Side by Side Comparison of: Honeywell

Now that I've used this through all seasons, I feel I should pass on my opinions (updated further down). First, I'm happy with this. The backlight is good, as my unit mounts in a dim hallway. Controls are fairly straight-forward, and the digits are big enough to read without glasses. But I recently discovered a mild issue, which took some figuring out. When I installed this in the summer, I set the internal switch (on the back of the unit) to "gas/oil," since I have a gas furnace. But then my central a/c wouldn't come on. I came back here, read some questions and answers, and realized I needed to set that switch to "electric." Then my a/c ran fine. Come fall, I noticed that when the furnace came on, the fan started blowing right away, which would be COLD air for the first couple minutes. That's not how it worked before, or how any gas/oil furnace I ever used worked. It still WORKED, but I was bothered by the discrepancy. Recently, I remembered that "gas/oil-electric" switch, and set it to "gas/oil." NOW my furnace works normally, the burner heating the firebox before the fan starts up. Which means that I'll have to remember to change this switch about twice a year. That's why I'm only giving it 4 stars (updated to 5). If the couple minutes of cold air don't bother you (or you have an electric furnace, I suppose), this won't be a problem. But my previous digital thermostat didn't have this issue (or the switch), and I've ALWAYS had either gas or oil heat. I guess I just consider it clumsy, and don't see why this couldn't be done better. <UPDATE>: With advice from a comment, I found this has parameters that can be set to resolve my issue. The manual is available in PDF format from Honeywell. It's still acts a little different (my central A/C continues to run for a bit after the temperatures "makes") but that's not a problem, just something that makes me go, "Huh."

This was super easy to install...the only thing I didn't understand is the metal jumper piece that was in the RC and R slots. I had an RH connection in my old thermostat so figured the R would be the correct position in this thermostat. Well, it IS, except I had removed the metal jumper piece because my wire went to R. During my test, the heat turned on, but not the air conditioner. Turns out you have to keep the metal jumper in, along with your R wire in order to make the connection to the other unit. I figured I didn't need it because I didn't have a wire in the RC of the old thermostat. Worked like a charm once I got it back in. Love the simplicity. Feels solid too. I didn't like the slider bars under the unit I had---the buttons on the face of this one are much more substantial feeling when you slide them back and forth.

I had a programmable unit prior to this one and what a pain that was to use, only lasted me less than a year, it started with the A/C not turning on and then the heater, this one is simple on/off, set temp and done, installation was a piece of cake, 2 screws for the base that matched exactly where the other base was, 4 wires screw them on tight insert 2 included AA batteries and you are done, saved my self the hassle of having a stranger in my house and charging an Arm and Leg.The wires are color coded and the thermostat has letters corresponding to the color, can’t go wrong with this, if you are having problems with your HVAC system should give this a try.note : Picture of base if from my old unit, just posted to show wires, Red Wire is power, Green wire is Fan, Yellow is A/C and white is Heater.

it's simple and it works. has flexibility to cool and heat. i love tech as much as the next guy with items such as NEST but sometimes simplicity just works for me. our home is a single story 4br home and this keeps our house at a constant temperature during the winter.

A service call to the local heating and A/C guy resulted in nothing more than a $120 hole in my wallet and an admonition to get a new thermostat. Naturally, he had one that he would sell me for $150 plus installation. When I didn't take the offer, he warned me: "Don't be tempted by inexpensive thermostats. They're crap."So I bought this inexpensive thermostat. I'm a contrarian: if someone says "don't do it" without good reason, I do it.Installation took about 30 minutes (I did it myself and I was lucky: my wires were all correctly color-coded.) The thermostat maintains the temperature to within one degree, reliably. If I set it to 70, the furnace comes on at 69 and goes off at 71.The verdict: It was easy to install. It looks expensive but it's not. It works VERY well.

Very simple. It seems that unless a thermostat is internet-enabled, most people never use the programming features of modern thermostats. This one avoids the unnecessary complexity, allowing even old people to use it.It also independently remembers both the heater temp and the a/c temp, making it easy to switch between the two systems without resetting each value. This is a great replacement to an old dial/lever thermostat -- digital displays offer precision to 1 degree thus eliminating the fiddling required to get just the right temperature, as with old systems.The installation guide is straight-forward and took about 15 minutes.

Easy to install, and program. I set the get up time/temp, leave time/temp, arrive home time/temp and go to bed time/temp. I set it once and it works every day!

honeywell mis-advertised this product, it is not 1 week programmable, it is one day, 4 periods per day. the next, (more expensive) one up is one week. however i do not need or want 5/2 days program. this has significantly reduced heating costs on a williams gravity room gas furnace. the thermostat they include is junk.so if you do not need sat sun programing, get this at best price, a lot of returns due to honeywell mis-advertising. they should fire exec in charge of advertising.

The setting you input will remain in effect all 7 days of the week. This wasn't very clear to me, and apparently if you want a thermostat that will adjust on the weekends, it needs to be a "7-day" or a "5-2 day" thermostat. Install was easy, going from an old analog mercury thermostat to this one. The "green" wire was actually blue, and "red" was a very faded pink, but my old thermostat's circuit had the appropriate letters on it, making identification easier. I took pictures of the dismantle each step of the way to help me backtrack if needed. As a thermostat, it functions well. However, the description, and even the packaging, confused me into believing it was a 7-day device.Update: increased rating to 5 starts (from my original 3). The thermostat works well and overriding the program on weekends is as easy as adjusting the temp one time each day, so it's really not a hassle.

We had an old mercury theromostat in the house that was off by about 15 degrees and would trip every time you walked past it.Summer is on the way and I wanted to cool the house better and was thinking of buying a floor fan.Looking at pricing, it made more sense to go with a new thermostat.It took about 10 minutes total to remove the old thermostat and install the new one.I left in on the pre-programmed weekly cooling schedule and it has done wonders already.The true test will be when the next utility bill comes in!

This thermostat works great for my needs. Since there are people in and out of the house all day long, I just wanted something that would simply turn the heat down at night, and turn it back up again in the morning without anyone having to think about it. It doesn't have any major features or frills, but it works as it's supposed to. You can actually set it to come on in the morning and heat the house before you get out of bed, then you can set it for a different temp when you leave for work, and then have it kick back on again before you get home from work, and then finally low again for nighttime (if you like to save energy). It will repeat the programming you set for 7 days a week. It does not allow for separate settings on different days or weekends. You can manually change the temperature and it can retain it temporarily (it'll go back to the temp settings at the next time setting) or you can press the hold button and it'll hold that temperature until you change it or press the run button.Very easy install. If you're like me and have been lazy about upgrading (I know I'm way behind...) then just do it already.

I wanted a simple to install thermostat to replace the aging, mercury switched Honeywell items that control our heat and cooling. After researching I decided that a simple weekly timer is good enough, and certainly better that what we had originally. The RTH221B shows the current temperature and can be set to adjust the temperature when you wake, leave, return and night. It is simple to use with 15 minute increments.Installation says "15 minutes or under" and I found this to be true.To install: Turn off power to furnace and thermostat (although it is a low voltage feed, you MUST still do this) Unscrew the original thermostat from the wall but leave wires attached Check the color of the wires and which terminals they attach to on the original (look for small letters W,R,Y,Rc etc) Mark the wires (if needed) with the stickers provided in the package Unhook wires from the original Remove backing plate from new thermostat, thread wires through hole and place against wall Attach backing plate using screws and wall plugs provided Put 2 x AAA batteries(NOT supplied)in the faceplate Attach previously marked wired to the matching terminals at the back of the faceplate Snap faceplate onto backing plate Read instructions for setting time and programs Turn power to furnace back onPros: cheap, easy to install, good instructionsCons: would have been nice to include 2 x AAA batteriesOverall a good buy. I fitted one as a test and then bought 3 more.

Works as expected. Hopefully this unit will outlast its predecessor, which was programmable. We purchased this because programming was not always executed as programmed. So we like the idea of manual operation. Biggest loss with this step-down is the lack of an automatic transition between heating and air conditioning, but I knew that going in.8/28/17 Update: Very pleased but took back a star in my rating because the loss of automatic switching between heating and air conditioning seems it will be a fairly negative thing and to my way of thinking that could have been designed in easily and cheaply.

I bought this thermostat to replace a programmable thermostat. The programmable thermostat was complicated and not reliable. This one is perfect. It is simple, easy to use, and easy to see. I like the fact that it is back-lit and digital. My only complaint is not about the thermostat but about the Honeywell "Technical Support". I called them just to confirm the right wiring connections. I could barely understand the rep. He spent the entire call getting my personal info (email address, phone #, etc.) then once he got all that he told me to call a contractor to install the thermostat. Really? A Honeywell Technical Support person in the thermostat department can't answer a simple wiring question about their most basic thermostat? Luckily I found a YouTube video showing the install of this thermostat. It was actually pretty easy. This Thermostat gets 5 stars. Honeywell Technical Support gets 0 stars.

No frills and performs exactly two functions (heat on and off)...just what I wanted. The build quality is okay. Feels like cheap plastic and depending on how often you need to replace the unit's batteries, I can easily see the casing cracking (or breaking) at the hinges. Don't expect more for what you are paying here - sub $30 thermostat. The display is easy to read with a backlight screen. The information displayed includes the actual temperature (the larger number displayed) and the desired temperature (smaller number displayed in the upper right hand corner).I'm not an electrician, but the unit was easy to install (thank you YouTube for the numerous tutorial videos).For as many people who want the newest and greatest technology and functionality, there are still those who want nothing more than a simple on/off thermostat. This is that simple option. This item is a definite go.

I have had this for four years and it has worked flawlessly until now. It's brain-dead simple - which is a good thing, as the programmable ones never seem obvious or functional. Only now, the temperature number looks weird - there's a number there, but it looks like it's preceded by a + or -, and I can't really tell what the setting is, so I don't know what temperature the house is supposed to be. I'll probably replace it with the same item. I did take out the batteries and put them back in - made no difference. Perhaps it's just planned obsolescence.

Works good, but the temperature is about 4 degrees off and I can't find any way to adjust it so it's correct.

This is a good simple thermostat. I like that the numbers are back lit as soon as you press the up or down button. It doesn't seem to cycle too often. I like the accuracy of a digital thermostat, but never had the need for one you can program. This fits the bill nicely. I had a question hooking it up, and their customer service was easy to reach and helpful. Update, It takes a battery to run the back light. The battery runs out pretty quick, and you're left with a flashing "replace battery" on the screen. Would have been much better if the light was powered by the 24v transformer.

Very handy, simple to install and a perfect replacement for the old thermostat. So far, so good.

Very good alternative to the box stores. Has all the basic functions and comes with everything to make it a plug and play application.

It works. It didn't take me long to figure out, and I'm kind of a moron when it comes to stuff that require me to read instructions, because I don't like to read instructions. Simple and straightforward to install. Takes about 7 minutes. Why spend more?

My house was built in 1974, and the thermostat we had was original. It was hard to get an accurate temperature reading from it and I wanted something cheap and programmable, so I bought this Honeywell unit. I'm mostly satisfied with it - the install was a breeze, the instructions were clear, and the unit functions perfectly. The only gripes I have with it are that the screen is not backlit and there was no option to hardwire it, meaning you have to use batteries for it. However, at this price, I can live with those complaints.

I have been using Honeywell thermostats for some time, all with good results.I purchased this one to replace a non-programmable version and it is performing as expected.The only negative that I found with this model was the labeling of the terminals inside: the red wire label is shifted such that the unused terminal can be mistaken with the one intended for the red wire, especially since the correct one has a wire bridge to the adjacent terminal; two wires go into the red terminal: the red itself and the factory equipped bridge.Other than the above, it is a good product and simple to use.

Being retired, and having an old failed Honeywell 5/2 day thermostat, we replaced it with this 7-day model for heating only. It was simple enough to replace. The twin wiring was identical and so were the wall mounting hole centers. The directions for set-up were fairly clear. My one beef is that the new thermostat lacks back lighting which the old one had. The letters are small enough where one needs a flashlight during setup, requiring three hands at times, and is awkward for those of us with just two hands. Omitting the back light is inexcusable since the 5/2 twin RTH2300 DOES have back lighting. Another caution is that you need a tiny screwdriver to turn the wire set screws. I happen to have one but I would guess few people do.

It looks good, but doesn't tell me how to wire it ?

Pretty standard and easy to set up although the face plate did not snap on very securely, which is a bummer.

Just ok

Works great except clicking sound

Product is very good if all you want is a basic non-programmable thermostat. Perfect for that. But the installation instructions are hopeless.complicated, confusing, almost unusable. the online support was down for maintenance; the phone line was overloaded and hung up on me.I resorted to You Tube and got it working.

works but the screen and numbers are small

Its a good stat. I wanted to use this in my RV as other Honeywell ones did but they said it wont work and it did not.

Simple to install and it worked great, but I ordered another one because I frequently wander downstairs in the dark and prefer not to turn on the lights.

Works fine but it's really annoying that the display doesn't light up. Didn't know that when I bought it and after having used it I can't recommend buying one without the light function.

Price was right. As previous reviews have pointed out, no back-light and only one week programming vs week days and week ends. This actually is fine for us since we're retired and every day is a weekend. Issues I had with the design included it was difficult to easily separate the back and front plate, without also separating the circuit board from the back plate. If no-one else had this issue, perhaps it was just this particular unit. We have moved a lot, so this is one of many Honeywell digital programmable thermostats that I have installed with this issue. The batteries also had the tendency to 'pop out'...had to clear tape them into complete installation. That said...price and base functionality was what I was looking for, and that's exactly what I got.Ps also like the much smaller 'footprint' this model takes up on the wall vs some other company equivalent versions.

I ordered 3 RTH221B units but was disappointed that all 3 units shipped were different models. They all work pretty well but instruction documents did not match the product. Had to guess how to wire up one of them. The programming procedure is different on each of them as well. One unit was clearly was not new.

I didn't know they still made thermostats without a backlit display! Very easy to install, but if you want to change the temp any time other than high noon, better have a flashlight.

i thought i bought the expert instalation too, but lo right AFTER i received the thermostat, I RECEIVED A NOTICE THAT AMAZON COULDNOT PROVIDE ME AN EXPERT FOR THE AREA WHERE I LIVE, WHICH IS OKLAHOMA CITY......Watch out Folks!

I've read where buyers have had problems installing this unit (the instructions are indeed bad), but I, fortunately, didn't. It went up in a jiffy, and worked with my furnance and air in the 'default' mode – no tinkering needed.But I can only give it two stars because of a major problem... the Set To temperature keeps changing on its own. For example, one time I set the cool temperature to 77º, and a couple of hours later it read 80º. Same problem with the heat setting. It just will not stay to what I set it at. Very, very annoying.

Does my work with my electric furnace. It does my shut system off. I called for support and they told me to get a contractor I will return when our contractor replaces it

Quit working only after a couple of weeks

Don't expect to get any help from Honeywell tech support if you have an issue with it as I did !! Your call will be answered by a foreign call center (India) and informed that this is a pro model and they WILL NOT give you any help. You must call a licensed Heat/Ac guy for help. Add 50-75 $ for a service call.

This did not work out. My existing Trane thermostat has a W2 wire that isn't useable on this Honeywell. Tried to get installation info from Honeywell before and after purchase to no avail. Apparently they expect you to contract with a pro. I am returning it..,

No backlight which make it useless if it's not in a brightly lit area.

Wouldn't here a schedule and wasn't backlit. Didn't realize how important that feature was. Returned and ordered a different unit.

Wish I could set separate schedules for weekday and weekend. The picture even shows a "Th" for Thursday on the display - this isn't even a function of this model. I misunderstood the description and thought I was purchasing the same model I had before. Doesn't really help at all unless you have the same schedule on weekdays and weekends.

Didn't work for mine outlet. Couldn't figure out which wires in the wall goes to where on the control.The slots in the thermostat are too small to fit my thick wires from the wall.

Don't know.. I am struggling with mine.. I have it set to lower the heat at night but seems that it doesn't. I verified settings several times and still am always manually adjusting..Not too happy but since already installed and mounted, will not return them.

It was very hard to program and when I set the sleep time and temperature at 11:00 PM and temperature at 10 degrees lower than day time heater came on at 11:45 I was already in bed and had to get up to shut it off. I figured you get what you pay for.

the sensor doesn't work properly

Broke after a few months

Never worked right, we put it in our motor home and finally had to order a whole different one.

Just now got around to installing. Unfortunately, I could not get it to work and I missed the return window by 3 weeks. I have installed many thermostats, some much more complicated. I believe the one I got was defective as I could not get the A/C to function. Besides programming for electric v. gas v. heat pump, the only other option was to leave or remove a jumper between R and Rc, depending on whether one or two transformers were supplying voltage. Tried both ways- no dice- only hot air. Reinstalled the old Honeywell and the system worked fine.YMMV

This product worked for two weeks, then broke in the middle of the night outside temperature was 12 degrees. Not even thinking my new thermostat could be the problem I had to pay for a service call, when they came out they said Honeywell were junk and replaced it with a different brand.

Bought two of these and both internal thermometers run 5-8 degrees warmer than actual. There is no reset.

The screen is incredibly small and no option to set/see day. This is not what I ordered but I also paid for installation so I have no choice but to keep it

No backlight - Honeywell customerless service lived down to minimum (a useless phone number

Purchased on 07/19/17,after 2 months the display is blank.Contacted Honeywell and they will send me a replacement. Just hope this one last me more than 2 months!!!

This thermostat has settings throughout the day to auto set the temperature, so you can coordinate usage of cheap time electricity vs exensive time, when you are not home. It seems to have a mind of its own, however. Does not work according to time settings. Didn't notice until too late to return.

This does not turn on automatically when it reaches the temperature I set. When our handyman put back the old one, it worked fine. I called the honeywell but they keep saying I need to have contractor look at the wiring.. do not buy this

Very poor. Works some of the time and not some of the time. Sometimes when it come on it forgets to turn off and your freezing. So you have to turn the thermostat up and next your hot. Not good