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Honeywell vs. Emerson Thermostats: A Detailed Comparison

Honeywell vs Emerson Thermostat are both thermostats. Which one should you pick?These are two of the most popular smart thermostats on the market: the Honeywell T6 Pro Z-Wave and the Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi. Both can be used with a smart home and are easy to set up and use, but they are better for different people and situations.

This guide will help you understand the features, pros, and cons of these two thermostats so you can decide which one might be better for your home. We will talk about important things like compatibility, how easy it is to install, how well it works with smart homes, how much power it needs, and how the users feel about it.

Honeywell vs Emerson Thermostat

Feature Comparison: Honeywell T6 Pro Z-Wave vs. Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi

FeatureHoneywell T6 Pro Z-WaveEmerson Sensi Wi-Fi
ConnectivityZ-WaveWi-Fi
Smart Home CompatibilitySmartThings, Hubitat, Home AssistantAlexa, Google Assistant, HomeKit
Local ControlYes (via Z-Wave hub)Yes (via HomeKit, requires C-wire)
Remote AccessRequires Z-Wave hubRequires Wi-Fi
Power SourceC-wire or batteryC-wire (required for HomeKit)
SchedulingYesYes
Learning CapabilitiesNo (manual programming)No (manual programming)
GeofencingYes (through Z-Wave automation)Yes (through app)
Installation DifficultyModerate (requires Z-Wave hub)Easy (Wi-Fi connection)
Short-Cycle ProtectionYesYes
Energy ReportsNoYes (via app)

A look at the Honeywell T6 Pro Z-Wave and the Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi

Z-Wave Honeywell T6 Pro is a
Honeywell Home RTH9585WF1004 Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat
Honeywell Home RTH9585WF1004 Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat

The Honeywell T6 Pro Z-Wave is made for people who want a thermostat that can be controlled locally through Z-Wave. It’s a great choice for people who have a Z-Wave smart hub like SmartThings, Hubitat, or Home Assistant (HA).

This thermostat lets you precisely control the temperature, set schedules, and access it from anywhere using Z-Wave. It’s a great choice for people who want to automate their homes without using cloud-based services.

Sensi Wi-Fi from Emerson
EMERSON Sensi Touch Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat
EMERSON Sensi Touch Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat with Touchscreen Color Display, Works with Alexa, Energy Star Certified, C-wire Required, ST75W , White

The Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi thermostat is smart and easy to use. It links via Wi-Fi and works well with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant. If you want an easy-to-use thermostat that’s also easy to set up, this is a good pick.

The Sensi relies more on the cloud than the T6 Pro, but you can still handle it locally through Apple HomeKit as long as you have a C-wire for power.

Power and Installation: Things to Think About

For the Honeywell T6 Pro Z-Wave, you need a Z-Wave Hub.


It’s easy to add the T6 Pro Z-Wave if you already have a Z-Wave hub, like SmartThings, Hubitat, or Home Assistant. But if you don’t already have a Z-Wave hub, you’ll have to buy one separately, which makes the whole process more expensive and difficult.

Batteries or a C-wire?

If you don’t have a C-wire, the T6 Pro can run on batteries, which is a big plus.
If you have a C-wire handy, the T6 Pro can use it to get power all the time, which is what you should do for better performance.

Sensi Wi-Fi from Emerson:

Setting it up is easy, but you need a C-wire for HomeKit.
One of the easiest smart thermostats to set up is the Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi, especially for people who already have a C-wire. However, if you want to use Apple HomeKit, you will need a C-wire, which may mean more work when installing.

It can be a hassle to connect a C-wire to your HVAC system, requiring you to either purchase an adapter or run a different wire from your heater. You can also use it without HomeKit and still use the Sensi app or voice helpers to control it.

How to Connect a Smart Home: Z-Wave vs. Wi-Fi

Why Choose Z-Wave (Honeywell T6 Pro)?

The Honeywell T6 Pro Z-Wave and other Z-Wave devices don’t need cloud services to work, which makes them more stable and safe. As long as your thermostat is connected to your local Z-Wave network, it will still work even if your internet goes down.

Best for:

  • People who have Home Assistant, Hubitat, or SmartThings will like this the most.
  • People who put local power and technology first
  • People that don’t want to use cloud-based services
Why Should You Pick Wi-Fi (Emerson Sensi)?

What the Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi is better for people who want to use a mobile app to connect directly and want it to work with Alexa, Google Assistant, and HomeKit. For online viewing, though, you do need to be connected to the internet.

Best for:

  • People who want to easily manage their apps from anywhere
  • People who use Apple HomeKit (but only with a C-wire)
  • People who don’t have a Z-Wave hub

Reviews and experiences from users

The Honeywell T6 Pro Z-Wave is: Smart home enthusiasts give it high marks


People who want to automate their homes with Z-Wave love the Honeywell T6 Pro Z-Wave. It works well with Home Assistant and SmartThings, and you can handle everything from your phone. Some users, though, say that the best speed comes from setting up the Z-Wave network correctly.

Pros: ✏ Great power at home ✏ Doesn’t depend on cloud services
It can be used with batteries or a C-wire.

Cons: ✖ Needs a Z-Wave hub ✖ Doesn’t have a mobile app

Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi is the best for easy and quick control.

The Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi thermostat gets great reviews for how easy it is to set up and how well the mobile app works. But people who don’t have a C-wire sometimes find it hard to use HomeKit.

Pros: It’s simple to set up, it works with most smart home platforms, and it gives you reports on your energy use.

Cons: ✖ For HomeKit, you need a C-wire ✖ relies on control from the cloud

In the end, which thermostat should you pick?

Honeywell T6 Pro Z-Wave is the one to pick If…

✠ You have a Z-Wave hub (like SmartThings, Hubitat, or Home Assistant).

✠ You want local control that doesn’t depend on the cloud

✠ You want battery-powered operation (if you don’t have a C-wire)

✠ You like automation that you can customize

Stay away from it if: ▎

You don’t want to buy a Z-Wave hub and don’t have one.

✠ You want a simple, easy-to-use thermostat

✠ You use HomeKit, Alexa, or Google Assistant

✠ You want a thermostat that works with all three You’d rather use an app to handle the remote over Wi-Fi.

✠You have a C-wire or don’t mind using a C-wire adapter.

Stay away from it if:

▎ You don’t have a C-wire and don’t want to deal with adapters.

Last Thoughts

The Honeywell T6 Pro Z-Wave and the Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi are both great thermostats, but which one you should choose relies on your smart home system and how you set up your power. The T6 Pro Z-Wave is the best choice if you want to handle your home without being connected to the internet. The Sensi Wi-Fi is better if you’d rather control your Wi-Fi from your phone.

Do you have a choice? Tell us in the comments! 💀

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