The Google Nest smart thermostat promises to cut heating bills – and it’s reduced by 45 per cent
This clever bit of tech could save you money
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.It’s estimated your thermostat controls 60 per cent of your heating bill. If it’s not a smart model, you could be using extra energy when you don’t really need to.
Since its launch in 2011, the Google Nest smart thermostat has helped thousands of UK households build a more-energy-efficient schedule – and the third-generation Nest is now cheaper than ever at Amazon.
Reduced to £136.99 (Amazon.co.uk), which is a 45 per cent reduction on the original listed price, the copper-colored thermostat is designed to both look pretty on the wall and to bring you beautiful savings on bills.
It does this through “learning” when you are at home and when you are out and what temperature you like your rooms – using this information to create a customised heating schedule.
The Nest was rated as best overall in our review of the best smart thermostats, with our tester praising how it allowed people to take control of their heating usage, so they can stop wasting money by heating an empty house.
“It’s very easy to set up and control, with a schedule set up on the Nest smartphone app,” our reviewer said. “This is sophisticated: choose either that the radiators come on at a set time or that they reach ‘true radiant’ (that is, the room is at the desired temperature at a certain time), in which case the boiler will kick in rather earlier.”
For example, if you normally arrive home from work at 6pm, you can schedule the heating to kick in a little earlier, so the house is warm when you walk through the front door.
A built-in motion sensor and GPS location tracking on the app, allow Google Nest to learn when you’ve left the house to run an errand or go for dinner with friends, and it will turn off the heating accordingly. Here’s everything you need to know about the third-generation Google Nest smart learning thermostat.
Google Nest smart learning thermostat (3rd generation): Was £249, now £136.99, Amazon.co.uk
Dubbed by our tester as the most advanced smart thermostat available, the Google Nest smart learning thermostat was praised for being easy to use.
Our tester liked how the device “clocks how you use it and adjusts what it does accordingly”, as well as allowing you to over-ride it with a one-button press on the app.
While digital thermostats allow you to put the heating on for a specific time period in the morning and evening, you could be wasting money if you’re not at home in the evening to enjoy it. However, the Nest learning thermostat can spot when you’re out of the house and turn the heating down or off, accordingly.
Our tester also enjoyed the feature that allows you to “choose that the radiators come on at a set time”, ensuring anyone returning from a holiday or a day out could walk through the front door to a warm and welcoming home.
With fuel costs showing no sign of falling anytime soon, now is the time to invest in a smart thermostat. It’s worth investing in this one at the start of autumn, while the Nest is nearly half price, so you can make the most of it for the colder months to come.
Voucher codes
For discounts on other housheold appliances, try the links below:
Discover more of our favourite options in our round-up of the best smart thermostats