Amazon announces $60 Smart Thermostat powered by Alexa
Although there are quite a few great smart thermostats available already, there is a recurring theme across the board. They are either too expensive, or too complex to really use and make the most out of the features. Amazon is solving both of those problems with its all-new Smart Thermostat.
This thermostat is about as basic as it gets, only displaying the room temperature, along with three touch-sensitive controls. Instead of relying on annoying menus that you need to jump through on the device, you can set everything up with the Smart Thermostat right from your phone.
Part of this is done through Amazon Alexa routines, as you will be able to set up different routines based on the parameters that you set. Amazon claims that with Alexa running in the background on your thermostat, it will “do the programming” for you. This could mean that we end up with an Alexa-powered smart thermostat similar to what we have with Google’s Nest Smart Thermostat.
Those concerned about the compatibility with this new Amazon Smart Thermostat with their existing HVAC systems, shouldn’t have much to worry about. Amazon states that the Smart Thermostat will work with “most” 24V HVAC systems, and if you’ve had one installed in recent years, then you should be fine.
If you want to get your hands on the Amazon Smart Thermostat, pre-orders will begin today. The thermostat will be shipping out soon, and is priced at just $60, making it one of the most affordable smart thermostats to date. Amazon is definitely putting Google on notice, and it will be arriving in time for a big holiday season push.