Comparing 3 Thermostats White-Rodgers, Lux and Jackson

[nhoj]

I would like your feed back on these three different brands of thermostats : The first is the White-Rodgers 1F86-344 Non-Programmable Single-Stage thermostat which I find to be a very good thermostat with a feature of a filter alarm not to many features just a simple easy to use one.

The next one is the LUX 15ooE thermostat and that was rated the best by Consumer Reports in 2008. It is a programming thermostat with a feature the other two does not have and that is swing function and a programming dial which simplifies programming.

An the Jackson T-32-TS which is made in the USA and is Manual or auto changeover, Programmable or non-programmable, Keyboard lockout with many other features.

If you can give me your PRO and CON'S on these it would help me in getting a high quality thermostat for my home.

 

[MeloAir]

I never heard of Jackson T-32. After checking it out, it really looks like a nice stat. As far as features go, I think it wins out. Depending on your schedule, you really could stand to save a substantial amount (hundreds annually) by going with a programmable stat. The obvious times to take advantage is when no one is at home, you can increase the temperature when away and program it to drop just before you get home.

If you don't want to program and are not using a heat pump system or have a 2 stage compressor and prefer simplicity, the 1F86-344 is the way to go.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jadnashua]

FWIW, on a/c, if you have a system sized so it can cool the house down quickly, it is likely oversized and will not manage the humidity well, so with those systems, running a setback may save some money, but maybe not as much as you'd like. First, a bigger system costs more to buy, then there's the comfort level, and a bigger system uses more energy (given similar efficiencies), and may not last as long if it is oversized since it will cycle more and cycles hurt both efficiency and longevity. So, if your system is sized properly, it may not cool the house much if it has been heat soaked all day on a very hot day. It will dehumidify since it will be running constantly (which will help), but it may not cool much until the sun goes down. As a result, a small setback or none at all may be called for on very hot days with a properly sized system.

 

[Dana]

I've had a cheapo LUX TX1500 series on the wall in my house for about 15 years- it's pretty "keep it simple stupid" compared to some others- very few are as simple to program as the TX1500. It's a pretty no-frills/no-smarts kind of beast compared to some of the more sophisticated (& spendy) programmables or "learning" T-stats.

I've seen exactly one of the newer LUX PSP-5xx series programmable fail in the field in under 5 years, but others in that "contractor grade" series seem to have hung on forever.