Tado launches second-gen Smart Thermostat X in Europe, targeting Nest users

Google’s shutdown of server support for first- and second-generation Nest thermostats drove “significant sales” for Tado, cofounder and managing director Christian Deilmann told The Verge. He said third-generation Nest thermostats still have at least ten times Tado’s penetration in Europe, but he expects Google to eventually wind down that generation as well. “There’s nothing we know for sure … but it doesn’t make too much sense to pull out of some generations and not others,” Deilmann said. Google never launched its fourth-generation Nest in Europe.

The Smart Thermostat X (2nd gen) costs £159.99/€179.99 for a wired starter kit and £169.99/€199.99 for a wireless kit. The unit has a new white square body with a circular interface that appears only when touched, and it measures 17.8mm thick, making it slimmer than its predecessor and than the third-generation Nest. A customizable action button sits on top, and the battery-powered version is rated to last a year on its rechargeable battery.

The thermostat works with boilers, heat pumps and underfloor heating, but not air conditioning. It uses Matter-over-Thread to communicate with a receiver installed near a boiler and with most smart-home platforms, replacing the proprietary 6LoWPAN radio used in the first-generation Tado X. Tado is also adding the ability to manage multiple thermostats in different homes under one account.

Tado’s hydronic balancing system, which works with its Smart Radiator Thermostat X to distribute heat evenly across radiators, has received TÜV certification. The company says the certification can make the system eligible for government heat-pump subsidies in certain markets. The balancing feature requires Tado’s AI Assist subscription, priced at £3.99 a month or £29.99 a year, which automatically optimizes heating based on weather and a home’s characteristics; it includes geofencing, open-window detection, adaptive heating and preheating.

Tado also introduced a 12-month energy savings promise. Deilmann said the company is confident customers save a few hundred euros a year in energy costs, and any customer who believes they have not saved enough within the first year can return all products for a full refund, “no questions asked.” The Smart Thermostat X (2nd gen) is available immediately from tado.com and select European retailers.