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The race is on to keep homeowners comfortable and safe, judging by the number of companies introducing smart thermostats and home monitoring systems at CES 2015. Honeywell, First Alert, Panasonic, Ecobee, and others all introduced new or upgraded systems. Some are subscription services while others you install yourself. With so many players in the market, it's difficult to predict which systems will prevail but here's what Consumer Reports has learned so far.
Already on the market with the Lyric thermostat, which was a very good performer in Consumer Reports thermostat tests, Honeywell introduced a home security system that can integrate with the thermostat and other devices. Like the thermostat, the security hub responds to voice commands. The system features cameras for inside and out as well as motion, smoke, and intruder (broken glass) detectors.
What it costs. Installation costs $99 and a three year contract is another $25 to $50 a month.
Maker of everything from batteries to toaster ovens, Panasonic has jumped into the home monitoring fray with do-it-yourself kits that let you remotely control appliances and lights and monitor your baby or pet. The kits work with a hub that connects to your Wi-Fi. They include the Baby Monitoring Kit with a camera, the DIY Home Surveillance Kit that monitors the outside of your house, and the Home Monitoring and Control Kit, which monitors the inside.
What it costs. Home Monitoring Kit, $250; Home Surveillance Kit, $300; and the Baby Monitoring Kit, $180. There's no monthly fee and you can easily add on devices that don't come with the original kit. Available now on Panasonic.com.
Already a contender in the thermostat market, with two good performers in Consumer Reports tests, Ecobee introduced the Ecobee3 thermostat with a new innovation. Typically, homes have one, two, or maybe three heating zones and the temperature can vary from room to room. To solve that dilemma, the Ecobee3 comes with a number of sensors that you place around the house to monitor the temperature. Using the related app, you can check the comfort level of each room and adjust it accordingly.
What it costs. The Ecobee3 will sell for $250 and be available at Home Depot and Best Buy.
First Alert, which makes three of Consumer Reports' top-rated carbon monoxide detectors, expanded its home portfolio with a smart thermostat, "environment" monitor," home safe, pet tracker, and a smart watch. All of the devices can send messages to your smart phone but not necessarily talk to each other, according to a report on techhive.com. Sensors in the environment monitor measure temperature, humidity, and carbon monoxide. You can open the safe with your smart phone, the tracker locates your pets (or kids) and the watch monitor's heart rate and activity level.
What it costs. You can pre-order the thermostat, $230, and watch, $200, on Amazon. Prices for the other items weren't listed yet.
A number of other companies exhibited their smart home wares at CES 2015, including Carrier, Insteon, Interlogix, and Wemo. In addition Nest, maker of the Nest learning thermostat and Nest Protect carbon monoxide detector, announced a slew of partnerships with manufacturers of locks, light bulbs, appliances, and more. Let the home monitoring games begin.
—Mary H.J. Farrell (@mhjfarrell on Twitter)
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