Google Pulls the Plug on Older Nest Thermostats. 5 Alternatives We Recommend Instead

Google Pulls the Plug on Older Nest Thermostats. 5 Alternatives We Recommend Instead

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Having trouble with your older-generation Nest smart thermostats? As of Oct. 25, Google is no longer providing software updates for its oldest devices.

The first- and second-gen Nest Learning Thermostats will no longer connect to or work in the Google Nest app or Google Home app, Google says, effectively turning them back into dumb devices with little to no smart connectivity.

You can still use them to manually adjust your home’s temperature, but you can’t control them via your smartphone or get notifications about settings or bugs. This also kills any third-party device or assistant support, so check any automation routines you might have set up.

Google sent emails to the affected owners about the shutdown. It offered a newer model for $149.99, which is just over half the standard price of $280.

On the Nest subreddit, many question why they would purchase a new Nest thermostat when there are no guarantees it will work in the future. Others have suggested that people should know that smart functionality is not guaranteed forever; the affected devices date back to 2011 and 2014, after all. Others counter that if they wanted a dumb thermostat that didn’t connect to their devices, they’d have bought one for $20, not almost $300.

Recommended by Our Editors

They also argue that there’s nothing particularly complicated about connecting a device like a smart thermostat to your phone, so Google should be able to handle that. One community project, dubbed No Longer Evil, is trying to do that on its own.

Top-Rated Nest Thermostat Alternatives

The cynical argument is that this is planned obsolescence, and Google merely wants to encourage users to buy the newer hardware. If you’re ready to upgrade, however, here are some of the smart thermostats we recommend.

Editors’ Choice

4.5

Outstanding


Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium

Doubles as a home security device and smart speaker



Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential

Editors’ Choice

4.0

Excellent


Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential

Ecobee’s most affordable climate control device.



Amazon Smart Thermostat

4.0

Excellent


Amazon Smart Thermostat

Control your heating and cooling system from your phone or via Alexa voice commands.



Honeywell Home T9 Smart Thermostat With Sensor

4.0

Excellent


Honeywell Home T9 Smart Thermostat With Sensor

Long-range sensors provide uniform temperatures throughout your home.



The Sensi Touch 2 Smart Thermostat ST76

4.0

Excellent


Sensi Touch 2 Smart Thermostat

Feature-rich smart thermostat with a large color touch screen.



$169.00
at Amazon

$189.99
Save $20.99


Shop Now



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About Our Expert

Autor

  • Gaby Souza é criador do MdroidTech, especialista em tecnologia, aplicativos, jogos e tendências do mundo digital. Com anos de experiência testando dispositivos e softwares, compartilha análises, tutoriais e notícias para ajudar usuários a aproveitarem ao máximo seus aparelhos. Apaixonado por inovação, mantém o compromisso de entregar conteúdo original, confiável e fácil de entender