What do you think of when you hear the word “Homekit”? Is it a thermostat? If not, don’t worry. You are not alone. Homekit is actually Apple’s proprietary home automation platform that allows users to have remote control of various devices in their house through an iPhone or iPad. When people first heard about it, many were skeptical and thought there was no need for such a thing because they could just use their phone to turn on the air conditioning before they got home from work. Today, however, more and more people have come around to this new technology as evidenced by all the Homekit compatible products now available on the market! In this article we will review some of these products and help answer questions like: Are Homekit thermostats really better than regular ones? Are they worth the money? Do I need a dedicated app for this or can I just use Siri and my iPhone’s home screen to control them?
These questions and many more will be answered, and, of course, you can find out recommendations at the end, as well as some of the best prices anywhere. So, let’s get started.
Homekit Thermostats: Are They Worth It?
The homekit thermostat market is growing and the prices of these products are coming down as competition heats up. However, there aren’t many people who actually need a smart home system in their house because we all know how to use our phones for this purpose already. So what’s the point of getting a homekit thermostat?
As we mentioned, smart homes are becoming more and more popular. It’s estimated that by 2020 there will be 500 million homes around the world with some sort of automated system installed in them – whether it is lighting, heating or security-related. Home automation companies see this trend coming and want to get a piece of the pie. There’s money to be made and they want it!
As such, many companies are now creating products for this market that were never intended to go there in the first place. The problem is that most people don’t know what these products can actually do or how you even use them if you’ve never had a home automation system before. This is where Apple comes in.
Apple wanted to get into the market because they could see it growing and knew that there was money to be made here, but not everyone would buy an iPhone just for controlling their lights or blinds at home so they came up with Homekit. The idea behind this concept was simple: if you go into an Apple store and buy a smart home system, it should work with your phone.
That’s why they created this ecosystem of inter-connectivity between devices that not only allows users to control their household appliances through Siri but also avoid having multiple apps for different products – something we’ve seen in the past can be quite frustrating.
Homekit thermostat, what you need to know before buying!
Are there any things you need to know before buying a homekit thermostat? You may be asking yourself, can you use Siri or do you need a dedicated app? Or, how much should I expect to spend on one of these and where is the best place for me to get them?
If compatibility is bothering you then you may even be wondering what kinds are there, what makes each different from another, and which ones should be avoided?
And, of course, when spending money on new tech it always pays to find out if Homekit thermostats really are better than regular ones? After all, they’re a lot more expensive in most cases!
So, how do you know if a homekit thermostat is worth it for you and your family? Well, here are some of the main advantages:
It’s compatible with Siri – we’ve all used this feature on our iPhones to set alarms or see what’s coming up later in our calendar. Now imagine being able to turn on the heating at home or switching off your ceiling fan just by telling Siri to do it.
It’s compatible with other Homekit products – ever wanted to turn on a light in another room using your phone? Or have an alarm go off when you leave home and shut all the blinds automatically?! Well, now you can! All of these functions and more will be available to you if you buy a homekit compatible thermostat.
It’s easy to use – just like any other smartphone app, all that these products require is the installation of an app on your phone and linking it with your Wi-Fi network. After that, controlling them becomes as simple as using Siri!
How to Install a Homekit Thermostat
There are two different kinds of installation you have to be aware of.
One is the physical installation. The physical installation will, of course, depend on your home, the size and layout of the rooms, and the type of boiler or heating system you have.
The second is the software setup, which will depend on whether or not you use an app to control your homekit thermostat and what type of phone you own (iPhone vs Android). Regardless of which type of installation you need, they both take around 15 minutes to complete at most. You just need a screwdriver and a drill, but it never hurts to have an assistant with you.
So without further ado let’s get started!
Step One: physical installation of your homekit thermostat Start by turning off the boiler system that heats up your house. If this is done incorrectly there could be fatal consequences so always play safe here or you might end up having to call in a professional.
Then, remove your old thermostat by gently pulling it off the wall and disconnecting its wires from the boiler system (if you have not already done so).
The next step is installing your new homekit thermostat on the wall where you removed the previous one. This is very easy and does not take more than a minute. Just remember to stick it onto the wall in such a way that you can easily access its buttons and screens, so they are still visible when the door closes behind them!
Step Two: software installation of your homekit thermostat Next we get to install the app itself. If you are using an iPhone, just download its app from the App Store. If you are not that lucky then follow this link to find out how to install it on your Android phone:
If you do have an iPhone or iPad device with iOS 11 installed then make sure they are all connected to the same Apple ID account because otherwise, Siri will be unable to control your homekit thermostat!
And that is pretty much it, the hard part’s over. Now you just need to fine-tune a few settings and within 15 minutes or so you will have learned how to use Siri with your new device and be able to enjoy all its amazing features from now on!
Siri or dedicated app? Which one should you get?
There is no dedicated app that goes along with the homekit thermostat. You can use Siri directly from your phone to control it instead. Of course, this only works if you have an iPhone and not an Android device or anything else because Apple controls what products are compatible with their system even though they allow other companies to make them.
Do I need a homekit thermostat app?
No, you do not have to download an additional app in order for your phone or tablet to work with the device because there is no dedicated app that goes along with it. However, if you want more customization options and features then consider downloading one of
Can I control a Homekit Thermostat using my Android phone?
We often get asked this question as many people own an Android phone instead of an iPhone.
The answer is yes, you can still control your Homekit thermostat using an Android phone. For this to work though you will need a home automation hub like Samsung’s Smartthings or Wink. Once connected up these hubs allow you access to all sorts of devices around the house including lights and locks but also (and crucially here) smart thermostats.
If you are in the market for a new smart home hub, we recommend buying one that includes at least three different types of connectivity (Zigbee , Z-wave and WiFi). This will ensure compatibility with as many devices on the market (and future ones) as possible .
Are Homekit Thermostats Better than Regular Ones?
Yes! They are better in every way except for one major drawback that we will discuss later on. The main reason why they are better is because of the remote control aspect of the homekit app. Instead of having to get up and walk over to your thermostat or pull out your phone while you’re still in bed, all you have to do is open the smartphone application from anywhere within range (usually around 30 feet) where you can connect to a wifi network. With one click on an icon, you can have the temperature changed in less than a minute. This is definitely better than most regular thermostats on the market which usually take about 20 minutes to change temps.
Are Homekit Thermostats Worth the Money?
Yes! Although they are more expensive at first, their convenience and energy-saving capabilities make them worth it in the long run.
Do I need a Dedicated App for this or Can I Just use Siri and My iPhone’s Home Screen to Control Them?
You do not have to download an app specifically designed for your homekit thermostat, but you can if you want! One of the great things about Apple products is that they all work together. If you have an iPhone, then you can control your thermostat from the home screen of your phone without needing to download any special software.
Will My Smartphone Thermostat Work with Siri?
Yes! All Homekit devices are compatible with Apple’s voice assistant which makes them even more convenient to use. This means that if you have multiple Homekit devices, you can control them all with Siri.
So to answer the question “are homekit thermostats better than regular ones?” The answer is yes! They are definitely worth the money and they work well together so if you have other Apple products in your house, then it will be easy to connect everything up.
Top 5 Homekit Thermostats:
HomeKit thermostats are definitely worth it because they allow you to control your heating from anywhere in the world and also save energy by only keeping the house warm when someone is home or at a certain time of day. They make great presents for people who like Apple products, but can be expensive so here are our top five choices if you are looking to buy one.
- No more programming: With Auto-Schedule, the Google Nest Learning Thermostat learns from you and programs itself.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Nest – this is a simple and easy-to-use device that doesn’t have any special features but does what it’s supposed to do.
Ecobee – if you live in an area where the temperature changes drastically within the course of one day, then this might be your best option because it can detect when someone is home or away and it can detect when no one is home and switch off the heating.
Honeywell Lyric – this is a good option for people who don’t want to use their phone’s data in order to control their thermostat because it creates its own wifi network which you have full access too without using your smartphone or tablet. Honeywell Total Connect Comfort – similar to the Honeywell Lyric, this thermostat also creates its own wifi network which you can access from anywhere.
Haiku Home L Series – although it is a little more expensive than other homekit compatible products on the market, it has been praised for being very aesthetically pleasing and having an easy-to-use interface.
Conclusion
There’s so many options for homekit thermostats on the market right now, but these are our top five choices if you’re looking to invest in a new device that will allow you to control your heating from anywhere and save energy at the same time!