofencing

Geofencing is a fancy name for location-based temperature control. The T6 will track your smartphone’s movements, to determine how it should be adjusting temperatures for heating and hot water.

And, that’s why we suggested that everyone on your property should connect to the Honeywell Home App. If they don’t, when you leave the property, there’s a good chance they’ll be cold 😊

Essentially, this isn’t just a way to make you cosy (i.e. heating comes on just before you get in from work), it saves you cash (by turning off the heating when you leave, even if you forget).

In general, it’s only the higher-priced thermostats that incorporate geofencing. So, this alone, makes the Honeywell T6 an absolute steal.

Flexibility

As we flicked through reviews, we noticed that time and time again, it was the flexibility of the Honeywell T6, that homeowners really liked.

You can set up an auto-schedule, based on a 7-day rolling calendar. But, life can change fast, so you can override these settings remotely if you need to (dare I say it, probably most useful when you get stuck at work).

Honeywell T6 Review Verdict

There are two options, one at each end of the scale.

£250ish to spend on a quality smart thermostat? Head for Nest.

Looking to purchase a cheap smart thermostat, under £150? The Honeywell T6 gets our vote, all day long.

Check price on Amazon

#5 – Drayton Wiser Multi-Zone Smart Thermostat

If you’re looking at Hive alternatives in the UK, a home-grown home automation brand like Drayton may be the next on your list. It’s affordable, reliable, and allows multi-zone heating — as long as you equip each room with a thermostat.

The downside? The feature selection doesn’t really dazzle. And, we hate to say it, but the Drayton Wiser smart thermostat is a bit bland — at least compared to the more elegant contraptions, like the Nest. But, of course, judging a thermostat solely by its looks won’t guarantee you anything other than a lavish doodah on your wall. 

Price

Drayton Wiser is one of the more affordable smart home heating solutions. For example, £150 gets you Drayton’s smart thermostat, a hub, and 2 Wiser Radiator Thermostats — not too shabby. 

And, you can purchase additional Room Thermostats for about £80 once you’re ready to expand your multi-zone controls.  

Mind you — these were the prices at the time of writing, so you can go ahead and see what the Drayton Wiser smart thermostat costs now. 

Design

It may lack the glamour of its better-known peers, but the Drayton Wiser is by no means ugly. 

The design is rather minimalist — a square box with rounded edges; a small screen that shows you everything you need to see at a quick glance; a plus button (more heat); a minus button (less heat); a settings button. 

Need more buttons, menus, and settings? That’s what the smartphone companion app is for — here, you can manage all your zones, set up programmes, AND control domestic hot water. 

Reviews

For a smart heating system that doesn’t enjoy the popularity of the Nest, Hive, or Honeywell, Drayton Wiser has plenty of positive consumer feedback. The overwhelming majority of happy buyers swear by its precise control over temperatures in different rooms. 

Of course, not everyone is happy. Among the few negative reviews, some buyers note a short signal range, while others point to an entire host of problems with the thermostat’s controls. Again, these complaints seem to be few and far and between — but it’s important to take note before you commit to the purchase. 

Warranty

You can get a 5-year warranty on the Drayton Wiser smart thermostat — as long as you use a Wiser Approved installer. That’s pretty long, considering Nest only gives you 2 as standard. And, it shows that the manufacturer has faith that this product will last. 

Device Compatibility

The Drayton Wiser smart thermostat is fully compatible with Google Assistant and Alexa heating controls. You can also configure it with IFTTT to integrate controls with even more apps and devices. 

Features 

You’ll find a fairly standard range of features, although the selection is somewhat on the leaner side compared to industry titans like Nest and tado°. That said, you get the learning thermostat essentials, like Away and Eco Modes; then there’s the open window detection feature and multi-zone control. 

Speaking of the latter, you can control up to 16 rooms with 63 Radiator Thermostats — more than enough for any large, detached house. 

Verdict

If you’re looking for multi-zone heating, plus essential smart thermostat features, minus a hole in your wallet, look no further than the Drayton Wiser. However, if you prefer a sleeker design and more advanced functionality, head for our #1 pick for the best smart thermostat in the UK — the Nest 3rd Generation Learning Thermostat. 

Check price on Amazon

FAQs About Smart Heating Controls

Are smart thermostats worth it?

Yes — smart thermostats will help you conserve energy and save money; but there’s a catch. 

Unlike programmable thermostats, their smart peers are supposed to learn your behaviour and use this knowledge to adjust their heating programme.

So, yes — a smart thermostat can save you money, but because its heating patterns are based on your schedule, the latter must be somewhat consistent. If your schedule changes frequently, your smart thermostat will never establish a suitable heating programme. You’ll get frustrated and end up using it as a programmable thermostat, by configuring the programme yourself.

That said, most smart thermostats have handy features that will help slash your energy use regardless of your schedule’s consistency.

For example, there’s the open window detection feature which turns the heat down when you leave a window open; this way, your boiler takes a break and you’re not burning gas to heat your neighbourhood.

Away mode, a common feature on most smart thermostats, detects when you’re away and lowers the heat setting accordingly.

Long story short, yes — a smart thermostat is worth it, but only if you take the time to learn how it works and use it properly.

Can a thermostat work with any boiler?

Newer smart thermostat models — like the ones we’ve listed here — work with most modern boilers.

That said, you should confirm compatibility before marrying the 2 appliances. Some smart thermostats rely on the OpenTherm protocol to communicate with the boiler. Most — not all! — boilers support this protocol, so make sure yours does before you buy the thermostat.

Generally, it’s fairly simple to establish whether your thermostat and boiler will work together — simply visit your thermostat manufacturer’s website or call their representative.

Can a smart thermostat detect room occupancy?

Some smart thermostats — like the Nest 3^rd Generation smart thermostat — have an occupancy sensor that allows it to detect when someone is in the room. Hive and Honeywell also have their versions of this feature, whilst Drayton and tado° do not.

Even if your preferred smart thermostat doesn’t have an occupancy sensor, you may be able to integrate it with a PIR (Passive Infrared Sensor) via IFTTT. If you can pull this off, then, in theory, your thermostat should respond to people entering or leaving a specific room.

What smart thermostat works best with Alexa?

The absolute best thermostat to integrate with Alexa heating control is the ecobee Smart Thermostat. That’s because it has Alexa built-in, so you don’t need to purchase the Echo Dot to establish voice controls.

That said, this thermostat only offers built-in Alexa functionality in the US and Canada. If you buy it here in the UK, all you get is an expensive, and, granted, very sleek smart thermostat with lots of unrealised potential. This is why the ecobee didn’t make our list above.

Now, the good news is that all the smart thermostats in this post are compatible with Alexa. The only catch is they don’t have Alexa controls built-in, so you’ll have to invest in an Echo Dot.

What’s Next?

Thanks for reading our detailed buyer’s guide to the best smart thermostats available in the UK.

Hopefully, this guide has helped you make a purchase decision. As we’ve mentioned, our top picks are as follows:

• The Nest 3^rd Generation Learning Thermostat, for those without a budget in mind
• The Honeywell T6, for those looking for the best smart thermostat under £150.

We regularly write up buying guides like this for a range of home products. So, if you’ve enjoyed what you’ve read, feel free to share this page, or bookmark our blog for later.

Finally, if you have any questions or insights relating to smart thermostats, we’d love to hear from you! Leave us a quick comment below and we’ll respond as soon as we can.