Alternatives to Evohome, one could buy today?

[bruce_miranda]

I got into Evohome simply because I have been invested in the ecosystem starting from CM Zone to Hometronic and then the various generations of Evohome. And that's mainly because my HR80 has remained being supported. But if I were putting in a brand new system today what are the alternatives for radiator control, HW and UFH? Need something that is controllable by the phone.

[HenGus]

You pose an interesting question. I am looking to move in the next 6 months - for family reasons - and whilst I have loved (and hated) Evohome I am not sure what I would go for next. As I speak, the controller tells me that batteries need replacing in a multi HR92 zone but identifying the HR92 that needs new batteries is proving to be something of a challenge as one HR92 is showing 3 bars and the other 2 are showing 2 bars. What I can say with confidence is that my wife would not have a clue if I wasn't still around to deal with these things. Wiser is attractive but it seems to be inferior to Evohome.

[paulockenden]

What I can say with confidence is that my wife would not have a clue if I wasn't still around to deal with these things.

That's my biggest worry too (and my wife's). It why the old timer and wall stat in the hallway are still in place - so that she could easily get a heating engineer to revert to those if her personal tech-support dude was no longer around.

[bruce_miranda]

So back to the question. What are the alternatives to Evohome? Wiser doesn't have a multi zone UFH kit, does it?

[filbert]

You get support from your local Evohome installer. If you have a problem, you just call them like with an issue on any other heating /plumbing issue.

[bruce_miranda]

a lot of us have installed Evohome ourselves because when we did there were too few people who even knew about it. My own plumber has no clue how to switch my CH on when he comes to do the annual boiler service.

[radar2016]

a lot of us have installed Evohome ourselves because when we did there were too few people who even knew about it. My own plumber has no clue how to switch my CH on when he comes to do the annual boiler service.

This is true we have let the system grow around us, "a tweek here and a another there " IFTTT, iPhone apps ,Alexa and Conrad Connect which I cannot get to connect at the moment in fact I have given up on that one. It was working well for a while then just stopped, is there anything similar that I could use as I miss seeing how the heating has performed at an earlier time

[DBMandrake]

a lot of us have installed Evohome ourselves because when we did there were too few people who even knew about it. My own plumber has no clue how to switch my CH on when he comes to do the annual boiler service.

Maybe it's time for him to upskill before he is made obsolete ?

[G4RHL]

Like others here, I share the concern that if the grim reaper takes me first my wife could be stuck. She would get by altering the HR92s manually and possibly simply using the control panel but then loses the benefits of the app. Also the custom menus on the control panel are so bad she would be totally confused which to operate. My lights in the house are remotely operated both as to colour and switching on and off but there I have set it up so that if I am not around they function as normal from the light switch. Of course the problem could be greater. The grim reaper may collect my wife before me and if I lose my marbles then what?

Whilst I have notes and other details for my son to access in the event of my early demise we do need a more user friendly up to date app and simpler functionality. Somebody with arthritis in their hands would have a big issue trying to adjust settings using the control panel but being able to talk to an app would have tremendous advantages. But Evohome does not work through HomeKit.

The original question was about other alternatives. I am not sure there is anything that shouts “I am the best” and is.

What is missing is that Honeywell do not stop to really and properly think of the who the end user may be. They have spent so many years serving the commercial world that that element of basic communication seems lacking. Even their printed instruction manual will be confusing to some and it is no good saying it is for the installer’s use, an end user will need it.

[paulockenden]

As someone who explains things for a living(*) I shudder when I read some of the manuals. And as someone that does UX work for the other part of my job I again shudder at much of the Evohome ecosystem. The only bit that passes the "Could your nan use it" test is adjusting a zone using the round wall stat.

P.

(*) although you wouldn't think so from some of my posts here.