My smart thermostat failed during a heat wave and I learned my lesson

Three weeks ago we had that 98 degree stretch and my smart thermostat just quit. Display went blank around noon on a Saturday. I spent two hours on the phone with their support line and they told me it was a known firmware bug. Nothing they could do remotely. I ended up having to drive to Home Depot in the heat and buy a basic $35 programmable one just to keep the house from turning into an oven. The smart one was three years old and cost me $250 originally. Now I'm wondering if all this fancy tech is worth it when a simple model would have kept running. Has anyone else had a smart home device crap out at the worst possible time?

2 comments

2 Comments

coleman.christopher17d ago

Honestly I used to be all about fancy tech but your situation really changed my mind. Idk, I figured having wifi and app control was essential but when it actually fails you're just stuck with a brick on the wall. Maybe it's just me but now I'm thinking a simple dumb thermostat that just works is way more appealing than something that needs firmware updates.

anthony88317d ago

Get yourself a basic Honeywell manual thermostat with a simple dial or buttons. No wifi, no apps, no nonsense. I've swapped out smart thermostats for friends who got tired of them disconnecting, and that old school one just works forever. The programmable ones with a screen are still fine if you want to set a schedule, but skip anything that needs a network connection. Better to set it once and forget it than to fight with a brick every winter.