Does the smart wall thermostat from Homematic IP deliver what it promises?

Product test

The smart wall thermostat from Homematic IP tested

13.12.2019

Translation: machine translated

Homematic IP products automate your home. Roller shutters, sockets, smoke detectors or door contacts - you can control everything from your mobile. I tested the smart wall thermostat.

Automating your own four walls not only makes your everyday life easier, but also saves you money. In my first Homematic IP review, I tested a smart roller shutter control system. It allows you to open and close your blinds conveniently via your mobile and connects them to the rest of your home.

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You can also programme the system so that the roller shutters open as soon as the sun shines outside - and save on heating costs at the same time. Now I'm going one step further, adding a smart wall thermostat to my Homematic IP universe to intelligently control my underfloor heating and testing the whole thing.

I'm going to test it out.

Homematic IP Smart Home wall thermostat with switch

Thermostats

EUR82,05

Homematic IP Smart Home wall thermostat with switch

It could hardly be simpler: the installation

The scope of delivery is straightforward. In addition to the smart wall thermostat, there is only a quick guide and four screws in the box. As with every Homematic IP product, the prerequisite is that you have already installed the access point as the control centre. Nothing works without it. The access point is comparable to the bridge for Philips Hue. Or a router - because without it, you can't access the internet at home with your PC, laptop, etc. As the name suggests, the Homematic IP wall thermostat only works with wall thermostats and not with radiators, which you control directly on the heating system using the rotary knob.

The box, the wall thermostat, four screws and instructions.

Installation and pairing with the Homematic IP app is very simple:

Remove the fuse for the Storm and the fuse for the thermostat - in my case, these are two separate switches
Screw off the existing wall thermostat
Install the Homematic IP thermostat
Connect the three cables correctly
Switch the power and the heating control back on

Now the small Homematic IP logo on the wall thermostat should flash orange. This worked for me straight away.

Remove the old Feller thermostat, connect the Homematic IP wall thermostat and you're ready to go.

Then open the Homematic IP app and familiarise yourself with the device. There's not much to learn, the process is simply called that. After a few seconds, the wall thermostat appears in the app and I have to enter the last four digits of the serial number. No sooner said than done, the thermostat is active. I still have to name it or add it to a room if I'm already using Homematic IP devices. I have installed the smart wall thermostat in the bathroom - where I have already installed the smart shutter control.

The numbers on the display of the Homematic IP wall thermostat, which has not yet been screwed down, mean that everything is OK.

Wall thermostat and roller shutter in harmony

I start experimenting in the app. I find the heating or thermostat on the overview page as well as in the installed devices and in the "Heating profiles" and "Room climate configuration" submenus. In the heating profiles, I set which temperature should be maintained or reached on which day of the week and at what time. I have selected a base temperature of 21° Celsius for my test. During the week, I want Homematic IP to heat to 22.5 degrees Celsius from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. and to 22 degrees Celsius between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m.. At the weekend, I would like to have 22° Celsius in the bathroom from 7 am to 11 pm. Clever: With the activated optimum start and stop, the wall thermostat learns when it needs to activate the heating in order to reach the correct temperature at the desired time.

Here you can see the base temperature (21° Celsius) as well as the current temperature (22.4° Celsius) and the humidity (60%).

To see what the Homematic IP universe has to offer, I create an automation. I add both the shutter control and the wall thermostat. I give the wall thermostat an upper limit of 24° Celsius. As soon as this is reached or exceeded, it should inform the roller shutter control, which then closes the roller shutter completely. A similar setting is possible for thermal protection in the "Shading configuration" submenu. However, this menu is only active if you also have a roller shutter control in your system. There you can set the temperature at which the roller shutters should close and the temperature below which they should open. This is not only smart, but also saves heating costs.

My programmed automation of roller shutters and wall thermostat for the bathroom.

Conclusion: very clever, but also very expensive

The Homematic IP wall thermostat surprised and convinced me. I am surprised because the installation - compared to the big battle with the roller shutter control - is very simple and the thing does its job without any problems right from the start. I am convinced because the smart thermostat delivers what it promises: it not only regulates the temperature of the heating, but can also be controlled remotely via smartphone, you can connect it to other devices from the Homematic IP universe, set lower and upper temperature limits for frost and heat protection and also monitor the humidity.

You can also control the temperature manually using the rotary knob on the smart thermostat.

Up to this point, the wall thermostat is a clear recommendation to buy. However, at a price of almost 90 francs, or 80 euros (as of 12 December 2019), it's a relatively deep dive into your wallet. The story can be put into perspective again when I compare the smart thermostat with the competition. The thermostat from Tado costs over 100 francs, or just under 100 euros, at the same time, but has a few more functions such as temperature recording, a list of cost savings, etc. If an automated home is important to you and the price plays a subordinate role, then I can recommend the Homematic IP wall thermostat.

Easy to install and simple to set up - the Homematic IP wall thermostat is a sight to behold.

Next, I'll be reviewing the Homematic IP weather station. If you don't want to miss the upcoming Homematic IP review and other smart home articles, follow me by clicking on the "Follow author" button on the author profile. <p

Header image: Does the smart wall thermostat from Homematic IP deliver what it promises?

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Raphael Knecht

Senior Editor

raphael.knecht@digitecgalaxus.ch

When I'm not stuffing my face with sweets, you'll catch me running around in the gym hall. I’m a passionate floorball player and coach. On rainy days, I tinker with my homebuilt PCs, robots or other gadgets. Music is always my trusted companion. I also enjoy tackling hilly terrain on my road bike and criss-crossing the country on my cross-country skis.

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