Upgrading to the Latest and Greatest
I just upgraded to the Nest Thermostat Gen 4. I’ve had every generation of the Nest since 2012. I always loved how the Nest was able to work with the 5 temperature sensors I have in my home.
The Decision to Upgrade
The reason we upgraded was because our furnace had an issue when we woke up a week ago to a temperature of 48° indoors. Experiencing such a frigid and potentially dangerous morning prompted me to reconsider our current HVAC in home thermostat and this led to the decision to upgrade to the "Latest & Greatest."
Google Nest Gen 4 seemed like the perfect solution. The enticing online advertisements from Google Nest, with persuasive taglines like:
- The smartest, most advanced Nest thermostat yet: A claim that raises expectations for state-of-the-art functionality, integration and improvements of existing featurers.
- Looks out for your whole system: Assurance of comprehensive monitoring and maintenance of the HVAC system.
- System Health Monitor: A feature designed to foresee and notify users of potential issues within the heating and cooling system, thus preventing unexpected breakdowns.
- “It’s got your Back, HVAC”: A catchy slogan that reinforces the reliability and support provided by the Google Nest system.
However, the recent experience with the furnace shutdown underscores the need for some more specific and actionable alerts.
The current system could benefit from enhancements that offer more immediate and customizable warnings in critical situations. For instance:
- Temperature Alert Customization: The ability to set specific temperature thresholds that trigger alerts via the Google Home app and/or Nest Protect.
- High-Pitched Warning Tones: Audible alerts that can capture attention quickly, helping to address severe temperature drops or system failures effectively.
Incorporating these features would truly embody the promise of “having your back” in HVAC management, ensuring that users are not only informed but also equipped to respond promptly to critical issues.
To summarize, while Google Nest gen 4 offers a range of advanced features and monitoring capabilities, there is room for improvement in providing more immediate and customizable alerts for temperature issues and system shutdowns. By addressing these concerns, Google Nest can further enhance user confidence and ensure a more secure and comfortable home environment.
Missing Features
Home/Away Mode Visibility
In previous generations, I could easily look at the Nest thermostat and see whether it was set to Home or Away mode. This visual confirmation on the thermostat itself was a reassuring feature that allowed me to make adjustments directly at the device. Unfortunately, this functionality seems to be less intuitive or missing entirely in the latest generation.
Temperature Updates
One of the features I loved about the older Nest thermostats was the ability to get detailed temperature updates from different rooms. I could simply ask Google, "Hey Google, what's the temperature in the house?" and receive a comprehensive room-by-room update, such as:
- Heating is set to 69° in the Hall next to the office with a current temp of 70°
The Family Room is 69° - The Bedroom is 63°
- The Basement is 59°
Now, when I ask the same question, the responses are disjointed and lack any specific room labels. I hear something like:
- It's 59°
- It's 69°
- Heating is set to 69° in the Hall next to the office with a current temperature set at 59°
- It's 70°
This makes it challenging to understand the temperature distribution throughout my home.
Temperature Sensors Integration
I have five temperature sensors placed in various rooms, and in previous generations, these sensors provided seamless integration and updates that were easy to monitor. The current generation seems to have lost some of this ease of access and integration, which is surprising and somewhat disappointing.
Suggestions for Improvement
Enhanced Visual Feedback
Reintroducing or enhancing the visual feedback for Home/Away mode directly on the thermostat would significantly improve the user experience. This feature provides quick and crucial information at a glance.
Clear and Detailed Temperature Updates
Improving the clarity and detail of temperature updates in response to voice commands would be highly beneficial. Ensuring that room labels are included and clearly articulated would restore the previous level of user-friendly detail.
Sensors Integration
Restoring the seamless integration of temperature sensors and ensuring that their updates are easily accessible and monitorable would enhance the functionality and reliability of the system.
Final Conclusion
The reason I upgraded to the Nest Thermostat Gen 4 was due to a critical furnace issue that left my home at a frigid 48 degrees. I was drawn in by the promising features such as the System Health Monitor, which advertises early issue detection and alert capabilities. While the new generation has its strengths, addressing the missing features and improving communication would truly make it the "smartest, most advanced Nest thermostat yet."
With these improvements, the Nest Thermostat can continue to provide the reliability and comprehensive home comfort management that users like myself have come to depend on.
