Nest or Hive?

These days when looking for a smart thermostat heating system for your home it tends to come down to either Nest or Hive.

Firstly though why install a smart thermostat? The main reason is to dramatically reduce energy wastage, saving money for the consumer and of course doing your bit for the environment. Next to costly boiler replacement it has to be the main way to save energy in heating the home.

But, which system is best? The Nest thermostat has led the way for a long time but the latest version of Hive Active Heating has improved considerably.

To fully compare we need to understand the features and benefits of a smart thermostat.

Firstly there is the ability to ‘learn’ the heating habits of your property and then automatically programme itself to match your routine. Now that is smart! This is where the Nest scores its first point over Hive, with the Hive system not offering learning.

Via the GPS location on your smartphone, the thermostat knows when the property is empty and when you return home. This of course avoids heating an empty home, and both Hive and Nest offer this cool feature.

There is even a motion sensor that will sense when somebody enters or leaves the property and the thermostat then sets the heating accordingly. Again though this is another feature only offered by the Nest System.

By monitoring the weather forecast and outdoor temperature the smart thermostat sets a suitable temperature in the home. With the additional benefit to help to prevent pipes from freezing during the winter months. This is a feature offered by both systems.

Compatibility with your heating system is a vital point. Both Hive and Nest operate on most standard heating systems however Nest also works with

Air and ground source heat pumps and Biomass Boilers making its compatibility more extensive over Hive.

Voice control, Nest and Hive are compatible with both Google Assistant and Alexa ensuring you can have full voice control over your smart thermostat., neat!

Energy reports can be a useful way of looking at how to save money on your energy by assessing when are your peak usage times. Nest is a clear winner over Hive when it comes to reports, as Hive does not offer this.

Costs are pretty similar with both systems retailing around £180, which is a small price to pay when you consider the savings that can be realised.

So in conclusion smart thermostats offer a great solution to control your heating and save on energy costs, however Nest offers more of a comprehensive range of features making it one of the most advanced smart thermostats on the market.