Reddit reviews GoControl Z-Wave Battery-Powered Smart Thermostat

This one is simple and inexpensive:

GoControl Thermostat, Z-Wave, Battery-Powered, Works with Alexa

I used it without a C wire just fine.

I'd recommend this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZIRV40K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Not on sale but its pretty cheap and Z-Wave only. It runs for quite a while on batteries too. Someone else recommended a 'radio thermostat' branded one, and I'll have to disagree with their 'ignore reviews' statement. I spent way too much money on one of them (tried the z-wave module and the wi-fi module) just to find out its trash no matter what. Avoid it!

You're on the right track with Z-Wave, and SmartThings is a very good way to start.

The Ecobee 4 is very pretty, and if the thermostat is an important home decor element, but all means invest in it. But if you have a Z-Wave hub, then it's functionally the same as a basic Z-Wave thermostat for $200 less - like GoControl or Radio Thermostat

How will you use the smart outlets? Remember - if you control a lamp with a smart outlet, you can't use the lamp's on/off switch. It's great for timer-controlled lights but not so great for bedroom lamps where you must use voice control or a remote when you want to go to sleep.

GoControl GC-TBZ48

Bought this and love it:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZIRV40K/

Most of this stuff is pretty easy to search for:

• If you want to use the pi than I'd recommend hassio https://www.home-assistant.io/hassio/installation/ it should work fine for what you want to do
  
  
• To make it work with zwave you can use any of the sticks on this page https://www.home-assistant.io/docs/z-wave/controllers/ . If you want to do both zwave and zigbee you'll need to use something like this one https://www.amazon.com/GoControl-CECOMINOD016164-HUSBZB-1-USB-Hub/dp/B01GJ826F8
  
  
• If you want to control home assistant through homekit you can follow these instructions https://www.home-assistant.io/components/homekit/ , I don't know how well it works since I haven't used it before.
  
  
• For a thermostat you can use any zwave one. It doesn't need to be smart, because you'll just be controlling it from home assistant. For temp sensors, they don't have to pair with the thermostat, just use any zwave temp sensor. I use this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZIRV40K , it's not the prettiest but it works pretty well.

I got a GoControl and that works fine with Smartthings. It doesn't have any "smarts" but you can control over zwave and program it through Smartthings to do whatever you want.

GoControl Thermostat, Z-Wave, Battery-Powered, Works with Alexa https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZIRV40K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_AeeDDbEZQ3ZFY

Or get the AA powered GoControl one. It works well with Wink, and Honeywell/2Gig alarm systems

Not OP, but I got this one after google decided to shut down their api for the nest. Hooked up a c wire and it's been running great. There are some mixed reviews when using batteries, but I hate having to rely on batteries for things unless I have to.

I just bought this for Home Assistant

Though it was a little cheaper when I ordered it.

For the home automation enthusiasts out there, I'm using Griddy with Home Assistant.

• You can pull Griddy cost data directly into Home Assistant. You can then display a Griddy current cost graph in the UI (I have graphs with and without the TDU delivery charges).
  
• This cost-effective smart thermostat is connected to Home Assistant through SmartThings (which serves as the Z-Wave radio) (Improved thermostat device handler for SmartThings) (it's not worth the fuss to get Z-Wave or Zigbee working directly with Home Assistant).
  
• You should use Hass.io to install Home Assistant, because then it will be easy to install Grafana, InfluxDB, and Node-RED
  
• Node-RED and its plugins can do whatever math you want to detect spikes and take action such as temporarily turning off your A/C (at least until the house temp spikes unacceptably and you turn it back on, but most spikes are short anyways)
  
• I run Home Assistant on an Intel NUC (NUC6CAYH) -- if you're running add-ons like Grafana, InfluxDB, and/or Node-RED you're gonna have a bad time if you're using a Raspberry Pi
  
• Room for improvement: pulling in day-ahead forecast electricity prices from ERCOT in addition to the current cost from Griddy, in order to be proactive instead of purely reactive to price swings
  
• Related past thread on Griddy and Home Assistant.

Z-Wave would probably be the best bet. I was thinking about getting one of these

https://www.amazon.com/GoControl-Thermostat-Z-Wave-Battery-Powered-Amazon/dp/B00ZIRV40K

Don't need a super fancy one since HA will control all the logic

What about this?
GoControl Thermostat, Z-Wave, Battery-Powered, Works with Alexa https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZIRV40K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_BlsCDb0H4XET6

Or, any other z wave or zigbee model should work. I was thinking wrong at first cause I was assuming your smart home itself is internet connected (like SMARTTHINGS), but I assume it’s not.

Any zwave one should work, but the one I have specifically is:


GoControl Thermostat, Z-Wave, Battery-Powered, Works with Alexa

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZIRV40K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_wPF3Ab9831NQQ

What you probably need is common, a (C) wire. It carries current to power your thermostat.

Old style thermostats just serve as a on/off switch, and require no power themselves, so the two wire approach works fine. You can buy a battery powered smart thermostat, like this go control model. If you're using an ecobee or nest, they don't have batteries, so they need the C wire to power themselves.

You'll need to pull a new thermostat wire with at least 3 wires, and find a source for 24v from your furnace. My furnace brand had an online PDF specifically instructing people where to get 24v for hooking up smart thermostats. Try googling your furnace or furnace controller brand and seeing where you can get 24v from.

I returned it. Going to install one of these today instead:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZIRV40K/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Still has zwave / repeater, works with alexa, can hook up a c wire.

I have two of these https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ZIRV40K?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Only had them a month so can't say how long the batteries hold up yet though but they've been working as expected

I had a nest for the longest time until it got unreliable. I switched to the GoControl z wave thermostat and have been very happy. Doesn’t look quite as good on the wall, but it does everything I could want it to do. The thermostat itself doesn’t have many features, but that’s where HomeSeer comes in.

[Amazon Link](LINGCTBZ48 - GoControl GC-TBZ48 Z-Wave(R) Battery-Powered Smart Thermostat https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZIRV40K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_IcLB1lAJBzDDm)

OK i'm not very familiar with how the Zwave stick's work so i'm definitely not the one to point you in the right direction sorry about that. but i did find this on amazon its $80 bucks idk if that will work it has great reviews http://www.amazon.com/GoControl-Battery-Powered-Z-Wave-Thermostat-GC-TBZ48/dp/B00ZIRV40K/ref=sr_1_50?ie=UTF8&qid=1449175522&sr=8-50-spons&keywords=zwave+thermostat&psc=1

GoControl Zwave Thermostat $83.99 is what I have. Couldn't be happier. Nothing fancy but it works with Home Assistant perfectly.

Ive had two of these for many years and they’ve been perfect. They can be used with batteries or without. They’re basic thermostats and the smarts should exist inside home assistant