Amazon Smart Thermostat
Score: 73/100
Honeywell Home RTH9600WF
Score: 78/100Rankings
The Honeywell Home RTH9600WF is an ENERGY STAR-certified smart thermostat featuring a vibrant color touchscreen and extensive smart-home integration. Its requirement for a dedicated C-wire and incompatibility with certain heating systems limit installation flexibility. Ideal for homeowners with compatible 24 VAC systems seeking advanced display and remote control.
The Amazon Smart Thermostat is an ENERGY STAR-certified, Alexa-focused thermostat with auto-learning temperature control and a compact touch-sensitive display. Its main trade-offs are the mandatory C-wire and limited 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi with no built-in voice mic. Ideal for Alexa/Ring users seeking an affordable, easy-install solution.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
— | 2 yearsbest | |
0.9 inchbest | — | |
| ↓ lower better | 0.11 kgbest | 0.318 kg |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
General(1) | ||
HVAC Compatibility | 24V | Works with 24 VAC systems (forced air, heat pump, hydronic, hot water, steam); requires C-wire; incompatible with millivolt, 120/240V baseboard heat, heating-only oil furnaces without C-wire |
Connectivity(1) | ||
Smart Home Integration | Alexa, Ring | Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, IFTTT, iOS, Android |
Power & Installation(1) | ||
Power Source | C‑wire (24V) | Battery |
Display(1) | ||
Display Type | Touch-sensitive | LCD color touchscreen with backlight |
Build & Design(2) | ||
Device Weight (kg) | 0.1095 kg | 0.318 kg |
Device Dimensions (H×W×D) (mm) | 21.4×90.4×90.4 mm mm | 89x22x114 mm mm |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers consider the Amazon Smart Thermostat a strong value proposition, praising its auto-learning algorithm, tight Alexa integration, and broad 24V HVAC compatibility while noting its ecosystem constraints, mandatory C-wire, and limited connectivity as notable drawbacks.
Everyday users generally appreciate the straightforward Alexa-guided setup, reliable auto-scheduling, and remote app control that delivers noticeable energy savings, but they frequently cite the C-wire requirement and occasional cycling glitches as pain points.
“Easy Alexa-guided install (even with new C-wire)”
“Heats to 68°F home, drops to 52°F away”
Professional reviewers such as Consumer Reports evaluate the RTH9600WF on smart-feature performance (Smart IQ), manual operation ease, and automation capabilities, but detailed ratings are behind a subscription wall, leaving only a general acknowledgment of its comprehensive smart-thermostat functionality.
