The Ecobee3 Lite is our favorite smart thermostat due to its ease of use, compatibility with other smart home devices, and the ability to monitor the temperature in more than one room of your house (Requires Remote Sensors). Ecobee3 Lite Review firstly, Shows its price can fit majorities budget for a smart thermostat. Secondly the Ecobee3 Lite, strips away some of those unnecessary features, and drops the price for those budget conscious. However, you can still control it remotely from your phone, and you can connect it with other devices, so that it only turns on and off when you want it to—potentially saving you money on your heating bill. We personally like that it can connect with Home Assistant with ease.
The Ecobee3 Lite looks very similar to the more premium Ecobee3, in that it has a rounded black face and a white back. The sides of the Lite model, though, tapers inwards, so that the area where it meets the base plate is smaller than the front. A 3.5-inch color touchscreen on the front of the Ecobee3 Lite lets you view and change the temperature. I found this one just as easy to use and responsive to touch. The wake up sensor on approach makes it convenient and ready to take commands. The home screen displays the current temperature inside your home along with the humidity level, and the current state of the system (Off, Heat, Cool). Along the bottom are icons to adjust settings, as well as view the local weather forecast which is convenient.
Installation & Setup
Installation of the Ecobee3 Lite is straight forward, you first must connect the wires leading from your HVAC system to the thermostat’s base plate (It is best to take a photo of the existing connections) and then attach the base plate to the wall. (Screws and anchor bolts are provided). It does come with a large back plate should you need it to cover larger hole left from your old unit. The base plate has a small leveling bubble, to ensure that you’re installing it plumb.
The Ecobee3 Lite requires that you connect a C wire for power; I do like that it includes an adapter for those who don’t have a C wire already, and that attaching the adapter is as simple as attaching a few wires. You then have to download and install Ecobee’s app (Android and iOS) and pair the thermostat to your account, as well as your Wi-Fi network. The app then runs a wizard with several screens to determine your location, as well as the configuration of your HVAC system.
Our Conclusion
In conclusion the Ecobee3 Lite is a great smart thermostat for those who don’t want to blow the budget for a smart thermostat with a lot of the features for the price.
