Why You Can Trust CNET Honeywell finds a new look for its latest Lyric thermostat
Honeywell takes a design detour with its square Lyric T5 Wi-Fi thermostat.
Honeywell's new Lyric T5 thermostat is scheduled to hit stores in October.
Honeywell has been in the thermostat game since the introduction of its T-86 Round model in 1953.
Today, the heating and cooling giant sells dozens of thermostats, ranging from very affordable to the $199 Lyric -- a Wi-Fi-enabled thermostat with geofencing capabilities that also works with the Apple HomeKit and Amazon Alexa platforms.
Shop for Honeywell Lyric T5 Wi-Fi Thermostat
See all pricesHoneywell's $149 Lyric T5, announced today, is the brand's next iteration of the smart thermostat.
Similar to the round Honeywell Lyric thermostat, which will continue to retail for $199, the Lyric T5 will supposedly work with both HomeKit and Alexa when it officially launches in October. That means you should be able to say things like, "Siri/Alexa, set Away temperature to 68," "Siri/Alexa, lower Living Room by 3 degrees," "Siri/Alexa, set the temperature to 72 degrees."
Here are some additional features of the Honeywell Lyric T5:
- New design: The T5 has a glossy black finish, a gray trim and is "touch-sensitive," according to Honeywell
- Related app: The Lyric T5 will be accessible via the Lyric app for Android and iPhone
- Geofencing: Use the app to set custom Home and Away distances so your phone can make the changes automatically
- Auto changeover:Program the T5 to decide for you if your thermostat should be set to heat or air conditioning
- Smart response: The T5 is supposed to learn your routines and set the heat or A/C to the exact temperature you want
- Smart alerts: You can opt in to alerts based on needing to change a filter and extreme temperatures
All of the above features sound pretty standard for smart thermostats today. The Nest Learning Thermostat and the Ecobee3 Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat also track your whereabouts to keep your house at the right temperature 24-7. They also integrate with broader smart-home platforms; specifically, both Nest and Ecobee3 work with Amazon's Alexa and the Ecobee3 is HomeKit-enabled.
At the same time, the Nest and the Ecobee3 cost $249. Given that the Honeywell Lyric T5 seems to offer similar features for 100 bucks less, the T5 is poised to compete well against its smart thermostat competition. We plan to test it out for ourselves as soon as we can.
Honeywell's $149 Lyric T5 Wi-Fi Thermostat will be available for sale in the United States starting in October. The team will also release a new version of the Lyric app next month, as well as the Lyric T6 Pro Wi-Fi Thermostat, a model exclusive to HVAC contractors.