In general, every programmable thermostat comes with four pre-programmed settings and maintains those settings within two degrees. Many qualified models also come with additional features, such as:
- Digital, backlit displays
- Touchpad screen programming
- Voice and/or phone programming
- Hold/Vacation features
- Indicators which tell you when it’s time to change air filters
- Indicators that signal malfunctioning of heating/cooling systems
- Adaptive Recovery/ Smart Recovery features — control features that sense the amount of time it will take to reach the next set-point temperature, and reach desired temperatures by the set time
How Do You Choose the Right One for You?
To decide which model is best for you, think about your schedule and how often you are away from home for regular periods of time — work, school, other activities — and then decide which of the four different models best fits your schedule: the wifi , the 7-day, 5+2-day, or the 5-1-1-day.
Wifi models are the latest technology, A wireless thermostat—also called a WiFi thermostat, digital thermostat or Internet thermostat. The best WiFi thermostats might contain sensors which control the heating and cooling systems within houses, apartments or businesses. A WiFi thermostat works with your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system and can be adjusted from a remote location.
7-day models are best if your daily schedule tends to change, say if children are at home earlier on some days. They give you the most flexibility, and let you set different programs for different days — usually with four possible temperature periods per day.
5+2-day models use the same schedule every weekday and another for weekends.
5-1-1 models are best if you tend to keep one schedule Monday through Friday and another schedule on Saturdays and Sundays.
To choose the most suitable programmable thermostat, I think we should find out our needs and preferences. For instance, what time are we home? When do we come back home from work? How long do you often stay at home? Depending on your different answers, you will choose the best one. Normally, I recognize that we tend to pick up Wifi models so that we can control the temp whenever we use. But, in case you want to all models in one thermostat, it’s okay to look for Honeywell RTH9580WF (one of the excellent devices from Honeywell, in my opinion).
Overall, your post is informative about different models to choose. Good job, buddy!