Heat pump systems
The Best Smart Thermostats for Heat Pumps (2027)
Smart thermostats for heat pump systems in 2027: aux heat control and efficiency compared.
The short answer
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium is the best heat pump thermostat: its aux heat lockout controls prevent expensive resistance heat from firing unnecessarily. The Nest 4th Gen Heat Pump Balance is the simpler automatic alternative.
Our top picks at a glance
- Ecobee Smart Thermostat PremiumRoom sensors, air quality, and voice built in.Best for heat pumps
- Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen)The learning pioneer, refined with radar and polish.Best learning for heat pumps
- Honeywell Home T9 Smart ThermostatRoom sensors done right for tricky floor plans.Best sensors for heat pumps
- Amazon Smart ThermostatAlexa-powered savings at a budget price.Best budget
- Emerson Sensi Touch 2A touchscreen thermostat that often skips the C-wire.Best without a C-wire
- Google Nest ThermostatThe budget Nest with a mirrored face.Best budget Google option
- Ecobee ecobee3 liteEcobee smarts without the premium price.Best mid-range value
- Ecobee Smart Thermostat EssentialThe cheapest Ecobee that still does the job.Best budget Ecobee
- Emerson Sensi LiteNo-frills smart control for standard systems.Best simple budget pick
- Emerson Sensi Smart Thermostat (ST55)The original Sensi: no C-wire in most homes, heat pump ready.Heat pump ready, budget price
What owners report
Synthesized from recurring themes in long-term owner feedback.
Most praised
- Models with occupancy aware sensors help a heat pump prioritise lived in rooms on cold mornings
- Geofencing and optimisation features reduce the long, expensive runtimes heat pumps are known for
Common complaints
- Owners must confirm auxiliary heat behaviour and wiring, because a wrong setup can raise running costs
- Room by room comfort still depends on sensor placement, especially in a multi storey home
The picks, ranked
Every product in this lineup was picked for this use case, ranked with our strongest choices first. If a product from the wider category does not genuinely fit this scenario, it is not listed here.
| # | Product | Award | Room sensors | Air quality | Voice | Compatibility | Display |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium | Best for heat pumps | 1x SmartSensor included | VOC, humidity, CO2 estimate | Alexa and Siri built in | Most 24V HVAC; C-wire required | 3.5-inch glass touchscreen |
| 2 | Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) | Best learning for heat pumps | - | - | Google Assistant, Alexa | Most 24V HVAC; C-wire recommended | 2.7-inch LCD, stainless steel ring |
| 3 | Honeywell Home T9 Smart Thermostat | Best sensors for heat pumps | 1x sensor included; supports up to 20 | - | Alexa, Google Assistant | Most 24V HVAC; C-wire adapter included | Touchscreen LCD |
| 4 | Amazon Smart Thermostat | Best budget | - | - | Alexa | C-wire required | Simple LED display |
| 5 | Emerson Sensi Touch 2 | Best without a C-wire | Compatible | - | - | - | Color touchscreen |
| 6 | Google Nest Thermostat | Best budget Google option | - | - | - | - | Mirrored LCD |
| 7 | Ecobee ecobee3 lite | Best mid-range value | Compatible (SmartSensor) | - | - | - | Color touchscreen |
| 8 | Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential | Best budget Ecobee | Not supported | - | - | - | Compact touchscreen |
| 9 | Emerson Sensi Lite | Best simple budget pick | - | - | - | - | Backlit button interface |
| 10 | Emerson Sensi Smart Thermostat (ST55) | Heat pump ready, budget price | - | - | - | Heat pump and conventional systems | - |
Best for heat pumps
Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium
Room sensors, air quality, and voice built in.
Granular aux heat controls let you set lockout temperatures and staging so expensive resistance heat fires only when truly needed. This is the heat pump killer feature and Ecobee exposes it best.
Strengths
- SmartSensor included in the box fixes room-to-room temperature swings
- Built-in air quality monitor tracks VOCs, CO2 estimates, and humidity
- Alexa and Siri built in for voice control without a separate speaker
- eco+ optimizes for time-of-use rates and utility demand response
Limitations
- Interface is functional rather than beautiful
- Premium price, though the included sensor offsets it
- Some advanced features need the Ecobee app rather than the wall unit
| Room sensors | 1x SmartSensor included |
|---|---|
| Air quality | VOC, humidity, CO2 estimate |
| Voice | Alexa and Siri built in |
| Compatibility | Most 24V HVAC; C-wire required |
| Display | 3.5-inch glass touchscreen |
Best for: Multi-story homes with hot and cold spots, and air-quality-aware buyers.
Skip if: You want the simplest possible interface.
Best learning for heat pumps
Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen)
The learning pioneer, refined with radar and polish.
Heat Pump Balance modes trade comfort against aux usage automatically. Set-and-forget owners get efficiency without studying staging menus.
Strengths
- Learning algorithm builds a schedule from your adjustments in about a week
- Soli radar detects presence for precise home/away switching
- Stainless steel ring and polished display suit premium interiors
- Energy history and Home reports show exactly where energy goes
Limitations
- Room sensors sold separately, unlike Ecobee which includes one
- Premium price for the hardware
- Learning can frustrate users who prefer explicit schedules
| Learning | Auto-schedule from manual adjustments |
|---|---|
| Presence sensing | Soli radar + phone location |
| Display | 2.7-inch LCD, stainless steel ring |
| Compatibility | Most 24V HVAC; C-wire recommended |
| Voice | Google Assistant, Alexa |
Best for: Households that want set-and-forget learning with premium design.
Skip if: You want included room sensors or the lowest price.
Best sensors for heat pumps
Honeywell Home T9 Smart Thermostat
Room sensors done right for tricky floor plans.
Heat pumps run long low cycles that leave rooms uneven; T9 sensors with occupancy averaging smooth the result across floors.
Strengths
- Room sensors with occupancy detection prioritize occupied rooms
- Geofencing adjusts temperature based on phone location
- Works with Resideo professional installer network
- Reliable, conservative software with few surprises
Limitations
- No learning; schedules are manual or geofence-driven
- App experience lags Google and Ecobee polish
- Design is plain compared to Nest
| Room sensors | 1x sensor included; supports up to 20 |
|---|---|
| Geofencing | Yes, multi-user |
| Compatibility | Most 24V HVAC; C-wire adapter included |
| Voice | Alexa, Google Assistant |
| Display | Touchscreen LCD |
Best for: Homes where one room is always wrong and sensors must fix it.
Skip if: You want learning algorithms or premium design.
Best budget
Amazon Smart Thermostat
Alexa-powered savings at a budget price.
Amazon's thermostat supports heat pump systems at the lowest price on this page, with Alexa hunches adjusting around your routine. A sensible first smart control for a heat pump home.
Strengths
- Lowest price in the category by a wide margin
- Alexa Hunches automates adjustments based on patterns
- Energy Dashboard tracks usage in the Alexa app
- Simple install for compatible systems
Limitations
- Alexa-centric; Google and HomeKit support is limited or absent
- Requires a C-wire with no adapter workaround in many installs
- No room sensors and no learning algorithm
| Price tier | Budget |
|---|---|
| Learning | Alexa Hunches automation |
| Compatibility | C-wire required |
| Voice | Alexa |
| Display | Simple LED display |
Best for: Alexa households that want smart savings for minimal money.
Skip if: You use Google Home or Apple HomeKit as your primary platform.
Best without a C-wire
Emerson Sensi Touch 2
A touchscreen thermostat that often skips the C-wire.
Sensi Touch 2 handles heat pumps with auxiliary heat and adds the flexibility of running without a C-wire in many homes. Two common complications solved in one unit.
Strengths
- Works in many homes without a C-wire
- Large color touchscreen
- Room sensor support for balancing hot and cold rooms
- No subscription or account required for core features
Limitations
- No auto-learning like Nest
- Design is functional rather than premium
- Geofencing is basic
| Display | Color touchscreen |
|---|---|
| C-wire | Often not required |
| Room sensors | Compatible |
| Smart home | Alexa, Google Assistant |
| Power | HVAC system power |
Best for: Older homes without a C-wire.
Skip if: You want learning algorithms; Sensi is schedule-based.
Best budget Google option
Google Nest Thermostat
The budget Nest with a mirrored face.
The entry Nest lists heat pump compatibility and learns nothing it does not need to, keeping control simple. Check its checker first, since some heat pump setups still want a C-wire.
Strengths
- Lowest-cost official Nest thermostat
- Mirrored display blends into the wall
- Energy History and Home/Away Assist included
- No C-wire needed in most systems
Limitations
- No learning algorithm; schedules are manual
- No remote room sensors
- Trim plate sold separately
| Display | Mirrored LCD |
|---|---|
| Learning | Manual schedules (no auto-learn) |
| C-wire | Not required in most systems |
| Smart home | Google Home, Alexa |
| Sensors | No remote sensors |
Best for: Google Home users who want Nest basics for less.
Skip if: You want auto-learning; this model uses manual schedules.
Best mid-range value
Ecobee ecobee3 lite
Ecobee smarts without the premium price.
Ecobee's lite model supports heat pump systems and includes the extender kit for homes missing a C-wire. It is the budget door into the ecobee sensor ecosystem.
Strengths
- Room sensor compatible for eliminating hot and cold spots
- eco+ software squeezes extra savings
- Works with most 24VAC HVAC systems
- No hub required
Limitations
- No built-in voice assistant
- Needs the Power Extender Kit if no C-wire
- Design is dated next to the Premium
| Room sensors | Compatible (SmartSensor) |
|---|---|
| C-wire | Power Extender Kit included |
| Smart home | Alexa, Google, Apple HomeKit, SmartThings |
| Display | Color touchscreen |
| Learning | eco+ optimization |
Best for: Buyers who want Ecobee room sensors on a budget.
Skip if: You want built-in Alexa like the Premium model.
Best budget Ecobee
Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential
The cheapest Ecobee that still does the job.
The Essential supports heat pumps and auxiliary heat while undercutting the Premium by a wide margin. If you want ecobee logic on a budget, this is the one.
Strengths
- Lowest Ecobee price point
- Full Ecobee app and scheduling
- eco+ energy optimization included
- Simple install with guided app setup
Limitations
- No room sensor support
- No built-in voice assistant
- Smaller display than Premium
| Room sensors | Not supported |
|---|---|
| Smart home | Alexa, Google, Apple HomeKit |
| Display | Compact touchscreen |
| Learning | eco+ optimization |
| Power | 24VAC HVAC |
Best for: First-time smart thermostat buyers on a budget.
Skip if: You want room sensors; Essential does not support them.
Best simple budget pick
Emerson Sensi Lite
No-frills smart control for standard systems.
Sensi Lite covers heat pump systems in its compatibility list at one of the lowest prices here. It skips frills and keeps the scheduling essentials.
Strengths
- Very affordable for a WiFi thermostat
- Simple button interface anyone can use
- Works with most systems, C-wire usually not needed
- No account required
Limitations
- No touchscreen or color display
- No room sensors
- Basic feature set
| Display | Backlit button interface |
|---|---|
| C-wire | Usually not required |
| Smart home | Alexa, Google Assistant |
| Scheduling | 7-day programmable via app |
| Power | HVAC system power |
Best for: Renters and landlords who want app control for cheap.
Skip if: You want a touchscreen; this uses physical buttons.
Heat pump ready, budget price
Emerson Sensi Smart Thermostat (ST55)
The original Sensi: no C-wire in most homes, heat pump ready.
Heat pump support is in the ST55's core compatibility, alongside geofencing and ENERGY STAR certification, at a budget tier price. It is the economical heat pump pick.
Strengths
- Works without a C-wire in most applications, a long running Sensi strength
- ENERGY STAR certified with geofencing to trim empty house runtime
- Heat pump compatible, covering one of the most common US systems
- DIY friendly installation with a built in level and clear app steps
Limitations
- No remote room sensors, unlike the ecobee line
- Plain display and design next to Nest and ecobee glass fronts
- A few systems still need a common wire solution checked first
| Model | ST55 |
|---|---|
| C-wire | Not required in most applications |
| Compatibility | Heat pump and conventional systems |
| Certification | ENERGY STAR |
| Control | Sensi app and voice assistants |
Sources: Amazon listing, CamelCamelCamel
Best for: Budget buyers with heat pumps or older wiring without a C-wire
Skip if: You want remote room sensors or a learning thermostat.
Questions, answered
Why does aux heat matter so much?
Auxiliary resistance heat costs 2 to 3 times more per unit of heat than the heat pump compressor. A thermostat that fires aux carelessly can erase the heat pump efficiency advantage entirely.
What is balance point?
The outdoor temperature below which the heat pump alone cannot keep up and aux must help. Setting the lockout near the true balance point, often in the 30s Fahrenheit depending on the system, maximizes efficient runtime.
Do smart thermostats work with dual-fuel systems?
Yes. Ecobee and Nest both support dual-fuel (heat pump plus gas furnace backup) with configurable changeover. Wire labels and installer setup matter; photograph the old wiring before removing anything.
Will learning algorithms hurt heat pump efficiency?
Aggressive setbacks can backfire: recovering 5 degrees with aux heat costs more than holding temperature. Use modest setbacks (2 to 3 degrees) or the thermostat heat pump modes that account for recovery cost.