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Your thermostat controls one of the biggest costs in your home: heating and cooling. The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium goes far beyond setting a temperature. It learns your routine, adjusts room by room, monitors your air quality, and doubles as a smart speaker with Siri or Alexa built in.
In this review, we break down what it actually does, who it's right for, and the catches you should know about before buying.
Quick Verdict
Best for: homeowners who want a premium, do-it-all smart thermostat with real energy savings and fewer hot and cold spots.
Skip it if: you only want basic scheduling, or you don't plan to use the speaker, air quality, and security features.
Check Current Price on AmazonEnergy Savings That Run on Autopilot
The Smart Thermostat Premium is ENERGY STAR certified, and ecobee says it can save up to 26% on heating and cooling costs, compared to keeping your home at a constant 72°F.
It does that in two ways: it learns your daily routine and recommends schedule changes, and it automatically reduces heating or cooling when nobody is home. You don't have to remember to adjust anything.
Tip: Many energy providers offer rebates on ENERGY STAR smart thermostats. Check your utility company's website before you buy, since a rebate can take a big bite out of the cost.
The SmartSensor: Goodbye, Hot and Cold Spots
Most thermostats read the temperature in one spot, usually a hallway, and heat or cool the whole house based on that. The included SmartSensor fixes this. Place it in the room that matters most, like a bedroom or home office, and the thermostat adjusts the temperature based on the rooms you're actually using.
It's wireless, so there are no cables to run. You can add more sensors later if you have several rooms you want to balance.
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Built-In Air Quality Monitor
The Premium model tracks your indoor air quality and alerts you when it drops, with tips to improve it. It also reminds you when it's time to change your furnace's air filter, one of those small maintenance jobs that's easy to forget and affects both air quality and efficiency.
Air quality monitoring is one of the features that sets the Premium apart from ecobee's cheaper models, so if it matters to you, the Premium is the model to get.
A Smart Speaker on Your Wall
The thermostat has a built-in speaker with your choice of Alexa or Siri. You can control your smart home by voice, ask questions, and even stream Spotify playlists or podcasts.
It also works with ecobee's home security features. It can listen for the sound of a smoke alarm and alert your phone, and you can arm and disarm your system right from the screen.
If you own an ecobee Smart Doorbell Camera, you can also see a live view of your front door and talk to visitors directly from the thermostat.
Know before you buy: Smoke alarm detection requires a paid ecobee Smart Security subscription. Siri requires an Apple home hub (such as an Apple TV or HomePod). The doorbell feature requires ecobee's own doorbell camera.
Installation and Compatibility
ecobee says the Smart Thermostat Premium works with about 95% of home heating and cooling systems. Before buying, run your setup through the compatibility checker on ecobee's website. It takes a couple of minutes.
Installation is designed to be DIY, and everything you need comes in the box. That includes a Power Extender Kit for homes without a C-wire (the power wire many smart thermostats need), plus a trim plate to cover marks left by your old thermostat. It's backed by a 3-year warranty.
Key Features at a Glance
| Voice assistant | Alexa or Siri built in |
| Works with | Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home |
| Room sensor | 1 SmartSensor included |
| Air quality monitor | Yes, with alerts and filter reminders |
| Energy certification | ENERGY STAR |
| No C-wire? | Power Extender Kit included |
| Size | About 4.1 × 4.1 × 1 inches |
| Warranty | 3 years |
Pros and Cons
Pros: Real energy savings with little effort; the included SmartSensor evens out hot and cold rooms; built-in air quality monitoring; doubles as an Alexa or Siri smart speaker; easy DIY installation with everything in the box; 3-year warranty.
Cons: Premium price compared to basic smart thermostats; smoke alarm detection needs a paid subscription; Siri needs an Apple home hub; the doorbell feature only works with ecobee's own camera.
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Should You Buy the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium?
If you want one device that saves energy, fixes uneven temperatures, and adds a smart speaker and air quality monitor to your home, the Smart Thermostat Premium is one of the most complete thermostats you can buy.
If all you need is a programmable schedule you can control from your phone, you'll pay for features you won't use, and a simpler model will do the job.
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