If you are looking for a smart thermostat that allows you to save on your heating and cooling costs without you doing too much work, then there are a lot of brands to consider. These include Ecobee, Nest, and yes, Lux.
Lux is an American manufacturer that has been in business for more than a century. Two of their smart thermostat models are the Lux Geo Wi-Fi Thermostat and the Lux Kono Smart Thermostat.
Lux Geo Wi-Fi Thermostat
The Lux Geo has a sort of U shape (generally rectangular in shape with one rounded end) that accommodates a control wheel and a large monochromatic display. It measures 5.70 inches wide by 3.12 inches high by 1.32 inches thick. The good thing about the Lux Geo is that you can install it either horizontally or vertically. It comes in black or white with chrome accents.
Features
- Geofencing features. You can set a geofenced area. This helps the Geo know whether it should go on Home mode or Away mode, just by checking your phone’s GPS location. If you go outside the geofenced area, the thermostat will automatically switch to away mode and turn down the heating or cooling. It will also turn the heating or cooling on when you enter the geofenced area.
- Different ways to power your thermostat. If your current heating and cooling system has a c-wire, then you would be able to power your Lux Geo. But if your HVAC does not have the c-wire, you do not need to worry. You can power your Geo with two AA lithium batteries. You can also use a micro USB or a LUX Power Bridge. The Lux Power Bridge is included in the package and gives your thermostat reliable and consistent power. This way, if you do not have a C-wire, you can still get reliable power source without having to spend too much on batteries. If you want to buy another, the Lux Power Bridge sells for less on Amazon.
- Voice commands. The Lux Geo works with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, allowing you to control your thermostat using voice commands.
Other features
Other features of the Lux Geo that you should know about include:
- 7-day programming, with up to four periods a day.
- Adjustable temperature swing.
- Monitoring of your air filter.
- Choice between Fahrenheit or Celsius scale.
Compatibility
The Lux Geo is compatible with these systems:
- Conventional 2 stages heating and cooling
- Heat pumps with up to 2 stages cooling and heating
- Heat only hydronic systems with three wires
- Gas millivolt heaters
It is not compatible with heat pumps with two compressor stages and line voltage systems.
What’s in the box
Every package of Lux Geo contains:
- Lux Geo Wi-Fi Thermostat
- 2 mounting screws
- 2 Wall anchors
- 2 AA lithium batteries
- Lux power bridge
What you would like about the Lux Geo
The Lux Geo is smaller than the typical thermostat. You might be worried that if you use this to replace a current thermostat, it would not be able to cover the space where your old thermostat was. The good news is that the Lux Geo comes with a wall plate that would cover those unsightly holes where your old thermostat was screwed in.
The geofencing feature on the Lux Geo takes the hassle out of scheduling your thermostat for when you go out of the house or when you come home. It will know when you are home or not and automatically switch to Home or Away mode, whichever is applicable.
What could be better about the Lux Geo
While you can use batteries to power your Lux Geo, you will not be able to use voice commands to operate it. If you plan to use Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, you would need to use the C-wire or use a Lux Power Bridge.
Also, for a smart thermostat, the Lux Geo will remind you of your old thermostat: white with a monochromatic display. Not only does it look outdated, it feels rather flimsy as well. The Lux Geo has a rotary control wheel just like the one you see on the Nest, but using the wheel on the Lux Geo, you can feel the difference. Nest feels weighty. Lux Geo, on the other hand, feels like you are fiddling with a toy.
One thing about the Lux Geo is that its geofencing feature would rely on the owner’s smartphone. If somebody else comes home and the account owner is still not home, the Lux Geo would not automatically switch to Home mode. Whoever is home would need to press a button on the Lux Geo to wake it up. The Lux Geo does not include a proximity sensor, which would have enabled it to automatically detect a person’s presence and know that somebody is home, even if the owner is not. The proximity sensor is also the reason why Nest and Ecobee thermostats light up its displays when somebody walks into the room where it is in.
Furthermore, the Lux Geo does not have any integrations outside of its ability to use voice commands via Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
Lux Kono Smart Thermostat
The Lux Kono Smart Thermostat (read my full review here!) works pretty much like the Lux Geo, but it looks significantly different.
Design
The Lux Kono takes on a squarish shape and measures 4.5 inches on all sides and an inch thick. Like the Lux Geo, it also has a control wheel. The brushed aluminum knob looks and feels more premium than the one you see on the Lux Geo.
But what makes Lux Kono a whole lot better when it comes to design is the range of colors that it comes in. There are ten colors that you can choose from, including black, deep blue, hibiscus red, sea green, white, champagne gold, sky blue, driftwood, and mist grey. If your walls have a different color, you can order the paint-it-yourself faceplate. You can even switch up the colors because the faceplates are interchangeable. The paint-it faceplate sells for a good price, while the other colors sell for less than that.
Functionality
When it comes to how it works, there is not much difference between the Lux Kono and the Lux Geo. Here is a side-by-side comparison of their features, dimensions, and other factors.
| Â | Lux Geo | Lux Kono |
| Price | (Check out the latest price here!) | (Check out the latest price here!) |
| Colors | 2, Black or white | 10 colors + Paint It Faceplate |
| Dimensions (inches, wxhxd)Â | 5.70 x 3.12 x 1.32Â | 4.5 x 4.5 x 1.0Â |
| Color screen | No | No |
| Geofencing | Yes | Yes |
| 7-day programming | Yes | Yes |
| Battery | 2 AA lithium batteries | No |
| Micro USB | Yes | No |
| C-wire | Yes | Yes |
| Lux Power Bridge | Yes | Yes |
| Amazon Alexa | Yes | Yes |
| Google Assistant | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Homekit | No | Yes |
You can program your Lux Kono thermostat up to seven days a week with several periods for each day. It also features geofencing. Like the Lux Geo, the Lux Kono also works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
However, there are several differences as well. For one, you cannot power the Lux Kono using only AA batteries or a micro USB. But you can integrate the Lux Kono using Apple Homekit. There is a price difference between the Lux Geo and the Lux Kono, too. This is largely because of the differences in materials used for the Kono, as well as its bigger size.
Compatibility
The Lux Kono is compatible with these HVAC systems:
- Conventional 2 Heat and 1 Cool Systems
- Heat Pumps with up to 2 stages heat and 1 stage cooling
- Oil, electric, or gas furnace
Final say
There is not much difference when it comes to how the Lux Geo and the Lux Kono work. The main difference lies in the design and the materials used, plus Lux Kono’s compatibility with Apple Homekit devices.
Both are very reasonably priced. If you are okay with these features and the savings you get from a smart thermostat that follows your set schedules exceptionally well, as well as the great geofencing features, then you would be happy with either Lux Kono or Lux Geo.
The attractive price, however, does come with a tradeoff, especially if you compare it to either the third-generation Nest Thermostat or the Ecobee4, both of which are more expensive. But still, for more higher price, you get top-of-the-line smart thermostats in Nest and Ecobee, including IFTTT support and better-looking thermostats. If you are looking for a smart thermostat that is not much more expensive than these two, then you can check out Nest Thermostat E.
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