After years of struggling along with inconsistently available third-party accessories to optimize temperature across rooms, Nest thermostat owners finally have a legitimate Nest-provided option for remote temperature sensing. Nest today announced and opened pre-orders for the Nest Temperature Sensor.
The Nest Temperature Sensor, designed to work with the third-generation Nest Learning Thermostat and the Nest Thermostat E, lets you specify target temperatures for up to 6 alternative locations around your home for any one thermostat. The compact, Bluetooth sensor is a 2-inch wide, white puck that can be wall-mounted or placed on any flat surface. Unlike Ecobee’s remote sensors, Nest’s sensors do not also sense room occupancy or motion and (of course) are not HomeKit compatible.
Nest’s sensor will be shipping in April, but it’s available for pre-order now for $39 or as a $19 add-on for new Nest Thermostat purchases. You can also save a little by picking up a three-pack for $99.
Have a first- or second-gen thermostat? Nest’s new sensor will not work with those models. You’ll need to upgrade to a newer model thermostat or stick with the few remaining third-party services that still work with Nest. If you’re lucky enough to have purchased Stack lights back in the day, that may be your best option, since their sensors are designed to optimize relative comfort levels based on occupancy.
We’re excited to see this offering finally coming to market. Remote temperature sensing was one of the advantages that Ecobee held over the Nest Thermostat, and this now closes that gap—though at a slightly higher price. More importantly, with the ability to monitor and manage remote sensors from Nest’s own app, we’re hoping this might encourage third-party Works with Nest partners to offer new sensor options of their own.
Great idea…but if your home isn’t zoned, then it doesn’t make a difference.
These sensors are typically ideal for homes that are not zoned because you can balance or average the temperature across rooms or, perhaps more importantly, optimize the temperature for a location other than where your thermostat is located. This is probably less of a concern with an open floorplan, but it’s great for homes that have the thermostat in an obscure location like a back hall or a dining room that isn’t typically where people gather (or where airflow is best).