If you’re here, you’ve probably decided that you need to buy a new thermostat for your house. Well, you would be pleased to know that you have hit just the right place.
In this article, you will find the 10 best thermostats out there that are both affordable and durable. Plus, they have incredible features that will let you fully control the temperature in your room to make it as comfortable as possible.
There’s also a comprehensive guide toward the end to help you understand what you need to know before making a purchase.
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Here are my recommended products picked out through amazon you would be interested in depending on your budget…
10 Best Thermostat for Heat Pump with Auxiliary Heat Reviews
Here is my list of the Best Thermostat for Heat Pump with Auxiliary Heat in 2021;
1. Vine Thermostat Compatible with Alexa & Google Assistant
- Programmable: Yes.
- Second Stage Adjustment: 2H/2C heat pump
- HVAC Compatibility: Supports conventional and heat pump systems with Aux
- Screen size: 4.3 inches
- Wi-Fi enabled
- Large touch-screen display
- Has nightlight to make it easy to read at night
- Having a smartphone is necessary to operate the thermostat
Overview
With a beautiful and elegant user interface, the Vine TJ-919E is Wi-Fi-enabled, easy-to-use thermostat that is incredibly easy to install and comes with a high-end chip that allows for a highly stable connection.
It can be controlled remotely through various devices such as Alexa, Google assistant, or even your smartphone or laptop.
Not to mention that the thermostat is programmable and is compatible with 2 heat and 2 cool heat pumps with auxiliary heating. It is equipped with a large and bright 4.3-inch display that touch-enabled.
The screen displays the menu, humidity levels, temperature, heat and cool setpoint, and even the current date and time. There is also a nightlight feature that makes it easy for you to read in dim lights.
Although you don’t need a battery, you will still need to connect a C-wire to make sure it works.
2. iDevices Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat Alexa Compatible
- Programmable: Yes.
- Second Stage Adjustment: 2H/2C heat pump
- HVAC Compatibility: Supports heat pump systems with Aux
- Voice-control capabilities
- Elegant design
- It can be controlled from anywhere through the mobile app
- Compatible with both iOS and Android
- Requires a C-wire to operate
Overview
Having the ability to be voice-controlled through Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant, the iDevices IDEV0005AND5 FBA_2843481, is a Wi-Fi-enabled, smart thermostat that comes with great features and ensures your comfort no matter wherever you are.
The thermostat is compatible with heat pump systems with support for auxiliary heating that can work with 2-staged heating and cooling systems. It has separate O & B terminals along with fan control.
It runs on a 24VAC power supply and requires a C-wire to work properly.
But the best thing about this thermostat is that you can control it from anywhere through the smartphone app. It works with iOS and Android devices, and you can program it to fit your preferred schedule.
3. Heagstat Programmable Heat Pump Thermostat
- Programmable: 5-1-1
- Second Stage Adjustment: Yes
- HVAC Compatibility: 1 H/1 C Conventional, 2 H/1 C Heat Pump with Aux
- Screen Size: 4.5 inches
- Temperature Precision: +/-1°F
- Configurable for both gas and electric
- Has an air-filter change indicator
- Easily accessible battery compartment
- The instructions manual can be a bit tricky to follow.
Overview
The Heagstat H725 is a highly flexible and versatile heat pump thermostat that has several useful features to ensure that you get the comfort you deserve
Having support for both 1 heat/1 cool conventional and 2 heat/1 cool heat pumps, the thermostat comes equipped with a user-friendly interface featuring wake, leave, return, sleep, and programming icons.
And yes, the thermostat is programmable as well. To be more precise, it 5-1-1 day programmable, so you can rest assured that your heating system won’t cause you to incur extra bills.
It is a light-voltage dual-powered device, which can run either on batteries or on a 24VAC power supply. Installing batteries is incredibly easy as well due to an accessible battery compartment.
It requires standard AAA batteries to run or a hardwire if you want to run it on a power supply.
The H-725 comes with a clear and sharp 4.5 square-inch display with a white backlight and crisp fonts. The thermostat also has a battery and air filter change indicator, making it easier for you to maintain your heat pump and the thermostat itself.
In addition, it is compatible with auxiliary heating and has +/- 1°F temperature precision. Plus, you can configure it for either an electric system or a gas system. It also consists of a universal sub-base, so you can easily mount it on a wall or junction box.
Lastly, to ensure your heat pump does not get damaged in any way, the thermostat has a 5-minute compressor delay ensuring that the compressor does not restart right away after shutting it down.
4. Suuwer Programmable Smart Heat Pump Thermostat
- Programmable: 5-1-1
- Second Stage Adjustment: Yes
- HVAC Compatibility: Millivolt Conventional, 2 H/1 C Heat Pump with Aux
- Screen Size: 4.5 inches
- Temperature Precision: +/-1°F
- Dual-power support
- Has separate cooling and heating swing
- Compressor delay mechanism to avoid damage
- Batteries are not included
Overview
This one is almost the same as the Heagstat 725. Compatible with multi-stage 2 heat and 1 cool heat pumps, the Suuwer Smart thermostat is an easy-to-use, programmable thermostat that provides efficient temperature regulation round the clock.
Being 5-1-1 day programmable, the thermostat is quite efficient and does not spike those electricity bills. Also, it can be configured to work with heat pumps that are either electric or gas powered.
In addition, it can run on 2 AAA batteries or a 24VAC power supply without the need for a C-wire.
It features a 4.5 square inch LCD that has clear readings and indicators to allow for easy control, along with a bluish backlight, giving it a nice and sleek look.
There are indicators for low battery and air filter change and separate heating and cooling swing. The temperature precision is +/- 1°F, and the thermostat has separate B & O terminals.
It also has a 5-minute compressor delay to prevent any damage to the system. Also, it can work with millivolt conventional systems.
5. Saswell Thermostat for Heat Pump with Auxiliary Heat
- Programmable: No
- Second Stage Adjustment: Yes
- HVAC Compatibility: 2 H/1 C Heat Pump with Aux and Conventional System
- Temperature Precision: +/-1°F
- Bright LCD
- Has separate O and B terminals
- It can be powered using batteries
- Non-programmable
- Doesn’t support a milli-volt system
Overview
A simple-to-use lightweight low-voltage device, the Saswell thermostat is the ideal thing to make your room the most comfortable place you can be in.
It comes with a large LCD screen and a bright backlight with clear fonts that ensure you can easily see the contents on display. The display also features a low battery indicator and an air filter change indicator.
The thermostat is compatible with a 2 heat and 1 cool conventional system and a heat pump system with auxiliary support.
In addition, the Saswell thermostat runs on a 24VAC power supply, or you can even use 2 AA sized alkaline batteries to power it up.
Temperature control precision is +/-1°F, and there is a separate fan switch that can be switched to AUTO and free you from worrying about anything.
Although the installation is quite easy, you will need a C-Wire for this thermostat to work. However, if you are going to use batteries, then a C-Wire is not needed.
6. Honeywell Digital Heat/Cool Pump Thermostats
- Programmable: No
- Second Stage Adjustment: No
- HVAC Compatibility: 1 H/1 C Heat Pump with Aux
- Temperature Precision: +/-1°F
- An easy-to-use interface
- Convenient installation
- Doesn’t have multi-stage support
- Cannot run with heat pump with gas backup
Overview
If you like simple yet elegant things and do not have many superficial features, then Honeywell RTH3100C1002/E1 thermostat will give you what you need.
Of course, Honeywell is a well-known brand, and so you can rest assured that the thermostat is incredibly durable.
Featuring a surface with nice, smooth, and soft buttons, the thermostat offers moods for Off, Cool, Heat, and Emergency or Auxiliary heat.
It has a temperature precision of +/-1°F and can retain memory even after a power outage. Finally, it runs on a 24VAC power supply.
7. Emerson Non-Programmable Heat Pump Thermostat
- Programmable: No
- Second Stage Adjustment: Yes
- HVAC Compatibility: 2 H/1 C Heat Pump with Aux
- Screen Size: 4.5 inches
- Temperature Precision: +/-1°F
- Supports millivolt system
- Features a keypad lock
- Has a backlight button
- It is not programmable
Overview
Emerson 1F83H-21NP is an easily installable non-programmable thermostat that supports multi-stage 2 heat and 1 cool heat pump, along with other features that make it incredibly efficient to use.
Having a large clear LCD with a size of 4.5-inches, the thermostat has a keypad lock which ensures its safety and security.
It also has support for millivolt and 3-wire zone valve systems and features temperature accuracy of +/-1°F.
The thermostat works with a 24-Volt power supply and has a dual fuel option with Off, Cool, Heat, and Auxiliary modes, along with a switch for fans that can be turned to auto.
You can use both batteries or hardwire to power up the thermostat. Plus, the temperature range of the thermostat is 45 – 99°F.
8. Heagstat Non-Programmable Heat Pump Thermostat
- Programmable: No
- Second Stage Adjustment: Yes
- HVAC Compatibility: 2 H/1 C Heat Pump with Aux
- Screen Size: 4.5 inches
- Temperature Precision: +/-1°F
- Dual-powered
- Comes with indicators for low-battery and air filter change
- The thermostat is not programmable
- Instructions manual can be a bit confusing
Overview
Featuring a 4.5 square inch LCD screen with a white backlight and separate B & O terminals, the Heagstat H721 is the perfect heat pump thermostat that offers comfort, efficiency, and durability.
Like most other Heagstat thermostats, the H721 is compatible with 2 heat and 1 cool heat pump and comes with a battery compartment that can be easily accessed to install batteries.
You can configure it to work on gas and electric systems and power it up using a 24VAC power supply or AAA batteries.
There is a separate heating and cooling swing so it can easily adapt to the outside temperature. And the thermostat comes with separate B & O terminals, allowing for effective heating and cooling mechanisms.
In addition, the display also has an indicator for low battery and an air filter change. Plus, to keep things safe, a 5-minute compressor delay feature ensures that the compressor does not start too quickly after being shut down.
9. Google Nest Learning Programmable Smart Thermostat
- Programmable: Yes. Learns your schedule and temperature preferences automatically.
- Second Stage Adjustment: Yes
- HVAC Compatibility: Supports 95% of 24V HVAC systems.
- Temperature Precision: +/-1°F
- It can be controlled from an app
- Has an energy-saving mode
- You can view the history of energy consumption
- Easy to install
- A bit pricey
- Needs to be re-charged from time to time
Overview
With the Google Nest Learning thermostat, innovation is at its best. You might be thinking, how can one innovate something as simple as a thermostat. However, as with everything else with Google, technology knows no bounds.
The Google Nest Learning thermostat is a smart Wi-Fi-enabled device with a unique design and incredible features that truly make it a device from the future.
To start, the thermostat’s programming capabilities are undoubtedly marvelous. It is not the usually programmable thermostat where a single setting runs for a particular number of days.
Rather, Google’s thermostat actually learns the schedule you follow and the temperatures you prefer. Once that’s done, it automatically adjusts itself to your schedule and temperature preferences. This means the thermostat allows you to have enormous savings on your utility bills.
It also comes with a feature that allows it to switch to Eco Temperature mode whenever you are not at your home. This way, your HVAC system neither heats your house nor cools it down.
You can easily control it using your smartphone so you can virtually adjust the temperature from almost anywhere in the house.
And even if you want to adjust the temperature manually, you can conveniently turn the dial on it to change the settings. This adds a highly interactive touch to it.
The thermostat supports almost every 24V system that includes gas, electric, heat pump with and without aux, hot water, oil, solar you name it. In fact, the thermostat is claimed to work with 95% of the 24V HVAC systems.
It also supports 3-staged heating, and 2 staged cooling systems and came with capabilities that allow you to humidify or de-humidify your room.
Lastly, it comes with a beautiful display that shows the temperature of your room, the weather, and even the time. You can also view your energy use history on the app to see how much you’ve consumed and why.
10. Honeywell FocusPro Programmable Heat Pump Thermostat
- Programmable: Yes. 5-1-1 and 5-2
- Second Stage Adjustment: 2H/2C heat pump
- HVAC Compatibility: Supports conventional and heat pump systems with Aux
- Programmable at both 5-1-1 and 5-2
- Comes with an Adaptive Intelligent Recovery feature
- Large and clear display
- Supports 2-staged cooling as well
- Setting a swing to more than 2° may activate Aux. This can increase power consumption.
Overview
Honeywell features yet again in this list. And why wouldn’t it? It makes some real value-for-money products that give you the peace of mind that you deserve.
And so, the Honeywell TH6220 FocusPro 6000 is also a durable, lightweight, and efficient thermostat that will help you save up on those ever-rising utility bills.
First, the Honeywell TH6220 is 5-1-1 and 5-2 programmable and has compatibility with 2 stage and 2 cool heat pump systems.
In addition, the thermostat supports not only heat pumps but also conventional systems and runs on a 24 VAC power supply. Also, if you want, you can run it on batteries as well batteries come included!
The TH6220 also features Adaptive Intelligent Recovery, which means whatever the temperature you have programmed into the thermostat, it will reach it by the programmed time you have defined.
This is quite useful because you can get to your desired temperature within the time you set.
Buying Guide
Purchasing a thermostat is undoubted quite a technical thing to do. You need to know about the specifications of the thermostat and the heating system at your house.
Unfortunately, there aren’t many thermostats that claim to work with any type of system. You need first to identify what type of HVAC setup you have got in your home and then tune down the requirements for the thermostat that you would need.
The problem is aggravated due to the huge number of thermostats available in the market. After all, being in the thermostat business is quite profitable due to high demand – so it only makes sense to see so many thermostats in the market.
Because of this, you must read this buying guide before making a purchase. This is particularly true for those who have not had any experience before.
Such people will find this guide extremely beneficial as it clearly explains all the things you would need to know to buy the perfect thermostat for your house.
Experts may also benefit from this guide as it covers many other essential details that most people tend to miss out on.
Programmable vs. Non-Programmable
The very first that you should check in your thermostat is whether it is programmable or not. Basically, with a programmable thermostat, you can adjust how the temperature changes during the week or on weekends.
So, for instance, with a 5-1-1 programmable thermostat, you can have a different temperature setting for Monday till Friday, during different temperature settings for Saturday and Sunday.
This is quite useful since you can program the thermostat to adjust to a particular temperature on certain days. Not only does it make it easy for you to control, but you also save a lot on your bills.
That is, you won’t have to be adjusting the temperatures manually constantly. Once programmed, the thermostat will adapt itself by controlling the HVAC system to align with your temperature preferences.
There are also 5-2 programmable thermostats, which means that you get to set one temperature value for the Monday-Friday week and the other for Saturday and Sunday. So it’s a bit less flexible than the 5-1-1.
Of course, with many smart thermostats out there, you can get even more granularity where the thermostat keeps adapting to the outside temperature and keeps adjusting the room temperature automatically to what you like.
Support for Auxiliary Heat
Before understanding why you may need support for auxiliary heat, you should first know what an auxiliary heating system actually is.
Quite simply, the auxiliary heating system is kind of like an extra heating mechanism that turns on whenever your primary thermostat is unable to reach a certain room temperature. Auxiliary heat facility only comes with heat pumps.
For example, during frigid days, your primary heating system the heat pump may get very cold as well. In snowy weather, it is also likely that the heat pump accumulates snow. This is because the primary heat pump is placed outside your house.
When such things happen and heat your house quickly, you will turn up the thermostat temperature. But your primary heating system will take a long time to heat your house, given that it is quite cold itself.
This is where the role of the auxiliary heating system comes in. If your current room temperature is below or above two or three degrees than the temperature you have set on your thermostat, then the auxiliary heating system will give the heat pump a boost to quickly get to the set temperature.
For example, if your current room temperature is around 20°C and you have set the thermostat to 25°C, then the thermostat is likely to turn on auxiliary to reach this temperature value for the room quickly.
Now, not all heat pumps have an auxiliary heating unit. So make sure that when you get a thermostat with auxiliary heating support, you ensure that your heat pump has one as well.
Usually, thermostats that support auxiliary heating will be labeled as having support for Aux.
Just a word of caution, though. Thermostats that turn the auxiliary heating quickly will raise your heating bills because auxiliary heat takes a lot of power. So make sure the thermostat has a reasonable margin before it turns on auxiliary heating.
Multi-stage support
Your heat pump can either be single-staged or multi-staged. Basically, what this means is that if your heat pump is single-staged, then it will run on full force to get your room to your desired temperature.
However, with multi-staged systems, this is not the case. You can think of it as having different modes low, medium, and high. Single-staged heat pumps will either be completely off or operate at full force full hot or full cold.
But multi-staged systems, such as 2-staged heating heat pumps, can operate at either high speed or a low setting.
This means if the outside temperature is not that cold, it is advisable to switch your heat pump to low mode. This will ensure that it does not consume much power and warms up your room slowly and steadily.
There are 3-staged heating systems as well. With these, you can set your heat pump to either low, medium, or high.
Similarly, you can have heat pumps that have stages even for cooling. So, for example, 2-staged cooling would mean that you can set your heat pump to cool your house at either a low or high rate.
Quite obviously then, thermostats that support multi-staged heating should be purchased for heat pumps that have multi-staged heating or cooling. For example, a thermostat with 2H/1C support is compatible with heat pumps with 2-staged heating and single staged cooling capability.
Multi-stage heating systems are helpful in terms of saving energy. This is because they don’t operate at full speed all the time. Thermostats with multi-stage support will automatically adjust the heat pump to the appropriate stage.
Compatibility with different HVAC systems
HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning. There are many HVAC systems out there. Heat pumps are just one of them. There are air conditioners that can be used to both cool down or heat your room.
Some furnaces use forced air meaning they use the outside air to adjust the temperature of your room.
Of course, this guide is for heat pumps. Heat pumps can themselves work on either electricity or gas. You should check which one you have. Mostly, heat pumps nowadays work on electricity.
However, you should make sure that the thermostat has support for electric heat pumps. Manufacturers usually mention this by stating that the thermostat is configurable for both gas and electric systems.
You will also see most thermostats being advertised as having support for conventional systems. As the name suggests, conventional systems use conventional heating methods either oil or gas. And they are only used for heating, not cooling. Furnaces, for example, use gas, and so these are conventional systems.
Power
Power is all about the VAC your thermostat needs to operate. VAC stands for Voltage Alternating Current. There are again three types of thermostats that come with different VAC compatibility.
There are large-voltage thermostats that work on 120 V systems. These are usually electric baseboard heaters for large houses or areas.
Then there are low-voltage thermostats, which work with 24VAC systems. Heat pumps are low-voltage systems.
Lastly, there are millivolt systems such as small fireplaces that use gas or wall heaters. Heat pump thermostats usually have support for both low-voltage and millivolt systems. Millivolts usually mean around 1 volt.
Wi-Fi Capabilities and C-Wire
This is quite self-explanatory. Thermostats these days have wi-fi support. Such thermostats are usually classified as smart.
Although having Wi-Fi capabilities is not an essential part of a thermostat, thermostats with Wi-Fi require something called a C-wire to function.
A C-wire, also called a common wire, is just a separate wire that gives the thermostat constant electricity to keep everything working. This is because Wi-fi thermostats require more power so that the enhanced features can work properly.
Swing
The swing of a thermostat has to do with temperature regulation according to the room’s current temperature. There can be different swing settings for both heating and cooling.
So for example, if you have set the swing to +/- 0.25°F, and you have set the temperature of the thermostat to 80°F, then if your room temperature goes above 80.25°F, the thermostat will turn off heating to bring down the room temperature back to 80°F.
Similarly, if your room temperature goes below 79.75°F, the thermostat will turn off cooling to make sure the temperature rises to 80°F.
Now, the higher the swing, the lower the cycle rate and vice versa. You can have swings of +/-2°F. With this, the thermostat will turn the heating or cooling systems on and off less frequently, and you will have more variation in the temperature.
And so, you should check if your thermostat has separate swings for each of the heating and cooling systems. Also, you should know the swing values available on your thermostat.
If you like your room temperature to remain more or less constant, you should get a thermostat with lower swing values.
Conclusion
Buying a thermostat might seem a bit daunting at first, but reading this guide should help you understand the many nuances that go into buying the perfect thermostat for your home.
Thermostats now come in many shapes and sizes, with numerous features and functionalities. Some are indeed frivolous, while some are really essential.
This guide will help you differentiate between the two effectively. Indeed, a thermostat may have the perfect shape with all the right curves and a bright, colorful display, but it may well lack in the essentials and yet, carry a heavy price tag.
In the end, all that matters is that you know what you want as clearly as possible. The best advice would be to check your HVAC system’s specifications as thoroughly as possible and then go for a compatible thermostat.
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People Also Asked for a Thermostat
Here are a few questions answered that may be helpful for anyone going to buy a thermostat;
What is the Best Thermostat for Heat Pump with Auxiliary Heat?
Here is my list of the Best Thermostat for Heat Pump with Auxiliary Heat in 2022;
- Vine Thermostat Compatible with Alexa & Google Assistant
- iDevices Thermostat Wi-Fi Smart Alexa Compatible
- Heagstat Programmable Heat Pump Thermostat
- Suuwer Programmable Smart Heat Pump Thermostat
- Saswell for Heat Pump with Auxiliary Heat Thermostat
- Honeywell Digital Heat/Cool Pump Thermostats
- Emerson Thermostat Non-Programmable Heat Pump
- Heagstat Thermostat Non-Programmable Heat Pump
- Google Nest Learning Programmable Smart Thermostat
- Honeywell FocusPro Programmable Heat Pump Thermostat
Do you save on bills with a thermostat?
Well, it all depends on what type of thermostat you purchase. A thermostat reduces your heating costs by ensuring that your heating system does not consume much power all day.
With a programmable thermostat, you can configure it to ensure that it keeps the room at the required temperature without constantly putting a lot of pressure on the heat pump.
Can thermostats be installed by anyone?
Yes. In fact, most thermostat brands come with detailed instruction manuals and tutorial videos that help you install thermostats easily.
It does take around 30-minutes to do the actual installation. But it can be done by anyone. All you need to do is learn about the terminals and what they mean.
Terminals are basically the points on your thermostat where you connect the wires of the HVAC system to the thermostat.
Each terminal has a specific label. Each label means a certain thing. All you need to do is learn about those and then connect the right wire to the right terminal.
Do all thermostats require a C-wire?
No. But most thermostats with Wi-Fi capabilities do. So make sure that if you are buying a thermostat, you should check if your HVAC system has a C-Wire or if it can be installed.
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