The long-awaited Wyze Room Sensor launches today. Originally promised in 2021, it’s a small wireless device that pairs with the smart Wi-Fi thermostat that the smart home company launched in December 2020. Wyze room sensors are designed to optimize comfort in your home and help manage hot and cold spots by detecting temperature, humidity and motion. The sensor only works when paired with the thermostat using the Wyze app, so it can’t be used as a standalone temperature monitor.
Each sensor costs $24.99 plus shipping, or $69.99 plus shipping (three-pack). They can be purchased as a bundle with the Wyze Smart Wi-Fi Thermostat ($70.99) for $145.96 (plus shipping).
Room sensors are popular add-ons for smart thermostats that allow you to better control the temperature of every room in your home. The Ecobee Thermostat, Nest Learning Thermostat, and Honeywell Home T9 Thermostat are some consumer models with a wireless remote sensor option. While they can help your thermostat cool or heat a room to a specific temperature, they can’t just target that room’s temperature. If a room sensor in the kitchen says it’s too cold, the thermostat sends heat to each room to make the kitchen warmer.
Each Wyze Room Sensor weighs 40 grams and is 5 inches tall. They can be placed on a magnetic stand or attached to the wall with double-sided tape.Image: Wyze
The new Wyze room sensor has two main functions: an automatic comfort mode that uses data from the sensor to keep the room you’re in at the temperature you want, and a hot/cold spot management system that keeps your entire home in line temperature. This can be set to prioritize energy savings or maximize comfort, or something in between.
Auto Comfort mode uses your device’s motion sensors to determine which rooms you’re using, then averages temperature readings between them. It then communicates with the thermostat via Bluetooth to tell your heating/cooling system to adjust to that temperature. Using the Wyze app, you can turn specific sensors on or off depending on which mode the thermostat is in (sleep or home), so you don’t inadvertently cool down downstairs overnight just because you’re eating a late-night snack.
The sensor also has a temperature offset (from 3 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit), allowing for discrepancies between thermostat readings and sensor readings. A lower offset will provide a more precise room temperature, while a higher offset will give the system more flexibility and more likely to provide greater energy savings.
The Wyze Room Sensor shows the current temperature and humidity on its e-ink display.Image: Wyze
The e-ink display on the sensor provides a visual indication of the temperature and humidity in the room, a feature that competitors don’t have. Both Ecobee and Honeywell Home’s T9 room sensors measure humidity, temperature, and motion, as does Wyze. Nest can only measure temperature, and it only works with the Nest Learning Thermostat, not the newer Nest Thermostat.
Wyze’s sensors are also pretty cheap—competing sensors start at $39.99, while Wyze’s sensors start at $24.99. Each Wyze Thermostat can support up to six sensors, the same as Nest, but fewer than Honeywell (20) and Ecobee (32). The sensor is powered by two AAA alkaline batteries, which Wyze says will last for three years. They come with a magnetic stand for placing on a shelf or table, or can be attached to the wall with double-sided mounting tape.
Wyze Thermostat doesn’t require new room sensors to work, they’re just another way to help manage your comfort. While we haven’t tested Wyze’s sensors, in our experience with other manufacturers’ models, room sensors are most useful if your home’s heating or cooling system struggles to keep it comfortable or cool enough.