Emerson – Sensi Touch Smart Programmable Wi-Fi Thermostat-Works with Alexa, C-Wire Required – White
$169.99
Last updated on July 25, 2024 4:00 am Details
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8 reviews for Emerson – Sensi Touch Smart Programmable Wi-Fi Thermostat-Works with Alexa, C-Wire Required – White
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Emerson – Sensi Touch Smart Programmable Wi-Fi Thermostat-Works with Alexa, C-Wire Required – White
$169.99
SUHD –
I finally got a chance to replace the last classic not-so-smart thermostat in the house with this Emerson Sensi Touch Wi-Fi Programmable Thermostat that also integrates well with Alexa which I have in almost every room. I also tested it with one Google Assistant and with the Samsung SmartThings on my Galaxy S21 Ultra phone. But I’m getting ahead of myself a bit.
The installation instructions are detailed and easy to follow and execute. All you need is a screwdriver and a smartphone. Once you get the Sensi app installed and create an account, you’re ready to perform the physical install. Make sure you take note of the wires connected to your old thermostat and label them before you disconnect them. If your system does not have a C-wire, you’ll have to purchase an additional kit that will provide 24V common power to the Sensi Touch Thermostat. Once it’s installed and powered on, you’ll be able to connect to your home Wi-Fi network using the App.
The Sensi Touch thermostat has a large rectangular touch display that almost looks like a smart phone in landscape mode. The temperature is displayed in very large font sizes, so you can easily see it from a fair distance. The backlit color is orange when in heating mode and a cool blue when the air conditioning is on. It offers flexible programming ranges that will satisfy everyone’s preference such as 24 hour, 7-days, 5-1-1 day, 5-2 day. Additionally, the App can track usage statistics, HVAC maintenance monitoring, alerts and reminders which will help you save money on your energy bills.
Aside from all the similar features, tf you prefer the rectangular, big display look over the more round look of the competition, and if you don’t need remote temp sensors in other rooms, then the Emerson Sensi Touch Smart Thermostat is a more affordable option that works well for less.
HBCUgrad13 –
The Emerson Sensi Touch Thermostat is a very welcomed addition to my home. This product has served as a suitable replacement for my existing thermostat panel. Setting up the product was extremely easy. Emerson should win an award for the intuitive, step-by-step guide found within the app for installation. Any nervousness I felt prior to tampering with the wiring immediately dissipated with the detailed explanations at each step of the setup process. Once installed, I did have to tweak a configuration because the heat and cold settings were performing in the opposite manner of the desired action. Fortunately, this was explained in advance by the app.
As far as performance, I’ve been mostly satisfied. The app interface and touch screen is very responsive to the changes that I make. My selected inputs were immediately executed without any buffering or hiccups from the system. Integration with Google Assistant was seamless, and my commands were completed as requested.
I have two minor complaints from my usage of the thermostat. I have encountered an issue where the humidity level of my upstairs has gotten unusually high temperatures. Fortunately, I receive notifications for this, but this was never an issue with my older thermostat. However, my older panel wasn’t a smart thermostat so this thermostat could be picking up a possible issue. My other gripe is that the thermostat doesn’t necessarily provide tips or specific settings that could lower AC bills. As a consumer, I appreciate the ability to set schedules and make AC changes on the fly. I just believe that more suggestions on best practices could improve overall experience.
I’m very happy with the Sensi Touch Smart WiFi Thermostat. It’s just as easy to use as it is to install. This is a quality product capable of competing with other high end brands.
djfr –
Emerson Sensi Touch Smart Programable Wi-Fi Thermostat
If you have a battery backup thermostat you may not have the C-wire connected to your current thermostat, however your C-wire may be in place, just not utilized. In my case I had a battery backup thermostat, I had a fifth blue wire (C-wire) available, so I thought. I had a break in the C-wire in the attic or in the wall and discovered this using my ohm meter. Once the new wiring was in place mounting the Sensi Touch Smart Thermostat was a breeze. Due to installing new wiring, I chose to move the thermostat location to a different wall, which worked out better in my case. The Sensi Touch Smart Thermostat has a built-in bubble level making the wall mounting process easy. Once the new wiring was in place I connected to the Sensi Thermostat, mounted the thermostat to the wall, I downloaded the Sensi app and the set up was very quick and simple, connected to my internet fast.
You have a great deal of options, if you chose to utilize the programing, which I am sure is the only reason a person would purchase this type of thermostat. Getting the thermostat settings, you prefer, is easy and you can do this through the app or with the thermostat interface.
Connecting the Sensi Smart Thermostat to Alexa was quick and easy. Once you added the Sensi skill in your Alexa app you can request the thermostat temperature or set the temperature up or down from any of your Alexa devices.
The Sensi Thermostat is pre-programmed with 4-time/temp settings. You can adjust temperature setting and you can add, remove, or change the times however you prefer.
Usage report example: Saturday morning by 08:00 am review of the usage report displayed 33 minutes of run time with the air conditioner. Having the ability to monitor how long your temperature devices are running is a great feature.
I am sure there are more features to the Emerson Sensi Smart Thermostat that I will use as time goes by. I have never utilized a programable thermostat in the past, however, now that I have, I will never change, the advantages are remarkable. I have found our home stays more comfortable throughout the day and night.
The Sensi Touch Smart Thermostat is well made and looks great mounted on the wall. The thermostat face/keypad displays the time, current temperature of your home, and, if set in auto mode, displays the cool to temperature and the heat to temperature. A touch to the thermostat face and the display will also show the menu button, humidity, and other thermostat features. There is also a nice back light that you can turn on or off. When the back light is turn on you have a nice light around the back of the thermostat. You can also lock-out the keypad so no one can tamper with the settings. The app is responsive and has nice features, very well laid out and simple to use.
To date I don’t see any faults with the Sensi Touch Thermostat. I have never used one of these type thermostats and due to it being so easy to install, setup, and a definite benefit to our heating and air conditioning needs I give this thermostat a solid 5 stars.
Wishkid –
The Emerson Sensi smart thermostat is a very capable device. This thermostat is the gray version, it looks elegant and will match any color decor. The device is rectangular in shape with rounded corners. Is about 5 inches wide and 3 inches tall. The Color screen is 4 inches diagonal. If you have installed a thermostat in the past, installing this one should be very easy. Please note this thermostat requires the C (blue) – wire to function. Setting it up was easy as well, using the Sensi app, enter the code provided by the thermostat and that’s pretty much it. Like most apps these days this Sensi app also requires you to create an account and pretty much you have to enter most of your personal information.
The touchscreen is very responsive and the temperature numbers are large enough to be easy to read. I do love the clear back panel it actually lights up to create ambient lighting. The device has a lot of features compared to the other big players in the market. You can control it away from home or you can utilize voice assistants like Google and Alexa. This is also compatible with Apple home kit and Samsung Smarthings. It has a programmable schedule and filter change reminder. It does not have self learning capabilities or supports multiple temperature sensors. Overall is a nice elegant thermostat that will do pretty much the same as the other more expensive counterparts except without a few of the advance features. In the box you get the thermostat, mounting hardware, and some manuals.
EthanH –
I haven’t heard the name Emerson since the 13 inch tv I had when I was little. Honestly, I didn’t even know that Emerson was still functioning as a company, or that they made smart thermostats.
The setup is very straight forward. You download the app, and the app tells you what to do step by step. You will need to remember to turn off the power to the HVAC system, and you will need some basic tools like a screwdriver. Out of the box you get the face console, and back plate that houses the connection points for the wires.
Keep in mind that you will need to have a C-Wire in your current system. This allows the smart portion of the thermostat to work. If you don’t have one, you can find an adapter.
The app even reminds you to take a photo of your current configuration so it’s easier to match the existing wires to the new back plate.
Once everything is plugged in, you can start using the app to control your new smart thermostat. You get features such as creating a schedule for your new system. You can set both the AC and heat to your hear content. Having the app to manually change the temperate at will is of course the basics when it comes to a smart thermostat, but also being able to include it into the Alexa ecosystem adds another bonus.
My alexa app is littered with devices, and now I have another to add to the mix…
One of the killer features is that the app notifies you on your usage. You can monitor how much AC or heat that you’re using. This can come in handy when you start to see why your bill is skyrocketing, and you can edit your schedule to reduce the times that you use the AC or heat.
The unit itself looks very sleek. It’s a huge upgrade to the non-smart thermostat my home came with.
Mukman –
So, I had another name brand Wi-Fi thermostat but thought I would try this out.
So far, I’m very impressed with this thermostat.
Set up will be easy for anyone who has a typical home unit with a common wire (you must have this common wire)
I went a step further and added my AC humidifier to the thermostat. This is a very nice bonus for me, as in the past I would have to go downstairs to adjust the manual thermostat on the side of the furnace when temperature changed outside. Now I can set the desired humidity level and forget about it.
Back to set up, you will download the Sensi app and follow the instructions. It will walk you through your wire connections, Wi-Fi setup etc. If you need more advanced setup (adding what was not already connected) like myself, I suggest you go online and download the PRO installation guide, as this will identify what each connection is for. The Sensi app does not show this. It simply asks you to select each wire you currently have, then tells you what connection to plug into on the new thermostat.
Of course, if you are not comfortable with wiring then you may want to simply hire a professional to install this for you.
Speaking of the connections, the wire simply pushes into a clamp like grip. If you need to remove the wire, you simply push the lever underneath the wire and pull the wire right out. Very nice feature.
Follow the directions carefully, and don’t forget to turn off the power supply to your AC and furnace before starting.
Since I had a unique set up, I had to call their customer service department for assistance. They were helpful in walking me through my set up. I was on hold for about 20 minutes the first time I called, then when they finally answered, my Bluetooth failed and the tech could hear me. That was very frustrating, but what I found impressive, is they figured out I had a phone issue and they called me back. That is great customer service.
Note – I did have to run another wire since I needed 1 more for my humidifier unit.
You can set up and control multiple units with this thermostat, another nice feature.
Compatibility:
Conventional 2H/2C
Heat only and Cool only
Heat Pump 4H/2C
Geothermal, gas, oil, electric and dual fuel
The programming options are fantastic. You can set schedules for COOL, HEAT or AUTO. The Auto feature will allow the thermostat to turn on your heat or A/C depending on the needs. I see this as a great feature for someone with a second home, or if you are away for extended periods of time.
Of course, it is Wi-Fi so you could change the settings remotely if you have Wi-Fi connected in the home the thermostat resides.
Schedule types:
-Programmed Schedules – provide you endless options that allow you to set the home temperature based on your own needs.
-Geofencing- This will set your thermostat back 3 degrees when you leave a 3 mile radius from your home.
-No Schedule
Fan Mode- here you can turn the fan on manually or leave in auto mode. You can also tell it to circulate your air anywhere from 10% to 100% of the time.
The app will also show you your usage per day for Cool, Heat and Fan.
This Sensi Touch Smart Thermostat is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit and SmartThings. I use Alexa. It was easy to add to my Alexa app and it’s a pretty cool feature. Once installed on your smart phone, you can control your Sensi thermostat with your voice.
Visually this is a good-looking unit as well. The background color on the display changes dependent on the function it is providing. So, if A/C in ON it will display a light blue background if it’s heating it’ll display and orange color and when it’s OFF it’ll display a gray background. I appreciate the Large digital readout of the current temperature, nice for old guys like me. You also can view time, temp setting and humidity percentage.
Another unique feature is a light on the back of the thermostat called Back Glow. You can set this to ON or OFF. When ON it will give you kind of a night light effect. I do wish you could set this on a schedule, for instance have go ON at night and OFF during the day.
Temperature accuracy is very good. See pics for temp reading comparison.
Overall, I am very impressed with Sensi Touch Smart Thermostat and the App, I would highly recommend.
SimpleLiving –
Now an excellent modern-looking thermostat with a nightlight for guests to quickly locate at night. When one is not home, I can control it remotely via the Sensi app on my phone (Android). Designed very well and has an excellent interface with many cool features.
In my case, the installation was fast and easy, thanks to the app installation guide wizard. Before removing the old thermostat connected to the wires, the guide recommends taking a picture as a reference. On the app, you tell it what wires are on the old thermostat, and then the app will give you a custom mad connection depending on your current wires. The kit comes with stickers to label your specific connected wires. After all the wires are attached to the new base plate, the next step is to set up the Wi-Fi configuration. Once all that is complete, use the Alexa app to add this device to your account to be able to control the thermostat with a voice command. My favorite settings in the app that would help me save energy costs are (1) Service Reminder for filter and maintenance, (2) Min & Max cooling/heating temperature, and (3) Humidity Control. I rarely lower my cooling temperature below 73°, and once I had a guest staying overnight, someone dropped the temperate to 67°. With the Senci app, I don’t have to worry about someone playing with my thermostat. The Service Reminder setting does notify you of the important task of changing the filter and doing system maintenance. For an A/C, flushing drain pipes and coil cleaning prolong the unit’s life and save on cooling/heating costs.
Overall, I am satisfied with the Senci smart thermostat. Easy to install, the ability for remote control, easy to program, service reminder, min/max control setting, humidity control, modern look.
Abhaxus –
The Emerson Sensi Touch Smart thermostat is an impressive smart home product from a company that is well known for their conventional HVAC controls. I was a fairly early adopter for smart home gear, with almost everything in my home being controlled through SmartThings, with one smart thermostat downstairs from one of the earliest smart thermostat brands, and previously a Z-wave thermostat from a different ‘traditional’ HVAC brand in my bonus room (on the same central AC unit, with a dual zone control board to allow for separate controls).
With the Sensi, I replaced that Z-wave thermostat upstairs and it was an incredibly easy swap. The Sensi includes a ‘base’ that you attach to the wall and has nicely labeled terminals for all of the thermostat wires. Included in the package, there are some wire labels to attach to the wires as you remove them from your existing thermostat, as well. The Sensi app also guides you through each step of the process. (side note: it’s really nice that we’re finally getting to the point that brands asking you to download their app to set something up have actually made it worth doing so vs a regular manual or PC web browser setup). I was up and running in less than 10 minutes, including the trips outside to flip the breaker on my HVAC unit.
The Sensi app is well made, and Emerson makes a point of telling you that they don’t sell your data for advertising purposes – which is comforting (sorry, HVAC pun). Of course, I then integrated the Sensi thermostat into my SmartThings setup and Google Home, so those privacy protections from Emerson themselves are kind of moot :). The integrations work perfectly and are pretty much ‘one touch’ in either app. If you don’t have a full smart home, the Sensi app works well in a standalone fashion, too. It provides warnings if your AC unit doesn’t seem to be keeping up with the temp in your home, and lets you control the temperature from afar. This is not a ‘learning’ thermostat – it just connects to wifi, so you must still set your own schedules. As far as I can tell, it doesn’t offer geofencing either. I have never had that work reliably for the other brands I’ve used, so no big loss. However, one thing I love about the google home integration is being able to tell my Google assistant to change the temperature while I’m on the way home – on days when I’m not sticking to the pre-programmed schedule, this is really nice.
Definitely consider the Emerson Sensi Touch if you are in the market for an attractively designed, connected thermostat without a lot of fluff. This thing just does its job well, at a really good price.