Almost a year after purchasing the product, I think it’s a good time to write a review.
Originally, I purchased 3 units in Nov-16 on sale at 130 each. I made some research regarding the different products available then, but finally decided for Tado given the offer.
Product (10/10): The item itself is a small white square with a black line in bottom; I think it looks great and is very clean once installed;
Hardware Setup (9/10): Hardware setup is very easy; just choose a place that: a) has an electrical outlet near and b) gives good line of sight to the AC unit you want to control; you can choose vertical (in a wall) or horizontal (in a desk). In case of using it in a wall, the product comes with tape to fix. In my case, I had unused electrical boxes for which I had and USB module, which I installed inside this box and passed through the cable to feed the Tado Unit (see photos); in order to be able to make maintenance (eventually reset the unit) I used double Velcro tape. In this configuration, I didn’t use the power brick that comes with the unit.
Software Setup (6/10): Software setup is a whole different story; if your unit is in the manufacturar database it should be easier to setup; in my case, I have three McQuay A/C (same model, but with 9.000, 18.000 and 24.000 BTU), so I had no luck with the database so had to setup manually. This process involve using your smartphone, the Tado unit and the remote controller of the AC unit. Depending on the number of modes, fan speeds, temperature range, and swing options, you could end with a lot of combinations, and for each one you have to enter the commands.
In my case, I started with the 9.000 BTU unit; It took almost 90 minutes to setup, but went without a problem; I then waited one week (in order to get in to the mood of making the process again), and tried to setup the second unit; this unit was a nightmare, as the process got stuck and I couldn’t find the way to reset the process; I almost lost all hope until contacted customer service; they answered promptly (by email) and offered to reset my unit, but not only that. They offered to copy the setting from my already setup unit to the new one; after some time, the second unit started to work; I then asked if they could write the setting to my third unit, which they did. So the overall process was hard but not impossible.
In perspective, if I have to recommend something, would be to choose less options during setup (shorten the temperature ranges, or use just Min and Auto Fan Speeds), because anyway in real operation, you don’t use all the options with your remote control.
Operation (7/10): For the operation of the unit, you can use your smartphone or the touch surface of the unit. In my case I had no luck (didn't understand howto, or simply it doeasn’t work as expected) with the touch surface, so the operation is mainly by smartphone; In this case, you select auto or Manual Control; Auto is more for Automation (see next paragraph), but for Manual Control you can select the Operation Modes (Heat, Cool, Dry, Fan, Auto), the Fan Speed, the temperature and swing options. In general, Manual Mode is very reliable (given that you made a good setup).
Automation (8/10): The smart app lets you choose a schedule (Day by Day, hour by hour) of the operation modes of the unit; if you want, you can choose geo-fencing, which works in tandem with your smartphone, in order to recognize when you are in your house or not. I think that this option is good for people living alone (or two adults, each one with a smartphone linked to the system), but in my case with small children all day in the house, geo-fencing is not an option. But anyway, the schedule by itself is a good option to program the start, end and number of hours that the AC units are working, which is better than just leaving it on; except that you have to change it all over from Summer to Winter (you can’t choose a different schedule for hot and cold season)
Integration (8/10): I have used Smartthings, IFFFT and Alexa. For me, the best combination is IFFFT and Alexa. For Smartthings, you have to install a custom extension, which in my case didn’t work 100% (for example, I couldn’t set it to heat mode). In the case of Alexa, it works great to turn the units off; but if you need (like me) to use the AC in Cool mode and also in Heat mode, you can only say “Alexa set living temperature at 75”, but is it 75 in cooling mode or heating mode? Of course you could use auto mode, but not being able to choose the AC mode, is a hindrance. IFFFT to the rescue; with IFFFT you can create a recipe (being able to choose the mode, fan speed and preferred temperature) and save it with a familiar wording. So I created a recipe called “Cool Living” (Cool mode, fan speed auto, 74F, Swing On) and just say “Alexa, trigger Cool living”.
Overall (8/10): In general, after almost a year, I’m very satisfied with the product. In the long term, after you have set it up, it is very reliable, and allows a good control of the units; In this year I had to reset the units no more than 2 or 3 times which speak volumes about the product; also, I don’t remember a situation where the remote servers were down. Except for the setup (or compatibility with your current AC unit) I would recommend the product.
If you aren't good with gadgets or get frustrated if they don't setup seamlessly then this isn't the right device for you. I am a home automation enthusiast and needed this specific unit for my NYC apt ac/heating unit that has a remote. It's a Simonaire but has the same remote settings as fridigaire.
So I needed this unit because the competitors don't support frigidsire and don't have a manual setup i.e. Setting up each button press from the remote manually so the device can "record" them (or so I was told / researched). Also this device is the only one that connects to IFFT so I can use voice commands from alexa. If You don't have these same requirements or aren't savvy with this stuff then don't get this device or be warned - setup is a nightmare.
Had to set this up like 4 times. Keep that remote close when recording and if the server or device and app get out of sync, start the recording over again for the entire heat or cooling cycle. For my purposes I did not record low and high settings (I never use these cause I have auto). So in the end I did cool and high auto only and only for the temperature range I realistically use. Cut down on the setup a little but again I had to do this 4 times to figure this out and actually get it working.
The hardware control is retarded. Like just put buttons cause the touch controls is a mess and not logical. Needs an entirely new software for the current hardware.
I'd like to see integration with wink hubs. Otherwise now I can set timers schedules and geofencing and control ac heating with Alexa!. Hoping updates will make this more reliable.
The Tado smart AC control is a great product and I really enjoy using it. The app is quite easy once you get the hang of it. I have a few smart home devices and decided to connect my AC as well. I read through the review section before purchasing it and nearly decided to buy a similar product, due to some poor reviews...I’m glad I didn’t. tado is exactly what I was looking for. I was a bit sceptical when setting it up but my concerns were unjustified. Everything goes to plan if you just carefully read through every instruction! The app gives you precise information about what to do and when. If you follow the given steps basiclly nothing can go wrong. I installed the recommended commands, which only took a few minutes. Once I had the device all set up, I tested all the commands and features and everything runs smoothly ever since. Great product!!
I’m not a tech freak whatsoever, but still wanted to turn my air conditioner into a smart device so I decided to give this German product a shot. I checked out their website before and I checked if my air conditioner is supported by their system. It is really well explained. You can choose your AC brand and it tells you if it is already in the database. Also you need to have a look at you remote. Unfortunately it does not work with all air conditioners...But good to know in advance. So before buying it, have a look at their homepage. I also read through the reviews here on Amazon and since there are a few complaints about the installation, I decided not to set the system up all by myself. Seemed like it is a little tricky. So I contacted their customer support and asked them to help me. They gladly did and guided me through. I probably would have been able to do it myself, but wanted to make sure it works. And guess what: it does! I love the app. It is really simple but has so many handy functions and features. Now i dont have to use my old remote anymore. I just use my phone which I always have on me. And as I said, I’m not a tech freak but I do enjoy the comfort of the A/C control. I use the auto-off/on function when I leave the house. And I also use the schedule for days when I am at home or I just change the settings of the AC manually in the app. To sum it up: great product, nice customer support. I have nothing but good things to say about this product.
I live in an area where it can get pretty hot. I need to drive over an hour every day to get home after work. and even though I love my car, it is pretty old and the AC in it doesn’t work anymore. So I hate getting out of my hot car to then get into a sweltering home. That’s why I’ve decided to go for a system which pre-cools my place. This is the only product I found which connects my AC to my phone and uses my phones location to start cooling my place before I get home. Im really surprised about how well it works actually. It always reaches the preset temperature when I get home. I saw that Nest is also doing something similar, but I went for tado, because I personally feel like their approach of location based cooling is way more efficient than Nests. To be honest, a crucial factor was the design of the device as well. It looks really simple and elegant. I really like that. Especially compared to the flashy nest. The TADO control is plain but yet well designed. Definitely worth the price.
Feature Product
- Works with Alexa for voice control (Alexa device sold separately).
- Connects your smartphone to your air conditioner or heat pump and turns it into a smart device. Experience a new level of comfort with automatic location-based AC control.
- Control your AC from anywhere with the tado° app: Turn it on and off or change the settings in the app from anywhere, at any time.
- Power supply: AC 120 / 240 Volts, 5 Volts USB power supply. Saves up to 40% on your AC energy costs. tado° can pay for itself in less than a year. The app gives you instant access to reports showing temperature and cooling activity as well as savings.
- Smart Home Integration: Control your AC with your voice, using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, or bring products and web services together to create new scenarios with IFTTT. Free app for iOS, Android, and Windows
- The Smart AC Control works with all air conditioners with a remote control that displays the air conditioner's current settings (for example mode, target temperature and fan speed).
Description
The tado° Smart AC Control connects your smartphone to your air conditioner. Through the use of your phone’s location, it automatically pre-cools before you get home and turns off when you leave. Allowing you to control your air conditioner from wherever you are, it works with most remote-controlled air conditioners and connects to your home’s Wi-Fi.
The Tado infrared control device & app is a great value-added alternative to standard remote controllers for Air Conditioners. Cleanly packaged, nicely designed & very easy to set up and use. You can switch between manual mode and automatic mode - using your phone and a wifi link to the Tado controller from anywhere. No need to be in the "line of sight" of your AC unit. No need to even be home. Great to have the ability to "pre-cool" the bedroom before arriving back from work - either automatically using position mapping or manually. Easy to override / change settings when needed.
One note - be sure to check the list of compatible AC units. I have two AC units from different manufacturers and the Tado device only supports one of those brands. NBD - just a good thing to check.
Despite all the bad reviews (all the competition have equally bad reviews) I pulled the trigger on this.
It worked perfectly right out of the box. Easy set up (Kenmore that is actually an LG) and functional. It is no Nest. But it works with an old ac just fine.
My boyfriend and I argued a lot about the AC. I wanted it to run all the time since I prefer the apartment to be cool. He doesn’t mind the heat and thinks that it's an unnecessary costs. We decided to purchase the AC control by Tado mainly because of the location determination via our smartphones. We now have set schedules and let tado control our AC automatically. Ever since then, we've never had to argue about AC costs any more, because now we've actually reduced our energy bill. It also looks pretty nice on the wall....see picture attached.
it's great but the main problem is the app.
it's not good at all, I could not choose my home with IOS and ANDROID it just accepts when I used windows and when choosing the range windows recommend to be large and the IOS and ANDROID recommend to be small how could that be?
I have an LG AC and unfortunately, it is not found in its database so I used teach feature. (just on/off and adjust the temperature)
Overall the app has a lot to be improved
Great product..Good customer service when needed. Thanks
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