Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links. When you buy through links on this blog, I may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Chilly weather can be problematic not just for you but also for your car! You might be living in an area where the temperature drops below zero degrees making it difficult for your car to start in the morning.
In such scenarios, having a garage heater becomes necessary. However, garage heaters come with an overhead of too much power consumption and the need for constant monitoring.
Smart thermostats are the solution for these overheads. Today, I will provide you with a comprehensive guide on smart thermostats, so you can choose the best smart thermostat for garage heater. Let’s dive in!
1.Emerson Sensi Touch Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat
Let’s start off our list with the famous Emerson Sensi touch Wifi thermostat.
First things first; let’s talk about saving energy
The real purpose of connecting a smart thermostat to your garage heater is to save energy. The Emerson smart thermostat achieves this by saving 23% HVAC energy.
This garage heater thermostat is Energy star certified, so we know it’s efficient in making your garage heater save energy.
Remote Access gives you full control
The Emerson Sensi smart thermostat can be easily controlled using the Sensi app.
The app helps monitor the efficiency of your HVAC system by providing reports, important alerts, and reminders for maintenance. This is particularly helpful when it comes to filtering replacement and tracking issues in your HVAC system or garage heater.
Remote access is a feature which requires an active internet connection. However, even if there is no internet available, the Emerson Sensi thermostat continues to function even without Internet. In this case, the pre-programmed thermostat settings will be applied.
Easy DIY Installation and aesthetic design
The installation process is really simple, as the installation is DIY. The smart thermostat works with most garage heaters.
A C-wire is required to connect this smart thermostat to an HVAC system.
Apart from that, the smart thermostat is sleek and stylish. It comes in black, white, and silver colors which will complement the overall look of your garage.
The menus on the thermostat are intuitive and user-friendly, making it a great smart thermostat for garage heater. All these cool features make it one of the best wifi thermostats for garage heaters.
What makes it Unique?
Users reported that the Emerson Sensi thermostat offers great ease when it comes to programming it using the app. This makes it stand out among its competitors.
Check Price on Amazon
2. Google Nest Thermostat -Wifi Smart Thermostat for Home
The Google Nest thermostat is highly popular in the league of smart thermostats and can prove to be a great smart thermostat for garage heater due to the features listed below.
It’s from Google so we know it is reliable. I personally admire this smart home thermostat the most.
Remote access and full control
This smart thermostat comes with the Nest app, which makes it really simple for you to monitor your garage’s temperature remotely at any time and from anywhere. This feature can turn your ordinary heater into a wifi garage heater!
Moreover, you can also change the temperature of your garage according to your own requirement using the Nest app.
Easy Integration and Installation
The installation process is simple and requires little effort. Although by default, it can be connected to an HVAC system without a C-wire, a C wire might be required for some systems. Overall, it’s a great smart thermostat for an electric garage heater.
Moreover, the Nest thermostat will signal your garage heater if something is not right or if it requires maintenance.
What I find really cool about the Nest thermostat is that it can easily be connected and controlled using Google Voice Assistant, which means that you can control your garage heater using voice commands.
Energy Savings are great
Google Nest smart thermostat is Energy star certified so it helps to save a lot of energy. Moreover, the thermostat is programmable, which means that it will help you create an energy-efficient schedule yourself.
What makes it Unique?
The ability to be controlled by Google Assistant (voice control) is truly remarkable and gives those cool Smart home vibes that we all Smart home enthusiasts look for!
3. Ecobee Smart thermostat
The Ecobee smart thermostat will save up to 26% electricity. This is achieved by the SmartSensor that is included inside it, allowing it to achieve a great amount of energy savings.
Has multiple operating modes
Ecobee smart thermostat has 3 operational modes in which. These modes are Home, Away, and Sleep. This means that we can pre-program the temperature in each mode and make the thermostat go into that mode at your desired time.
Smart home integration
Amazon Alexa comes built-in in the Ecobee smart thermostat. You can easily give voice commands directly to this smart thermostat to increase or decrease the temperature or change its mode.
Although other voice assistants don’t come built-in inside Ecobee smart thermostat, they can still be controlled using other voice assistants including Apple Homekit and Google Assistant.
Intuitive design and seamless Ecobee app
The Ecobee smart thermostat has an intuitive touch screen which will give you a great user experience. Moreover, the Ecobee app can be used to control the smart thermostat easily, making Ecobee one of the best smart thermostat for garage heater.
What makes it Unique?
You can add additional sensors with the Ecobee Smart thermostat, which will help you achieve a balanced temperature throughout your home. This is particularly helpful for larger homes.
Check Price on Amazon
4. Amazon Smart Thermostat
Next up on our list of smart thermostat for garage heater is the Amazon Smart Thermostat.
App-guided installation process
Since it is from Amazon, the Alexa app will guide you through the entire installation process of this smart thermostat. It will instruct you on how to connect your thermostat to the home’s heating system (in this case your garage heater).
This makes the installation process really seamless and effortless.
On top of that, if you are still facing issues with the installation, customer service is there for your rescue.
It’s an Amazon product so Alexa is never a problem
Since this smart thermostat is an Amazon product, so it works seamlessly with Alexa voice control. Moreover, it can also estimate your bill according to your usage.
The amount of value for money this smart thermostat provides is simply amazing.
It is way cheaper than most of the smart thermostats listed in this article while maintaining quality and reliability.
Moreover, The Alexa app provides remote access for this smart thermostat, which means you can monitor and control your garage’s temperature even when you are away using your mobile devices. You can also set your desired settings i.e minimum temp or maximum temp.
This gives you full control of the heating of your garage’s heating system from anywhere around the world.
What makes it Unique?
The Amazon thermostat is very easy to install and that makes it unique. If you are looking for the simplest thermostat installation process, then go for the Amazon thermostat.
Check Price on Amazon
5. Honeywell Home Wi-Fi 7-Day Programmable Thermostat
Like many other smart thermostats listed above, this one is also energy star certified. It saves a lot of energy and also gives tips on how to save energy and reduce your power bills. It can prove to be a great smart thermostat for garage heater.
Intuitive design and Backlit display
The design of this smart garage thermostat is highly intuitive. It also provides a backlit display, which is quite suitable for garages as they can be dark at times.
A great deal of compatibility
The Honeywell smart wifi thermostat is compatible with forced air (gas, oil, or electric), hot water and steam, and heat pumps with electric backup (Geothermal systems). It has the ability to turn your heater into a smart garage heater with little effort.
It is also compatible with all the famous voice assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Microsoft Cortona.
However, do keep in mind that a C-wire power adapter is required with some HVAC systems.
You can use either Resido or the Total Connect Comfort app (on Android and iOS) to control this smart thermostat from anywhere around the world. This makes it a great wifi thermostat for garage heaters, which gives you full remote access.
What makes it Unique?
What users love about the Honeywell thermostat is its durability and reliability. The thermostat encounters minimal errors/issues as compared to other Smart Thermostats.
Check Price on Amazon
6. Lux TX9600TS Programmable Touchscreen Smart thermostat
Truly an affordable choice
Among the smart home thermostat listed above, the Lux TX9600TS is another affordable choice that provides great value for money.
This is one of the most affordable smart thermostats for your garage, it is under 50 bucks, making it a great choice if your budget is less.
A great deal of compatibility
If you are worried about your garage heater’s compatibility with smart thermostats, I believe this product is the right pick for you. This is because this Lux thermostat is highly compatible with almost all heating/cooling systems in America.
This will prevent you from making a risky choice while maintaining your garage needs.
You can program different temperature values for 2-4 periods in a single day.
This is helpful when you want different temperatures for your garage at different times of the day, that too automatically!
What makes it Unique?
The Lux thermostat is extremely budget-friendly. If you want a basic overall smart thermostat which is within your budget, then go for this thermostat.
Check Price on Amazon
What to look for in a Smart thermostat for Garage Heater- Buying Guide
Remote Accessibility
With the uncertainty in weather, you can get overwhelmed at deciding when to turn on the electric heater and when not to. It is necessary to have a smart thermostat that can be controlled remotely.
Let’s say you are away from home and get the news that it’s raining in your hometown, you can always turn on your garage heater from anywhere prior to coming back.
Geofencing
It is a feature where the smart thermostat will turn off the garage heater when your distance from home increases (you go away from home). This turns your ordinary garage heater into a truly smart device.
Integration with Smart Home Platforms
Integration with smart home systems and assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Homekit is a growing trend these days. Almost all newly available smart home devices in the market have smart home integration.
It truly is powerful to control your garage heater using voice assistants.
Budget-Friendliness/Price
Price is a great factor when choosing the right thermostat for your garage heater. In the list above, there are both high and low-budget thermostats. I urge you to choose a reasonable thermostat that is within your price range. Obviously, it’s not a wise decision to choose a device that costs you a fortune.
You can choose the one which is compatible with your garage heater as well as the one which suits your budget.
Conclusion
There you have it; the best smart thermostat for garage heater. They provide good value for money while catering to your garage needs.
I urge you to purchase the thermostat that is within your budget and fulfills your needs.
If you are looking for a smart thermostat for a garage heater that can be easily integrated with Alexa or other smart home assistants, I would recommend you the Ecobee smart thermostat.
If budget is a concern for you then you should go for Honeywell or Lux smart thermostat. I hope you make the right choice for yourself!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can you use a Smart thermostat with Electric heat?
2. Do smart thermostats work without Wi-Fi?
3. How many Smart thermostats do I need?
For most home owners, a single thermostat is enough to control the temperature of the entire home. Moreover, many Smart thermostats come with zonal control, which means you can create different zones in your home and set different temperature in them.
4. Are garage heaters worth it?
When you keep your car in a heated garage, there is no need to heat it before driving, which saves fuel! Moreover, the cars won’t get too cold during extreme winters and can start easily when kept in a heated garage. Hence, you won’t need to use alternate ways to start it even during extreme cold weather conditions.
