Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you buy through one of them, Wired Dwelling may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
I have an Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium in my own home, along with one of Ecobee’s remote SmartSensors. After using both, I think the remote sensor is the feature that does the most to improve everyday comfort. The thermostat itself is easy to control and works well with Apple Home, but its real advantage is being able to measure the temperature where people actually spend their time, instead of only in the hallway where the thermostat happens to be mounted.
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium is still Ecobee’s top model in 2026. It includes a room SmartSensor, a large touchscreen, occupancy sensing, an indoor-air-quality monitor, Alexa built in and support for Apple Home, Google Assistant and Samsung SmartThings. Ecobee currently lists it at $259.99, although utility rebates and retail discounts can change the actual cost considerably.
It is a strong choice for a house with uneven temperatures, an Apple Home setup or a homeowner who likes to see detailed HVAC information. It is harder to justify if you only want a basic schedule and remote temperature control.
The Short Answer: Is the Ecobee Premium Worth It?
The Premium is worth considering with its included SmartSensor or Apple Home integration. Those are the two features I would miss most if I replaced it with a cheaper thermostat.
It makes less sense when every room stays at roughly the same temperature, you do not use voice assistants, and you have no interest in air-quality estimates or Ecobee’s security services. Ecobee’s less expensive models can still provide scheduling, app control and the main eco+ energy features.
One detail is easy to miss when comparing thermostats: the Premium includes one SmartSensor in the box. A separate two-pack costs about $100 at Ecobee’s regular price. If you already planned to buy a sensor, that narrows the effective price gap between the Premium and a lower model.
What Comes in the Box
The package includes the thermostat, backplate, trim plate, one SmartSensor with its stand and wall-mounting hardware, and a Power Extender Kit. The PEK can power many compatible conventional HVAC systems that have at least four thermostat wires but no connected C wire.
Do not assume the PEK works with every two-wire, heat-only, dual-transformer or unusual HVAC system. Ecobee has an online compatibility checker, and it is worth using before disconnecting the existing thermostat. Take a clear picture of the original wiring and label every wire before removing anything.
Anyone uncomfortable working around an HVAC control board should have an HVAC technician install it. Turning off the furnace or air handler at the service switch and breaker is important because a thermostat wire can damage a transformer or control board if it shorts during installation.
Installing and Setting Up the Ecobee Premium
The physical installation is straightforward on a compatible low-voltage system:
- Turn off power to the HVAC equipment.
- Photograph the old thermostat wiring and label each wire by its terminal.
- Remove the old backplate and mount the Ecobee backplate.
- Connect the wires to the matching Ecobee terminals.
- Attach the display, restore power and follow the prompts on the screen.
- Add the thermostat to the Ecobee app and confirm that the detected equipment matches the actual system.
The last step deserves attention. Verify whether the home has a furnace, boiler or heat pump; the number of heating and cooling stages; and whether the thermostat or the HVAC equipment controls the fan. An incorrect equipment choice can cause poor performance and, in some cases, equipment problems.
I would also avoid changing Ecobee’s advanced threshold settings immediately. Settings such as compressor minimum outdoor temperature, minimum equipment runtime and staging behavior affect how the HVAC system operates. Give the thermostat time to run with the standard configuration, then change an advanced setting only when there is a specific problem to solve.
How I Use the SmartSensor
My thermostat is paired with an Ecobee SmartSensor, which reports temperature and occupancy from another room. This matters because the temperature at the thermostat is not always representative of the entire house. Sun exposure, exterior walls, closed doors, supply vents and even the floor of the house can create several degrees of difference from one room to another.
Ecobee can average the readings from selected sensors for each Comfort Setting. For example, the daytime Home setting can consider the thermostat and living-room sensor, while the Sleep setting can use the bedroom sensor. That is more useful than letting the hallway thermostat control the whole house overnight.
Placement makes a noticeable difference. Put the sensor about five feet above the floor in an area with normal airflow. Keep it away from direct sun, exterior doors, windows, lamps, electronics and supply vents. A sensor on a warm media cabinet or directly across from an air-conditioning vent will give the thermostat misleading information.
The room SmartSensor does not connect directly to household Wi-Fi. It communicates with the thermostat using its own low-power wireless connection. If it disconnects, moving the sensor or thermostat closer, checking the battery and removing major obstructions are more relevant than changing the router’s 2.4 GHz settings.
The Settings I Would Configure First
Build a realistic schedule
Set Home, Away and Sleep temperatures that reflect the times the house is normally occupied. A schedule with modest changes is easier on comfort than aggressive temperature swings. Large setbacks can also be counterproductive for some heat pumps or slow-recovery systems.
Choose sensors for each Comfort Setting
Open each Comfort Setting and select the rooms that should influence the temperature. For Sleep, I care more about the bedroom reading than the hallway. During the day, averaging the main living areas may be more comfortable.
Review Follow Me before enabling it
Follow Me gives more weight to rooms where occupancy has recently been detected. It can work well in a home where people move between rooms. It may be less predictable when someone sits very still, a pet triggers occupancy, or several rooms remain occupied. I prefer starting with deliberate sensor participation and adding Follow Me only if it improves the result.
Set up alerts and reminders
Configure high- and low-temperature alerts, humidity alerts and filter reminders. A low-temperature warning can be particularly useful in a Massachusetts winter because it may provide early notice of an HVAC problem before pipes are at risk.
Treat eco+ as a group of options
eco+ is not a single all-or-nothing behavior. Its features can include Smart Home & Away, Schedule Assistant, Adjust for Humidity, Time of Use and Community Energy Savings. Availability depends on the home and utility. Review each option separately so the thermostat does not make changes you did not expect.
Does It Really Save Money?
Ecobee says the Premium can save up to 26 percent on heating and cooling costs. That is a manufacturer claim, not a guaranteed result for every home. The savings depend on the old thermostat, previous habits, climate, insulation, HVAC efficiency and the temperatures you choose.
A homeowner replacing a fixed 72-degree setting with a sensible schedule has more room to save than someone who already used an efficient programmable thermostat. At Massachusetts energy prices, avoiding unnecessary heating and cooling can still matter, but the thermostat cannot overcome leaky windows, poor insulation or inefficient HVAC equipment.
The most useful approach is to compare runtime over similar weather rather than assuming the thermostat has paid for itself. Ecobee’s Home Energy Reports show system runtime, indoor temperature, humidity and outdoor conditions. Look for several weeks of data and compare days with similar temperatures.
If reducing consumption is the main goal, combine the thermostat with basic improvements such as air sealing, a clean filter and a reasonable schedule. Our beginner’s guide to smart energy savings covers the other devices that can help without making the house inconvenient.
Apple Home and Voice Assistant Support
The Ecobee Premium works well in Apple Home. I can view the current temperature, change the set point and include the thermostat in scenes and automations. Alexa is built into the thermostat, while Siri voice control requires a compatible Apple home hub and the necessary Apple software setup.
The Premium also supports Google Assistant and Samsung SmartThings. Ecobee does not currently list Matter among the Premium’s supported smart-home integrations, so I would not buy it expecting native Matter support. Its direct Apple Home integration already covers the functions most Apple users need.
For anyone trying to reduce dependence on cloud services, it is also important to understand the limitation: the thermostat can continue basic HVAC control if the internet goes down, but app access, remote control, weather data and other online features will be limited. I explain that distinction in more detail in how to build a smart home that works without internet.
What the Air-Quality Monitor Can and Cannot Tell You
The built-in monitor shows an overall indoor-air-quality rating and can alert you when conditions worsen. I see it as a trend indicator. It can draw attention to a change caused by cooking, cleaning products or limited ventilation, and the thermostat can offer suggestions.
It is not a substitute for dedicated safety equipment or a calibrated air monitor. Continue to use properly placed smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms. Anyone who needs precise particulate, carbon-dioxide or radon measurements should use a device designed for that specific pollutant.
This distinction is important because the thermostat presents air quality in an easy-to-read format, but a simple rating cannot diagnose the source of a problem by itself.
Privacy and Subscription Features
Basic thermostat scheduling, remote control, sensor-based comfort and energy reports do not require an Ecobee Smart Security subscription. Some home-monitoring functions, such as expanded security alerts and professional monitoring, are part of Ecobee’s optional security plans.
The thermostat still sends information through Ecobee’s online services for app and cloud features. Use a unique password, enable two-factor authentication, keep account recovery information current and review any utility program before enrolling. Community Energy Savings or a demand-response program may allow temporary temperature adjustments during periods of high grid demand, usually with a way to opt out or override an event.
I would not place the thermostat on a guest network automatically. Many guest networks isolate devices from the local network, which can interfere with discovery or smart-home integration. A dedicated IoT network can improve separation when it is configured to allow the specific local communication your system needs.
Problems I Would Check First
If the house feels too warm or cold, compare the thermostat and SmartSensor readings and check which sensors participate in the active Comfort Setting. A sensor near a vent or sunny window is a common cause of confusing behavior.
If the system runs past the displayed set point, check whether Adjust for Humidity, Smart Recovery or another eco+ feature is active. Ecobee may begin heating or cooling before a scheduled change so the house reaches the target at the scheduled time.
If the thermostat repeatedly restarts, loses power when the equipment runs or displays wiring errors, shut the system down and recheck the C-wire or PEK installation. Those symptoms deserve more attention than an app reset.
If Apple Home stops responding, first confirm that the Ecobee app still controls the thermostat. That separates an HVAC or Ecobee connection problem from an Apple Home problem. Then check the home hub and the thermostat’s network connection.
Ecobee Premium Pros and Cons
The strongest parts of the Premium are the included room sensor, flexible scheduling, useful runtime data, Apple Home support and a clear touchscreen. The metal body and glass front also look better than many thermostats, although appearance alone is not a reason to spend more.
The main drawbacks are the high regular price, reliance on online services for remote features, optional subscription prompts and an air-quality display that is better for trends than precise measurements. There is also no native Matter support listed by Ecobee as of September 2026.
Final Verdict
After living with the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium, I would buy it for room-by-room comfort rather than for the voice assistant or the promise of a specific percentage of savings. The included SmartSensor solves a real problem in homes where the thermostat is mounted in a location that does not match the rooms people actually use.
The Premium is a particularly good fit for Apple Home users and households with hot or cold rooms. A less expensive Ecobee is the better value when a remote sensor, air-quality trends and the upgraded display will go unused.
Before buying, run the HVAC wiring through Ecobee’s official compatibility checker and look for a local utility rebate. Then plan the sensor placement and Comfort Settings before judging the results. Those details have a larger effect on day-to-day comfort than most of the features printed on the box.
Related Articles
For more ways to reduce HVAC costs, read Smart Thermostats in 2026: Which Ones Actually Save You Money?. You may also want What to Do When the Wi-Fi Goes Out and How to Protect Your Smart Home From Being Hacked.