Ecobee

Ecobee was founded in 2007 in Toronto by Stuart Lombard, who set out to build a thermostat capable of actually reducing home energy use after growing frustrated with the limitations of standard programmable models. The company released its first smart thermostat in 2008 and has continued to develop connected home comfort products from its Toronto headquarters.

Ecobee was acquired by Generac Holdings in 2021 and continues to operate as its own brand out of Toronto.

Product Lines

Ecobee's core lineup runs from the Smart Thermostat Premium down through Enhanced, Essential, and Lite tiers, giving installers a range of options based on the features and budget of a given job.

SmartSensor units pair with ecobee thermostats to monitor temperature and occupancy in individual rooms, helping even out hot and cold spots in homes where a single thermostat location does not represent the whole space. The SmartCamera line adds video monitoring and motion alerts, extending the ecobee ecosystem from comfort control into home security and monitoring.

Why Contractors Specify Ecobee

HVAC contractors installing ecobee thermostats are working with a product line built around remote sensing rather than a single wall-mounted sensor, which helps address customer complaints about rooms that run hot or cold relative to the thermostat location.

Wi-Fi connectivity and compatibility with major smart home platforms make ecobee straightforward to recommend to homeowners already using connected devices elsewhere in the house. Since ecobee sensors and cameras share a common app and account structure with the thermostat line, contractors can offer customers a broader comfort and monitoring package built around a single install rather than pairing devices from separate brands.

How to Choose Ecobee Products

Selecting a thermostat tier depends on which features the homeowner and the HVAC system can actually use. Systems with multi-stage heating or cooling, or homeowners who want built-in air quality monitoring, are better matched to the Premium or Enhanced tiers, while single-stage systems and budget-conscious jobs are often well served by the Essential or Lite models.

Adding SmartSensor units makes the most sense in homes with rooms distant from the thermostat, such as finished basements, additions, or rooms on a separate level that historically run warmer or cooler than the rest of the house. Compatibility with the existing HVAC system, including the number of wires available at the equipment and thermostat locations, should be confirmed before selecting a model, since some ecobee features require a common wire or specific equipment wiring.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between ecobee's thermostat tiers?

The tiers, from Lite through Essential, Enhanced, and Premium, differ mainly in features such as air quality monitoring, built-in speakers and voice control, and bundled SmartSensor units, with Premium offering the fullest feature set.

Do ecobee thermostats require a common wire (C-wire)?

Some ecobee features and full functionality are designed around having a common wire available, though ecobee provides accessories for systems that lack one, and wiring should be checked against the system before installation.

What does an ecobee SmartSensor do?

A SmartSensor monitors temperature and occupancy in a specific room and reports back to the thermostat, helping balance comfort in homes where one room runs noticeably hotter or colder than the thermostat's location.

Can ecobee thermostats work with multi-stage HVAC systems?

Ecobee's higher tier thermostats support multi-stage heating and cooling systems, making equipment compatibility an important check before recommending a specific model for a given installation.

Who owns ecobee?

Ecobee was acquired by Generac Holdings in 2021 and continues to operate as a standalone brand headquartered in Toronto.