Hive Active Heating Thermostat Without Professional Installation – Works with Amazon Alexa
Key Features
| Weight: | 212 g |
| Size: | No Installation |
| Dimensions: | 20.5 x 12.9 x 12.4 cm; 212 Grams |
| Model: | HAH2KitHeatAmz-01 |
| Part: | HAH2KitHeatAmz-01 |
| Pack Quantity: | 1 |
| Batteries Required: | Yes |
| Batteries Included: | Alkaline |
| Manufacture: | Hive |
| Quantity: | 1 |
| Size: | No Installation |
It’s ideal and I do believe it saves you abit of money as you can control it from anywhere in the house. I wake up in the morning to a cold house and say three words ‘Alexa Heating on’ and boom the boiler is firing up. Then when I leave my house I say ‘Alexa Goodbye. I don’t think it’s lazy just makes things easier and simpler. I like it and it suits me to a tea just wish I had bought it sooner.
I only use the manual setting and don’t use the programme setting so can’t comment on that. But if you have an Echo or similar it works very well. And a smart phone for when your away from home and want to come home to a warm house or turn off the heating ideal. I like it.
Great replacement for my old setup easy to use & the Phone app is grea
Good system much more accurate and easier to use than my previous wireless thermostat. The app to control the system remotely is really convenient to and simple.
The Hive Hub is connected by ethernet cable to the router, not wifi so need to be located near the wifi router, but the thermostat control can be anywhere. The Hub is a bit of a faff to set up but easy to use once its set up.
Easy to physically install, a bit of a faff to get the hub paired with my phone and thermostat (most of that might be me not reading the instructions properly first time though). Once it’s paired though, it’s excellent. Install the Hive skill on Alexa and tell her the temperature – it’s the lazy man’s dream. There’s an app for your phone and (on my Apple Watch anyway) and app on your smart watch. I’m at work now and I could quite easily turn the heating off to save on the energy bills. I won’t though as the Mrs would be less than pleased at the heating going off.
Easy to install. Delivered on time. Alexa control is hit and miss. She usually just tells me the temp outside lol.
Packaged well with clear instructions. I purchased this to replace an old wireless Siemens thermostat.
The thermostat looks nice and is high quality, but for the price they really could throw in a stand with it (they probably cost about 1 to produce). I use the battery powered function which allows me to move it around my house.
The hub is small and connected easily. Nicely hidden away next to my router.
The receiver was the most difficult part as it needed wiring. Thankfully my old receiver only had 4 wires so it was an easy switch. Seems very responsive and responds from long distances (my house is quite big and there are no black spots).
Functionality so far, I’m only using it with the thermostat and phone controls. I think to get the most out of the hub, you need to purchase the radiator valves. They are stupidly expensive so I won’t be doing that. With those, you can turn the temp down in different rooms, which is how I imagine you would be able to save as much money on your heating as hive claim you can.
Hive, you need to make a cheaper version of those thermostats. There is no way people can afford to install them on all their radiators.
Fantastic. Now i can easily switch the heating on or off remotely
Received the item quickly and had no problem installing myself – replacing a British Gas WR1 Wireless receiver.
Only complaint is that there were no installation instructions included, which was odd because I had watched some unboxing videos on YouTube and that showed detailed instructions with wire labels etc. No idea why they weren’t in any of the boxes.
Pack includes the thermostat, receiver and hub – so everything you need for an install. I have a combi boiler so only needed the heating control “active heating” version.
The most involved part of the install was replacing my BG WR1 receiver with the hive receiver, was expecting to need to do some simple wiring, but the hive is a straight swap with the WR1 so could use the existing backplate and wiring. It took me about 5 mins to swap them.
The hub you just need to plug in power and an ethernet cable to your router – another 2 min job.
The thermostat leads you through the pairing and heating programme setup, which probably took me about 5 mins.
So, all in all, very easy to install yourself so, unless you have a more complicated setup I really wouldn’t pay for the install – it took me less than 30mins including unboxing, installation and setup.
Luckily the integration with my boiler was a straight like for like fit, however if you don’t know how to do this you will need an electrician. Overall after a years worth of use I’m happy with this!
I’ve never fitted one of these before, but have a healthy interest in everything DIY, electrical etc, so, I thought I’d dive it a go.
I must say, it took me around 15 to 20 minutes to fit and set up, very easy. It t has a schedule which is very to set up, and once you set the times and temperatures you’re happy with for every Monday, you copy and paste them in to the rest of the week, easy!
I used to have a Netatmo thermostat, but unfortunately it stopped working after a year, due to someone I think putting a virus in their system. Anyway, I digress. This system is very nice and easy in every department, and would definitely recommend it.
his is the best heating controller i have used,
it was easy to install ,normal power and to extra wires, check YouTube for how to videos
Alexa integration could be better as she cant use boost feature and you cant just say Heating on , you have to say set heating to 20 degree , on the whole though very good
i would definitely recommend this produc
Really like the easy way this works. The home function is my favourite. Self install was not that hard either.
I have had this for 9 months and has worked everyday without fail. Mine only controls the central heating temp & timings. It is very convenient to be able to control the heating from the phone.
The app works well, so easy to set times, change temperature whenever i feel like it. I installed it by myself, following advice from online, any decent diyer can do it, you will need a cable to connect to your boiler.
Even if the internet stops working for whatever reason, your preset temp & timings will still activate the heating, this is because there is a direct link between the thermostat and the receiver as it isnt depended on the internet. The internet is only needed to control the thermostat from your phone. There are odd days when the hive server is down so you will lose the connection to the thermostat.
As a professional heating engineer I like the Hive best out of all the Smart thermostats. Customers also like them. Good instructions available online, however, the instructions which come with the unit is very basic and poo
I can’t comment on the installation because I paid a local trader to install it for me. There were no problems.
On using the hive system I think it’s brilliant. I’ve had no major issue. Only a small thing where I set the schedule for the next morning for a certain time and it didn’t come on as planned.
It works flawlessly with Alexa. And the hive app is very easy to use.
I’m a little disappointed that the screen on thermostat goes off after a few seconds to save battery power. So you have to touch it to see the temperature or check the app.
Overall though I’m pleased with the system. Only been using for two weeks so time will tell .
I purchased the the Single Receiver kit. Pin 1 (common) and Pin 3 (On) are basically the on and off switch. So this kit can be used to any type of heating if you know what you are doing…
I installed this myself for a warm air central heating system that originally took a pair of low voltage control wires from a thermostat. The biggest part of the job was adding a 3A fused spur to supply power to the receiver as well as tidying up some old wiring. I mounted everything on 30mm surface pattress boxes inside the boiler cupboard. Fitting the receiver and its plate on to the pattress was a bit fiddly but got there in the end. I wired the pair of control wires to terminals 1 and 3 in a single channel receiver.
With the receiver installed, I plugged in the hub, put batteries in the wireless thermostat, installed the hive android app and created a hive account. Once I rebooted the hub, everything worked like a charm. Easy to control and set up a heating schedule.
I also created an IFTTT account linked to hive and used this to turn the heating off when I leave the house and back on when I return. It uses phone location to know when you are in and out. You can turn heating on and off from the phone app, but nice to have it done automatically so you don’t forget.
I was worried about it cycling the boiler excessively but the hysterisis seems just right at 0.5 C either side of the set point. The hub is upstairs by my router, receiver in brick boiler cupboard downstairs, thermostat on other side of brick wall downstairs. No problems with wireless connection so far.
I got it on offer for 122, so absolute bargain. Wish I had done this years ago.
Easy to install if you have a decent level of DIY, app has a great user interface which makes it simple to use.
Also connects to Alexa app
brilliant on them cold winter nights when driving home to a warm cosy house.
Installation by my electrician went fine. Alexa integration took a while to work out as you have to say “Alexa, ask Hive…”. Some instructions didn’t include the ask Hive bit.
Hive came highly recommended (and it was Which? that sealed the deal for me), and the entire kit was priced at less than the annual renewal for my four year old Tado kit, with the same functionality.
Installation was *not* straightforward. We have a fairly common boiler (Worcester Bosch c34), which was explcitly referenced and documented on the Tado website but the entire range is missing from the Hive site. I eventually figured it out by piecing together various bits of insight from the Hive forums and the Worcester instruction manuals.
…but… I digress. This is only important if you are trying to install the kit as a (competent!) DIYer. If you’re handing the install over to a heating engineer then I’m sure it will be a doddle for them.
Usability? Great. Very pretty, friendly and usable controller. Able to set schedules and turn heating up/down based on people leaving or returning to the house.
Brilliant value for money, very easy to use, but not an easy DIY install.
Works very well and installed it myself, took some pics of old wiring before disconnecting the old unit. Turned out to be different wiring so spent 5 mins on internet and found my wiring and altered it to fit accordingly . Works very well
It is very handy for your home, reliable,value for money. Easy to install.
Easy to Install and use, using in grandmothers house, who is ok with alexa and I can override from home if needed.
Great purchase and cheaper than Hive direc
As expected it works…
Easy enough to install if you are competent.
Really highly recommended. Saved around 20% from gas bill easy to use with phone or Alexa jua say it 🙂 battery’s included lasting realy long and plus house looks smart. Done installation by my self YouTube helped just be careful. Can buy add-on from this company to install each radiotor heat controller so adds again 15% of gas bill.
Loving this thermostat. Easy to install and makes life so easy. Should’ve got it years ago.
Make sure you get the right version. 1 channel is for combi boiler.
Happy with purchase and works well bought think having the app makes me use the heating more ofte
Simple to set up.East to wire in as long as you note your existing wiring. I bought this to replace my EPH controller which I had problems programming. The Hive is excellent. Easy to install and a doddle to programme. In fact, I expected it to be more difficult than it was. So, I’m not happy that I had to replace my 6 month old EPH system however I now have a system which is easy to programme and reprogramme. Very pleased with my Hive. One gripe. It doesn’t come with any kind of stand for the thermostat which is pennypinching.
I bought this to replace an ageing Honeywell remote thermostat with a failing LCD display. Not much more expensive than an equivalent remote thermostat replacement, but with the added bonus of a colour display, remote access, much easier programming and Alexa integration. I also wired the boiler receiver myself with the help of a bit of Googling, even though the original installer hadn’t bothered labelling the wires connecting to the old receiver 🙁
All-in-all, I have no complaints. Installation was relatively straightforward. Just need to be reasonably competent and follow the instructions. Alexa integration also works well.
Being able to turn on your heating as and when or wherever you are is a grea
On the whole I am pleased with my Hive thermostat initially it took a while to install due to my boilers thermostat being radio controlled, but over came it in the end. Works well with Alexa. I hope that in time the app will be improved as I have the Radiator valves as well and they take ages to come on. Was it worth it I would say yes just to have the convenience of giving the heating a boost before I get home on a cold day or returning from holiday – a tip with this is to keep in mind if the heating has been on holiday make sure it is set to come on at least 24 hours before you return in Winter months!
Clearer wiring diagram would be useful overall though excellent produc
Bad points
– No wiring diagram
– Not a straight forward installation, you will need a proper electrician to wire in some five core flex.
– instructions very complex, once you switch from standalone to hub/app. You need to leave the hub on for an hour to do a firmware upgrade. This doesn’t tell you or show you anywhere.
Good points
– tech support is really helpful.
– once installed the application is brilliant. You might need to do a bit of research but, you I can use my app/Alexa/Siri etc to one command boost and change temperature. It’s really decent.
– the geo location is useful you can set it so the heating goes off and on based on location.
10/10 once installed.
Great come home to warm house even I’d I leave work earlier than expected
Excellent product and has saved me money on my heating.
Very simple to install, worked first time.
Hive app could do with an upgrade, overall very glad I purchased without installation.
Great product and great working app for your phone to control your heating, hoping to save the money what it tells on description. Overall very great product, easy to diy setup to your boiler. Havnt got the alexa so can’t rate that section.
Good to wind the mrs up when im away by turning the heating off. 5 Sta
Great product one of the best for the money in my view.
All our friends have these thermostats – haven’t installed yet waiting for a new comi boiler to be installed.
Replaced a Neomitis RF temperature controller on a Worcester Bosch Boiler. Easiest of installation ever as Neomitis base is virtually the same as the HIVE. Worth running through ALL of the instructions and carrying the complete installation process as described in the instruction leaflet once everything is in place. Took about 60 minutes for full installation and registration to be up and running.
Note: You do not have to subscribe to HIVE additional subscription to use ALL of the features of this product.
Ease of use: Excellent
Ease of Installation: Easy for the average DIYer
Features: Excelle
Amazing product especially turn heating on when your not at home and walk in to a nice toasty home…
That’s why it’s got thousands of reviews! It works extremely well and if you are handy with domestic wiring your good to go.
Otherwise get a sparky!
Doubtful it will save me money though, I now tend to ask Alexa to turn up temperature when I’m feeling cold as before I couldn’t be bothered to get up and walk-up stairs to change the stat.
Oh well, lazy person gaget for sure!
I bought one of these a year or so a go for myself and just bought this one for my mother. I was able to install the item in less that 20mins. The only reason it took the slong is because the Hive hub needs a little bit of time to perform firmware updates before you can connect the hive to it which is encouraging because it means that Hive are activity supporting the product and releasing constant updates.
Pros: Very nice aesthetic design. Very intuitive user interface. iPhone app is easy to use and can be used easily with Apple Home and also Apple Shortcuts. The installation guide is extremely easy to follow although as they say themselves if you have any doubts at all I recommend contacting a qualified technician. The benefit with fitting this one was that my mother had been a British Gas customer for a long time and the Hive Receiver was able to clip directly onto the existing thermostat recover base plate.
Con: Accessories for Hive are still expensive. Having to pay through the nose for colour matching frames for these makes me laugh. I simply find chose either white or grey depending on the closest surrounding wall.
I can’t comment on whether or not this has saved me money, but it has definitely made life more convenient.
I had a plumber install this at the time of fitting my new boiler – didn’t buy the installation package.
Simple to use app (easier to use than the actual thermostat, which is a bit clunky).
It’s nice coming home to a warm house, having activated the heating ‘boost’ function 20 mins before I get home.
The app can crash sometimes, but works again pretty quickly after restarting it.
Highly recommend
Very easy to install. Took about 30 mins in total. Only kicker was with Google home as I had to resync my devices in order for the thermostat to be available to voice commands. Takes about 30 seconds but a head scratched if you don’t know to resync – not a hive issue though so can’t fault them at all.
The installation instructions are easy to follow. With a step by step guide as what to do next, which takes you through the fitting of the receiver which replaces the boiler controller (timer/programmer). Would recommend to any able DIY’er. (Have been unable to get my Alexa Echo Dot to connect yet).
It was very easy to install after following a youtube tutorial. Be advised that the maximum distance I was advised between the hub(which has to be connected to your router) and the boiler is 10m, otherwise you need a booster. If you ring up Hive support and ask them they can send one out to you for free, just pay P&P which is 3. After resolving the issue of connectivity, I can say that it works a treat and I can switch the heating on/off from anywhere in the world. My dad isn’t tech savvy but even he can operate the simple app and set up schedules etc.
Easy to fit if you can read schematics, works really well I am well pleased.
Amazing. Got a mate to fit it for me. Once installed it’s easy and reacts quick to controls. Can control through the app which is really useful
Product works really well and was very easy to install provided you knew what the wiring to your existing boiler control was. Very easy to programme and integrate with Alexa. My only criticism is the Geo fencing which is a complete waste of time. Alerts don’t happen, when they do come through it’s usually after you’ve got home or are miles from home. Very disappointed with this feature. Would have given five stars otherwise.
well installed this myself, not a difficult job if you are tech aware and maybe an understanding of wireing if yiu need to change back plate, im glad this works perfectly with hive and IFTTT because the hive app isnt the best and the geo fencing is pointless, i will be driving then get an alert asking if i have left the house, it should be more automated and work like a routine in Alexa , just what i think.
So in order for this item to stay under warranty you need an engineer but the real annoying thing is it needs to be updated for it to work, this took 4Hours! (And I have virgin 108) When we called Tec support they said to call back in the morning as the download may take longer. luckily I had my own gas engineer that was flexible and have me a fixed price. it would be more helpful to know you have to update the hub first and that an installation should be done in the morning based on that information. Having said all that he next day Tec support had it up and running in minutes
Great once set up but it does take an advance knowledge to fix to the boiler.
Alexa set up is very fiddly and not logically nor intuitive – should just be a case of ‘search for devices, found, pair… but it’s not!!!
Does everything you’d expect from the write ups. Easy to instal and setup.
This is a good device, easy to install and set up. I will say that its not as pretty as a NEST system but it was considerably cheaper. Be aware that you MUST have a HIVE hub to conect too and that each hub will only support a limited number of devices, ie plugs and bulbs- i think the limt is 5.
Works well from the app on phone, i cannot comment on the ALEXA side of things as ive not set that up!
wiring up was simple but getting everything to work together took more time than it should as I did not down load the app before starting to pairing up the devices. Without the app it will not work so download and register the app then set about getting the three devices to work together.
Bought without installation and booked my heating engineer to install. Took him 15 mins. Works great.
AlexaSkill
1. Heating Boost: Alexa ask Hive to boost heating at 22 degrees.
2. Heating Pause: Alexa ask Hive to boost heating at 10 degrees.
AppleWatch
Display Hive Quick Actions
IOS Display Hive Quick Actions in Today View
HiveInstall note: Switch the receiver off-on. Blinks Amber.
Switch Hub off-on, if still no amber, go to the app* > Menu > Install Devices. Install Hub. Blinks Amber.
Add batteries to Thermostat: Searches and pairs with Receiver & Hub. Sorted!
*Set up a Hive Account First!
Wanted a smart thermostat for a while. Great product, simple to set up and works a treat.
ot that simple to set up, given it wouldn’t connect but good support, looks great but only lights up when you interact with the stat, because its battery operated goes off after a few seconds, which is a shame as when its lit up it looks great.
Purchased as an upgrade of original hive. Needed to contact British Gas/Hive as hub would not connect. Customer services were outstanding, were exceptionally patient as it was taking a long time and the whole system was up and running by the end of the call. Top class. (Problem turned out to be a firewall on our broadband!)
I am 81yrs young, needed a new thermostat control took advantage of a black Friday package. Love it, no problems setting it up ,works 100%.
Don’t know how I’ve lived without this for so long
Easy to install and setup. Heating is now on a daily schedule so I never have to adjust it, just goes on and off as temp is reached.
I needed to speak to tech help line to get the system up and running , they did something down the line and got the system connected, very pleased with the extra control that it provides, no issues as yet .I would recommend
Easy set up and receiver fitted onto existing timeclock back plate… Seems to work fine and Alexa integration a plus. Remote access via the app tested and works fine..
Easy to install and use. But support dreadful insisting i left the relay installed when i moved house despite another system being installed in its place!! Tried to quote legally i had to leave a purchase of so ething i paid fir for next tennant…many complaints about this online
Looks great, fitted into an existing wireless-thermostat system, works reliably and really helps automate everything.
Very easy to install with the supplied instructions.
Integrated well with Alexa.
Phone app works well as well.
Easy to install and setup. Paired all components easily and Alexa found it no problem. Alexa commands have been a bit hamstrung by hives introduction of their own product range…now not so natural “alexa , ask hive to”
Did the self install after reading other reviews saying long waiting list for installation, also the heating only didn’t seem to have an installation option.
Installation was not massively easy as I didn’t have an existing thermostat and there was no live and nutral on the boiler connector strip, so had to open up the boiler and solder onto the terminals where the power to the boiler comes in.
All worked in the end.. but do your research before going for self install option as for some boilers it is simple, but others not so easy.
I bought this so I could remotely turn my heating on and off. I don’t always go straight home, so I can use my smart phone to turn the heating from ‘scheduled’ (timer) to ‘off’ until im ready to put it back on again when im on my way home. So its saving heating my house while im not going to be home. The installation was straight forward, I did a little youtube and googling to make sure I was sure on the best way forward. In the end I installed the controller straight to the boilers control board. The thermostat is a nicely built and attractive unit. I got mine in the sale for 109 and it has been worth every penny for me.
I will be looking to add some more hive products in the future, mainly a light bulb for my living room.
Easily installed and works exceptionally well, home all at exactly the same temperature. The schedule setting is very simple and easy to amend / set up.
We love our hive! We got a local person to install it. Was easy to connect to my phone. Would recommend
Good product from hive. Works well with my phone and Alexa.
Great product, thought I could wire in myself, no chance, even the electrician took 2 hrs and a few utube videos. Added lights and sockets now. I’ve got a combi boiler, there was only the switch wire from boiler and power. Had to re wire from inside the boiler. If you want a easy life and don’t mind paying, use British gas, they will charge about 150, got mine done for 50
Had these before work great you can see how cold your house is from the other side of the World then if it’s cold put the heating on for the parrot. Brought 2 lots as got a bungalow and annexe.
Wireless / WiFi operated central heating thermostat, brilliant so far & no complaints at moment.
Spent about half hour researching on different sites online as to which terminus to use and what common means. Try diynot forum for a good explanation on combi boilers. Once installed all works great!
How have we managed without Hive. What a great addition to the home
Took a few attempts to get it communicate with the boiler unit even though all lights and everything appeared to be ok, used the online community and recommended putting in pair mode again which works, very easy to use with your phone and even easier with Alexa.
Do your homework before attempting this and it will make your instal at lot quicker and easier.
I Wired the receiver easily as I was lucky and only had 4 wires total. According to a support page this is how the wiring goes for the BDR91 – use at your own risk.
BDR91 ‘A’ is equivalent to ‘Common’
BDR91 ‘B’ is equivalent to ‘Call for heat’
The blue wire in N goes to Hive N
The brown wire in L goes to Hive L
The brown loop wire in A goes to the Hive Com (1)
The blue wire in B goes to the Hive heating on (3)
The only problem I had was that the app couldn’t find the thermostat. I needed to power cycle the hive hub and this fixed it. Easy!
Excellent product so easy to use and programme. The phone app is perfect, you can control the heating when away from home, would certainly recommend.
Great, easy to install/replace my existing wireless thermostat. Quick and simple set up and the control I have and ease of scheduling/altering schedules is brilliant. Now integrated with my smartthings hub too.
The instructions does not suggest about a ‘link’ may be required if a switched live is needed for the boiler.
The wiring diagram in the installation manual does NOT match the diagram on the back of the receiver.
As an electrician, this can be worked out very easily. However, for a DIYer it may well be a little frustrating trying to get the boiler to fire up after following the instructions for the receiver.
We are loving being able to control out house temperature from anywhere in the world.
Love this product. Installed it myself with no experience- simply replaced my existing wireless thermostat. Great for setting heating when you are not on a regular routine. Got on sale for 105 with free amazon dot. Make sure you buy the right model for your heating system
I purchased this as an addition to a new boiler I was having installed.
The Hive hub can be easily self-installed and setup prior to any connection to your heating system (in fact setting up the Hub beforehand will save time). The Hive app is easy to use and not overly complicated. It also has a very useful ‘Chat’ option where real-time support is available very quickly.
The Hive Receiver was quickly installed and connected to my boiler by my plumber (it does require a Plumber or Electrician do this). Once the Receiver is installed the App is used to finish setup and connect the Thermostat. The Thermostat is a premium looking device and is well made. I tend to use the App to control the heating more than the controls on the thermostat.
A very useful piece of kit and being able to remotely control my heating means the heating is on only when I need it to be.
The item itself is well known. Fitted easily as was replacing an older less flexible controller. Excellent price. Didn’t need technical support so haven’t rated that aspect.
A fantastic addition to a smart home, great to use and set if your ou
Bought this to replace an old digital thermostat/timeclock that could no longer be programmed, so simple to programme and adjust, to be honest I don’t use the remote app that much but its a fantastic feature to have.
Will be buying another for my parents house
We had a previous version of the hive interface, but my husband (who is a plumber) was super keen to upgrade to this. We haven’t been disappointed, it’s really easy to use and gorgeous to look at.
Exactly what i wanted very pleased so easy to set up & use!
Fairly easy to install but helped by looking at on line information and experiences
Does the job very well. No need for tech support (fingers crossed) and not linked with Alexa. I’m married to my phone so don’t need to.
I decided on this one over the Nest or any others because in my opinion it looked a little more sophisticated, but obviously that is down to personal preference.
I can say I couldn’t be happier with the product, was so easy to install, simply went in place of my old non smart thermostats and then a quick set up with the hub and the app and it was done.
Alexa integration is brilliant all i have to say when I get a little cold now is “Alexa make downstairs/upstairs 22 degress” for example and its donw almost instantly. Does everything I needed it to do. Plus the app is great for setting heating when away from home and setting up schedules. Also the interface on the actual unit is really easy to use if you prefer to use that to change the settings. The boost function on the unit and the app is great too if you just want to put the heating on for half and hour or whatever you want.
I can’t recommend this enough, if you are looking for a full smart home set up, this is a must.
Fairly easy to self install and a great product to have in the home
I have installed a couple of these now and needed hours of support for my own which, it turns out, needed a repeater to get the hub communicating with the thermostat. The personal tech support is very good; very patient and knowledgeable support people. (I’ve been on the other end of the phone many a time). I have now been tempted, and bought, several of their lamps and plugs for when we are away.
This was so easy to self install I couldn’t believe it. Good instructions included for the installation process, which I actually read and paid attention to. The big bonus, as I noted with another reviewer, was that my existing heating receiver was wired up exactly as the Hive receiver needed to be. Also, the old one had the same base plate fixings so all I had to do was remove the old faceplate, and put the new one in its place. I didn’t have to undo or move a single wire. Note my old thermostat was a wireless version, so no wires to worry about disconnecting at the other end either.
After that, and without anything further from me, everything started magically working. The Hive app is now downloaded and connected as well, again, very simple.
Everything about this system is great, too much to mention. We replaced an old thermostat that was hard wired and one reason we got this was so we can mount the thermostat wherever we wanted.
The scheduling is great however there is only 1 schedule so unlike the old controller where you could select ON | ONCE | TWICE | OFF there is only MANUAL | SCHEDULE | OFF and I’d really like 2 schedules. It’s a very small thing but worth mentioning. It’s easy to change the schedules.
So far I have used the App for everything and you can use this out of the house as well. The only thing I don’t seem to be able to do out and about is change the schedule, works fine at home on the network but not remotely. This could be me and really isn’t an issue.
We love it, it looks great and gives us more control. Highly recommended.
We’ve not tied it to Alexa as I don’t really see the point, and we are not using any of the fancy options like turn off your heating when you leave your house.
Had tado in my previous house, given that this time I needed the remote boiler switch (supplied with hive by default but an expensive addition on tado) I thought it was time to try something else.
Really impressed, the app and the thermostat just feel and look more premium than Tado. Took the option to self install and all set up super easy (though do be patient in letting the hub sort itself out the first time round). Seems reliable so far.
I’ve started to invest in the other hive devices now, smart bulbs so far and planning on adding the radiator valves…though this is a significant investment for me with 15 rads in my home and many of the rooms I’d like to prioritise having two)
The one complaint I have (hence the 4 stars) which is a retrograde step from Tado, is that the home/away detection is dumb and pretty useless (avoiding heating an empty house forms the basis of Tado’s operation) With Hive all I get is a notification that I’m not at home….pretty useless as it’s already obvious to me! Tado automatically disables the schedule when the last registered device leaves the house and this would be really easy to accomplish within hive’s programmable “actions” but for some unexplained reason it’s been omitted.
This almost made me return it, but the rest of the functionality is so good I’m just going to try and make up for this with some hack using ifttt or direct integration with the API. It’s just a shame its not been considered as part of the standard action rules as it’s a clear path to saving energy (and money)