Emerson's $169 Sensi Touch Wi-Fi Thermostat is well worth considering. It has a responsive touchscreen, an easy-to-use app and integrations with Alexa , Google Assistant and Siri so you can adjust the temperature with a quick voice command. Its main downfall is its design. Yes, the touchscreen works well, but the hardware looks outdated next to the identically-priced Ecobee3 Lite and Nest E.

Consider the Sensi, the Ecobee3 Lite and the Nest E if you're shopping in this price range. And, if you're looking for something slightly more affordable, give the $150 Lyric T5 a look.

About the Sensi Touch

The Sensi Touch has a practical design -- a large responsive touchscreen and the ability to adjust the temperature, create schedules and more straight from the thermostat.

The installation was simple. Ask a qualified professional for help if you have questions about replacing your existing thermostat. Here are the general steps; it took me about 15 minutes from start to finish:

Turn off power to your thermostat at the circuit breaker



Remove the old thermostat



Install the Sensi Touch baseplate with the included screws



Attach the wires to the wire terminals

Snap on the faceplate

Turn on power at the circuit breaker

The Sensi Touch requires a C-wire for installation. Read this to learn more about the C-wire.