The Good: Easily programmed via website or app. Simple, easy to use physical interface. Ability to set up hot/cold alerts via email. Can schedule each day differently if need be.
The Bad: It makes a fairly loud clicking noise when activating the heat or AC. The app has a useless “Contractor” section which seems to exist solely to sell you on services. Requires C wire or workaround with an adapter.
Overall: The Honeywell RTH6580WF Wi-Fi Programmable Thermostat is a great entry level WiFi thermostat. It gives you the ability to monitor and control your heat and AC from anywhere, and offers a lot of scheduling options. Most people really don’t require any more than this. Although the device doesn’t natively support integration with other WiFi products, there is an IFTTT channel dedicated to Honeywell thermostats, allowing for many features available in higher end thermostats, like geofencing and temperature changes based on weather conditions.
I do not have central air, so I only have a two wire setup with no C wire, and I panicked a little when I realized I couldn’t power the thermostat. I wound up discovering that you can use a 12v AC adapter to power it. Running a wire from the thermostat to an outlet wasn’t ideal, but it got the job done. The adapter I bought was meant to be plugged into a regular AC adapter port, so I had to cut the end off and strip the wires. I would love to see the option to power this with a battery or have it draw power through the two wire connection like the Nest, but I’m sure that would add to the price.
The Honeywell app allows you to set schedules, adjust the temperature or turn the system on or off. There’s also a useless contractor section that should be completely removed. The app can control multiple devices in multiple locations, provided they’re added to your account. The previous version of the app used to require you to press a login button every time, but they have recently updated it to bypass that if you save your credentials. I never use the website anymore, but that is where you would perform your initial setup, and the only place you can set hot/cold threshold alerts and add email addresses. Why they don’t include this in the app is beyond me, but they also don’t seem to put a lot of upkeep into the app, as it has had one update in the two years I’ve used it.
The one annoyance I have with this, and every Honeywell digital thermostat I’ve owned in recent years is the audible click they make when activating the heat or AC. This was initially installed in my master bedroom, but the click kept waking me up, so I moved it out into the hallway. I still hear it, but with the door closed it doesn’t wake me up. This is obviously a matter of preference, but there is no reason a digital thermostat should make any noise at all, let alone a loud clicking noise at all hours.
While this is about as basic as you can get with a WiFi thermostat these days, it is everything most people will need for the foreseeable future. If you are looking to modernize your HVAC, control the temperature in a rental unit or keep an eye on a vacation home, this Honeywell will do it all without breaking the bank. The scheduling options are a great way to save money, and being able to manually change the temperature from anywhere offers ample opportunity to save even more.