Amazon has slashed the price of a smart thermostat that shoppers are calling a "game changer" for slashing heating bills. The Google Nest Learning Thermostat 3rd Generation's price has been cut from £219 to £139, offering customers an £80 saving in a time-limited deal, and it even undercuts Argos' sale price by £30.
This clever device is designed to save you cash on energy bills by "learning" your home's temperature patterns, such as turning down when no one's home and understanding how quickly your house heats up or how draughty it is, ensuring it only uses the energy it needs. It features a large, bright display that activates when it detects you nearby and has reportedly saved over 4 billion kWh of energy globally since its 2011 debut, per Google.
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You can also control it from anywhere using its accompanying app, and it's not just customers who are impressed; experts have given their nod too. TechRadar hailed the Google Nest Learning Thermostat as the Best Smart Thermostat 2024 for its perfect mix of style and intelligence, declaring it the top choice for smart thermostats available, saying it "should save you money in the long run."
TechRadar also advised getting a professional to install the thermostat, which will likely incur an additional cost. If you are seeking a more budget-friendly and simple option, the tech experts recommend the Drayton Wiser Smart Heating Room Thermostat - although with the Nest's current sale offer, this isn't significantly cheaper with a price tag of £101.98 on Amazon.
This Google gadget is smashing it with an average 4.4-star rating from over 8,000 reviews on Amazon, reports Chronicle Live.
One thrilled buyer gushed it's a "no-brainer" to snap up, sharing a glowing five-star review: "Prior to installing Nest, for years my house has been either too hot or too cold and rarely at just the right temperature. Now, less than two days after installation, I can accurately control the temperature inside my house so that it feels comfortable all the time."
Meanwhile, another content customer was all praise, saying: "Love this gadget, game changer! I had it installed by a professional. Really easy to use, the functions are great, can be used and controlled from your smartphone. The climate control feature is excellent, helps keep your home at a controlled temperature so it doesn't get too hot or cold!"
A third person enthused: "Absolutely love this device, since installing it not only do I no longer have that annoying clicking that my old thermostat had when turning on and off but I also have a warmer home as it seems much more accurate at reading the actual room temps. I also have a much more energy-efficient home, proven by my last few months' worth of energy bills."
Meanwhile, another satisfied customer shared: "Amazing looking bit of technology, simple to use with a reliable app to control. Heating bill has reduced significantly and recovered the cost of purchase since being installed on energy savings."
However, it wasn't all glowing reviews. A critical Amazon shopper reported issues with their unit, saying: "It aims to 'pre-heat' in order to reach your target daytime temperature by the time you have set. The slow build-up means that it may come on very early in the morning, leaving you sweating in bed with a hot radiator."
Another user expressed disappointment, noting: "The learning function only seemed to learn for a week or so, it doesn't adjust as you do throughout the year. I work from home so I can appreciate it could have a harder time working out schedules, but it should still be able to learn changes and it just seems to have given up."
Despite some negative feedback, 72% of Amazon shoppers gave the thermostat a five-star rating, although not everyone was impressed by its performance.
If you're keen to give smart heating a whirl but don't fancy forking out for the Google Nest, Screwfix's top-selling alternative is the Tado V3+ Wireless Heating and Hot Water Smart Thermostat Starter Kit, priced at a more affordable £84.99.
However, it's worth bearing in mind that the Google Nest is the retailer's second most popular product and boasts a higher average rating of 4.6 out of five stars compared to Tado's 4.0, so it might be worth splashing the extra cash.