Smart Thermostats / ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) vs Sensi Lite (ST25)
ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) vs Sensi Lite (ST25)
ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01)
The Premium's screen, radar and power kit for $60 less — you just supply your own sensor.
Wins overall by 2.2 points
Quick Verdict
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) is the stronger all-round pick, ahead by 2.2 points. The Premium's screen, radar and power kit for $60 less — you just supply your own sensor.
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) and Sensi Lite (ST25) are both closely matched smart Thermostat models, and the Sensi Lite (ST25) is $121 cheaper than the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) ($79 vs $199.99). On Multi-Room Sensing, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) leads (7.0 vs 1.0/10) — remote sensors: included or extra, how many pair, and whether they read occupancy or only temperature. On Scheduling & Learning, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) leads (8.5 vs 5.0/10) — learning, geofencing, away detection and how much of it works without babysitting the app. On Display & On-Device Control, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) leads (8.5 vs 5.0/10) — screen quality and how much you can do at the wall instead of in the phone app. Overall, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) scores 8.1/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 5.9/10 for the Sensi Lite (ST25). Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) | Sensi Lite (ST25) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.99 | $79.00 |
| Release Year | 2022 | 2023 |
| System Voltage | Low voltage 24VAC — furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, boilers, PTAC and fan coil units. Not for 120/240V line-voltage heat | Low voltage 24VAC (20-30VAC, 50/60Hz). Not for 120/240V line-voltage heat |
| C-Wire Required | Not in practice — the Power Extender Kit is included and creates a common wire from R, W, Y and G | Mostly no — and Copeland is unusually honest about the exception. Its own product title reads 'C-Wire Not Required, Except On Heat/Cool Only and Heat Pump Systems', and the manual confirms heat-only, cool-only and heat pump systems all need a common wire |
| Adapter / Power Kit Included | Yes — Power Extender Kit included in the box | No adapter is included, and none is needed on the majority of conventional systems |
| Heating & Cooling Stages | 2H/2C conventional; boilers, PTAC and fan coil units | 2H/1C or 1H/2C, single and multi-stage, gas, oil or electric. Ten terminals: R, C, W/E, G, Y, O/B, Y2, W2, L and AUX, rated 1.5A per terminal and 2.5A total |
| Heat Pump & Aux Heat | Yes — heat pump 2H/2C plus 1 stage of auxiliary heat (the Premium gets 2) | Yes — heat pump 2H/1C, and the manual lists dual fuel and zone valve configurations. A heat pump does need a C wire on this model |
| Humidifier / Ventilator Terminals | One 1-wire accessory: humidifier, dehumidifier or HRV/ERV ventilator. The Premium's 2-wire option is not available here | None — no humidifier, dehumidifier or ventilator output |
| Remote Sensors | None in the box. Up to 32 SmartSensors pair, sold separately at $99.99 for a 2-pack | None. Copeland states only the Sensi Touch 2 works with Sensi Room Sensors |
| Occupancy Detection | Radar occupancy and proximity in the thermostat. Room-level occupancy needs SmartSensors you have to buy | None. Away control is geofencing from your phone only |
| Matter Support | Not listed on ecobee's spec page for this model | No |
| Voice & Smart Home Platforms | Apple HomeKit with Siri, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings and IFTTT are what ecobee's spec page lists; ecobee's retail listing also claims Google Assistant. No built-in microphone or speaker | Sensi app, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings. No Apple Home |
| Utility Rebates & Demand Response | eco+ Community Energy Savings with 150+ utilities; enrolled events shift your temperature 1-4°F for a few hours a handful of times a year, opt-out per event | ENERGY STAR certified, rated for about 23% HVAC energy savings, and stocked across US utility rebate marketplaces |
| Account or Subscription Needed | No subscription. A free ecobee account is required | No subscription. A free Sensi account is required |
| Warranty | 36 months | 36 months |
| Colors | Black | Black (ST25), White (ST25W) |
Category Scores
C-Wire Freedom
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) leads clearly here, 9.5 against 8.0 — a 1.5-point margin on how likely this thermostat is to run on the wiring you already have — whether it needs a common wire, and whether the workaround is in the box, sold separately, or an electrician's visit. The single biggest cause of returns in this category.. If that is what you are buying for, the Sensi Lite (ST25) does not close the gap elsewhere.
HVAC Coverage
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 6.5 — a 2.0-point margin on stages of heating and cooling, heat pump and auxiliary heat handling, and humidifier / dehumidifier / ventilator terminals. If that is what you are buying for, the Sensi Lite (ST25) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Multi-Room Sensing
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) leads clearly here, 7.0 against 1.0 — a 6.0-point margin on remote sensors: included or extra, how many pair, and whether they read occupancy or only temperature. If that is what you are buying for, the Sensi Lite (ST25) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Smart Home Integration
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) leads clearly here, 7.0 against 4.0 — a 3.0-point margin on matter, Apple Home, Alexa and Google support — and how much each one actually exposes. If that is what you are buying for, the Sensi Lite (ST25) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Scheduling & Learning
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 5.0 — a 3.5-point margin on learning, geofencing, away detection and how much of it works without babysitting the app. If that is what you are buying for, the Sensi Lite (ST25) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Display & On-Device Control
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 5.0 — a 3.5-point margin on screen quality and how much you can do at the wall instead of in the phone app. If that is what you are buying for, the Sensi Lite (ST25) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Installation
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) and Sensi Lite (ST25) are level here, at 8.5/10 each. wiring complexity, guided setup, and how likely a DIY install is to end in a service call is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Value
The Sensi Lite (ST25) leads clearly here, 9.0 against 7.5 — a 1.5-point margin on what the money buys once accessories, adapters and sensors are added in. If that is what you are buying for, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) if…
- • Multi-Room Sensing matters most to you — the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) scores 7.0/10 here (remote sensors: included or extra, how many pair, and whether they read occupancy or only temperature).
- • Scheduling & Learning matters most to you — the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) scores 8.5/10 here (learning, geofencing, away detection and how much of it works without babysitting the app).
- • Display & On-Device Control matters most to you — the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) scores 8.5/10 here (screen quality and how much you can do at the wall instead of in the phone app).
- • Smart Home Integration matters most to you — the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) scores 7.0/10 here (matter, Apple Home, Alexa and Google support — and how much each one actually exposes).
- • HVAC Coverage matters most to you — the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) scores 8.5/10 here (stages of heating and cooling, heat pump and auxiliary heat handling, and humidifier / dehumidifier / ventilator terminals).
Choose the Sensi Lite (ST25) if…
- • You want to spend less — it's $121 cheaper.
- • Your main use case is budget.
Pros & Cons
ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01)
Pros
- +Same screen, same radar occupancy sensor and the same in-the-box Power Extender Kit as the $259.99 Premium, for $60 less
- +Handles heat pump 2H/2C with aux, which is more staging than the Nest Thermostat, X2S, Sensi Lite or Amazon can manage
- +Still takes 32 occupancy-sensing SmartSensors if you add them later
- +3-year warranty
Cons
- −No SmartSensor in the box — buy one and the price gap to the Premium closes to almost nothing
- −No air quality monitor, no speaker and no built-in Alexa or Siri voice
- −One auxiliary heat stage instead of the Premium's two, which matters on cold-climate heat pumps
- −No Matter on ecobee's spec list, so Matter-only smart home setups are out
- −Only one 1-wire accessory circuit, so a humidifier and a ventilator cannot both be driven
Sensi Lite (ST25)
Pros
- +One of only three thermostats here that runs without a C wire on ordinary conventional systems, and by far the cheapest
- +Ten terminals including AUX and L, with dual-fuel and zone-valve support that no other sub-$100 model here documents
- +Copeland spells out the C-wire exception in the product title itself instead of burying it in a compatibility checker
- +$79 street against $89.99 list, with heavy utility-marketplace rebate availability
Cons
- −The C-wire exemption evaporates exactly where it matters: heat-only, cool-only and heat pump systems all need one
- −No Apple Home and no Matter, so it is Alexa, Google or the Sensi app and nothing else
- −No room sensor support at all — Copeland reserves Sensi Room Sensors for the Touch 2
- −No humidifier or ventilator terminals despite the generous terminal count
- −No trim plate and no battery backup — the manual states there is no battery option, so a blown 24V fuse leaves the screen dark
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) or Sensi Lite (ST25) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) comes out ahead overall. See the full breakdown in the scores section above — the right pick still depends on which categories matter most for your use case.
Which is better for Multi-Room Sensing, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) or the Sensi Lite (ST25)?+
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) scores higher on Multi-Room Sensing (7.0/10 vs 1.0/10) — remote sensors: included or extra, how many pair, and whether they read occupancy or only temperature.
Which is better for Scheduling & Learning, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) or the Sensi Lite (ST25)?+
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) scores higher on Scheduling & Learning (8.5/10 vs 5.0/10) — learning, geofencing, away detection and how much of it works without babysitting the app.
Which is better for Display & On-Device Control, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) or the Sensi Lite (ST25)?+
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) scores higher on Display & On-Device Control (8.5/10 vs 5.0/10) — screen quality and how much you can do at the wall instead of in the phone app.
Which is better for Smart Home Integration, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) or the Sensi Lite (ST25)?+
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) scores higher on Smart Home Integration (7.0/10 vs 4.0/10) — matter, Apple Home, Alexa and Google support — and how much each one actually exposes.
Is the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) worth the price difference over the Sensi Lite (ST25)?+
The Sensi Lite (ST25) is the cheaper option at $79 versus $199.99. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Multi-Room Sensing.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) is the better fit if you mainly care about multi-room. The Sensi Lite (ST25) is the better fit for budget.
What's the warranty on the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) vs the Sensi Lite (ST25)?+
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) ships with a 36-month warranty; the Sensi Lite (ST25) ships with a 36-month warranty. Always confirm current terms on the manufacturer's site before buying.
Should I wait for the next model instead of buying either of these?+
If either model is more than two years old, a successor may be close — check the "Latest Model" link on each product page. Otherwise, both are current, well-supported options and there's no strong reason to wait.
Premium Option
Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) — $239.99
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.