Guide to the UK’s best smart thermostats in 2023

Which smart thermostat is best for me?

Smart thermostats have transformed the way we heat our homes. Features like app controls, zoned heating and home-away detection are convenient and help cut energy bills – and they’re also better for the environment.

There are many smart heating systems on the market today with a huge variation in technology and pricing, which can make it confusing when choosing one to buy.

One of the most important considerations when buying a smart thermostat is its compatibility with your existing smart home devices, if you have one. If you are already controlling most of your smart home kit through Amazon Alexa, it makes sense to buy a smart thermostat that’s also Alexa compatible.

It’s also a good idea to check with your energy company to see if any smart thermostat deals are available as an existing customer.

We’ve compiled a list of the best smart thermostats in the UK, picking out the best features so you can see whether it could benefit your household.

Want to learn more about smart thermostats? Read our guide to find out what a smart thermostat is and how one works.

Who are the smart thermostat providers?

Smart thermostat tech continues to improve rapidly, offering more and more clever features that let you control your home’s energy via smart devices – saving money and energy in the process.

Currently, the best smart thermostat providers are Amazon, Nest, Ecobee, Hive, Honeywell and Netatmo. Each one offers easy-to-use systems that can be controlled wherever you are – not just at home or out and about, but anywhere in the world.

Can I replace my old thermostat with a smart thermostat?

In almost all cases in the UK it’s possible to replace your old thermostat with a smart thermostat.

First you’ll need to check whether your home is compatible with a smart thermostat by using a manufacturer’s compatibility tool, such as the one from Nest or Ecobee. It’s best to check compatibility before you buy one.

The process of installation is usually straightforward, with simple guides provided to help you get up and running. However, if you’re concerned about doing it yourself, ask an electrician to come and fit your smart thermostat for you.

What are the best smart thermostats?

There’s a range of thermostats available from different manufacturers at varying costs. We wanted to give you as much detail as possible so have picked out the UK’s best smart thermostats in 2023.

Nest Learning Thermostat

Google-owned Nest broke open the smart thermostat market and has continued to lead when it comes to top end features, such as the use of AI to learn your habits and control your heating accordingly.

Compatible with all boilers and with the ability to control hot water as well as heating, the third generation of the Nest Learning Thermostat is the best the brand has ever produced. At £190 it’s pricier than the entry level Nest E, but what it offers means that it’s well worth the additional outlay.

It’s the AI control that really makes this smart thermostat stand out. It utilises GPS to understand exactly where your home is and then works out when you leave the home and when you go to bed. In doing so, it can cut down your usage, warm your home before you arrive through the door and even work out how long it takes to get your home to optimum temperature, so no energy goes to waste.

Other features include:

• Manual control via the impressive and simple-to-use Nest app

• Voice control via Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant

• The more you use it, the more it learns your habits. Using your phone’s location, it can work out when you’ve left and when you’ve got home so it can tweak the heating as required

• Multi-zone: With Nest you can control up to 20 thermostats in your home, and control Nest in three homes from one single account

• Hot water control: You can control your hot water tank through the Nest app too. You can boost the heat so that you have extra hot water if you want it. And when you’re away from home for a few days, you don’t have to remember to turn off the hot water

• Nest Leaf: The Nest Leaf feature lets you know when you’ve changed the temperature enough to start saving energy

• Sensors: The device also houses a number of sensors to track the home’s temperature, humidity, and whether anyone’s at home

Hive Thermostat Mini

British Gas’s Hive smart thermostats have been garnering plaudits for years, with the ability to help consumers save large amounts on energy each year, some £120 according to British Gas.

It is also excellent value, coming in at just under £120 including the receiver. The latter is easy to install if you’re technically proficient and the thermostat can sometimes be picked up with installation included. The thermostat doesn’t need mains power, just four AAA batteries which come in the box.

This smaller take on the original Hive thermostat leans more heavily on the compatible smartphone app, but that’s no bad thing. It’s easy to use and offers impressive control over your heating.

Unlike the Nest, it doesn’t have AI, but it does use geolocation, meaning it can tell when you’ve left the home and left the heating on, sending a notification to remind you to switch it off.

• Multizone: You can turn the heating on or off in certain rooms or areas of the home if you buy additional Hive Thermostat Mini units, which cost £59 each – for example, if everyone is downstairs you can turn the heating off upstairs to save energy

• Time slots: Hive also lets you set up to six time slots on a schedule, so your heating and hot water works with your daily routine

• Upgrades: Hive Heating Plus costs £3.99 a month, and gives tips on when to schedule your heating and even a carbon calculator – along with a discount on Hive products

• Frost protection: Automatically turns on when temperature drops below 7ºC, protecting your pipes

• Works with Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri, the latter in conjunction with Apple HomeKit

Tado Smart Thermostat v3

The Tado Smart Thermostat is now on its third version, coming in at around £200. It can connect to a wider range of heating systems than most and offers a 12-month money back guarantee.

Tado smart thermostats are compatible with combi, system, heat-only, conventional, and condensing boilers, as well as hydronic and electric underfloor systems, air and ground-source heat pumps (heat only), and zoned systems.

The Tado Smart Thermostat starter kit V3 costs £199.99 and includes the Internet Bridge that securely connects the system to your router. You’ll be able to install it yourself with its online installation service, or Tado also offers a professional installation service for £75.

Tado also offers a Smart Radiator Thermostat, which is suitable for homes using district heating – so without their own boiler – as well as homes with their own central heating set up.

Tado’s thermostats work with a range of smart home devices, including Google Assistant, Alexa, and Apple HomeKit. You’ll be able to use features such as:

• Climate Assistant: Offers services such as geofencing, weather adaptation, open window detection, and insightful reports to help you achieve home comfort

• Multi-room control: Control the heating in specific rooms in your home to prevent energy wastage

• Advanced GPS: Means it can learn your schedule and heat your home as needed, putting it up there with Nest. However, to get the most from GPS you need to pay £2.99 for a monthly subscription

• Smart schedule: Tado will let you create a schedule for your heating and hot water so you only use energy to heat your home when you need to

• App control: You can manage your Tado smart thermostat through its useful app

• Healthier Air: With the Air Comfort Skill, Tado advises you on how to keep the air in your home healthy. It also gives you insights about the outdoor air quality

Honeywell Evohome

The Honeywell Evohome gives you total control over your home, with individual thermostats for each radiator to let you set an independent heating schedule for every room in your house. It’s a high end product and, as such, requires a bigger outlay than some options.

Perhaps some members of your household prefer different temperatures to others, or you have one room that always seems to be hotter or colder than the rest – Evohome could be the answer to your problems.

It allows you to control up to 12 ‘zones’, and within those zones you can control each radiator down to a set degree in temperature. Or you can just set the same temperature throughout the entire house if you prefer.

There are a number of preset settings that give you the option to reduce the entire house by a few degrees or override the system entirely, too. And the system is compatible with IFTTT, Google Assistant and Amazon's Alexa.

The Honeywell Home Evohome Connected Thermostat Pack costs £265.99.

• Zoning: Different rooms need different temperatures, so Evohome lets you create up to 12 individual heating zones

• Smart features: Whether it’s lowering the temperature in one room, or creating weekly schedules for each of your zones

• Flexible Control: There are several ways to control your Evohome system. Whether it’s in the room, via the Total Connect Comfort Intl App, a web browser, or in sync with voice assistants

• Hot water control: With Evohome smart control, you can make sure there’s always enough hot water when you are home – and save energy when you’re not

Save by switching energy suppliers

Smart thermostats aren’t the only way you can save money on your energy bills.

Switching is suspended right now, due to unprecedented market conditions. But in normal circumstances, switching to a new tariff can cut your energy bills significantly.

All you need to do is tell us a little about yourself, your home, and your approximate energy usage – the more you can tell us about how much energy you use, the more accurate your quote will be.

Then we’ll show you a list of energy tariffs tailored to your needs, and you can sort them by the overall price per month and year, as well as the yearly savings you could make by switching.

Once you’ve found the deal you want, just click through to the supplier to finalise your purchase.  

If you choose to fast track your switch, you should be with your new supplier in just five working days. 

Furthermore, thanks to the Energy Switch Guarantee, you won’t be without gas or electricity at any point, and if there are any issues the supplier will work to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

Find out more and compare energy prices now. 

Switch and save with Energy Monitor

Switching your energy supplier is quicker and easier with MoneySuperMarket’s Energy Monitor. We’ll let you know as soon as there’s a cheaper tariff available for you, so you can effortlessly switch and save money on your energy bill.