Google has been making these Nest thermostats ever since Google acquired Nest back in 2014, but for the first time, Apple or Alexa users can now add the thermostat to their Home app. I still use my first generation Google Nest at home and love the user experience. If you're looking for the latest iteration, the fourth-generation Google Nest Learning Thermostat came out in the summer of 2024, and it's down to a record low price of $219.99 (originally $279.99) according to price-tracking tools.
The Google Nest Learning Thermostat comes with a Second Generation Google Nest Temperature Sensor ($40 value) in the box, which you can put anywhere in your house so that the thermostat can detect that specific location's temperature and adjust accordingly. You can also move it around so that the temperature can follow you around the house. Of course, you can create schedules around the sensors (you can get multiple ones if you wish).
Another of the new features is an AI feature that takes into account the outside temperature to adjust the temperature indoors, as well as learning what temperatures you like so it can anticipate your actions. For example, if there's a heatwave coming, it'll cool the house a little bit more than usual, based on your past behaviors. It can also detect if there's an abnormality with your HVAC system, like an efficiency issue, and send you a warning—which, as all homeowners know, can be a lifesaver if it saves you from having to do an expensive HVAC repair. This is also the first generation to have full Matter support, giving you access to the Home app (in other words, it can work with Siri or Alexa). You can learn more in PCMag's "excellent" review.
