Smart thermostat company Ecobee today announced the launch of a cheaper "Ecobee3 Lite" device that will deliver Ecobee's expected "superior comfort, control and energy savings" at $80 less than similar products from competitors, according to the company.

Similar to the flagship Ecobee 3 model, the Ecobee3 Lite has the same touchscreen controls and black aesthetic, and can be controlled from a smartphone through a connected Ecobee app. The cheaper model will also continue to support Apple's HomeKit platform, as well as Amazon Echo, Samsung SmartThings, Wink and IFTTT.

ecobee3-lite

“The new ecobee3 lite delivers the many features of a premium smart thermostat – beautiful design, superior comfort and an intuitive customer experience – but it’s kinder to our customers’ wallets than leading competitors,” said Stuart Lombard, President and CEO of ecobee. “ecobee3 lite upholds our continued promise to make customer’s lives simpler and better.”

To offset the entry-level cost, the Ecobee3 Lite loses a few features included with its $250 counterpart. Namely, the Lite isn't compatible with the company's room sensors, which Ecobee says help the system become smarter with additional sensors placed in multiple rooms so that the thermostat can accumulate a total view of a home's temperature level. Ecobee3 Lite also lacks smart occupancy detection, and doesn't support accessories like humidifiers, dehumidifiers, and ventilators.

In the United States, users will be able to purchase the Ecobee3 Lite beginning on October 31 for $169. The smart thermostat will be available at retail exclusively at Home Depot locations, and online at Amazon.com, HomeDepot.com, BestBuy.com and Ecobee.com. Canadian users will be able to buy the device for $219 (CAD) on Ecobee's website. To make sure your system is compatible with Ecobee, the company has created a compatibility checker.

Tag: Ecobee

Top Rated Comments

JKColo22 Avatar
93 months ago
I bought an Ecobee3 earlier this year and returned it a week later. I bought it for the concept of the remote sensors all over the house, but every sensor was at least 6 degrees off compared to my infrared thermometer.

Since the thermostat couldn't do something as fundamentally basic as report the correct temperature, I returned it and bought a Nest 3rd gen. Was bummed that I lost Homekit compatibility, but I discovered Homebridge and got it back.
I love my EcoBee. Temperatures seem to be dead on. I'm skeptical how you were measuring ambient air temperatures with an IR thermometer, which are designed for measuring surface temperatures. The walls and floors of a room are not going to give you an accurate reflection of the air inside the room.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PhoenixDown Avatar
93 months ago
Only mildly on topic, but... are these smart thermostats worth buying if you have heat but no central AC?
I have a NEST in an older home with steam heating system (natural gas furnace). I really like the option to log in through the APP and bump up or down the temperature but because my house takes so long to heat up, I found I don't change the temps much. Yes I may have it higher in the morning and lower in the evening but not much outside that.

edit: On the NEST I like the monthly report showing how I am doing on usage against other NEST customers in the area. I also like the web view option for setting tempatures and times - supports a 7 day schedule iirc. It's a huge step up from my old as sin "pin and dial" honeywell unit.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thisisnotmyname Avatar
93 months ago
I'm a big fan of my Ecobee Home Kit capable devices, nice to see them become even more accessible (price-wise).
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Alexlfm Avatar
93 months ago
I bought an Ecobee3 earlier this year and returned it a week later. I bought it for the concept of the remote sensors all over the house, but every sensor was at least 6 degrees off compared to my infrared thermometer.

Since the thermostat couldn't do something as fundamentally basic as report the correct temperature, I returned it and bought a Nest 3rd gen. Was bummed that I lost Homekit compatibility, but I discovered Homebridge and got it back.
I flat out don't believe this. Either you did something massively wrong (apart from using an IR thermometer to measure ambient temps), you used a defective thermometer, your ecobee unit was faulty, and/or you wanted the ecobee to fail from the start. All of my sensors are within .5 - 1 degrees F when compared to a known calibrated thermometer (compared both to higher end HVAC equipment and my fluke IR that I use for my racing car). I don't know what you were measuring with your IR thermometer but unless you measured objects like tables, chairs, etc. it is doubtful you got an accurate reading. Outside walls obviously often leak and inside walls/floors often have poorly sealed HVAC lines which leak causing temp. variations. Compared to my higher end, multi sensor carrier system I had before the ecobee is actually more accurate by around 1 degree F.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Le Big Mac Avatar
93 months ago
Only mildly on topic, but... are these smart thermostats worth buying if you have heat but no central AC?

We're buying our "last house" now and I plan to go deep on smart home automation where possible. Central AC will be added eventually but can't afford it right now.
Yes. You still get the benefits with respect to heat during the winter. Set back at night; warm up during the day; all controllable in the same way as with A/C. Obviously not much benefit during AC season, but that's for the future!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
noah82 Avatar
93 months ago
I bought an Ecobee3 earlier this year and returned it a week later. I bought it for the concept of the remote sensors all over the house, but every sensor was at least 6 degrees off compared to my infrared thermometer.

Since the thermostat couldn't do something as fundamentally basic as report the correct temperature, I returned it and bought a Nest 3rd gen. Was bummed that I lost Homekit compatibility, but I discovered Homebridge and got it back.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

iOS 17.2 Will Add These 12 New Features to Your iPhone

Friday December 1, 2023 12:19 pm PST by
iOS 17.2 has been in beta testing for over a month, and it should be released to all users in a few more weeks. The software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones, including the dozen that we have highlighted below. iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in mid-December. To learn about even more features coming in the update, check out our full list. Journal ...
anker new xmas 1

Anker's Cyber Week Sale Enters Final Days With Up to 60% Off Sitewide

Friday December 1, 2023 12:05 pm PST by
Anker's Black Friday/Cyber Week event is entering its final days this weekend, and it's still offering up to 60 percent off sitewide. There are also a few "mystery boxes" that can include hundreds of dollars in savings, if you're willing to risk not knowing what you're buying ahead of time. All of these sales will end on December 3. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you...
top stories 2dec2023

Top Stories: iOS 17.1.2 Released, NameDrop Misinformation, and More

Saturday December 2, 2023 6:00 am PST by
Apple employees are back to work following a Thanksgiving break, and that means this week saw a number of new operating system updates for both public release and beta testing. This week also saw some misinformation about Apple's new NameDrop feature making the rounds, while Apple and Goldman Sachs appear to be on the verge of a break-up in their Apple Card and savings account partnership,...
General Apps Messages

Green Bubbles on iPhone to Gain These 7 New Features Next Year

Thursday November 30, 2023 9:00 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple announced that it will finally support RCS in the Messages app on the iPhone starting later next year. This change will result in several improvements to the messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices. RCS will become the new default standard for messaging between iPhones and Android devices, but these conversations will still have green bubbles like...
m2 macbook air green

Get Apple's M2 MacBook Air and M3 MacBook Pro for Record Low Prices

Friday December 1, 2023 6:59 am PST by
Best Buy is discounting a collection of MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models to all-time low prices today. We're tracking these deals below in addition to great discounts on the Apple Pencil 2 and Apple Watch Ultra 1. MacBook Air Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the...
iPhone 16 Mock Header Updated 1

iPhone 16 to Include Action Button Across Entire Lineup

Thursday November 30, 2023 4:08 pm PST by
The release of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max saw the introduction of an entirely new user-configurable button known as the Action button, and now, MacRumors has seen extensive evidence confirming Apple is planning to include the Action button on the entire iPhone 16 range. Designs and plans for the Action button date back to at least 2021, as the button was intended for release alongside hapt...