Time to replace aging Insteon thermostat. My eISY system has Zwave and Matter support and several Zwave devices have been integrated. Have not integrated any Matter (WiFi) devices. Purchased a Nest only to find that production PG3 plug-in support is in limbo. Honeywell seems to be discontinuing their Zwave thermostat line.

Is anyone using a Matter (WiFi) thermostat from Honeywell or another MFG? Please share recommended thermostats. Thanks!

I have a Venstar ColorTouch thermostat that's working well. There is a plugin for it too.

I've used the RCS X10, Insteon, Venstar Color touch and currently ecobee.

For those last 2:

Venstar:

Pluses:

• Very configurable at the HVAC level. At my last house had 2 and could configure each one based on how the different parts of the house responded

• decent app

• Really good remote configuration via their sky port cloud web app. Really impressive

• 100% local API. Venstar could go out of business tomorrow. You'd lose the app and the website, but local control from the stat or ISY would work

• It has battery power remote temp sensors that will let you average control across different areas of the house. I found that a great compromise compared to the surgery of converting your system to duct control.

• Good humidity handling. Can be configured to call for humidity when heat is not running. I plumbed my humidifiers for hot water and it really helped my last house built in the 50's with 2 furnaces. I also had ISY programs to step the humidity down in response to really cold outdoor temps

Minuses:

• The very configurable part has a downside. It's really technical and have to take notes and backup all the stuff configured with an SD card. I will say once i got it right, I kept the SD cards in the desk and forgot about it.

• Remotes are big and a PITA to setup and get going.

• Techy, less responsive touch screen. Drove my late wife nuts. Once all set up it was good that became less necessary and could use the app. But walking up to it to use can be intimidating

Ecobee

Pluses:

• Easy to set up and install. It actually looks at the wires you plug in with software to verify the setup.

• Contrasts with Venstar in that it does a lot on its own, humidity etc

• Has a small temp/humidity remote and does averaging automatically. MUCH easier to install and get going than the Venstar remotes, smaller, less intrusive package.

• Looks good. Relatively easy for family/guests to walk up and change mode and temps

• Can connect to your power utility. I don't do that, but I did enter my utility's demand schedule. When I'm using AC, it cools off a little more before the start, and then lets it go up a few degrees during the schedule and then back to normal. It does save a little and my wife doesn't notice it

• Has "social" features much like ring where your house is ranked against others in the area (which I find silly and don't use that)

Minuses

• Cloud dependent. If ecobee goes under, I believe it still will be a stat but many enhanced features and the app are remote api dependent and will stop. I think it will be a stat because mine will work even internet is not there

• Though not as "techy" as the Venstar, the features in the app are not as intuitive I like. Simple example, everytime I go out of town and use vacation mode, I stumble around to find the feature.

Summary:

Both Venstar and Ecobee are great solutions with the eisy. I've found I like the ecobee more as it does more automatically and less eisy programming. I have the eisy plugin and use it mostly for fan control to compliment venting for things like detecting showers in the master bath and after the second floor dryer after a cycle ends. I also have networked smoke co detectors and I shut all fans and HVAC down if one goes off.

Edited Sunday at 09:59 PM2 days by paulbates

+1 Ecobee

+1 ecobee.

Has dual temperature schedule charts so you do not have to change settings when switching from heat to A/C
Better accuracy and monitors to 0.3c for less heat waves and cold waves.
Settable differentials down to 0.3c on to off
Settable differentials down to 0.3c Heat to A/C.

Fast support on Whatsapp, email and app. Very knowledgeable from my calls. Not just reading an AI monitor with moronic responses from an online manual.

Can download spreadsheets of history from stat itself and remote sensors.

Can average sensing in various rooms, selected by schedules.

Excellent NS by Jimbo with years of debugging history.

I control my room humidifiers via setting inside the ecobee stat through ISY through NS.

Password locking of settings and remote lockout

Complete control of smart features. No forced "setbacks" or "energy saving" but available.

I might add that the Venstar isn't a "smart" thermostat (ie: doesn't learn your habits, sense occupancy, etc) like the Ecobee and Nest units. It's just a very programmable conventional thermostat with the usual features like scheduled setback, varied connectivity options (including a local api), etc. It supports up to 4 stages of heat and 2 stages of cooling, and optional humidifier, dehumidifier, economizer modes.

I have YoLink temperature sensors placed where I care what the temperature is (e.g., living room couch, bed, kitchen). I don't care about the temperature where the thermostats actually are. I then use programs to control my heat pump via old Insteon thermostats.