Honeywell’s
Programmable Thermostats Edge Out Competing Products in
Features, Rates Favorably on Other Factors On the basis of
Frost & Sullivan’s independent research, 2011 U.S.
Smart Appliances–A Customer Perspective on
Demand-Response, Honeywell emerged as the “Overall Best
Brand of Programmable Thermostats” in the United States.
In Frost & Sullivan’s
survey of 1,013 U.S. homeowners, 646 owned programmable
thermostats and rated various brands on several specific
points. Homeowners using Honeywell programmable thermostats
rate their thermostats higher than users of any other major
brand. “Honeywell users appreciate the features offered by
its brand – 33 percent cite that having the ‘best
features’ is their main reason for using Honeywell,
compared to nine percent among users of other brands stating
the same,” said Christina Alfaro Research Analyst with
Frost & Sullivan’s Customer Research Team.
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| “Supporting
Honeywell’s overall best rating is that it rated well for
other factors too, such as ease-of-use, energy efficiency,
and cost savings.” Honeywell conducts extensive – and
on-going – customer research to ensure the products they
develop are simple-to- install and are easy-to-use. For
instance, their Prestige™ programmable thermostat
incorporates a patented, interview- based interface that
walks a homeowner through the setup process by asking a
series of questions, such as “what time does the first
person wake-up in the morning?” or “what time do you go
to sleep at night?”
The answers help the
thermostat program itself – no owner’s manual is needed.
The graphic user interface displays information in an
easy-to-understand format, the on-board user’s manual
provides definitions and directions for each display screen
and can be customized to display in English, French or
Spanish.
Some Honeywell programmable
thermostats also have the ability to wirelessly communicate
to accessory devices using the company’s RedLINK™
technology, the first wireless protocol developed
exclusively for the HVAC industry. The thermostat can be
used with an outdoor sensor that sends a signal to the
thermostat to display outdoor temperature and humidity on
the home screen. This makes it simple for the homeowner to
get access to that information.
Finally, Honeywell
thermostats are among the few thermostats that have been
qualified under the National Electrical Manufacturer
Association's (NEMA) new ENERGY AWARE™ program. When
properly installed and used as directed, Honeywell estimates
that homeowner’s can cut annual heating and cooling cost
up to 33 percent – or by $200 each year – depending on
geographic location. “Honeywell thermostats are designed
for consumers – by consumers – who are looking for the
ultimate in comfort control,” said John Tyhacz, vice
president and general manager for Honeywell’s home comfort
and energy systems business. “They are easy-to-use and
help homeowners make better decisions about their energy
use.”
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