Review: the Netatmo smart thermostat

01The smart Netatmo thermostat review conclusion

With the Auto-adapt function it is possible to calculate how long your house needs to be nice and warm when you arrive. So you always have the desired temperature at the right moment. In addition, this system also warns you of problems with the heating. This system consists of a thermostat, relay box, central heating boiler adapter, mains adapter, USB cable and a gateway for a wireless connection between the thermostat and your router. The starter pack costs 179 euros. This system is self-programming, can control the temperature per room and offers self-learning heating up. Note: the Netatmo cannot heat in a modulating way.

02Full review of the Netatmo thermostat

The Netatmo thermostat consists of a relay and the actual thermostat. There are two ways to connect the Netatmo thermostat, and connecting it wirelessly involves no extra costs at all, which is a plus point compared with some other smart thermostats. Firstly, you can simply connect the Netatmo thermostat in the place of the old thermostat and plug the relay into the socket, or you connect the relay directly to the central heating boiler. The required cable is, again unlike with many other manufacturers, simply included. So you do not need to pay a visit to the DIY store.

There is little to fault in the operation of the Netatmo thermostat. You simply set a little programme and the thermostat does the rest. Later you can still adjust one thing and another. You do this from your computer, smartphone or tablet, as you wish. It is, however, important to switch on the Auto Adapt function. This is not clearly indicated, but if you do not switch it on, the self-learning function is lost, and that is a waste of your money. It is actually incomprehensible that they have switched this function off by default.

Furthermore, we also briefly linked the Netatmo thermostat with other smart home systems such as Apple HomeKit, and there is little to fault in this link either. Thanks to IFTTT compatibility you can also set up extra rules yourself. For example, you can get a notification on your smartphone when the children have been fiddling with the thermostat again or when the temperature is set above or below a certain limit. Although this is a function that is not used very often, we still consider it an important plus point.

Another plus point is the possibility of linking the Netatmo thermostat with the smart thermostatic knobs. The purchase cost does go up, but you do get more flexibility and you can, for example, leave the radiator in a single room switched off. It is important that you check compatibility, but with a new valve you can solve that if necessary.

The Netatmo thermostat out of the box

Design is always open to debate and, after all, it also depends heavily on your own preferences. For this thermostat, a white model was chosen that mainly suits a modern interior. Either way, we are not really keen on the design. The display is a bit too small and it all looks a bit too cheap, as if you are peering at a little screen that belongs in a public toilet. Luckily you can choose the coloured edges yourself, but if blue, yellow, grey, orange or green is not for you, you are still left empty-handed.

The design of the radiator knob is of course not unimportant either. This radiator knob looks impressive and was designed by Philippe Starck, the French designer of everyday objects who designed, among other things, the Aprilia Motó 6.5. The radiator knob has a cylindrical shape with UV-resistant Plexiglas and displays the temperature. No futuristic designs, but a casual design that is unobtrusively present. Here too, by the way, it comes with coloured rims of your choice, but we do not like those conspicuous colours at all.

Furthermore, the Netatmo thermostat is supplied very complete. As standard it comes with a wireless holder so that the open back is not visible. The relay is of course also included, as are the boiler adapter and the mounting plate. You have to attach the mounting plate to the wall. You need not expect too many problems here. Then there are the coloured rims and finally also the batteries that allow you to use the thermostat wirelessly. It is always nice when the manufacturer throws in some batteries straight away, but from an ecological point of view that is of course debatable.

Features of the Netatmo thermostat

One of the most important functionalities of this smart thermostat is of course that you can control the temperature and set schedules, but in addition the self-learning functions must not be missing. This means that the Netatmo thermostat learns how you like to heat your house and it will adjust the heating characteristics accordingly. Such a self-learning function has long since ceased to be entirely new, and it is not as if the Netatmo thermostat does this miraculously better than other smart thermostats, but it remains a handy function that is always a nice bonus. The so-called boost function that comes with the smart radiator valves, with which you can boost the heating in a room for up to three hours, is also a nice little extra.

Another important feature, moreover, is that the Netatmo thermostat helps you save energy by handling the heating more smartly. According to Netatmo itself, you save up to 37% energy, which is said to be shown by an analysis of data from Netatmo users. This figure is higher than the claims made by most other manufacturers, but ultimately it is mainly important to look at your own energy consumption. A saving is possible and moreover it helps you use your energy more consciously, but we really do not dare to put concrete figures on it. At Kassa, the consumer platform of BNNVARA, they in any case already called a saving of 20% very optimistic.

Price of the Netatmo thermostat

Finally, there is the price of this thermostat, which hovers around 179 euros for the starter pack. We cannot count it among the absolute budget options, but on the other hand a price of 179 euros can certainly be justified and even makes for good value for money. Especially because you get quite a lot included. The absence of subscription costs also speaks in favour of this thermostat. On the other hand, the potential saving is possibly somewhat optimistic, but in any case it would not surprise us if you could earn back the purchase price fairly quickly thanks to energy saving.

03Installing the boiler adapter

Switch off the power, open the door of the boiler and look for the COM-NO or TA and LS-LR connections. You must now remove the connection between these two connections. Then connect the blue and brown wires to the power supply connections. Place the boiler adapter at least thirty centimetres from the boiler; in principle you can attach it with double-sided tape, but we do recommend using the screws supplied.

04Placing and testing the relay

Next, plug the relay into the boiler adapter and switch the power back on. If the relay flashes, it is fine. Now you can test the relay. To do this, briefly press the relay button and check whether the boiler switches on. Also try switching the relay off. If this works, the relay is working. Otherwise, check the power supply.

05Connecting the thermostat

After this it is time to connect the thermostat. The thermostat runs on batteries that you still have to insert yourself. Do this and switch on the thermostat. The thermostat will now automatically start searching for the relay and, once it has found the relay, will then display the measured and desired temperature. It may not find the relay, and then there is nothing for it but to place the two closer together. Does it work? Then you can, if you like, fit the thermostat with coloured adhesive rims and then stick the thermostat onto the back piece. As for placement, you have the choice between a mobile holder or fixing it to a mounting plate. In any case, fix or place the thermostat away from sources of cold or heat. If necessary, also fit the required radiator knobs.

06Installing the app and configuring everything

In principle everything should work now, but you still need to configure one thing and another. To do this, first download the app for iOS or Android. There is also a program to do everything from your computer. In the app you can configure programmes or adjust the desired temperature. The app is designed to be accessible and is suitable for people with minimal experience of smartphones or computers.

07How do you install the Netatmo thermostat?

The installation process of a smart thermostat is something we always examine extensively. There are smart thermostats that are cheap to buy but then involve sky-high installation costs, so it is certainly not unimportant. The good news is that this is not the case with the Netatmo thermostat. You do not need to call in an installer either, and even without experience with thermostats you can get started with it. You do of course need to be a bit handy, and installation easily takes about an hour, but you certainly do not need much more skill than that. Below you will find step by step how to install your first smart Netatmo thermostat. However, you cannot use this step-by-step plan if you are replacing a thermostat. In that case you will find the shortened step-by-step plan in the manual supplied.

08Frequently asked questions about the Netatmo thermostat

Netatmo is known for its Smart Home products that excel in user-friendliness and accessibility. Still, it is perfectly possible that you have a number of questions, which is completely normal. That is why we are already answering a number of frequently asked questions about the Netatmo thermostat.

Do not remove the batteries, because then no much-needed temperature curves are generated and the valve bodies of the radiators can seize up. You had better switch on the frost protection mode, in which only the heating is switched off.