The best smart home thermostats, compared.
Top pick: SONOFF Zigbee thermostat TP-WGZBA Best value: tado V3+ wireless starter kit – About £57.50 with 4.5 from 307 reviews, a full bridge and receiver kit if you stay on V3+. Updated October 2026.
A smart home thermostat in the UK schedules heating and, on most kits, lets you change it from a phone. On amazon.co.uk the usual jobs are a combi-boiler programmer, a second zone, or motorised radiator heads. Quality is the receiver or hub in the box, on both the boiler and the control, and a generation that matches what you already own. tado X does not join tado. Heat source, the box, and the protocol are in the [smart home thermostat buying guide](/hub/thermostats/smart-home-thermostat/sub/smart-home-thermostat-buying-guide). It is not a room thermometer and not, by itself, a radiator valve. You choose it when the heat source, the contents of the box, and the protocol line up.
A smart home thermostat in the UK schedules heating and, on most kits, lets you change it from a phone. On amazon.co.uk the usual jobs are a combi-boiler programmer, a second zone, or motorised radiator heads.
28 products checked · 62 hrs invested · +18,600 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What are you controlling?
The SONOFF Zigbee thermostat TP-WGZBA is a wall thermostat at about £34.20, about 8.6 cm square, that switches a boiler through a dry contact and a 3 A relay for water-heating actuators. It has 4.7 from only 38 amazon.co.uk ratings, so the star line is high and the sample is thin. It is Zigbee 3.0, and reviews use it with Home Assistant and Zigbee2MQTT or a similar coordinator, because the listing has no Wi-Fi join and the hub is not in the box. A reviewer used the dry contact as the call for heat. The listing allows three programmes and up to 12 periods a day, and a review says the schedule is stored on the thermostat, so heating can continue if Home Assistant is down. No subscription appears in the listing or the reviews. It is a low shelf price only if you already run Zigbee.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A Home Assistant or Zigbee house that wants a wall stat to call a boiler or wet underfloor heating.
Less suitable: A household that only has Wi-Fi and expects a hub in the box.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it work without a hub?
No. It is Zigbee 3.0. Reviews use Home Assistant with Zigbee2MQTT or a similar coordinator. There is no Wi-Fi join in the listing.
Can it call a combi boiler?
The listing gives a dry-contact output for boilers and a 3 A relay for water-heating actuators. One reviewer used the dry contact as the call for heat.
Where do schedules live?
The listing allows three programmes and up to 12 periods a day. A review says the schedule is stored on the thermostat, so heating can continue if Home Assistant is down.
The tado V3+ wireless starter kit is a previous-generation boiler kit at about £57.50, with the wireless sensor, wireless receiver, Internet Bridge, UK power adapter, and Ethernet cable in the box. It has 4.5 from 307 amazon.co.uk ratings. The title says it is a programmer with hot water control. The listing prices Auto-Assist at £3.99 a month for automatic away and open-window setback, and reviews say schedules work without it and that the app nags you to upgrade. tado X products in this comparison are not compatible with V3+ or older, so X radiator heads will not join this bridge. The bridge is 230 V with the UK adapter, and the sensor takes three AAA batteries. It is the lowest price for a complete starter in this set, if you are willing to stay on V3+.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A boiler starter on a budget when you will stay with tado V3+ accessories.
Less suitable: A buyer who wants tado X radiator heads or Matter later.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this kit include the bridge?
Yes. Included components list the Internet Bridge, a UK power adapter, and an Ethernet cable, plus the wireless sensor and receiver.
Will tado X radiator heads work with it?
No. This is a V3+ starter. tado X listings in this comparison say X products are not compatible with V3+ or older.
What costs extra?
The listing prices Auto-Assist at £3.99 a month for automatic away and open-window setback. Reviews say schedules work without it and that the app nags you to upgrade.
The Hive thermostat with Nano 3 hub is a combi kit at about £164.99 that controls heating only, and the listing says it is not for a conventional boiler that needs separate heating and hot water control. It has 4.4 from 353 amazon.co.uk ratings. The title and the included-components line name the Hive Nano 3 hub, and reviews also describe a receiver and a thermostat. OpenTherm is listed for compatible combis. Power is given as 230 V, with four AA batteries included. Several UK reviews praise phone and Alexa control once it is paired, and others describe a hub or receiver reset before the app would see the unit. No subscription is printed on this listing. It is the straightforward heating-only combi kit in this set, and the wrong box if you need to schedule a cylinder.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A combi that needs a heating call, with the Hive hub in the same box.
Less suitable: A system boiler with a hot-water cylinder, or a buyer comparing shelf price alone.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this Hive kit control hot water?
The listing says it controls heating only and is not for a conventional boiler that needs separate heating and hot water control.
Is the hub included?
Yes. The title and the included-components line name the Hive Nano 3 hub.
What do reviews say about setup?
Several UK reviews praise phone and Alexa control once it is paired. Others describe a hub or receiver reset before the app would see the unit.
The tado Wireless Smart Thermostat X starter is a wireless kit at about £129.99 with the Wireless Receiver X, the room sensor, a stand, a trim plate, and three AAA batteries in the box. Across 286 amazon.co.uk ratings it sits at 4.4. The listing says the receiver connects the boiler and that no extra hub is required, and it lists both OpenTherm and a relay, which only helps if your boiler already has those terminals. The bullets say the kit can regulate hot water on a suitable boiler, while a UK review says Alexa and Matter control heating only. AI Assist, including geofencing and open-window detection, is priced at £3.99 a month or £29.99 a year, and reviews say those headline features are the paid layer. The same listing says this X kit is not compatible with tado V3+ or older. It is a complete current starter if you want Matter in the box, and a poor match if you already own V3+ heads or you expect voice control of hot water.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A first tado X system for a boiler or heat pump, where the receiver has to be in the box.
Less suitable: A house already on tado V3+, or a buyer who wants the advertised automations without a subscription.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this starter need a separate hub?
The listing says the Wireless Receiver X connects the boiler and that no extra hub is required. It also says this X kit is not compatible with tado V3+ or older.
Can Alexa control hot water?
The bullets say the kit can regulate hot water on a suitable boiler. A UK review says Alexa and Matter control heating only, not hot water.
Are the automatic savings features free?
The listing prices AI Assist, including geofencing and open-window detection, at £3.99 a month or £29.99 a year. Reviews say those headline features are the paid layer.
The tado Wired Smart Thermostat X (2nd gen) starter is a wired kit at about £156.44 with Bridge X included as the Thread border router, and it has 4.3 from 684 amazon.co.uk ratings. The listing says a rechargeable lithium-ion cell charges by USB-C in about two hours and is claimed to last over 365 days, while the same listing also marks the power source as corded electric. Relay and OpenTherm are both listed, and the programmer line says hot water control. Several UK reviews praise the in-app wiring diagrams, and others needed more than one factory reset before the app would accept the thermostat. AI Assist is £3.99 a month or £29.99 a year. The title says wired, while the included-components line says wireless, so check the live box contents before you assume a cable run. It is not compatible with tado V3+.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Replacing a wired room thermostat with a tado X starter that includes Bridge X.
Less suitable: A V3+ house, or a buyer who needs the box description to agree with itself before ordering.
Specifications
Common questions
Is Bridge X in this kit?
Yes. The title and the bullets include Bridge X as the Thread border router.
How is it powered?
The listing says a rechargeable lithium-ion cell charges by USB-C in about two hours and is claimed to last over 365 days. It also marks the power source as corded electric.
What do reviews say about setup?
Several UK reviews praise the in-app wiring diagrams. Others needed more than one factory reset before the app would accept the thermostat.
The tado Smart Thermostat X wired add-on is a wall head at about £79.99, about 10 cm square and 2.1 cm deep, weighing 300 g, with six AAA batteries in the box and no Bridge X. It has 4.2 from 212 amazon.co.uk ratings. The listing is a wired room thermostat for a boiler, a heat pump, or water-fed underfloor heating, and a UK review used it on a second underfloor zone. Thread and Matter still need a Bridge X or another Thread border router, which reviews say is not in this box. The listing says it is not compatible with tado V3+ or older. Hot-water control is not stated on this listing. Bought as a first thermostat, it leaves you without the radio path back to the boiler.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A second wired zone on a tado X system that already has a Thread border router.
Less suitable: A first smart thermostat, or a V3+ house.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a complete starter kit?
No. The listing says you need a Bridge X or another Thread border router, and that part is not in the box. Reviews say the same.
Can it run a second zone?
Yes. The listing is a wired room thermostat for boilers, heat pumps, or water-fed underfloor heating, and a UK review used it on a second underfloor zone.
Will it join a tado V3+ system?
The listing says tado X products are not compatible with tado V3+ or older.
The tado Smart Radiator Thermostat X trio is three radiator heads and adapter sets at about £159.08, each head about 4.9 by 6.7 by 6.7 cm, and it does not include a boiler receiver. It has 4.1 from 805 amazon.co.uk ratings, the largest review file in this set. Reviews use the heads with a tado X receiver that calls the boiler, so the trio does not replace a room thermostat on its own. Reviews say the head, sitting on the radiator, reads about 3–4°C above the room. The listing includes three lithium-ion cells, and reviews describe them as rechargeable, with some calling the battery life poor. tado X heads are not compatible with tado V3+ or older. This is a room-by-room add-on for an existing X system, not a starter kit.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Three radiators on a home that already has a tado X receiver.
Less suitable: A first boiler thermostat, or a V3+ system.
Specifications
Common questions
Do these heads replace a boiler thermostat?
No. The box is three radiator thermostats and adapters. Reviews use them with a tado X receiver that calls the boiler.
Why does the temperature look high?
Reviews say the head, sitting on the radiator, reads about 3–4°C above the room.
Are the batteries replaceable AA cells?
The listing says three lithium-ion batteries are included. Reviews describe them as rechargeable and some call the battery life poor.
The SONOFF Zigbee TRV Gen2 is one radiator valve head at about £29.91, about 8.3 by 5 by 5 cm, with six adapters and two AA batteries listed in the box, and it does not call the boiler. It has 4.1 from 118 amazon.co.uk ratings. Reviews fit it in place of a manual TRV on a system that already has a Zigbee network. Reviews report a direct fit on some Drayton bodies and adapters for other common types, including M30 x 1.5. Several reviewers say the head drops off Zigbee and has to be paired again. Others say the body twists off its base if you turn it too far while setting the screen angle. There is no hub in the box and no hot-water control.
Pros
Cons
Best for: One radiator on a Zigbee network you already run, where the valve body is already sound.
Less suitable: A first smart thermostat for the boiler, or a house with only Wi-Fi.
Specifications
Common questions
Will this control the boiler on its own?
No. It is a radiator valve head. Reviews fit it in place of a manual TRV on a system that already has a Zigbee network.
Which valves does it fit?
Six adapters are included. Reviews report a direct fit on some Drayton bodies and adapters for other common types, including M30 x 1.5.
What goes wrong in reviews?
Several reviewers say the head drops off Zigbee and has to be paired again. Others say the body twists off its base if you turn it too far while setting the screen angle.
Shelf prices, stars, and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures stored for these eight listings on 16 October 2026. They are not a live reload. The number on each card is the stored 0–100 figure for this set, which here is the star line times 20. It is not a laboratory test and not a measured gas saving. The highest star conversion is the SONOFF wall thermostat. The top-pick badge stays on the tado Wireless Smart Thermostat X starter, because the job is a complete current boiler kit with the receiver in the box. Listing limits and review faults stay in the written assessment. The weights below are the buying checks used to read the set.
Heat source and layout
25%Combi, often heating only, a system or regular boiler with a cylinder, a heat pump, or water-fed underfloor heating. A heating-only Hive kit does not schedule a cylinder.
What is in the box
25%Boiler receiver, brand hub, Thread border router, or proof you already have Zigbee. An add-on room stat or a radiator head is not a starter.
Protocol and generation
20%Relay on/off is the fallback. OpenTherm only if the boiler supports it and the installer enables it. tado X does not join tado V3+.
Hot water
15%Confirm the listing. The Hive combi kit here is heating only. A tado wireless starter can list hot water in the app while a review says Alexa and Matter still only did heating.
Network and fees
15%2.4 GHz Wi-Fi at setup for many cloud kits, Thread or Matter on tado X, Zigbee only with a coordinator. tado AI Assist or Auto-Assist is £3.99 a month. Schedules are described without that fee.
Start with the heat source, then what has to be in the box, then whether OpenTherm and the generation match the boiler you already have. A star rating does not tell you those three. The eight listings below are amazon.co.uk pages, with the prices and review counts stored for this comparison on 16 October 2026, not a live reload. Schedules stay in the maker’s app. A phone control is not a measured gas saving for your home.
A smart home thermostat, as UK shoppers search for it, is a control that schedules heating and, on most kits, lets you change it from a phone. It is not a room thermometer and not, by itself, a radiator valve. You choose it when the heat source, the contents of the box, and the protocol line up. Quality is a receiver or hub the boiler can use, OpenTherm only if the boiler supports it, and a generation that matches what you already own.
The tado X radiator trio and the SONOFF TRV do not call the boiler. The wired tado X add-on needs a Bridge X or another Thread border router, and that piece is not in the box. A starter in this set is the wireless tado X kit, the V3+ kit with its Internet Bridge, the wired X 2nd gen with Bridge X, or the Hive kit with the Nano 3 hub.
The Hive kit is heating only. The wireless tado X starter lists hot water in the app, and a UK review says Alexa and Matter control heating only. The V3+ title says a programmer with hot water control. Read the hot-water line on the ASIN you are buying. Do not copy it from a different listing.
Pair many Wi-Fi kits on 2.4 GHz. A 5 GHz-only network at setup is a common miss. tado X and tado V3+ do not mix. A Zigbee SONOFF thermostat does not join Wi-Fi on its own. If you cannot tell whether the boiler is OpenTherm, stay on relay or pay someone to set the mode.
Decide the job before the brand. A combi is often heating only. A system or regular boiler with a cylinder often needs a second channel. A heat pump or water-fed underfloor heating is a different output. The Hive combi kit in this set is heating only and is not for a conventional boiler that needs separate hot-water control. A boiler starter has to include the receiver or hub. The wireless tado X starter includes Wireless Receiver X.
Relay on/off is the fallback on a boiler that only has a switched live or a dry contact. OpenTherm is available only when the boiler supports it and the installer enables it. tado X listings in this set say they are not compatible with tado V3+ or older. Confirm hot water on the listing you buy. The Hive kit is heating only. The V3+ title says a programmer with hot water control. The wireless tado X starter lists hot water in the app, and a UK review says Alexa and Matter control heating only.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want the hub in the box and you do not have a cylinder to schedule. The Hive kit with the Nano 3 hub is about £164.99, with 4.4 from 353 reviews. The listing says heating only, and it is not for a conventional boiler that needs separate hot-water control.
You want the current wireless starter, with the receiver in the box, for a boiler or a heat pump. The tado Wireless Smart Thermostat X starter is about £129.99, with 4.4 from 286 reviews. Do not mix it with tado V3+. AI Assist is a paid extra.
You already have a coordinator, and you want a wall stat to call the boiler. The SONOFF TP-WGZBA is about £34.20, with 4.7 from 38 reviews. It is Zigbee 3.0, not Wi-Fi, and the hub is not in the box.
The top pick is tado V3+ wireless starter kit, with the highest score in this comparison (9 out of 10, from 307 amazon.co.uk reviews). The best value is the tado V3+ wireless starter kit, at about £57.50, with 4.5 from 307 reviews, the lowest price for a complete starter in this set if you stay on V3+. It does not work with tado X heads. The SONOFF TP-WGZBA converts to the highest star score, 4.7 from 38 reviews, and is not the top pick because the Zigbee hub is not in the box. The card score is the stored star conversion, not a laboratory test.
tado V3+ wireless starter kit
About £57.50 with 4.5 from 307 reviews, a full bridge and receiver kit if you stay on V3+.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources for Energy Saving Trust savings, Boiler Plus in England, Part L, and Gas Safe. Listings are the amazon.co.uk captures for these eight ASINs on 16 October 2026. Prices on amazon.co.uk move.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars, and review counts come from those listings. We did not run a laboratory test. The scores rank a listing inside this set only.
