Drayton Wiser Smart Heating Radiator Thermostat Works with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, IFTTT

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There aren't a host of specs to sift through when choosing the best smart heating thermostats for 2023, because they all work along similar lines – but there are some purchasing points to make. Compatibility with other smart home kit is one important consideration to weigh up, for example, as it's a very good idea to make sure your new thermostat is going to work with your existing smart home devices.

Alexa and Google Home support means that you can control your heating using your voice. Alexa recognises individual rooms so that you can adjust the heat automatically, and you can also find out what the temperature is in each room. However, you won't get the 'smarter' functions or complete heating control that's possible with a smart thermostat and smart radiator valve setup.

A more efficient feature of the Nest and Honeywell Evohome is that they can reduce how much gas the boiler uses – this is call load compensation. However both the boiler and control must speak the same ‘language’, called Opentherm. For compatible boilers and smart controls read our Guide to Opentherm compatible controls and boilers. Wireless TRVs A wireless version of the Heatmiser system (which we haven't had a look it) is also available in kit form. Dubbed, the neoAir Kit Gen 2, it comprises a neoAir smart thermostat, a second-generation neoHub and an RF switch and is capable of being DIY installed. If you find the wired Heatmiser Neo a little overwhelming, consider the wireless alternative.

You set the temperature in degrees celsius This is easier to use and more intuitive than the 0-5 scale on TRVs. Unsurprisingly, the Thermostat E plays nice with Google Assistant, but Alexa users will be glad to know it works happily with that ecosystem too. It's not, however, compatible with Apple's HomeKit platform, and you won't be able to control it with a SmartThings hub either. Now on version three, Tado's thermostat is a refined little thing, and we have to say it's a looker despite its more simplistic LCD display. It's hugely compatible, apparently happy to interact with some 95% of boilers on the market, and it works with just about everything: combi and conventional boilers, heated floors, hot water systems, the lot. Although we'd recommend you have a qualified engineer fit it, Tado suggests that the v3 can be installed by just about anyone within around an hour, so it's one to give a go if you're handy with a screwdriver. You can change the settings remotely You don't have to go round your whole home changing each valve's settings, if you want to heat rooms differently. While we may have previously directed you to the Ecobee4, the company's new smart thermostat (also called the Ecobee5 in some places) has rightly ousted it from our best smart thermostats list - not because this new model is radically different, since it looks similar and acts almost identically to its predecessor, but because it includes a whole lot more.Smart thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) can be individually programmed to control the temperatures on a room by room basis. This improves efficiencies but they must work with a compatible heating control. We guide you on the products available from third-party manufacturers, such as Nest, Tado and Danfoss, and boiler branded models from Vaillant and Worcester Bosch. We show you which are compatible with which heating controls and whether they are suitable for a new or existing boiler/heating control. Third party smart TRVs - we review prices and compatibility You can easily set up heating schedules. For example, the heating can be turned off in all the rooms but the office during the day, and then be turned on low in the bedrooms and higher in the living room during the evening. Hands-On Expertise & Collective Knowledge: Our team boasts extensive DIY experience and in-depth knowledge. There’s also an Away mode, where your heating is set to a reduced temperature (configured by you). This mode is handy when you’re out or on holiday. There’s only manual operation of this, but you can use the IFTTT channel to build your own geolocation service, either for one device or, with a service such as Life360, for your entire family. require a combined programmer and thermostat with an ‘advanced’ energy saving feature. Namely: weather compensation, load compensation or smart controls that combine automation and optimisation features. (Or you can fit a flue gas recovery unit.) New installations of a heat only or system boiler:

That circular glass interface is beautiful to behold and so incredibly simple use – all you require is an opposable thumb and a forefinger. While the Nest Learning Thermostat comes with everything you need to fit it, we'd say you're better off having an engineer do it, especially as the price includes installation. Regular Updates: Our recommendations stay current with any changes in product performance or availability. It's also worth noting here that you can use smart radiator valves without a smart thermostat, but this setup would have the same limitations of wi-fi radiator valves. Ultimately, it depends what you want smart heating for to decide if it's worth getting. Smart radiator valves offer high levels of control, but that doesn't suit everyone. Smart radiator valve prosAs with other smart thermostats, the Honeywell Lyric T6 is best fitted by a professional installer, since the supplied box that connects to your boiler (or second zone) needs to be connected to the mains. Once installed and set up, however, the system is easy to use — although there are some limitations. You can create zoned heating If you want smart heating where you can control the temperature and whether the heating is on or off in each room, smart radiator valves allow you to do this. The next recommended product in the list is Drayton TRV instead of being a straight valve is an angled thermostat valve. Drayton brand provides quality products and manufactures products in a factory certified to BS EN ISO9001. Put the correct adaptor on the valve (most smart radiator valves come with adaptors for the most common valves) However, if you don't own a smartphone or don't like using one, you're unlikely to get the full benefit out of a smart radiator valve.

Both Worcester and Vaillant offer their own smart TRVS that are only compatible with their products. Advantages Looking like a cross between the British Gas Hive and the Nest from Google, the Lyric T6 is the latest in a long line of smart connected devices from the highly-regarded Honeywell with wired (T6) and wireless table-top (T6R) versions available.With the cost of living crisis looming over us all, we could all do with saving money on our energy bills right now. While we’re not saying a smart thermostat will solve all your problems, it can certainly help save you money and energy where your heating is concerned. Industry Connections: We maintain close ties with manufacturers and brands, offering insights into trends and upcoming products. Having TRVs installed on your radiators allows you to set the temperature in individual rooms. This makes it easier for you to keep rooms at a consistent and comfortable temperature and save on heating bills by only heating the rooms you need to. Independent: We will tell you exactly what we think of a product and we would never recommend anything we wouldn't use ourselves.