Being completely honest and upfront here, you might not need a smart or wireless thermostat. At the very least, however, you really should get a programmable thermostat. These are a step above the basic digital ones. Instead of having to change your thermostat in the morning and night manually, these ones will do it for you. Introducing automation—and removing human error—is the first step in running a highly efficient HVAC system.

However, being completely honest and upfront, a smart thermostat can give you a nice boost in monthly energy savings. We’ll explain further down below: