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If you are looking for a way to efficiently heat or cool your home while still saving money, then a smart thermostat might be your best bet. These gadgets allow you to control the temperature in your home from your smartphone, tablet, or other mobile devices. Thereâs a wide range of thermostats out there to choose from, but the two big names in home automation are the Nest E and Honeywell Lyric Round 2.0.
Both these gadgets have their own unique features. Hereâs a detailed comparison of the two to help you decide which to choose.
DESIGN
The Nest Thermostat E
The Nest E is made of polycarbonate, a thermoplastic material that is more durable than regular plastic. It comes in a frosty white color that gives it the ability to blend in with white walls.
With the Nest E, you can turn the display section, and then press it down to choose a language, connect it to Wi-Fi, and enter information about your home and system. The Nest E can learn your habits and adjust the temperature of your home automatically.
The Honeywell Lyric Round 2.0
The Honeywell Lyric Round 2nd Generation has a similar round shape to the Nest E. It comes in a white color and has a touchscreen display. The Honeywell Lyric round has a somewhat sleeker design and comes with a spin wheel.
Basic Information
| Name | Nest E | Lyric Round 2nd Generation | |
| Part# | T4###** | RCH9310WF5003 | |
| Size | Diameter: 3.19 in (8.1 cm) Height: 1.14 in (2.89 cm) | Height: 0.79 in./2.0 cm Length: 3.78 in./9.6 cm Width: 3.78 in./9.6 cm | |
| Weight | 4.9 Oz | 4.8 Oz | |
| Inbox | Display Base Wall screws Trim plate | Thermostat Wall plate Optional wall cover Screws Anchors | |
| Wi-Fi connection | 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz, 802.11a/n 5GHz 802.15.4 @ 2.4GHz | 2.4GHz Wi-Fi in DHCP mode only | |
| Standby power | 0.04 | 0.18 | |
| Subscription | Free | Free |
The table above shows the basic features of each thermostat. The Nest E weighs in at 4.9 oz. with an 8.1 cm width and a height of 2.89 cm. The package comes with the thermostat display, the base, wall screws, and a trim plate. It operates at Wi-Fi frequencies up to 5GHz and has a very low standby power of 0.04W.
The Lyric Round is slightly lighter at 4.8 oz., measuring in at 9.6 cm wide and a height of 2 cm. The package contains the thermostat, a wall plate, an optional wall cover, screws, and anchors. It operates on a Wi-Fi frequency of 2.4 GHz in DHCP mode only. It has a standby power of 0.18W, more than three times that of the Nest E.
FEATURES
THE SIMILARITIES
Installation
Both devices are very easy to install. Honeywell provides straightforward instructions on where connect all wires to the Lyric. Nest has a compatibility check tool on their website that makes their thermostats incredibly simple to install and set up.
Smart Home/Away
Both thermostats have the smart Home/Away feature, though they each use different technology. The Lyric uses geofencing, while the Nest E uses phone tracking technology along with the Family Account feature.
Remote Control
Both thermostats allow you to control the temperature from virtually anywhere using a WI-FI capable mobile device.
IOS and Android Support
You can control each of these thermostats from both Android and IOS devices with ease. The Lyric works with phones or tablets using Android 4.2 and above or IOS 8.4 and above.
Smart Cues
Both the thermostats have smart cue functionalities that provide you with updates on the status of your HVAC system.
Other Controls
Both the Nest E and the Lyric allow you to adjust temperatures based on the humidity in your home. The Nest E uses the airwave feature, and the Lyric uses the fine tune feature.
THE DIFFERENCES
The Nest E offers a âNest leafâ?feature
By using the â?a href=”https://nest.com/blog/2012/12/14/understanding-the-nest-leaf/”>Nest Leafâ?feature of the Nest E, you can easily track when you do something that saves energy. It is there to lead you towards more efficient temperatures and rewards you when you achieve that goal. Over time, you will start making smarter temperature control choices without needing to think much about it.
The Nest E also has filter reminders that notify you when you need to change your air filters. With its heat pump balance, you can make the most of your heating system by minimizing the use of expensive âauxiliary heat.â?/p>
This is not a feature of the Honeywell Lyric Round 2nd Generation thermostat.
The Nest E offers Family Accounts for controlling the thermostat
Unlike the Honeywell Lyric Round, the Nest E allows you to create family accounts. This gives your family greater control over the temperature in your home. These accounts give up to 10 people access to the Nest thermostat in your home by using the Nest app. Each family member has a separate account with unique login information, and you can easily add or remove people from your family account as needed.
With this feature, each member of your family can control the Nest, receive updates from Nest Protect, monitor activities via the Nest Cam, and receive their own copy of the monthly Home Report.
Home/Away Feature
Nest E: The Home/Away Assist feature of this thermostat uses built-in activity sensors and learning algorithms to determine if anyone is at home. This feature also uses the location of your phone to determine if you or an authorized user is in the home. It works alongside the Family Account feature; once you or a family member opts into the plan, it allows Home/Away Assist to use data from each personâs phone to determine if anyone is at home. With this feature, Home/Away will only change to an âawayâ?state if no one is home.
Honeywell Lyric Round: This thermostat uses geofencing technology to know if you are home. It determines when you are home by detecting the distance of your phone app relative to the location of your home.
The downside to this is that the geofencing technology depends on Honeywellâs servers. So, if the companyâs servers are down, the technology doesnât work. Also, if you donât have the app, then you donât have access to an auto-detect motion sensor.
Other Differences
| Feature | Nest E | Honeywell Lyric |
| Room Sensor | YES | NO |
| Energy saving Report | YES | NO |
| Estimated energy savings | 20% | Variable |
| Live local weather | NO | YES |
| Weather forecast | NO | 12 hours |
| Web portal | YES | NO |
| Apple HomeKit | NO | YES |
| Amazon Alexa | YES | YES |
| Google Assistant | YES | NO |
| Warranty (years) | 1 | 5 |
HVAC COMPATIBILITY
The Lyric is compatible with a wide variety of HVAC systems. It does not, however, work with electric baseboard heat (120 â?240V).
You can install the Lyric on most applications without a âCâ?common wire. You only do this when youâre not using HomeKit. This functionality is unique to the Lyric Round thermostat. All other Honeywell WI-FI thermostats need a âCâ?wire.
The Nest E comes with a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery or a C-wire. It is compatible with most 24V systems, including variable speed, heat pump, forced air, radiant systems, and common fuel types, such as natural gas, electricity, and oil. Professional installation is best for dual fuel systems (heat pump with furnace). You can check your systemâs compatibility at www.nest.com/works.
COST
The Nest E costs $169, which is $30 cheaper than the Lyric costing $199. Also bear in mind that some utility companies offer rebates for energy saving thermostats, so it is worth checking with your local utility company for potentially higher savings.
WHATâS THE VERDICT?
While both the Nest Thermostat E and the Lyric Round have some attractive features, the Nest E wins based on our analysis. Overall, the Nest has a much better design and far more features than the Lyric. The Nest Thermostat E has undergone added product refinement and is more affordable.
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