Underfoot floor heating has become a big deal over the last few years. It’s a more effective and energy-efficient way to heat up the house, saving both money and the environment.
With how popular smart homes have gotten over the last few years, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to find out that there is a massive section of heat thermostat controllers for your heated floors. So many, in fact, that we’ve decided to put together a list of the best.
A lot of people don’t realize how important the heat of their home is. Having a room at the right temperature is the difference between being incredibly comfortable, dozing off, or being freezing. It can do a staggering amount of things to your brain, so having heating controls is critical to your home environment.
The fact that we can now control the temperature of our environment is relatively new, so you should be taking advantage of it. It isn’t that easy, though. The market is beyond saturated when it comes to thermostat options, and even programmable thermostat devices are beginning to pop up in numbers.
Instead of letting you spend hours upon hours shopping around online, we’re going to do the hard work for you. We’ve gone through countless thermostats, both programmable and non-programmable alike. From the models we’ve seen, we’ve selected our top seven floor heating system thermostats.
While our rankings tend to be solid, it’s only a rough guide. You’re allowed to disagree with us, and you’re allowed to make your mind up. If you don’t want a model with floor sensor integration, then that’s fine; it just means that this list isn’t for you. If you think we’ve got it wrong, then no worries! You go off and do your own thing.
Anyways, without further ado, here’s our ranked list of the best smart thermostat for your heated floor.
1 – Ecobee 4
The Ecobee 4 is better than the NUHEAT in almost every single way, and that includes price. The main advantage of this thermostat over others is how it measures temperature using sensor technology. Most models measure the temperature of one specific spot in your house and use that number. The Ecobee 4 works differently. Instead, you have multiple Ecobee sensor devices in the various rooms in your home, and the thermostat uses the data from these sensor models to decide the temperature of each room.
- Not very expensive.
- Alexa powered.
- Great temperature recording technology.
- Dual-band WiFi thermostat for heated floor.
- Comes with a free floor sensor.
- Simple to use.
- Time and weather display included.
The Ecobee 4 is a best seller for a reason. Although you might struggle to get one is you live outside of the states.
The Ecobee 4 is Energy Star certified and saves users an average of 23% percent on their heating and electricity bills. It’s compatible with both Andriod and iOS and even comes with a free floor sensor in the box.
One of the best things about the Ecobee 4 is the fact that it can be used with Eco+. This system lets the thermostat adjust to your schedule, so you’re getting a 7-day programmable thermostat that can change to suit your needs on the fly.
2 – NUHEAT Thermostat AC0055
The NUHEAT AC0055 is easy to set up, and a great alternative to the market-dominating NEST products, and a significant step up from the Honeywell TH115-AF. It has compatibility with a number of other smart home accessories, which is great to see. It is pretty expensive for a product of this type, far more than the TH115-AF, which is a shame because it would otherwise be a viable alternative to the bigger names out there.
- Easy installation.
- Very compatible with other brands.
- Expensive
- Easy to use.
- Can display time.
- Comes with floor sensor options.
The NUHEAT comes with floor sensor WiFi functionality and is compatible with the likes of Alexa, Google Assistant, IFTTT, and more.
It’s a fully programmable thermostat and even lets you have a look at the weather in your area. It gives you a full breakdown of your energy consumption, has a great UI, and can be accessed at any time from your phone.
3 – Honeywell TH115-AF
The Honeywell TH115-AF is a basic but effective electric floor programmable thermostat. It has 7-day programmable functionality, which is surprising in a model that costs less than $100 dollars. It has three different heating modes: ambient, floor, or ambient with the floor.
- The Honeywell TH115-AF has a basic design.
- Great affordability.
- The TH115-AF is a fully programmable thermostat.
- Easy to use.
- Not non-programmable, but fewer options than most models.
The Honeywell TH115-AF is much more basic than the majority of smart thermostats out there. There’s no fancy HD display, WiFi functionality, or anything else. The TH115-AF case is also made from a rather old-fashioned plastic.
That being said, the Honeywell TH115-AF is a great budget option for those in need of an electric floor thermostat on a budget.
4 – Nest Learning Thermostat Gen 3
Google has been working day and night, developing heated floor smart thermostat devices. Due to the fact that it’s Google, the Nest Learning Thermostat seamlessly integrates with the rest of the Google smart home ecosystem, which is invaluable. It’s a solid smart thermostat that does everything you need it to, while also being compatible with all of Google’s devices. That being said, if you’re not building a Google smart home, then you should steer clear of this one.
- Google compatible.
- Foundationally solid in every way.
- Isn’t going to suit every type of smart home.
- Simple to use.
The Nest programmable thermostats get the learning name from how the device is programmed. You use it manually for a week, and the device then begins to adapt.
Once the Nest thermostat gets a feel for your functions, schedule, and preferences, it begins to make changes in the temperature automatically to suit your needs.
For example, if you turn the heating up at 11 at night, Nest learns that you like a warm temperature going to bed, and is going to ensure that the temperature is up every night at that time. This goes for other times in the day, too. The device also learns when you’re out of the house for work. During this time, it sets itself to eco mode, saving you money and energy.
Nest doesn’t let you just control the floor heating system, though. You can also control your hot water.
The app lets you see how much you’re saving by using the thermostat and can be controlled from anywhere at any time.
5 – Honeywell Lyric T5
The Honeywell Lyric T5 is the best budget floor heating system thermostat around. It doesn’t give you a bunch of the fancy features that our other picks do, although it still comes packed it a myriad of features like programmable smart sensors and 7-day programmable scheduling.
- 7-day programmable options.
- Super affordable.
- Has smart floor sensor functionality.
- Easy to use.
- Clean time display.
- Doesn’t come with floor sensor system integration.
Despite the cheapness of this programmable thermostat, you’re getting incredible functionality.
Most notably, at this point is the geofencing features that it comes with. Using your smartphone, the thermostat can predict when you’re on your way home. It takes that information and begins getting the temperature ready ahead of time, so you literally have to do nothing at all.
The thermostats floor sensor and scheduling features work very well for this price point. You can set it by location or by day/time, which is a nice touch.
The app is compatible with Alexa, Apple Home Kit, Google Assistant, Cortana, and more. Thus, you have plenty of functionality to integrate with the system.
6 – Nest Thermostat E
The Nest Thermostat E is the budget Nest thermostat. How it saves that money is going to surprise you, though. It didn’t strip out features or functionality; all it did was replace the metal and glass frame for a plastic one. This was enough to save you $80 dollars on the price tag. Therefore, you’re getting all of that Nest goodness, for a fraction of the cost, provided you don’t mind losing a bit of metal off the thermostats shell.
- Great price tag.
- Nest product.
- Doesn’t sacrifice functionality for affordability.
The only things that you’re missing out on with this model are superficial. For example, you don’t have access to weather reports or the time.
Aside from that, and the fact that the Nest E can’t control your hot water, there is practically no difference between the two.
7 – Mysa Smart Thermostat
The Mysa smart thermostat is a very niche product. Specifically, it’s a high-voltage model for electric baseboard heaters. Keep in mind that there is little to no competition in this market, so Mysa is your only real viable choice. That being said, it is compatible with both Alexa and Google Assistant, although it lacks the majority of features that other smart thermostats come with.
- Lacks features.
- The only option in this niche.
- Clean design.
If you have an electric baseboard heater, you’re going to be a bit disappointed. However, it’s likely that in the next few years, more advanced thermostats for this kind of system are going to be developed.
What to Look for in a Thermostat Electric System
Us giving you our picks is all well and good. However, you might not like what we do, which is why it’s important you can pick out your own thermostat.
This process isn’t as easy as going to the supermarket and deciding what brand of milk to get. There are certain things that you have to take into consideration. These things change if you’re shopping for a non-programmable model of what you want to use the thermostat for.
If you don’t, you’re going to end up with a sub-par electric floor heating system and a number of useless heated floor thermostats.
- First things first, compatibility.
You need to make sure that the thermostat you’re buying is compatible with the rest of your smart home system. Apple and Google are currently waging a market war. On one side, you have the Google Nest; on the other, you have the Apple Home Kit.
While most third-party floor heating system thermostats are compatible with both, not all of them are. If you get a thermostat that’s incompatible, then there’s nothing you can do except bring it back to the store.
If you don’t have a smart system installed in your home yet, then do that before you invest in a thermostat. You need to have a foundation before you can build the house, after all.
After you ensure your floor sensor and thermostat models can work with one another, you need to make sure that the floor heating system is compatible, too.
- Once you make sure that you have compatibility sorted, you should move onto the budget.
Electric thermostats are surprisingly inexpensive. However, there are still certain points that you should be aware of.
You can get thermostats around $100 dollars, $250 dollars, or $300+ dollars. Decide how much you’re willing to spend on the thermostat before you start shopping. Also, be aware of whether or not you get free shipping. Thermostat shipping can be expensive, depending on your region, so free shipping is always a plus.
In terms of core functionality, all three categories operate the same. No matter how much you spend, you’re going to be able to control the temperature of your electric floor heating system. However, there are additional options that the more expensive models get over the cheaper ones.
One of the most notable of these is the inclusion of floor sensor technology. If your thermostat is compatible with a floor sensor, it means that it can collect feedback data in real-time.
Using this data, the thermostat manipulates your electric floor heating system to increase or decrease the temperature to obtain the ideal room temperature. It isn’t a case of increasing the thermostat by five degrees; it’s a case of wanting the room at 65 degrees Fahrenheit and moving the thermostat to achieve that.
- After you get your budget sorted, it’s time to look for functions.
How much you spend is going to determine the functions that your thermostat comes with.
As well as that, the build quality and functionality are going to be determined by the price. If you have a niche kind of floor heating system, expect to pay more for your thermostat.
Things like weather reports, time updates, and 7-day programmable thermostat scheduling are all features that are common in higher-end models.
While some cheaper thermostats are non-programmable, it isn’t very common. If you’re getting a non-programmable thermostat, then you’re likely spending far too little on your thermostat. If you push your budget just up to the $100 dollar mark, most of the thermostats you come across are going to be programmable.
If you do decide to opt for an electric non-programmable model, make sure you’re still getting the functions you need. A lot of these non-programmable “smart” thermostats don’t actually have smart home integration, so keep that in mind.
What is a Programmable Thermostat?
There are two kinds of electric floor heating systems out there: programmable and non-programmable thermostat models. The difference between the two is simple but also very important.
With a programmable thermostat, you can set it up to change temperature based on time or day. Some high-end models can even do this automatically based on location.
Non-programmable thermostat electric models have no such use. The temperature on these always needs to be changed manually, essentially removing the biggest benefit to getting a smart home thermostat.
The price difference between non-programmable and programmable thermostat options is negligible, too, so spend the extra $20 dollars for a better model.
Where to Buy Programmable Thermostat Models
Unfortunately, the physical retail world is lacking when it comes to embracing electric smart home floor sensor technology. You have to go searching for a niche store to find somewhere that sells floor sensor systems or anything really for your smart home. You can always shop online, though.
As with everything electric, Amazon has a great range of programmable thermostat options. This is especially true if you’re in the US. If you live in Europe or the UK, however, you’re Amazon options are limited.
Honeywell has those floor heating and floor sensor markets cornered pretty tightly, so you’re going to struggle to find floor heating system options on Amazon that aren’t from that brand.
As an alternative to Amazon, though, you could go straight to the source and buy your floor sensor thermostats from the companies instead. This is a particularly attractive option if you’re choosing to use Google Nest thermostats.
Buying from the companies can be cheaper than going through a seller like Amazon, although it’s unlikely you’re going to get free shipping. This can be a deal-breaker depending on where you live, as the shipping costs for some regions can ger astronomically high.
As smart homes become more and more common in the public space, you can expect more stores to start carrying programmable thermostat stock. As it stands, though, you need to go searching.
What is a Good Temperature Setting for Radiant Heat Floor?
One thing that all programmable thermostat owners have in common is heat. Regardless of the system, whether electric, gas, or anything in between. Everyone needs to know what temperature to set their heating.
When it comes to radiant heated flooring, though, things become different. Most people aren’t used to having a floor heating system in their house, which leaves them perplexed as to what they should be setting it at.
With radiant floor programmable thermostat heating, you’re trying to get a temperature that is as close to ideal as possible. With a floor heating system, this is around 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
The temperature declines as it rises up and generally reduces down to 60 degrees by the time it reaches the ceiling. This keeps the room below your internal body temperature, but warm enough to make you feel cozy.
How to Control Radiant Floor Heat
Controlling your radiant floor heating is the same as controlling any other type of electric floor heating system. Let a professional take care of your installation, then all you have to do is use your thermostats.
Using the smart thermostats, you can manually increase or decrease the temperature of the flooring. Alternatively, if you have a programmable thermostat, you can use that function instead. You can set up different temperatures for different days if it’s a 7-day programmable thermostat or for different times throughout the one day.
If your thermostat can use sensors, then that’s an option, too. You place these sensors around your home, and the thermostat is going to gather temperature data from them. It then adjusts the heat of the floor so that every room is at the ideal temperature.
Does Nest Work with Radiant Heating?
Yes, Nest thermostats do work with radiant heating. In fact, radiant heating is set up by default when your Nest system is connected to your floor heating system.
You can adjust the radiant settings through the thermostat or the Nest app on your phone.
Conclusion
We hope you’ve found our list helpful. The world of electric programmable thermostat systems and heating is complicated and confusing. It’s only going to get worse as time goes on, too.
Every day, the smart home electric system becomes more and more popular, so expect to see a number of different thermostats released in the near future.
While this is great for you in terms of use and options, it does bloat the floor heating system market even more. We’ve given you the fundamental knowledge that you need to shop for a thermostat of your own but feel free to check back regularly for our opinions.
Don’t feel pressured to get yourself a smart thermostat, though. In terms of the smart home, there are many more important things to buy. These thermostat floor heating systems are accessories that build on a smart foundation, so make sure that the foundation is in place before you open up your wallet.
Also, don’t forget to make sure that everything you buy for your home system is compatible. Most third party thermostats are, but not all of them. This is vital, especially if you’re getting a system that has floor sensor technology.
Google has the Nest system; Apple has the Home Kit. These are the two sides of the smart home war. The two-floor heating system thermostats don’t mix, so don’t make that mistake.
Ideally, all of your thermostats and smart home devices are going to be from the same brand. That typically isn’t possible, though, so just make sure that there is no compatibility issue.
That’s all we have to say on the matter of floor heating system technology. If you have any questions on electric thermostats, programmable or non-programmable, feel free to contact us through our site. We have plenty of other content on floor heating thermostats, so if you enjoyed what you read, feel free to check out some of that other stuff.
