Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen)

Where reviewers disagree

• ±Design and build · 4 positive, 1 negative, 1 mixed
  Which sources said this

  • Android Authority — mixed: Says it looks undeniably excellent from the front but that the base is visible from the side and does not look as nice as the third generation, and that the included trim kit makes the Nest look somewhat less fancy.
  • CNET — positive: Writes that friends who saw the thermostat on the wall commented on it unprompted and calls it a nice-looking thermostat.
  • SlashGear — negative: Calls the white plastic shaft and the cover plate the only cheap-looking parts of the device, the harshest build note in this set.
  • The Verge — positive: Calls it the most stylish smart thermostat out there, says it looks as if a Nest Thermostat and a Pixel Watch had a baby, and notes the curved crystal LCD reflects light beautifully.
  • Tom's Guide — positive: Compares the borderless face to a Pixel Watch for the wall and says the small base under a 60% larger screen makes it look as if it is floating, with the metal ring replaced by edge-to-edge glass.
  • WIRED — positive: Says the redesign transforms what looks like a basic tech gadget into an art piece for the wall, singles out the three pretty finishes, and calls the result a blend of beauty and smarts.

• ±Ease of use · 5 positive, 1 negative, 1 mixed
  Which sources said this

  • Android Authority — positive: Calls the mechanism smooth and needing just the right amount of force, satisfying enough that the reviewer has to remind himself not to fiddle with the thermostat in passing.
  • Android Police — positive: Calls the controls very tactile and a pleasure to touch, while awarding 8.5/10 and a Staff Pick badge.
  • PCMag — negative: The only review in this set that lists the mirrored surface not being a touchscreen as a con.
  • Popular Mechanics — mixed: The only setback reported during setup was the Wi-Fi connection timing out, which a second attempt resolved.
  • SlashGear — positive: Describes the interface as intuitive and the menus as slightly different from previous generations but easy enough to use.
  • The Verge — positive: Says it is easy to set up and easy to use, and easier to understand now that it tells you what it is doing when its smarts kick in.
  • Tom's Guide — positive: Treats keeping the rotating dial instead of a touchscreen as a deliberate and correct decision, and reports the ring and press remain satisfying to use.

• ±Learning and automation · 3 positive, 1 negative, 2 mixed
  Which sources said this

  • Android Authority — mixed: Finds the adjustments less disruptive than the third generation's and the cooling-naturally alerts relatively frequent, but admits he cannot tell whether that is making a significant difference.
  • ZDNET — positive: Quotes the thermostat's own message, that it turned off cooling because outdoor temperatures will naturally cool the home and save energy, as evidence the automation explains what it is doing.
  • Popular Mechanics — positive: Says Eco mode sets the thermostat to run efficiently from the outdoor ambient temperature with no input from the household.
  • SlashGear — negative: Lists the learning part needing work as a con, reporting that the thermostat suddenly adjusts to what it thinks you want and someone has to open the app and kick it back to where it belongs.
  • The Verge — mixed: Over two months the schedule was continuously tweaked with little input and away mode was impressively accurate, but the room sensor has no occupancy detection, so the scheduled room is heated rather than the one in use.
  • Tom's Guide — positive: Reports that Smart Schedule suggestions can now be accepted or rejected in the Google Home app, and that the thermostat reads outdoor weather and can pause heating on a sunny winter day.

• ±App and ecosystem · 1 positive, 1 negative, 3 mixed
  Which sources said this

  • Android Authority — mixed: Says the Home app has its flaws and that Nest was looking outdated, so native Home support is a plus; this is the first Learning thermostat that works with the Home app out of the box.
  • CNET — negative: Says the Google Home app is good, especially in Google households, but calls it a bit duller than the Nest app with more going on because Home is not built around the thermostat.
  • The Verge — mixed: Welcomes native Apple Home control as the first Learning model with Matter, but faults the missing Matter code on the device, the dropped Thread and Bluetooth sensors that cannot run Matter automations.
  • Tom's Guide — positive: Says buyers will not have to juggle the Nest and Google Home apps because Home now gives complete control, and that Matter support means you are not bound to Google.
  • WIRED — mixed: Among the publications confirming that the Google Home app is mandatory for this model, that the Nest app does not work with it, and that Matter control stays limited to temperature and mode changes.

• ±Installation · 1 positive, 2 negative, 1 mixed
  Which sources said this

  • Android Police — mixed: The dossier records no C-wire or backplate difficulty for this reviewer and keeps the review's unit origin undeclared, so its installation result cannot be generalised.
  • ZDNET — negative: Calls the likely need for a third party the only drawback, saying that although the thermostat is easier to install than others it still requires basic wiring and electricity knowledge.
  • Popular Mechanics — positive: Timed the job from switching off the breaker to the first use of cool mode at a little less than an hour, while installing the thermostat in a rented apartment.
  • SlashGear — negative: Reports that the third-generation base plate is not the same size, that the old plate is too big for the new thermostat and that the new cover does not hide the old footprint, which may need repainting to match.

• ±Value · 1 positive, 5 negative, 1 mixed
  Which sources said this

  • Android Authority — negative: Frames the purchase as one for buyers for whom money is no object, while still suggesting the Nest to anyone unsure about spending $280.
  • Android Police — negative: Lists expensive as a con at the $279.99 list price and still treats the thermostat as a staff pick at 8.5/10, or 85%.
  • ZDNET — positive: Recommends it as one you can count on working for years, or maybe even decades, rather than judging it on its price.
  • SlashGear — negative: Calls $279.99 very, very not cheap and the full $280 potentially steep, especially with a more basic Nest Thermostat available at $129 for buyers who do not want the best.
  • The Verge — negative: Lists expensive as the first item on the bad list and says it will take a while to offset the cost with energy savings, while still scoring 9/10 for the smartest and most stylish thermostat available.
  • Tom's Guide — mixed: Calls it one of the most expensive smart thermostats, the review's only counterpoint, and argues the bundled $40 temperature sensor softens the price because buying them together saves a few dollars.
  • WIRED — negative: Places it at the pricey end of smart thermostats, noting the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium at $250 and the Honeywell T9 at $210 both include a temperature sensor, and that similar or smart-enough features cost less.