Smart Thermostat

Bendo

FreeBear said:

You would need to purchase a unit yourself and pay for installation (unless you can DIY it). I'd recommend either Tado or Drayton Wiser if your boiler is OpenTherm compatible (even if it isn't, either will work).

Last time I checked, you may need the European version of Tado, the UK one wasn't opentherm.

Bendo

moneysaver1978 said:

I have a Hive which came with the house but not smart as there's no hub (so it is just a digital thermostat) and when looking more into it, you cannot take the Hub with you and you cannot purchase a preowned.

It's essentially locked to your account. I do not like that restriction and Hive have a reputation for discontinuing products.

Hive have stopped the stupid policy of the refusing to transfer hubs to new owners, you can call them and get them to do it now.

That said, for a new install I'd look at something else. Hive is pretty limited without opentherm, although if you dont need that, it can do a reasonable job - I have the heating & hot water one and use it to control my thermal store via home assistant.

powerful_Rogue

Another vote for Drayton Wiser. Will be some great deals with Black Friday approaching.

Reed_Richards

MikeJXE said:

Reed_Richards said:

A big fault with Hive is that it doesn't support Opentherm so you cannot use the sophisticated control options that that gives you.

Not for me it isn’t 

When I want heat I want it in every room 

I don’t need sophisticated controls 

The "sophisticated controls" I refer to don't stop you having heat in every room, not in the slightest.  They just make your boiler more economical to run.  I'm glad that you're wealthy enough not to need that, @MikeJXE .    

moneysaver1978

Bendo said:

moneysaver1978 said:

I have a Hive which came with the house but not smart as there's no hub (so it is just a digital thermostat) and when looking more into it, you cannot take the Hub with you and you cannot purchase a preowned.

It's essentially locked to your account. I do not like that restriction and Hive have a reputation for discontinuing products.

Hive have stopped the stupid policy of the refusing to transfer hubs to new owners, you can call them and get them to do it now.

Really? I didn't know that but good on them. I was looking into it only earlier this year and just looked again today - a hub is only £48! I recall it was over hundred quid.

thecloudxpert

I am currently looking into smart heating controls, Drayton vs Nest vs Hive vs Tado, but just to say Hive now supports OpenTherm (https://www.hivehome.com/shop/smart-heating/hive-thermostat) and moving houses with the hub (https://www.hivehome.com/discover-hive/smart-home/moving-home-with-hive) but you will need to buy a new thermostat

tim_p

I’d scrub Nest off that list - they’re pulling the plug on the early smart thermostats so will probably do the same with current ones at some point. 

FreeBear

tim_p said:

I’d scrub Nest off that list - they’re pulling the plug on the early smart thermostats so will probably do the same with current ones at some point. 

And Hive have a track record of pulling the plug on some of their other "smart" products.

But that is a risk of any product that relies on remote servers (cloud) and the internet for functionality. The only way round that is to keep everything "in house".