Emerson Sensi Smart Thermostat Review

In the ever-progressing quest to make homes smarter and more efficient, smart thermostats are one of the best breakthroughs of recent years.

When smart thermostats first came on the market, there wasn’t much competition or variance in the products. But with new smart home innovations being introduced all the time, there are a lot more options for finding the best smart thermostat.

The Emerson Sensi Smart Thermostat is one of them. With excellent customer service, easy set-up, and flexible control at your fingertips, it seems a solid purchase.

Smart thermostats like the Emerson Sensi control your home’s heating and cooling while being connected to the internet as well as your smartphone.

This allows you more precise control over your energy bill and the temperature in your house at any given time.

But with Wi-Fi connectivity issues and add-ons that can raise the price, is it worth it?

Let’s take a closer look.

Emerson Sensi Smart Thermostat: The Details

Specs

• Product Dimensions: 9” x 0.9” x 3.8”.
• Product Weight: 6 pounds.
• Product Type: Smart Thermostat.
• Compatible with Amazon Alexa?: Yes, and Google Home as well
• Batteries: 1 A Battery (included) with average life of 9,000 hours.
• Warranty: Limited.

How Does it Work

Flexible Compatibility

The Sensi works with most home HVAC systems, and its online compatibility resource can ensure that it’ll work in your home before you purchase.

A c-wire is only required if you have a heat-only, cool-only, or heat pump system without an auxiliary.

Otherwise, it should fit almost all other systems you have in place, no matter the age of your home.

Geofencing

The Sensi uses your phone to tell your location, and from there, changes the temperature controls in the house.

Save energy while you’re away, and have the temperature adjust automatically when you get back home. This way, you won’t be running up your energy bill when you’re out of the house.

This is great if you don’t have a consistent work or school schedule and should other members of your household operate the same, you can link multiple phones to this feature.

Wireless Communication

Once the Sensi connects to your Wi-Fi, you can control it a few different ways.

Emerson has a free app compatible with Android and iOS devices, or you can use it with Amazon Alexa or Google Home for voice control. The app walks you through a DIY step-by-step installation guide and video tutorial.

You can also lock-out your thermostat from your phone, which prevents children or renters from changing the temperature without your permission.

Flexible Scheduling

If you don’t want to use the geofencing feature, the Sensi also comes with the option of seven-day flexible scheduling.

For people with consistent work or school schedules, you can save energy while you’re away, and have the house the perfect temperature by the time you come home.

This is also great if you want to lock-out temperature control for your children, but still want to make sure that the house is an appropriate temperature when they get home from school.

Emerson: The Brand

Originally founded in 1890 in St. Louis, Missouri, Emerson has a long and solid history of innovation.

When the company began, they started producing electric motors and fans, and since then, Emerson has expanded in leaps and bounds.

Recently celebrating 125 years in business, they have launched programs to encourage more kids to get involved in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education and encourage new entrepreneurs with new innovations for the years to come.

Emerson Sensi Smart Thermostat Review

The Positives

Easy to Install 

The Sensi was incredibly easy to install, though make sure to install the app on your phone first—the app will walk you through every step.

You take a picture of the current thermostat’s wiring, select the wires your current thermostat has, and then the app will tell you what to label them and where they will go in the Sensi.

From start to finish, it should take you less than 30 minutes – no stress and no fuss. There are options to hire someone to install it for you, but there is really no need to pay extra for it.

Those who aren’t too keen on setting things up on their own, or who don’t have much experience with tech need not worry. You’ll feel like a total handyperson minus the headaches.

Easy to Use 

The Emerson Sensi Smart Thermostat is also super easy to use. The app is pretty straightforward when it comes to scheduling and changing settings on your Sensi.

The app is solid, too; it will not only tell you the local high and low temperatures from the forecast, but it will tell you the humidity in your house, the set temperature, and the actual temperature.

The background color also changes depending on if your unit is running heat, cool, or off. The app is stable, intuitive, and can even control more than one Sensi thermostat at a time.

If you want to make it even easier to use, this smart thermostat works with Alexa and Google Home through the Wink app so you won’t have to lift a finger.

Customer Service

If a problem does present itself, the help desk is extremely professional. The personnel are knowledgeable, patient and are willing to replace defective units at no additional cost.

The customer service was good enough that some frustrated users decided to give the Sensi more time simply because of the excellent service, and their issues were eventually resolved.

If you don’t want to make a call, e-mails are usually answered in a day or two.

Warranty 

Speaking of replacements, the Emerson Sensi comes with a 3-year limited warranty should you find any defects or malfunctions in the thermostat.

In the event that you do find an error, Emerson will repair or replace your thermostat at no additional cost.

Defects caused by the owner or regular wear and tear are not included so be sure to handle your Sensi with care.

There’s also a great 30-day satisfaction guarantee. If you’re not satisfied with your thermostat or it just doesn’t work out for your household, you’ll be entitled to a full refund – just hang on to your receipt.

It’s great to know a company backs their product – it shows they have confidence in what their product promises.

Attractive and Functional

Aside from being a lot cheaper than the Nest, it operates and looks much more like a traditional thermostat.

Not only does this make it easier and less intimidating for non-technical users, but it will fit most homes better than Nest’s more futuristic design and feel.

If you have a c-wire connection, you also have the option of leaving an LED light on the thermostat at all times, which doubles as a night-light for dim halls.

Convenient Features

Those of us living in really cold environments know how miserable it can be to come home to a freezing house. And those living in warmer climates know the struggle of keeping cool.

The Emerson Sensi Smart Thermostat makes it easy to always come home to a comfortable house.

Whether you choose to use the scheduling or tracking features, both will ensure your home isn’t freezing cold, or unbearably hot when you arrive (this is especially great when you’re away for a long period of time like on vacation).

And when you have guests, you can conveniently use the lockout feature to make sure you won’t be surprised by your energy bill at the end of the month.

With all these features combined, it will be easy to not only reduce your energy consumption but to also live a little more comfortably.

Price 

A major selling point for the Emerson Sensi is its affordable price tag.

This thermostat is on the cheaper end in comparison to other products in this category and still promises to save you more money with its energy saving capabilities.

This is great for those on a budget, or for those just looking to find out what all this smart thermostat buzz is all about.

The price, along with its warranty and 30-day guarantee makes this an option with little risk.

The Negatives

Wi-Fi Connectivity

The Wi-Fi connectivity on the Sensi was frustrating. Some testers had difficulty keeping the Sensi attached to Wi-Fi, seeing failures to connect 50% of the time or more.

Every time the thermostat went offline, testers had to remove the batteries and reconnect, which is extremely inconvenient if you’re trying to remotely control your temperature.

Others had issues connecting the app to the Sensi, which may be due to a software problem; the Sensi’s cloud service capacity may not be large enough for the number of users it has.

Random auto resets and strange connection issues were common, especially if you changed your router or Wi-Fi at any time.

Backplate Cover

This is a little feature that really should have come free with the product.

There is an optional backplate cover that you can purchase for around $10, but it’s necessary for most users in order to avoid having a hole left behind from your old thermostat larger than your current Sensi.

Since most users will need it, it’s an annoyance and an additional charge that’s not included.

Here’s a video showing what the Emerson Sensi Smart Thermostat looks like out of the box and setup.

Overall Verdict

If you’re looking for a smart thermostat with many of the same features as a Nest, but with a better price point, the Emerson Sensi Smart Thermostat is a good bet.

Despite its connectivity issues, customer service is readily available and willing to help walk you through any problems.

The set-up is quick and easy, its design is more adaptable to a variety of homes, and although the fact that the backplate cover is not included is annoying, it is a cheap and easy fix in the end.

If you’re looking for a smart thermostat for a rental or vacation home, the lock-out feature and flexible scheduling is perfect to save energy costs.

If you’re just looking to try a smart thermostat for the first time, the Sensi is worth a go since customer service is always there to help with questions.

Where to Buy Emerson Sensi Smart Thermostat

Smart Thermostats are still steadily rising in popularity, and the fact that the Emerson Sensi Smart Thermostat is an affordable solution really pushes them into the limelight with availability both in-store and online.

To start, check out the following online retailers.

• The Home Depot (from $129)
• Lowes (from $129)
• Sensi Comfort (from $129)

And of course, you can also find it on Amazon.

That’s all for our Emerson Sensi review. Are you curious to give it a try?