Ecobee and Mysa are among the best thermostats that are widely available. If you read any thermostat review, you will not fail to see Ecobee or Mysa. These two always come on the top.
I have used both of these two products and have found out these differences that you may be interested to know.
The differences between them are not huge, but they are different, and the differences do matter. So read on and ill fill you in on what I’ve come to learn.
Look and Feel
Put on these smart thermostats and impress your friends. Who would have thought that the thermostat could be a topic of conversation?
Ecobee Look and Feel
Ecobee decided to take the rectangular shape from the programmable thermostats of the past few 30 years and round corners. The result gives something that looks a bit like an oversized smartwatch.
It comes in black plastic with a glass screen and sports a significantly larger screen than that of Mysa. The screen is also a touch screen, which gives you access to many control settings from the base unit if you desire.
Mysa Look and Feel
The Mysa thermostat is a streamlined thermostat that stands out from the crowd. It has a sleek design and follows less is more philosophy.
It features a soft white 5.7” x 3.8” x 1.1” thick rectangular box that displays the temperature with a subtle LED light. There are no separate screens or buttons that detract from the all-white minimalist approach.
Which is Better?
I am a proud Ecobee user, but I have no problem admitting that also Mysa looks nice. The Ecobee looks nice also and has the cool factor.
If you prefer your thermostat to be something that doesn’t say look at me, you may then prefer Mysa. The Ecobee does not necessarily become attractive, but compared to Mysa, it has a better look because of the touch screen.
Schedule Learning
One of the biggest marketing hooks that some of the best thermostats use is it automatically learns your schedule. So this means that it becomes some sort of mind-reading thermostat.
Ecobee Schedule Learning
The Ecobee thermostat uses a more conversational schedule. It enables you to choose your desired times and temperatures for when you are home, away, or when you are sleeping.
Once these times and temperatures are set, they do not change unless you come again to change them.
The process of setting up the schedule is not difficult and can denote easily on the thermostat, the mobile app, or the web console.
Mysa Schedule Learning
The Mya thermostat uses geolocation for determining whether you are at home or away. This allows you to have automatic adjustments when you leave or return home. In the meantime, you may also use IFTTT to set a rule to adjust Mysa up or down, on or off when you are within a certain range.
You can use IFTTT for designating rules that enhance the automation of the Mysa thermostat. It works with weather underground to set the temperature based on the weather outside.
The other way you can use IFTTT with Mysa includes setting a thermostat at sunrise or sunset and then setting the thermostat when SmartThings detects that someone has come home.
Which is Better?
For people that prefer a hands-off, there is no definite benefit you will get with either. That feature is only available with the Nest Learning thermostat. If you are a hands-on person like me, you will find this feature useful.
Personally, I like knowing the heat/AC is set to come on at a particular time. Then when I notice that something has turned on when it is supposed to be off, or vice versa, then I know that there is something wrong. That is why I prefer ECobee in this case.
Voice Control
Voice control is the first thing I use to interact with my smart thermostat. I’ve found that it is almost easier to adjust the thermostat when you use a voice command rather than open the app or when you get off the couch and adjust it manually.
It is a little weird to talk to a machine in the first place, but when you get used to it, it is pretty nice.
Ecobee Voice Control
Ecobee thermostats are completely dedicated to voice control. They also support all three major voice assistants.
Ecobee also has an Alexa speaker that is built into it. If you don’t have a smart speaker near your thermostat, it could of great help. Have a look at this review of Ecobee5 Thermostat for more information.
Mysa Voice Control
Voice control of Mysa smart thermostat is one of the best extras that are included. This is because it supports Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit and IFTTT.
Which is Better?
The integrated Alexa speaker that is on the Ecobee thermostat is a minor advantage. But if you have a smart speaker already that is available, the extra one might end up causing problems. You may disable it if it causes such problems.
They are both at a tie here because they both have the same support, thought the problems you may encounter with Ecobee make it the least.
Geofencing
Many smart home products can use the GPS of your phone as a means to determine whether you are at home or not. This is what is known as geofencing.
When you cross the geofence leaving your home, your thermostat switches to away mode. Then when you cross the geofence on your way back, the thermostat resumes heating.
Ecobee Geofencing
Ecobee thermostats support geofencing, but they are only for one phone. This has been a bit of a problem for my wife and me. This is because anytime I leave the house for a few hours, my phone also goes with me, and the thermostat goes to away mode.
Fortunately, there is a way that you can set up geofencing using multiple phones on your Ecobee, although it requires the use of third-party apps like IFTTT and Life360.
The process is not difficult; it can take less than an hour to set up.
Mysa Geofencing
Mysa thermostat allows the use of geofencing so that you never have to heat up an empty home. Previously, you could use the IFTTT to set up a rule to adjust Mysa up, down, on, or off when you are in a certain range.
Which is Better?
Geofencing is the biggest way that will help you to save money when you are using smart thermostats.
The fact that you must hack to get the geofencing solution for an Ecobee thermostat is disappointing compared to Mysa though the third party solution works really well and makes it ideal.
Is a C Wire Really Necessary?
In order to power their big screens and to also maintain their WiFi connections, smart thermostats need to have a constant source of power. Most of the time, the wires that connect to the thermostats provide that power.
But if your wires do not include a c wire, then you may have to jump through a few hoops to get the thermostat working well.
Ecobee
Ecobee thermostats cannot be installed without a C wire; they include an extra set of wires they call PEK (Power Extender Kit). If your system does not have the c wire, you will be advised to install the PEK. I have written a detailed article on the Ecobee power extender kit here.
Mysa
The biggest difference between Mysa and other thermostat is how you will wire it to your heater. Some smart thermostats can siphon enough power from the electricity going to the heater to run these components, but Mysa is powered directly by the line wire with a second wire that is from the thermostat connecting to the load wire.
It also has a third wire connecting to the neutral wire and going back to the electrical panel and then a fourth wire that is used to ground.
This may sound like a bigger deal than it is, but the installation can be confusing if you are not paying attention.
The rest of the installation using the Mysa app is straight forward. The setup wizards help you to connect the thermostat to your WiFi network, and then you move on to programming a heating routine.
If you do not want to set up an in-depth custom schedule, the app can apply a quick schedule that is based on statistical energy savings or answers to a series of questions about your schedule and temperature preferences.
Which is better?
The fact that Ecobee includes their add a wire kit PEK with the purchase is so nice; this means that if you need it, you use it.
This is the best option compared to the other details for Mysa.
I was surprised at how cheap Ecobee thermostats are listed here on the cheap on Amazon, Have a look at them and the customer reviews.
What makes Mysa thermostat different?
One of the main problems that the smart thermostats faced was lackib=ng proper connectivity and the need for a third-party hub to be connected to. The good thing about Mysa thermostat is that it is designed to overcome these issues.
The thermostat has relatively good wifi connectivity, and the Mysa app is also quite a user friendly compared to many others. You do not need to be a tech guru to use the app.
It also works with the popular smart home hubs like Apple HokeKit, Amazon Alexa, IFTTT, and many others. This means that there is no need for you to install any third-party apps.
If all you want to have is a smart thermostat, then it will work well for you with its wifi connections.
Mysa thermostat are listed here on the cheap on Amazon.
Mysa Design
The design of the Mysa thermostat is sleek, modern yet minimalist rectangular, and looks like a small white box that may seem a bit thick. This adds t the style quotient of your home.
The display shows the current room temperature and with two arrows up and down that change the temperature on the device. The temperature and arrows are displayed using an LED that resembles the dotted display of the past with a modern outlook.
Mysa has a capacitative touchscreen, and the Up/down arrows are for increasing or decreasing the temperature settings.
Mysa thermostat is a little bulkier in build, and its thickness is due to the big heat sink that is used to cool off the triac based switching IC. Most thermostats use relay-based switching that is not sufficient compared to triac switching.
Though the use of triac makes the Mysa become bulkier, it gives it significant benefits in terms of faster switching, higher efficiency, and energy savings.
The brightness of the display can also be adjusted using the Mysa app. It can then be turned off completely or set to light in the 10 to 100 percent range of brightness. It is directly wired to the power supply and hence discards the need for using batteries.
Mysa Sensors
Talking about the sensors of the Mysa thermostat, then it is embedded with humidity and temperature sensors. They help to predict the amount of humidity and temperature of the room.
The measured value is reflected on the screen through the subtle LED light, which helps the thermostat to maintain the temperature of the room.
When the temperature measurement sensor measures the room temperature to a value that is far from the value which is set, the Mysa thermostat works at high power. The power is reduced as the room temperature approaches the value set.
The display shows the much power that is being used by the thermostat. A single small flame indicates energy consumption, whereas the three small flames indicate the highest energy consumption.
The drawback of this thermostat is that it lacks motion sensors when it is integrated with a small hub like IFTTT through the Mysa app on the phone.
Customized Comfort
Mysa thermostat can be controlled from anywhere using its app using any android or Ios device. The temperature can be set and scheduled according to the routine using the app easily. You are able to set up to 56 temperature setpoints for the whole week.
This means that the temperature setpoints can be spread evenly over the whole week and up to 8 temperature values a day.
You are also able to create zones in your home using two or more thermostats that need to work on the same schedule through the Mysa app. You can also create your custom schedule and save it for the future.
If you also have a fixed routine, the Mysa thermostat can learn and implement it according to your schedule and deliver better performance.
In case you need to change the temperature in a particular zone, you can use the option to hold indefinitely to override the set temperature to the new value.
Energy Saver
When you make an investment in a high priced thermostat, you need to know if it is worth that price. A smart thermostat is put in your smart home to help you in saving on energy in a way that is smart. So you have to choose a thermostat that will help you in achieving the same.
How Does Mysa Help in Saving Energy?
Well, Mysa thermostat helps in energy saving by generating real-time energy usage reports that lets you check where and how much energy is being wasted. This is good in helping you to generate an optimal schedule which only suits your lifestyle and also your pocket.
The other cool feature is it’s easy to activate vacation mode. This is important if you are going away on vacation, it helps you to activate it. It works accordingly.
There is also an option to enable you to cut off the supply between the thermostat with the heater. This means that you only get to use the thermostat when t is needed.
The Mysa app also has the ability to estimate how much is your energy bill according to your usage of the energy.
Compatibility and Tech Specs
Mysa thermostat is a high voltage that works with 110 volts or 220 volts systems. They are compatible with most of the line voltage heating systems like these listed here.
- Electric baseboard heater
- Fan forced convectors
- Self-contained hydronic baseboards
- Convectors(short cycle)
- Radiant ceiling heating
You must note that Mysa thermostats cannot be used with low voltage systems like central furnace based systems, heat pumps, boiler heating systems, and any other heating systems that come under low voltage operation.
Mysa Installation
Mysa is a high voltage thermostat, and if you do not have prior experience in handling electrical wiring, then you should not try to install a line voltage thermostat by yourself.
It would be better if you would call a qualified electrical technician that would help you to do the installation. But if you have enough technical knowledge about electrical systems and have done some electrical installations before, it will be easy for you to install a Mysa thermostat by following their well-explained guide.
Mysa also has published its demo installation video on youtube. You may watch it if you want to get an idea of Mysa installation.
The beautiful features that are accompanied by the thermostat make it a good choice. Before wrapping up all we know about Mysa, here are the pros and cons of the product.
Pros Of Mysa Thermostat
- Sleek, robust design
- Temperature and humidity sensors with high precision
- Reliable wireless connectivity
- Works really well and in sync with other smart home hubs like Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home.
- Schedule up to 56 temperature points, which is around eight temperature set points per day.
- Use of TRIAC integrated circuit instead of a relay helps the thermostat to heat up at different intensities, which releases the intensity o the thermostat
- Voice control through smart home hubs
- A quick set of vacation mode
- Energy usage reports are available in the mobile app helps in proper energy use monitoring and save energy by taking necessary action
- Supports multi-zone feature
Cons Of Mysa Thermostat
- No native geofencing which is quite useful in reducing the energy consumption
- Lacks a motion sensor
- Use of large heat sink of the TRIAC IC makes it thick and bulky
- It does not support SmartThings hub as of now.
How To Choose A Thermostat
Decide whether you’re interested in a non-connected, programmable thermostat or a smart thermostat.
If everything you care about is simple programming, then a non-connected thermostat will suffice, and they are even more affordable. If you are interested in controlling your smart thermostat with your voice, or using an app or giving it control and letting it learn your habits, then you have to consider getting a smart thermostat.
The narrow your choices, you should factor in smart features like geofencing, price, and other attributes that matter to you like style, color, and size.
Consider Your HVAC System
Nearly all of the models I’ve tested work on common heating and cooling systems, but you should make sure that you check the packaging for exceptions. This is mainly a concern with smart thermostats as not all the models support all types of HVAC systems, but you will get some as the Nest learning thermostat does.
And you also have separate heating and cooling systems you may have to install a separate thermostat for each system, as well as for every zone of heating and cooling.
Scope Out Your Wiring
You will also need to open up your thermostat to see the kind of wiring you have. Most of the non connected, programmable thermostats work with a few as two low voltage wires, which is common in older heating systems.
But these new thermostats will require you have a common wire. This is to help in providing continuous power for features like display and wifi. If you are not sure if your thermostat has a c wire, you may have to consult an HVAC technician.
You may have a look at this article here to know how to connect Ecobee to Google Home.
If you already know that you don’t have a c wire, but you wanted to have a smart thermostat, there are a few options you have.
- Choose a model that has a power adapter or a power extender, which allows you to add a c wire to your system like the Ecobee thermostat.
- Buy and install a third party, add a wire adapter.
- Pick a model from your ratings that do not need a c wire. Check under the features and specs tab in the rating table. Some thermostats like Nest and Emerson claim that they don’t need a c wire for many systems, but some HVAC professionals caution against such an arrangement as it can damage the mechanical equipment.
- Have your c wire installed professionally?
