You can read a detailed overview of the installation process in the Nest Learning Thermostat Installation Guide. If you don’t want to pay extra, Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest Thermostat E must be hardwired to your heating and cooling system’s electrical circuit, generally through a c-wire. But, if you buy a separate Nest Stand, you’ll be able to power it with a USB cable.

However, this feature doesn’t work for everyone. To create different temperature zones in your home, you need to have ‘zone valves’ in your boiler and plumbing or pay to have them installed. Hive doesn’t control individual radiators either.

Pro install

In most thermostats, you can set up geolocation for only one phone. Nest rightfully understands that that’s like not having geolocation at all because it only works for a single-person household.

Vaillant VR 65 Control Centre: this is an external controller fitted to some compatible Vaillant boilers. It’s part of the existing central heating system and isn’t compatible with other external heating controls. Hive Thermostats can’t be installed with it unless the engineer removes the Valliant external controller. Nest will also gather information from other Nest-associated devices like Nest Protect. As such, even if you leave, Nest will determine if anyone else is home using motion detection. If someone is still home, it won’t go into ‘Away’ mode. If no one is home, it will go into ‘Away’ mode. When it comes to delivering a final verdict, we usually say that you should select the device that’s most suitable for your specific needs. In most cases, both devices being compared offer their unique advantages and disadvantages, and the best choice is one that fulfills your specific needs.

Compare our thermostat models

The Nest Learning Thermostat 3rd Generation is made of the following components — the Heat Link and the Nest Learning Thermostat.

The Hive hub connects to your wireless router. The receiver connects to your boiler. And the thermostat can be attached anywhere in your home to control your home’s temperature and hot water. You can create up to 6-time slots to schedule heating and hot water. You can customize the slots to last for any amount of time and at any temperature. Nest Thermostat E has been designed for simplicity. As such, it’s only available in one color — White. While this thermostat doesn’t have as many features as the aforementioned Nest Learning Thermostat, it still functions in the same way. You have to twist or rotate the entire outer body to change the temperature or settings. The thermostat will also need a free flow of air to make accurate readings, so curtains and other obstructions should not cover the room. It should also be installed in a separate room from a radiator controlled by a thermostatic radiator valve. If you install the two of them in the same room, your central heating may always be on. Nest has a light sensor that allows it to detect the presence of the sun. It modifies the temperature based on that information, ensuring your home isn’t too cold or warm.Both Hive and Nest have great apps, and both of them have a similar rating from users. However, Hive has a cleaner and more intuitive interface, which may make it slightly easier to use. In the US, currently there are three models you can buy – Nest Learning Thermostat, Nest Thermostat E, and the newest model released in 2020 simply named Nest Thermostat. Compared to that, only the first two models are available in Europe, while the new Nest Thermostat is not yet on sale. It still remains to see if Nest will release this model for the European market or not. US Models Both Nest and Hive also use geolocations to optimize energy usage. However, Nest’s geolocation also works with motion sensors. If it identifies that a guest is still home, it won’t go into ‘Away’ or ‘Eco Mode.’ Hive can function as a traditional thermostat even without an internet connection. However, you need an internet connection to access the full suite of features, including voice control, smartphone control, and Hive Actions.