Sensi Touch 2 smart thermostat review: Stylish climate control

Price When Reviewed

$209.99

Best Prices Today: Sensi Touch 2 Smart Thermostat

The original Emerson Sensi Touch came out way back in 2017, and we called it a big step up from the original. The all-new Sensi Touch 2 is a more modest upgrade over that device, featuring a more streamlined design, an improved user interface, and first-time support for remote room sensors (not included).

If you find yourself intimidated by the price tags on our top picks in this category—the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium and the Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd generation)—the Sensi Touch 2 was selling on Amazon for almost $100 less than either of them as of this writing.

The design aesthetic of this third-gen device hasn’t changed significantly, it’s still a rectangle with curved edges and a 4.3-inch color display, but there are enough minor refinements to make the new model look sleeker. Measuring 5.6 inches wide by 3.25 inches high, but just 0.8 inches deep, the Sensi Touch 2 is the thinnest smart thermostats I’ve seen. It’s an attractive smart home device with a bright, sharp screen.

Jason D’Aprile/Foundry

Jason D’Aprile/Foundry

Jason D’Aprile/Foundry

You’ll need to have a C-wire in the wall to connect the Sensi Touch 2 to your HVAC system. If you don’t, Emerson offers a couple of alternative solutions, or you can buy the company’s $28 C-wire adapter kit (Emerson doesn’t bundle it with the thermostat). The Sensi Touch 2 is compatible with single-stage, multi-stage, and heat pump systems.

This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart thermostats.

I was disappointed to discover that Emerson also doesn’t bundle a backplate that would cover the holes from previous installations—they’re generally standard equipment with other high-end smart thermostats. I happen conduct a lot of thermostat reviews every year, but just about anyone installing a new thermostat will be replacing an old one, and the old one will more likely be larger than the new one and will leave holes behind.

Aside from that mild complaint, the Sensi Touch 2 powered up immediately after installation—it just worked—even before I touched the app. I could have started using the thermostat to control my HVAC system without doing anything else at all. You will, however, want to install the app and pair it to the thermostat so that you can connect it to your Wi-Fi network Admittedly, you’ll need to use the app to set up the wi-fi and get it linked to your Sensi account so you can use the app, but it’s nice to see a smart thermostat that isn’t entirely reliant on the app immediately.

Design and features

Jason D’Aprile/Foundry

Jason D’Aprile/Foundry

Jason D’Aprile/Foundry

The Sensi Touch 2’s touch screen is responsive and easy to read, displaying the current temperature, time, and relative humidity. Onscreen buttons let your change the target temperature and your HVAC system’s modes (heat, cool, auto, fan only) right at the thermostat itself—you don’t really need to go through the app for most things. You’ll still need the app for more advanced options, such as creating schedules for when you’re home and when you’re away, setting your geofence perimeter, and so on; but I appreciate being able to do the simple things right at the thermostat.

You can also integrate the thermostat into your smart home ecosystem, with support for Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings. It’s also compatible with the compelling Woosh Smart Air Filter I recently reviewed. When paired with the Woosh indoor air quality sensor, the combo can trigger the Sensi Touch 2 to power on your HVAC system to run its fan to circulate your home’s air through the filter. The Sensi Touch 2 does not support Matter or Apple’s HomeKit standards.

The Sensi Touch 2 is compatible with Emerson’s equally new Sensi Room Sensor ($40), which should help reduce hot and cold spots by averaging the temperatures in your home (well, each room where there’s a sensor, plus the temperature where the thermostat itself is located). The wireless, battery-powered room sensor, which can rest on a flat surface or be mounted to the wall, tracks both ambient temperature and humidity at its location. Unlike Ecobee’s remote sensor, however, Emerson’s doesn’t also detect motion, so it can function as an occupancy sensor.

Privacy conscious smart home dwellers—and I’m one—will appreciate that Emerson promises it won’t collect and sell your personal data to any third parties.

Should you buy the Sensi Touch 2 Smart Thermostat?

Emerson’s Sensi Touch 2 is a very good smart thermostat at its $210 MSRP, but we’ve seen it selling for as little as $140 online—at that price, it’s a steal. The thermostat itself has an excellent and easy-to-use interface and a noticeably improved touch screen compared to the 2^nd-generation device (it’s leagues beyond the original product), The Sensi app is also well designed and is equally easy to master.

The Sensi Touch 2 offers all the bells and whistles I’ve come to expect from modern high-end thermostats, including remote sensor support, robust scheduling features, geofencing, and remote accessibility via the app. Given its current street price, Emerson is mounting a strong value challenge to Ecobee and Nest.