When comparing Netatmo Thermostat vs iDevices Thermostat, the Slant community recommends Netatmo Thermostat for most people. In the question“What are the best HomeKit thermostats?” Netatmo Thermostat is ranked 2nd while iDevices Thermostat is ranked 5th. The most important reason people chose Netatmo Thermostat is:
You can set the schedule to virtually anything you could want - multiple heating and cooling periods each day, and you can even save different schedules and switch between them with the tap of a button in the app if you so choose.
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Pros
Pro Great customizable scheduling system
You can set the schedule to virtually anything you could want - multiple heating and cooling periods each day, and you can even save different schedules and switch between them with the tap of a button in the app if you so choose.
Pro Learns, and can adjust to weather as well as your home
After a couple weeks of learning, you can switch to a PID (proportional integral derivative) control. This uses predictive and learned behavior to provide the best heating experience possible.
PID control looks at weather conditions, and adjusts its cycling to compensate for it. For example, if a sudden cold front is expected, the system will turn on earlier than normal to ensure the temperature stays at a comfortable level.
Also, PID takes into consideration your house's insulation properties, which let it perform better than merely waiting until the temperature reaches the upper/lower setpoint values.
Pro Energy tracking built-in
You will be able to view energy reports from the daily, weekly, monthly or yearly view. This can help you save up to 37% on your power bill (and help pay off the thermostat itself) by recognizing high power times and adjusting the temperature to save power during those times.
Pro Works with Android, iOS, Windows Phone, and has a web app
No matter if your family is divided across mobile platforms, everybody can still control the Netatmo Thermostat. There is also a web app, so it can be controlled using a computer or on other phones and tablets by logging in to the web app.
Pro Affordable price for a basic HomeKit thermostat.
This thermostat is priced about $100 cheaper than any other option that currently integrates with HomeKit. For users who don't want/wouldn't use any fancy features but just want great Siri integration, this thermostat will suffice and at a more wallet-friendly price.
Pro More features in the works
While this thermostat is very feature-light at the moment, Bluetooth hardware is present which will allow for more features in the future. Geo-fencing and pattern recognition software are two features currently in development, however the other thermostats already offer these features and more.
Cons
Con Hardware feels basic
While other smart thermostats let you use the thermostat itself for virtually any adjustments, the Netatmo Thermostat only displays the setpoint temperature (in bold black) and the current temperature (outlined).
The display is E-ink, which doesn't look as good as good as LCDs and can't display colours. Also, there is no backlight making it impossible to see with the lights off.
Con Limited controls on the thermostat itself
On the thermostat itself, you can only change the temperature. All other controls must be implemented from the app on your phone, through Siri, or through the web app.
Con Multiple touches required for simple actions
Because the screen is so small and pixelated, very little can be displayed on the screen at one time. This forces the menus to be longer, which requires more button presses to scroll down and then select the action, and then finally adjust it. It would also be helpful if text was used instead of just icons, as then you'd never have to guess what an icon represents.
Con Lacks any standout features
As of right now (future updates could change this), the iDevices thermostat doesn't provide any compelling reason to choose it over any other HomeKit thermostat. It doesn't add any features of its own - instead it only has features provided by HomeKit itself which are present on many other thermostats. The screen is small and pixelated, and it still uses buttons instead of a touchscreen. It also looks more like a standard thermostat than the others.
Overall, the iDevices thermostat may be the cheapest option, but it's very uninspiring.
Con Installation is harder than it should be
Wiring the iDevices Thermostat requires a small precision screw driver (not included), and unlike many other smart thermostats it doesn't automatically detect which HVAC system you have (you will need to look that up, whether it's gas or electric fired, and potentially what kind of pumps and valves are used). The whole installation process is a lot more involved than other smart thermostats.