Filling a noticeable gap in their smart thermostat line, Nest Labs has announced the launch of the Nest Temperature Sensor, a remote sensor that works with the Silicon Valley company’s 3rd generation Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest Thermostat E. The entirely wireless sensor is a diminutive 1.9 inches in diameter and powered by a replaceable CR2 lithium wafer battery, enabling easy placement anywhere in the home within the Bluetooth Low Energy range (up to 50 feet) of a compatible Nest thermostat.
Remote temperature sensors such as these can be used to relay remote temperature readings from a specific room or location so that homeowners can better tailor the operation of their heating and cooling system for maximum comfort—particularly where thermostats are mounted in out-of-the-way locations or in less-lived-in areas of the home. Smart thermostat competitors to Nest, such as ecobee and Honeywell, have offered similar remote sensors for several years.
The Nest Temperature Sensor will of course be well integrated into the Nest app. The company says each connected thermostat can support up to 6 remote sensors, and they can accommodate up to 18 total sensors in homes equipped with multiple thermostats and zones. That range of flexibility should make these sensors a good option for homeowners wanting to add a high degree of fine-tuning capability to their Nest systems.
For homeowners with the 1st and 2nd generation of the Nest Learning Thermostat, they are unfortunately out of luck unless a third-party manufacturer decides to produce a sensor that works with these older thermostats as part of the Works with Nest integration program.
The Nest Temperature Sensor will retail for $39, and retailers are expected to offer multi-packs which may bring down the cost somewhat. Nest will also offer thermostat and sensor bundles on their website, offering savings of $10 and $20, respectively, off Nest Thermostat E or Nest Learning Thermostat bundles.
