Let's talk about the Hive Smart Thermostat Pack. First off, installation can be tricky if you're not familiar with wiring. You'll need a 'C' wire, and if your home doesn't have one, you'll either need to install it yourself (YouTube is your friend here) or call a professional. Once that's sorted, pairing the thermostat with the Hive Hub is straightforward - just make sure the hub is registered and powered on first.

The thermostat itself feels premium and well-built. The temperature and humidity readings are spot-on - I compared them with some high-end probes I use for my saltwater tank, and they matched perfectly. Scheduling is easy to set up, and once programmed, it works reliably. Even if your internet goes down, the thermostat retains its schedule in memory.

However, there are some significant drawbacks. The Alexa integration is painfully slow - we're talking 10-15 seconds delay between giving a voice command and seeing any action. This lag makes you wonder if Alexa even heard you in the first place. The unit itself is quite bulky compared to other smart thermostats on the market.

Some users report serious connectivity issues where remote control via smartphone becomes impossible after initial setup. There's also no Apple HomeKit integration, which is disappointing for iOS users who want full smart home compatibility.

Perhaps most concerning is that Hive no longer serves North America - this product will only work properly if you live in the UK. Many customers have received incomplete packages missing the crucial Hive Hub.

While it's more affordable than competitors like Nest, these reliability issues make it hard to recommend wholeheartedly unless you're specifically looking for a UK-compatible system and don't mind potential connectivity headaches.