Emerson Sensi Smart Energy Saving Home Thermostat

Last updated: December 2, 2022


Smart alerts help detect extreme temps and humidity in your home, so you can adjust accordingly. Quick DIY installation will have you up and running in 30 minutes or less. The app is intuitive and makes setup and configuration simple.

Emerson Sensi Smart Energy Saving Home Thermostat

We looked at the top Thermostats and dug through the reviews from some of the most popular review sites. Through this analysis, we've determined the best Thermostat you should buy.

Product Details

Key Takeaway: This thermostat is easy to install, setup and control.

In our analysis of 56 expert reviews, the Emerson Sensi Smart Energy Saving Home Thermostat placed 4th when we looked at the top 10 products in the category. For the full ranking, see below.

From The Manufacturer

From across the room or across the country, your Sensi Wi-Fi thermostat makes it easy to remotely control and schedule your home comfort – Anytime. Anywhere. Designed to work with the wires you already have, Sensi thermostat does not require a common wire (c-wire) for most installations, so it is compatible with the HVAC equipment in many homes*** in U.S. & Canada. A c-wire is required for heat-only, cool-only and heat pump (without aux) systems, and for use with Apple HomeKit. Check to make sure it will work for you at sensi.emerson.com/compatibility . The intuitive app walks you through each step of installation with custom configured instructions, removing all the frustration and guesswork from the installation process, so you can be up and running in no time, no experience required. Put your comfort on your terms using location-based temperature control with geofencing or creating custom heating and cooling schedules with the flexible 7-day scheduling option with the ENERGY STAR certified Sensi thermostat. Both energy saving features you save about 23% on your HVAC energy usage* so you can save money without compromising your comfort. Plus, Sensi integrates directly with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant and Wink home automation platforms. Connect to Amazon Alexa to control your home temperature with simple voice commands, or just ask Siri to set, raise or lower your home temperature when using Sensi with Apple HomeKit. What’s more, Sensi Wi-Fi Thermostat has been named the ‘Best Value’ smart thermostat of 2018 by USA Today’s Reviewed.com *Energy savings calculated by comparing operation time for a nationwide sample of Sensi users with temperature adjustments averaging 4 degreeF vs. users with no adjustments. Savings vary based on equipment type/condition, insulation, climate & temperature adjustment size/frequency. **Based on survey results of 2120 respondents that purchased and installed a Sensi thermostat in 2018, approximately 70% reported installing in 30 minutes or less. Adding a common wire may impact installation time. ***Does not work with electric baseboard heat and some other systems. System requirements for mobile app: iOS – 10.0 or above Android – 4.2 or above (5.0 or greater to use the Geofencing feature).

Our Expert Consultant

Vicki Liston 
Home Improvement Expert

Vicki Liston writes, produces, and narrates “On The Fly…DIY,” an award-winning home improvement and DIY show of unique project tutorials for the casual DIY’er.

Home improvement and all things DIY have been Liston’s passion since she bought her first house in 2007 and she started making video blogs in 2014. She’s performed hundreds of DIY projects, from small ones to major, wall-smashing renovations and can teach you how to make a trendy DIY barn door for cheap. The proceeds earned from “On The Fly…DIY” are donated to no-kill animal shelters and rescue organizations.

Expert Reviews


What reviewers liked

Simple to install. Clean interface. Looks just like a regular thermostat with the added benefit of constant wireless connectivity.
The Boost feature is intended for those of you that have systems with multiple heating or cooling stages. The most common type of system that qualifies here will be a heat pump with an auxiliary heat source. So if that’s you, listen up!
Works even when wi-fi connectivity is lost
Battery life can sometimes be a concern with smart thermostats as depending on what model you have some eat batteries very quickly. However, the Sensi is surprisingly efficient in this category.
The Sensi WiFi thermostat, while undoubtedly “smart,” looks like the adjective “digital” would be more appropriate. It has a white faceplate with actual buttons and looks and feels like the updated version of a standard thermostat.
This smart thermostat is compatible with a variety of other smart programs. Then, using the Sensei app, you can use your smartphone, etc., to program the thermostat or adjust your home’s comfort levels.
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Your Emerson Sensi thermostat works well with oil, gas, heat pump, geothermal, and radiant heat systems. It provides up to four stages of heating and two stages of cooling.
The thermostat easily connects with your smartphone and allow remote controlling of the heating and cooling.

What reviewers didn't like

Too basic for people looking to upgrade their climate control system.
The other drawback to not having a c-wire is the Sensi will be relying on its 2 AA backup batteries much more often. Some users have even reported having to replace batteries every couple weeks. What a pain!
Doesn't connect to the router after an outage
The unit does include a user manual
View our Thermostat buying guide for in-depth advice and recommendations.

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