If you already have a smart air conditioner, you could probably do without it Netatmo Smart Air Conditioning Control.
“Probably” because in reality it is not so obvious.
The air conditioner with which we tested it, for example, integrates Wi-Fi connectivity and has a dedicated app but has two obvious limitations:
- the Wi-Fi module can only be reset physically so changing the password to the network means having to climb a ladder. And this also applies to occasional problems and malfunctions;
- the app is very complete but very dated, so it doesn’t particularly tempt you to use it.
That’s why, despite having a product that is already smart at home, we have combined it with the Netatmo device which, as we anticipate immediately, works very well indeed.
Installation and configuration
The French company has set its sights on a minimalist design: Netatmo’s Smart AC Control has an oval shape, with a blue top and a white bottom. The edge houses a small button while behind we find the connector for the power supply, included in the package, and the space to hook it to the wall.
It’s not mandatory: you are free to hang it as well as place it somewhere.
You can place it practically anywhere, at a distance of 5-10 meters, but respecting two conditions:
- the minimum height must be 50 cm;
- you must avoid anything that could interfere with the temperature and humidity sensors so no prolonged exposure to the sun, no heat sources in the immediate vicinity and do not place curtains or furniture in front of it.
Once you find the right location, the app will guide you step by step in the configurationquite a long process because you have to take the remote control of the air conditioner and basically explain to the Netatmo device what the various keys correspond to so that he can do more or less everything you do with the remote control, sending the right signals to the air conditioner.
Why “more or less”?
Because if you have an advanced machine something will be left out. Basically, however, there is everything you need:
- switching on and off
- mode
- temperature
- fan speed
- vertical and horizontal swing
After the process, however, you will be ready to use Netatmo Smart Climate Control.
How does it work?
You have two possibilities to use the device: the app and voice controls.
The app is called Control, is available for both iOS and Android, and comes with super minimal graphics. The main screen shows you the current temperature, the percentage of humidity and the status of the product: off or on. In the second case you will also see what the set temperature is and whether the air conditioner will be switched off. Well yes, you don’t have to remember to do it by hand. In the menu you will find “Thermal comfort” and from here decide after how many hours the Intelligent Climate Control should turn off the car, so you don’t risk leaving it on.
However, let’s go back for a moment to the homepage, which is actually called My home, because this is where you decide speed and swing and it is always from here that you access the statistics which show you the trend of temperature and humidity in the room.
The menu instead includes the house management, which allows you to move a device and associate it with another room, the Scheduled planning for the single days of the week (which can be activated if you wish), the aforementioned Thermal Comfort and the very useful ones smart notifications, so you can ask the app to notify you if you have left the air conditioner on after you have left the house. A small tap and you turn it off remotely, saving electricity.
Control also includes the guest management, so you can invite other people to manage the air conditioner, and finally the app and account settings.
As anticipated, you also have voice controls available as well you can use Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant to manage switching on and off as well as changing the temperature.
Our experience
We have been using Netatmo’s Smart AC Control for almost a month and he performed perfectly.
Once installed you will barely notice its presence: it is discreet and it has never given us any problems – not even after power failures or connection.
And then it is extremely useful: with just a few taps or with just your voice we manage the air conditioning in the living room, from turning it on before returning home to lowering or raising the temperature on the fly.
We also appreciated the possibility of deciding after how many hours to activate the shutdown so we never went to bed without forgetting the machine on.
In short, we liked it so much that we wanted a second one for the second air conditioner in the house.
Netatmo Smart AC Control review: conclusion
Netatmo Smart Climate Control is available on the market at 119 € and yes, they are all worth it.
It will help you manage the temperature in your home in the best possible way and, after the initial configuration, you will forget you have it: you will only take advantage of the benefits that you have today.