Last year, we wrote about new offerings in the connected thermostat space that sought to attract buyers with a lower price point. At that time, Honeywell and ecobee released paired-down versions of their flagship connected thermostats for consumers who liked the controllability and energy-saving opportunities offered by advanced thermostats but were apprehensive about spending $250 or more on each gadget. Now, Nest has entered the fray with a $169 “Nest-E” thermostat. Though the form factor isn’t as sleek as the traditional Nest offering, it does include many of the same features, including “learning” algorithms that seek to optimize comfort and energy savings without homeowners having to adjust any settings, as well as access via smartphone or voice. The new offering from Nest goes on sale today and the payback for buyers is especially appealing when utility rebates are factored in. These rebates can substantially reduce the initial cost of the thermostat—sometimes by $125 or more! Check with your local utility to see if they offer such incentives.
Read more here.