Smart Thermostats / ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) vs ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01)
ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01)
$259.99
VSecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01)
$199.99
ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) vs ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01)
ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01)
Best sensors and deepest heat-pump staging here — and still no Matter in 2026.
Wins overall by 0.5 points
Quick Verdict
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) takes this by a clear 0.5 points. Best sensors and deepest heat-pump staging here — and still no Matter in 2026. The ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) only makes sense if it wins on a category you care about more than the total.
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) and ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) are both current-generation smart Thermostat models, and the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) is $60 cheaper than the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) ($199.99 vs $259.99). On Multi-Room Sensing, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) leads (9.5 vs 7.0/10) — remote sensors: included or extra, how many pair, and whether they read occupancy or only temperature. On HVAC Coverage, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) leads (9.5 vs 8.5/10) — stages of heating and cooling, heat pump and auxiliary heat handling, and humidifier / dehumidifier / ventilator terminals. On Value, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) leads (7.5 vs 6.5/10) — what the money buys once accessories, adapters and sensors are added in. Overall, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) scores 8.6/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 8.1/10 for the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01). 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 Premium (EB-STATE6-01) | ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $259.99 | $199.99 |
| Release Year | 2022 | 2022 |
| 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 — furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, boilers, PTAC and fan coil units. Not for 120/240V line-voltage heat |
| C-Wire Required | Not in practice. ecobee ships the Power Extender Kit in the box, which synthesises a common wire from R, W, Y and G at the furnace. Direct wiring uses C and Rc if you do have five wires | Not in practice — the Power Extender Kit is included and creates a common wire from R, W, Y and G |
| Adapter / Power Kit Included | Yes — Power Extender Kit included. The same kit is a $24.99 extra on the Essential | Yes — Power Extender Kit included in the box |
| Heating & Cooling Stages | 2H/2C conventional; boilers, PTAC and fan coil units with up to 3 fan speeds | 2H/2C conventional; boilers, PTAC and fan coil units |
| Heat Pump & Aux Heat | Yes — heat pump 2H/2C plus 2 stages of auxiliary heat, the deepest heat-pump staging in this set | Yes — heat pump 2H/2C plus 1 stage of auxiliary heat (the Premium gets 2) |
| Humidifier / Ventilator Terminals | One 1-wire or one 2-wire accessory on the ACC+/ACC− terminals: humidifier, dehumidifier or HRV/ERV ventilator | One 1-wire accessory: humidifier, dehumidifier or HRV/ERV ventilator. The Premium's 2-wire option is not available here |
| Remote Sensors | One SmartSensor in the box; up to 32 pair, over a 915MHz radio at up to 60 ft. Extra sensors are $99.99 for a 2-pack | None in the box. Up to 32 SmartSensors pair, sold separately at $99.99 for a 2-pack |
| Occupancy Detection | Radar occupancy and proximity in the thermostat, and every SmartSensor also detects occupancy over a 140° x 100° field to about 20 ft | Radar occupancy and proximity in the thermostat. Room-level occupancy needs SmartSensors you have to buy |
| Matter Support | Not shipping on this model. ecobee's own spec page lists HomeKit, Alexa, Google Assistant, SmartThings and IFTTT and never mentions Matter; third-party write-ups describe a phased rollout, so treat Matter as unconfirmed here | Not listed on ecobee's spec page for this model |
| Voice & Smart Home Platforms | Apple HomeKit with Siri, Alexa built in (speaker and microphone), Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, IFTTT | 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 |
| Utility Rebates & Demand Response | eco+ Community Energy Savings with 150+ North American utilities. ecobee states events move your temperature 1-4°F for no more than a few hours, a handful of times a year, and you can opt out of any event from the app; some programs pay an enrolment rebate up to $125 | 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 |
| Account or Subscription Needed | No subscription for eco+, energy reports, remote sensors or scheduling. ecobee Smart Security — the intrusion-monitoring layer on the same hardware — is the paid tier | No subscription. A free ecobee account is required |
| Warranty | 36 months | 36 months |
| Colors | Black | Black |
Category Scores
C-Wire Freedom
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) and ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) are level here, at 9.5/10 each. 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. is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
HVAC Coverage
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) leads clearly here, 9.5 against 8.5 — a 1.0-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 ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Multi-Room Sensing
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) leads clearly here, 9.5 against 7.0 — a 2.5-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 ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Smart Home Integration
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) leads clearly here, 7.5 against 7.0 — a 0.5-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 ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Scheduling & Learning
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) and ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) are level here, at 8.5/10 each. learning, geofencing, away detection and how much of it works without babysitting the app is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Display & On-Device Control
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) leads clearly here, 9.0 against 8.5 — a 0.5-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 ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Installation
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) and ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) 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 ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) leads clearly here, 7.5 against 6.5 — a 1.0-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 Premium (EB-STATE6-01) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) if…
- • Multi-Room Sensing matters most to you — the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) scores 9.5/10 here (remote sensors: included or extra, how many pair, and whether they read occupancy or only temperature).
- • HVAC Coverage matters most to you — the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) scores 9.5/10 here (stages of heating and cooling, heat pump and auxiliary heat handling, and humidifier / dehumidifier / ventilator terminals).
- • Smart Home Integration matters most to you — the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) scores 7.5/10 here (matter, Apple Home, Alexa and Google support — and how much each one actually exposes).
- • Display & On-Device Control matters most to you — the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) scores 9.0/10 here (screen quality and how much you can do at the wall instead of in the phone app).
Choose the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) if…
- • Value matters most to you — the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) scores 7.5/10 here (what the money buys once accessories, adapters and sensors are added in).
- • You want to spend less — it's $60 cheaper.
Pros & Cons
ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01)
Pros
- +The Power Extender Kit is in the box, so the C-wire problem is solved at purchase rather than at $25 extra or a $200 electrician call
- +Heat pump 2H/2C plus two auxiliary stages beats every other thermostat here on staging depth
- +SmartSensors detect occupancy as well as temperature — Google's, Honeywell's cheaper models' and Sensi's sensors mostly do not
- +Built-in speaker and mic make it a working Alexa device, and it doubles as an ecobee Smart Security hub
- +3-year warranty, a year longer than Google and Resideo
Cons
- −No Matter. ecobee's own spec sheet lists HomeKit, Alexa, Google, SmartThings and IFTTT and nothing else, which is a strange gap on a $260 flagship in 2026
- −$259.99 is the second-highest price here and it went up — ecobee has quietly raised list prices across the range
- −The air-quality monitor produces a score and advice, not a calibrated PM2.5 or VOC reading you can act on
- −Alexa built in means an always-listening mic on your hallway wall, with no hardware mute switch of the kind Echo speakers have
- −Only one accessory circuit — a humidifier and an ERV cannot both be wired at once
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
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) or ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) 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 Premium (EB-STATE6-01) or the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01)?+
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) scores higher on Multi-Room Sensing (9.5/10 vs 7.0/10) — remote sensors: included or extra, how many pair, and whether they read occupancy or only temperature.
Which is better for HVAC Coverage, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) or the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01)?+
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) scores higher on HVAC Coverage (9.5/10 vs 8.5/10) — stages of heating and cooling, heat pump and auxiliary heat handling, and humidifier / dehumidifier / ventilator terminals.
Which is better for Value, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) or the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01)?+
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) scores higher on Value (7.5/10 vs 6.5/10) — what the money buys once accessories, adapters and sensors are added in.
Which is better for Smart Home Integration, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) or the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01)?+
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) scores higher on Smart Home Integration (7.5/10 vs 7.0/10) — matter, Apple Home, Alexa and Google support — and how much each one actually exposes.
Is the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) worth the price difference over the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01)?+
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) is the cheaper option at $199.99 versus $259.99. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Multi-Room Sensing.
What's the warranty on the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) vs the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01)?+
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) ships with a 36-month warranty; the ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced (EB-STATE6L-01) 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.
Cheaper Option
Sensi Touch 2 (ST76) — $189.00
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.