Nest--A Learning Thermostat Making your Life Better

Want to save money on your energy bill?  Who doesn't?  With Nest's learning thermostat not only can you save money, but the thermostat learns your habits over the first week of use and it creates a schedule for you based on your usage.  Talk about technology making your life better!

Why do you need a $250 thermostat when yours works just fine?

According to the US Energy Information Administration, 42% of our energy use comes from heating our homes. 

 Nest just announced on Feb 2nd that they have been studying energy use and cost savings benefits for the past 2 years with 3 different studies.  When averaged together, these studies show that the Nest thermostat's automatic temperature program reduces heating costs by about 10% and cooling by about 15%.  What does this mean for you?  This translates to an average savings of $131-145 per year.  That means that in just two years, the thermostat will have paid for itself.  (Learn more of what Nest has to say about the studies.)  

Want to know how much you could be saving?  Use the savings calculator by Nest to get an estimate.

How does the Nest work?

Once you have installed it, which by the way takes a mere 30 minutes, you simply adjust the dial ring on the Nest to adjust the temperature up or down.  It starts to learn what temperatures you like and within a week builds a personalized schedule for you.  With features like Auto-Away, the Nest thermostat automatically turns your home to an energy-efficient temperature while you're gone.  And not to worry, if your schedule temporarily changes, you can make simple adjustments that won't affect your weekly schedule.  Another great feature is that you can access your thermostat away from home using the Nest app or through the Web.  That means that if you know you will be home early, you can raise the temperature remotely so that your home is nice and toasty for you when you arrive.  There is also a Nest Leaf that appears when you are saving energy--even 1 degree difference can cut your energy use by up to 5%.  You can even set it up to check your daily energy history or have a monthly energy report emailed to you with a summary of your usage and tips on ways to save.  As the seasons change, Nest will start building a new schedule for you and Airwave kicks in to help lower your AC costs.  You can also use the web interface to create your own schedule.

Want to know more about the Nest Thermostat?  Visit their website.

Summary:

The price point is a bit high at $250 but being able to recoup your cost in energy savings within 2 years certainly makes it worth considering. Add to that the ability to remotely manage the settings over the internet or through an app on your phone or tablet and you just may be on to something.  The easy installation and steps to having it learn your habits makes it appeal to those who like to keep it simple.  Being able to view your energy usage and view areas for potential savings gives you a product that does indeed make your  life better, with minimal effort on your part.

Check out PC Mag's review here and find out why they voted it the Editor's Choice for home automation devices.