Navigating the murky waters of thermostats can be tricky to say the least and just spending more money doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be getting a better thermostat – in some cases you’ll just be spending more money.

The Fantastic Five

Here are five of the top rated digital programmable thermostats you can find today. (Two of them even feature internet controls.)

Proliphix NT160e/h IP Thermostat

Compared to some of the other thermostats below, the NT160e/h really isn’t all that much too look at. At first glance, it looks like any old programmable thermostat with a small screen and a few buttons to push for programming.

However, don’t let the simple and basic looks fool you. It’s actually one of the most sophisticated thermostats on the market today and is really built to be controlled via the Internet, not the physical control panel.

My favorite part is that it allows me to take my Droid (any web enabled smart phone will work) and turn it into a remote control for the heating and cooling of my house whether I’m watching TV in the living room or if I’m 2,000 miles away taking a vacation in Napa Valley.

Pro1IAQ Model T905 Touchscreen Programmable Thermostat

You know how a lot of reviews feature pros and cons type lists. Well, even the best thermostats have complaints… except this one. I couldn’t find anyone saying anything negative about these units.

It has a blue glowing backlight that is both practical and cool looking, and features intuitive and easy to use wake, leave, return, and sleep programming icons.

It also happens to remain a budget friendly thermostat but still packs plenty of features and full touchscreen controls.

Lux Pro 5-2 Programmable Outlet Thermostat – PSP300

The outlet thermostat is actually a really cool little gizmo. This isn’t for controlling your furance of central air conditioning unit but for controlling window air conditioners and space heaters. It’s great for small rooms, greenhouses, passive solar applications, and RVs

BayWEB Internet Controlled Thermostat (white or black)

The BayWEb doesn’t look like much when you see the controller. It’s a small, touchscreen with a green led display. However, just like the Proliphix above, the magic lies in the web interface. You can control your thermostat from anywhere you can access the web and just like the Proliphix, you can use your smartphone (whether it be an iPhone, Blackberry, Pre, or Droid) as your universal remote control.

Honeywell Prestige HD YTHX9321R5003 Deluxe Comfort Thermostat System Kit

Honeywell is the top name in the world of thermostats for a reason – they make some of the best thermostats available and the Prestige HD is a great choice if you’re looking for a high end system.

Some of the people who’ve used it have said: “very best thermostat ever,” “love the Prestige HD,” and “best yet!”

It features a high definition, full color display that has 3 times better visual clarity than other thermostats. It has an intuitive graphical user interface and and easy to user touchscreen. Oh, and there’s also a remote control so you can change the temperature from anywhere in the house.

Other places to find thermostat reviews:

• Amazon
• Buzzilions
• ePinions
• Consumer Search
• Consumer Reports (charges access fee)

When you’re out shopping for a digital programmable thermostat, you’re going to find hundreds of choices to pick from.  I’ve put together this short article to help make the process of finding the best thermostat easier as well as give you my favorites.

Here are just some of the manufacturers you’ll have to choose from:

• Lux
• Honeywell
• Proliphix
• Lennox
• CTC
• White Rodgers
• Hunter
• Trane
• Bryant
• Rite Temp
• Aprilaire
• BAYweb
• Aprilaire
• Ecobee
• Lighstat

No matter which brand you decide to go with, I highly recommend a programmable thermostat.  EnergyStar estimate that the average household can save $180 a year just by installing a programmable thermostat.

The reason is that you can program the thermostat to lower the thermostat in the winter when you’re not home or when you’re sleeping.  I do this in my house.  When I’m going to be sleeping, I actually let the temperature drop to 62 degrees, but by the time I wake up, it’s back up to the comfortable 70 degrees I like.

I would recommend a full 7 day programmable thermostat but a 3 day thermostat will serve many users well.  With a 3 day, you can set up separate programs for Saturday and Sunday, and the “third day” is Monday-Friday.

My Top Pick

I really like ther Proliphix NT20e Programmable Internet Thermostat. Unlike the other thermostats on this list, this one can be adjusted online even if you’re not on home in addition to being fully programmable.  So if you leave for a trip and forget to turn down the thermostat, just hop online (you can even use your smartphone or iPhone) and take care of it.

Other Recommended Thermostats

Honeywell Prestige HD YTHX9321R5003

Honeywell 8000 Digital Touchscreen Programmable Thermostat

LuxPro PSP300