Warning: that cheap smart thermostat I bought is wrecking my electric bill

I grabbed one of those $25 smart thermostats off Amazon last month, the kind that learns your schedule and adjusts itself. Figured it would pay for itself in savings, you know? Well after three weeks I noticed my AC was running way more than before, even when nobody was home. Turns out the 'learning' feature was super buggy and kept resetting to 68 degrees every afternoon, no matter what I programmed. I called my HVAC guy and he told me those cheap units often have bad sensors or firmware that just fights your settings. So now I'm stuck with a higher electric bill and I get to replace the thermostat with a proper one this weekend. Has anyone else had a cheap smart thermostat actually cost them more money in the long run?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_paul1mo ago

Ditch that thing as fast as you can, trust me. I made the same mistake last year with a no-name brand and my bill jumped $40 before I caught on. Those cheap units have terrible temperature sensors, like they're off by 5 degrees easily, so your AC fights itself all day. Get a Honeywell or an Ecobee even if it's the basic model, they actually hold a calibration and don't forget your schedule. Your HVAC guy is right, the firmware on those cheap ones is basically a scam, it just runs wild. You'll save more in two months with a proper thermostat than you will chasing the bargain.

emeryj661mo ago

Yeah that "terrible temperature sensors" bit got me, I always thought cheap ones were fine but that makes total sense now.

smith.parker1mo ago

My cousin's smart thermostat once set his house to 85 in July.