6 Best WiFi Thermostats with Remote Sensors of 2026

The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium doesn’t just manage your home’s climate—it redefines what a smart thermostat can be. With its built-in air quality monitor, cinematic display, and advanced occupancy sensing, this unit delivers a premium experience that blends elegance with intelligence. It tackles two major homeowner frustrations: uneven room temperatures and unhealthy indoor air—solving both with included SmartSensor and real-time air quality alerts. For those seeking a truly comprehensive smart climate hub, this is the gold standard.

In real-world use, the thermostat shines when managing multi-room comfort. The SmartSensor detects occupancy and adjusts heating or cooling in prioritized spaces—like keeping the bedroom cool at night without freezing the living room. Its ENERGY STAR certification backs up claims of up to 26% annual savings, especially when paired with geofencing and auto-scheduling. While the security features (like break-in and freeze alerts) require a subscription, the core climate performance is robust, even in homes without a C-wire thanks to the included Power Extender Kit.

Compared to the Honeywell T9, the ecobee Premium offers more integrated functionality—air quality monitoring, voice control via built-in Alexa or Siri, and home security alerts—making it ideal for tech-forward households. The Honeywell matches it in sensor range but lacks the all-in-one ecosystem. For users who want a central smart home hub with voice assistant built-in and superior environmental awareness, the ecobee justifies its higher cost with unmatched depth. It’s not just a thermostat—it’s a whole-home intelligence layer wrapped in a sleek, responsive interface.

The Honeywell Home T9 is a precision comfort engine built for homes where room-to-room temperature control is non-negotiable. Its standout feature—the 200-foot sensor range—is a game-changer for larger homes or multi-level layouts, ensuring the thermostat reacts to actual occupancy, not just proximity. With Auto Home/Away scheduling and utility demand response compatibility, it’s engineered for energy-conscious users who want automation that adapts without constant input. If your pain point is cold bedrooms or overheated upstairs zones, the T9 delivers targeted relief.

During testing, the Smart Room Sensors proved remarkably responsive, shifting HVAC focus within minutes of detecting movement in a distant bedroom. The touchscreen interface is intuitive, and the Resideo app allows seamless remote adjustments, whether you’re across town or on vacation. It handles heat pumps, steam systems, and forced-air furnaces with equal ease, though the C-wire requirement can be a hurdle—despite the included power adapter. On older systems lacking a C-wire, installation may require extra effort or professional help.

Against the ecobee Premium, the T9 trades some smart features for superior sensor reach and utility program integration. While it lacks air quality monitoring or voice control, it excels in pure climate zoning—ideal for families who want consistent comfort across rooms without paying for bells and whistles. It’s the go-to choice for users who prioritize multi-room accuracy and energy rebate eligibility over voice assistants or security alerts. For focused, reliable comfort automation, the T9 is a zone-control specialist that outperforms in its lane.

The ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential is the budget-savvy sibling of the Premium model, delivering core ecobee intelligence at a fraction of the cost. It retains the brand’s hallmark room sensing capability and ENERGY STAR-certified efficiency, making it a smart pick for those who want hot-spot elimination without premium extras. Though it lacks the built-in air quality monitor and voice assistant, it still supports Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant—offering seamless voice control through external devices. For renters or homeowners seeking proven performance on a tighter budget, this is a no-nonsense upgrade.

Performance-wise, the Essential handles 24V HVAC systems with confidence, using optional SmartSensors (sold separately) to balance temperatures across key living areas. The large, vibrant display remains easy to read, and the app-based scheduling is just as effective as its pricier cousin. However, the absence of a C-wire power extender kit in the box can be a surprise for older homes—requiring a separate purchase. While it doesn’t offer the cinematic interface or security alerts of the Premium, it delivers the same intelligent occupancy logic that makes ecobee a leader in smart climate control.

When stacked against the LEVOIT Aura 400S, the ecobee Essential offers better smart home integration and more reliable sensor support, despite the higher price. The LEVOIT wins on DIY ease, but ecobee dominates in ecosystem maturity. This thermostat is perfect for users who want trusted brand reliability, strong app support, and voice compatibility without paying for unused features. It proves that core smart comfort doesn’t have to come with a luxury price tag.

The LEVOIT Aura 400S is the DIY installer’s dream, designed for users who want smart climate control without calling an HVAC pro. With the C-wire adapter included and a 30-minute average install time, it removes the biggest barrier to smart thermostat adoption. Its 4-inch adaptive touchscreen is bright and intuitive, automatically adjusting to ambient light—making it easy for seniors and kids to use. But it’s not just simple to install; it’s smart enough to connect with Levoit’s ecosystem of air purifiers and humidifiers, creating a coordinated indoor environment.

In daily use, the thermostat excels at energy tracking and routine automation. The VeSync app delivers daily energy reports and allows eco-level customization, letting users trade precision for savings. You can link up to 16 Levoit sensors (sold separately) to monitor every room, though sensor response can lag slightly compared to ecobee or Honeywell. The Smart Scenes feature is a hidden gem—triggering your air purifier when indoor air quality dips—making it more than just a temperature controller.

Compared to the Provirtec T9-level competitor, the LEVOIT offers better app polish and broader ecosystem integration, though it lacks the same sensor responsiveness. It doesn’t match the Honeywell T9 in range or the ecobee in intelligence, but it lowers the barrier to entry for smart climate control. For users who value plug-and-play simplicity, energy insights, and brand ecosystem synergy, the Aura 400S is a no-fuss gateway into smarter, greener living. It’s the smart thermostat for the practical homeowner.

The Provirtec Smart Thermostat is a budget powerhouse, packing dual monitoring, 7-day scheduling, and real-time energy savings into a sub-$80 package. Its 1+1 Smart Monitoring system pairs the main thermostat with a room thermo-hygrometer, giving you body-location-based temperature control that adapts to where people actually are. The 3.95-inch sliding touchscreen blends traditional dials with modern touch—making it accessible for all ages—while BT Mesh backup ensures local control stays active even during Wi-Fi outages.

In practice, the thermostat delivers solid performance for its price, maintaining comfort with Sleep/Home/Away modes that adjust based on time and occupancy. The 2.4GHz Wi-Fi requirement is standard, but the Prodigytec app can feel clunky compared to industry leaders. It reliably supports 95% of 24VAC systems and promises up to 26% annual savings, though real-world results depend on proper setup and usage. The lack of S-terminal support limits sensor expansion, and the C-wire is mandatory, which could exclude some older homes.

Against the MOES thermostat, the Provirtec offers better screen design and built-in hygrometer, but falls short in ecosystem flexibility—MOES works with Tuya and Smart Life for broader automation. This is the pick for users who want maximum features per dollar, clear display, and stable local control. It’s not the most polished, but for a no-frills, high-value smart thermostat, it delivers where it counts. It’s the workhorse of budget climate control.

The MOES Smart Thermostat stands out with its zone control mastery, designed for homes where multi-area temperature management is critical. Its remote zone sensor allows independent monitoring of different rooms—say, a sun-drenched kitchen or a basement office—ensuring HVAC effort goes where it’s needed most. The automatic heating/cooling changeover is a subtle but powerful feature, eliminating manual switching and reducing wear on your system. With Tuya/Smart Life integration, it’s a favorite among DIY smart home enthusiasts who want deep automation without brand lock-in.

Real-world testing shows strong temperature accuracy, especially with the body-heat compensation feature that adjusts readings when someone is near the sensor. The C-wire optional design with included power module makes it adaptable to more homes, and the 7-day 4-mode programming handles complex schedules with ease. However, the app calibration process for temperature correction isn’t intuitive, and the lack of S-terminal support limits third-party sensor use. Still, for zone-specific control, it outperforms most in its class.

Compared to the LEVOIT Aura 400S, the MOES offers superior zone flexibility and better automation potential via Smart Life, but lacks the same user-friendly app and ecosystem. It’s the ideal pick for users who want granular control, cross-platform compatibility, and cost-effective zoning. If you’re building a Tuya-powered smart home and need a thermostat that plays well with others, the MOES is a zone-control champion that punches above its weight.