Heat pumps are unique heating systems that require outside air and electricity. For this reason, heating systems that use a heat pump require the fifth wire to function properly. When you’re looking for a thermostat that connects to a heat pump system you have to find one that has the wiring capabilities to connect to the fifth wire. For these situations, you need a heat pump thermostat.
Unfortunately, finding a good heat pump thermostat is not always easy. We’re going to help by taking you through some of the best heat pump thermostats like the Honeywell Home RTH7600D 7-Day Programmable Touchscreen Thermostat. Read on to learn everything you need to know about heat pump thermostats.
Best Thermostats For Heat Pump Systems
Below are the best heat pump thermostats. Each product is suitable for heat pumps but some features vary.
- Honeywell Home RTH7600D 7-Day Programmable Touchscreen Thermostat
- You can set the temperature for being home and for being out of the home
- Big touchscreen
- Budget-friendly
- 7-day programming
- Easy to install
- Lacks smart technology
- Not the most responsive touchscreen
- Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat
- Comes with smart technology
- Can be programmed away from home
- Can help people save 23% on their electricity bill
- The mobile app has dozens of programmable settings
- Expensive
- Somewhat complex to use
- ELECTECK Heat Pump Thermostat
- Budget-friendly
- Simple to install and use
- Compressor protection
- Doesn't come with any premium features
- Not advanced
1. Top Pick: Honeywell Home RTH7600D 7-Day Programmable Touchscreen Thermostat
Why We Like It: The Honeywell Home RTH7600D 7-Day Programmable Touchscreen Thermostat is our top pick because it combines great features with an affordable price tag. It even includes some premium features.
Quick Facts:
- Screen Size: 6×1.25×3.75 inches
- Compatibility: Heat pump, single-stage heating, and cooling, multistage heating and cooling, heating only, cooling only, central air conditioning, furnace, hot water, gas fireplaces
- Power Source: 2 AA batteries or hardwire
- You can set the temperature for being home and for being out of the home
- Big touchscreen
- Budget-friendly
- 7-day programming
- Easy to install
- Lacks smart technology
- Not the most responsive touchscreen
Why We Like It: The Honeywell Home RTH7600D 7-Day Programmable Touchscreen Thermostat is our top pick because it combines great features with an affordable price tag. It even includes some premium features.
Quick Facts:
- Screen Size: 6×1.25×3.75 inches
- Compatibility: Heat pump, single-stage heating, and cooling, multistage heating and cooling, heating only, cooling only, central air conditioning, furnace, hot water, gas fireplaces
- Power Source: 2 AA batteries or hardwire
The Honeywell Home RTH7600D 7-Day Programmable Touchscreen Thermostat is a simple product that comes with everything you need to operate a heat pump. It comes with great features like a big touchscreen and 7-day menu-driven programming that can be programmed with 4 periods. The Honeywell Home RTH7600D 7-Day Programmable Touchscreen Thermostat also comes with several smart features that make it easy to install and program. It can adapt to heating and air conditioning units to help homes achieve the proffered temperature faster and auto changeover that allows thermostats to manage heating and air conditioning used during the same day. Some other notable features include a smart clock that adjusts to daylight savings time and built-in protections for compression systems.
What Sets It Apart
The Honeywell Home RTH7600D 7-Day Programmable Touchscreen Thermostat is unique for several reasons. First and foremost, it gives users access to premium features and built-in safety features for air conditioning and heat pump units at an affordable price. Next, it gives users the ability to set home and away temperatures, which can help people save money on their electricity bills. The way the feature works is simple; a home temperature can be set for when people are in the residence and an away temperature can be held for several hours or days when people are not home. This gives the heating and cooling system or homes a break as well.
Things To Consider
The Honeywell Home RTH7600D 7-Day Programmable Touchscreen Thermostat is a great product. While it’s one of our favorite choices it’s not perfect or suitable for everyone. For some shoppers, a thermostat with smart technology is a better fit because you can program the thermostat from out of the house. If a smart thermostat is something you’re interested in, we recommend the Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat as an alternative.
Who It’s For
The Honeywell Home RTH7600D 7-Day Programmable Touchscreen Thermostat is a great choice for most shoppers. It’s a simple thermostat that’s easy to install and it comes with all of the features needed to operate a heat pump. Furthermore, the Honeywell Home RTH7600D 7-Day Programmable Touchscreen Thermostat comes with some additional features that allow users to customize heating and cooling settings, which is rare at the lower price points. The combination of these features makes it a tough thermostat to beat.
Pros
- You can set the temperature for being home and for being out of the home
- Big touchscreen
- Budget-friendly
- 7-day programming
- Easy to install
Cons
- Lacks smart technology
- Not the most responsive touchscreen
2. Upgrade Pick: Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat
Why We Like It: The Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat is one of our favorite products because of its smart technology. It's one of the few thermostats that you can control without needing to be home.
Quick Facts:
- Screen Size: 4.05×1×4.05
- Compatibility: Single-stage heating, multistage heating, and cooling, heat pump, air conditioning, furnace
- Power Source: lithium metal battery (included)
- Comes with smart technology
- Can be programmed away from home
- Can help people save 23% on their electricity bill
- The mobile app has dozens of programmable settings
- Expensive
- Somewhat complex to use
Why We Like It: The Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat is one of our favorite products because of its smart technology. It’s one of the few thermostats that you can control without needing to be home.
Quick Facts:
- Screen Size: 4.05×1×4.05
- Compatibility: Single-stage heating, multistage heating, and cooling, heat pump, air conditioning, furnace
- Power Source: lithium metal battery (included)
The Ecobee3 Lite SmartThermostat is advanced compared to many thermostats. It uses smart technology to provide a unique heating and cooling experience that’s tough to beat. Users can program the temperature away from home and several features are designed to save the user money on their electricity bill. For example, it can pause heating or cooling when it senses that doors and windows are open. Compared to thermostats that hold a single temperature, this reduces the cost of heating and cooling a home by up to 23%. Some other great features include compatibility with IOS and Android smart home technology, smart sensors to sense hot and cold spots, many programmable settings, and even a downloadable app.
What Sets It Apart
The Ecobee3 Lite SmartThermostat is a special product. Unlike simple thermostats, it comes with smart technology that connects to IOS and Android smart home technologies. It also comes with features that allow you to program it from away from home. The Ecobee3 Lite SmartThermostat can also sense changes to the home environment and make adjustments based on those changes. Based on the smart technology alone, it’s one of the best thermostats available. Compared to similar thermostats, it has great technology that’s second-to-none.
Things To Consider
We’re big fans of the Ecobee3 Lite SmartThermostat. Keeping that in mind it’s not the best thermostat because of its high price. Moreover, the Ecobee3 Lite SmartThermostat is complicated to install and use. For shoppers who want a simple thermostat, the Ecobee3 Lite SmartThermostat does too much and can complicate things. If you’re looking for a simple alternative, the Honeywell Home RTH7600D 7-Day Programmable is a great choice.
Who It’s For
The Ecobee3 Lite SmartThermostat is a great choice for people who have smart homes. If you’re looking to keep building on your smart home technology, the Ecobee3 Lite SmartThermostat is a great addition. Adding a smart thermostat to a smart home gives you the ability to control the temperature from away from home and brings your home one step closer to being fully autonomous. The Ecobee3 Lite SmartThermostat is also a great choice for people who want to save money on their electricity build and program settings on the go.
Pros
- Comes with smart technology
- Can be programmed away from home
- Can help people save 23% on their electricity bill
- The mobile app has dozens of programmable settings
Cons
- Expensive
- Complicated to use and install
3. Budget Pick: ELECTECK Heat Pump Thermostat
Why We Like It: We love the ELECTECK Heat Pump Thermostat because it's budget-friendly and simple. While it doesn't have premium features it's easy to use and you can simply set it and forget about it.
Quick Facts:
- Screen Size: 4.5 square inches
- Compatibility: Heat pump, multistage gas, electric, and oil systems
- Power Source: 2 AAA batteries or 24VAC
- Budget-friendly
- Simple to install and use
- Compressor protection
- Doesn't come with any premium features
- Not advanced
Why We Like It: We love the ELECTECK Heat Pump Thermostat because it’s budget-friendly and simple. While it doesn’t have premium features it’s easy to use and you can simply set it and forget about it.
Quick Facts:
- Screen Size: 4.5 square inches
- Compatibility: Heat pump, multistage gas, electric, and oil systems
- Power Source: 2 AAA batteries or 24VAC
The ELECTECK Heat Pump Thermostat doesn’t come with a ton of features but it’s hassle-free to use. It has a large screen that can display temperature readings in Fahrenheit or Celsius and a 12-hour or 24-hour clock (military time). All of the settings are easy to program and it even has some advanced features like 5-minute compressor delay protection, which prevents the compressor from being damaged when heating and cooling overlap. The ELECTECK Heat Pump Thermostat also comes with several simple “On” and “Off” settings like fan control and holding specific temperatures.
What Sets It Apart
The ELECTECK Heat Pump Thermostat is a great product because it doesn’t try to be anything more than a thermostat. Many thermostats are designed with unique features but many people don’t want or need those features. The ELECTECK Heat Pump Thermostat is unique compared to other thermostats because it’s simple to read, program, and install. Additionally, it’s inexpensive compared to other thermostats and runs on cheaper AAA batteries. Overall, its simplicity is what helps it stand out from other heat pump thermostats.
Things To Consider
Simple isn’t always everything. While we love the ELECTECK Heat Pump Thermostat, its simplicity is its biggest drawback. Today, many people want more out of a thermostat. They want to program it away from home, have it adjust to temperature changes automatically, and more. In fact, some smart thermostats have become popular because they’re compatible with smart homes. If you’re looking for a more advanced thermostat, the Honeywell Home RTH7600D 7-Day Programmable is a great choice and it’s not too expensive.
Who It’s For
The ELECTECK Heat Pump Thermostat is a great choice for people who want a simple thermostat. If you want a thermostat that functions as a thermostat without additional bells and whistles, you can’t beat the ELECTECK Heat Pump Thermostat. It doesn’t come with any advanced features but it does what you would expect a thermostat to do. For many shoppers, this is all that’s needed out of a thermostat.
Pros
- Budget-friendly
- Simple to install and use
- Compressor protection
Cons
- Doesn’t come with any premium features
- Not advanced
Factors To Consider Before Choosing a Thermostat for Heat Pumps
Shopping for a heat pump thermostat is easier said than done. While having a list of the best products helps, it doesn’t help you narrow down your options. We’re going to take you through a handful of features and factors to consider to help you narrow down your options. Each thermostat has benefits, so it’s important to choose the thermostat that best suits your needs.
Screen Size
When choosing a thermostat for your heat pump screen size is one of the most important features to consider. While screen size doesn’t impact the performance of the thermostat, working with a big thermostat screen is a great quality-of-life feature. Plus, having a big screen is great for people who don’t have the best eyesight and for people who don’t want to squint when looking at the device.
Screen size can also influence the features a thermostat comes with. Typically, larger thermostats come with touch screens and more advanced features. For example, the Honeywell Home RTH7600D 7-Day Programmable has the biggest screen and the most features.
Compatibility
Compatibility is another important factor to consider when shopping for a thermostat. For thermostats, compatibility is based on what a thermostat can connect to. While some thermostats can connect to heat pumps and air conditioning units, other thermostats don’t have these capabilities. When it comes to compatibility with heat pumps, always make sure the thermostat has a fifth wire to connect to one. You can also take compatibility a step further to ensure that the thermostat you choose can work with other parts of your HVAC system.
If you’re looking to get the most out of compatibility, we recommend the Honeywell Home RTH7600D 7-Day Programmable. It comes with the most features and has wires to connect to almost any part of modern HVAC systems. There are some exceptions but it has better compatibility than most thermostats on the market.
Power Source
Last but not least you want to consider the power source of a thermostat. The power source is typically the same for most thermostats but there are some variations. These variations include the type of batteries a thermostat requires, if a thermostat can run without electricity from the home, and the voltage requirements. Based on these factors, some thermostats for heat pumps are more flexible than others.
If you’re looking for a thermostat for your heat pump that can function off many power sources, the Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat is the best choice. While it primarily uses energy from the home, it can also run on a lithium battery if there is a power outage. It’s also not restricted to one voltage setting and can handle surges in power without getting fried.
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Heat Pump Thermostat FAQ
What’s the Best Thermostat for Heat Pumps?
The Honeywell Home RTH7600D 7-Day Programmable Touchscreen Thermostat is the best option for heat pumps. While it doesn’t come with the most advanced technology, it has everything needed to operate a heat pump heating system. It also comes with a touchscreen and several unique features that are only found in Honeywell products. Finally, it’s more budget-friendly than smart thermostat options. The combination of these features with the low cost makes it the best choice for most shoppers.
Do Heat Pumps Require a Unique Thermostat?
Yes, heat pumps require a unique thermostat that has extra wires. Because heat pumps have the fifth wire, you need a thermostat that can connect to each of the wires. Luckily, most thermostats come with the option to connect them to a heat pump. Moreover, you can use a thermostat that has the extra wires without a heat pump as long as you leave the wires disconnected.
Do Smart Thermostats Work With Heat Pumps?
Yes, smart thermostats work with heat pumps. In the past, smart thermostats didn’t work with heat pumps because they didn’t have the wiring capabilities to engage with a heat pump’s external valve. Now, modern smart thermostats like the Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat can connect to heat pump thermostats.
How Many Wires Does a Heat Pump Thermostat Have?
Heat pump thermostats have more wires than traditional thermostats. Traditional thermostats only have four wires, whereas heat pump thermostats have five wires. Heat pump thermostats have more wires to connect to the heat pump.
Is There a Difference Between Regular Thermostats and Heat Pump Thermostats?
The difference between regular thermostats and heat pump thermostats is that heat pump thermostats have five wires instead of four wires. Heat pump thermostats have the additional wire to connect to the heat pump, which relies on external air and electricity. Today, thermostats with WiFi technology can connect to heat pumps and heat pump wiring.
Stay Warm
Having the right thermostat for a heat pump is essential or the heating system won’t function properly in your home. With the extra wiring that comes with a heat pump system, you have to make sure the thermostat you choose comes with the right wires.
The good news is that each of the products covered in this article comes with the fifth wire needed for heat pumps. Just make sure you choose the right thermostat based on your budget and technology needs!
Download this cheat sheet to hack your monthly electric bill.
