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Are they worth it when you can get a normal one for circa £20? Do they actually end up saving you money as the blurb suggests?
Thanks!
Just a note - I'd avoid the heatmiser. Possibly others depending on the latest on their security or lack thereof.
http://cybergibbons.com/security-2/heatmiser-wifi-thermostat-vulnerabilities/
Nest user here. Just looking at the phone app it tells me it's "pre-heating". Should be warm by the time we all get home.
Heatmisers are fine. So long as you don't poke holes in your network to allow you to do what you paid for.
Mine is now relegated to an app-controllable programmable thermostat and I can no longer turn off the heating from afar.
What about the Hive , just looking at options now.
I've got a nest... looks very nice, and handy being able to turn it on and off from afar. The user interface is really nice (both in person and on the app)
The 'learning' part of it is pretty pointless for me. I know what temperatures I want and when, and I've programmed it as such.
It's other main feature is its ability to learn how long it takes my house to heat up, taking in to account local weather and past heating times. Too early to tell how well this works, the heating has only been on a couple of times since it was installed at the beginning of summer.
Worth the money? Probably not. My central heating was being replaced, and they offered me a nest (coupled with my old dual circuit timer) for £15 more than a new combined thermostat and timer.
Dave
Love mine. Had it for 6 months and it has certainly saved me enough that I'll pay it back in little over a year. That said I had no thermostat at all previously so even a basic thermostat would have saved me similar amounts, albeit without the handy features it comes with, that others have highlighted above.
I'd certainly buy again, but as much to geek out with as to save the money.
The learning part of any thermostat is fairly pointless, it's more about accuracy. I used to be Specification Manager for Honeywell and all it does is 'learn' how long the house takes to get to the temp setting desired. When you first fit one it'll probably come on about two hours before it's due...
Its comical that BG and others have (since the price of gas has rocketed) have switched their advice from keep the heating on all day but at a low temp to keep the heat in the house structure to let all the heat out and let your boiler go hammer and tong for hours to get your house warm in time for you getting home.
We have a Heatmiser and all we really use it for is to turn the CH off (from the sofa/ bed) when it comes on and we don't want it on e.g. if we go to bed early.
the nest is fine unless you've got a hot water tank in which case you'll need a separate controller for that. The British Gas hive does both and can be had free with some home energy deals or about £150 on its own.