Smart Thermostats · owner-verdict comparison

Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) vs Google Nest Thermostat: what real owners say

Real owners rate these about evenly: 40% of 20 Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) owners recommend it, vs 38% of 457 for the Google Nest Thermostat.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen)

40%of 20 owners recommend
40% recommend · 15% neutral · 45% don't
Owners praise
  • Runs reliably and is easy to use, with owners reporting it works well and rarely needs attention after install
  • Matter-over-WiFi support makes it easy to add to other smart-home platforms like Home Assistant
  • More flexible scheduling than older models, including the ability to disable the schedule and hold a temperature
Owners complain about
  • The display is too dim with no brightness adjustment, making it hard to read in bright rooms and even dim at night
  • Some owners feel it is pricey and the new features are unnecessary versus older Nests
  • Single-sensor tracking can blast the whole house to one room's temperature unless you have multi-zone HVAC
Full owner report →

Google Nest Thermostat

38%of 457 owners recommend
38% recommend · 4% neutral · 58% don't
Owners praise
  • Lowers heating and cooling bills
  • Remote app and voice control
  • Trouble-free for many owners
Owners complain about
  • Frequent failures and WiFi dropouts
  • Causes HVAC short cycling, fried boards
  • Clunky Google Home app, lost Nest features
Full owner report →

What Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) owners say

“I honestly found the screen awesome”
— @JustSenix on YouTube
“It’s way better than the 3rd gen.”
— @matthewmastrobuono582 on YouTube
“I hate the fact that the base sticks out the wall so much, compared to the 3rd gen which is flush with the device”
— @dhanishh on YouTube

What Google Nest Thermostat owners say

“Installed in 5 min works great.”
— @codyarnold1411 on YouTube
“I just switched out my Honeywell for a Google nest thermostat that the electric company was offering for free and it works great.”
— ace_of_spade_789 on Reddit
“I was all set to buy the Nest, but after watching this video and learning (no pun intended) so much more about them both, I think I'm switching to the Ecobee!”
— @nazzarenopisano652 on YouTube