After testing the Cielo Smart Thermostat for a month, I'm impressed by its value proposition. The touchscreen display feels premium, and installation was surprisingly easy thanks to the included C-wire adapter – a lifesaver for older homes.

The energy savings are real. By setting up geofencing and custom schedules through the app, I've noticed about 15% reduction in my cooling bill during this Texas summer. The 'Pets' mode is genius for keeping my dog comfortable when I'm at work.

However, programming isn't as intuitive as competitors like Nest. Creating multi-day temperature profiles requires jumping through hoops – I needed two support calls to properly set up my weekend schedule. The app could use better visual guidance.

Customer service deserves special mention. When my unit briefly acted up (displaying wrong temps), Jason from support walked me through a firmware update that fixed everything within 10 minutes – way better than big-brand automated systems.

The thermostat occasionally struggles with weak WiFi signals, and there are odd quirks like not accepting '!' in passwords. But considering it's half the price of an Ecobee while delivering similar core functionality, these are compromises I can live with.

For homeowners wanting smart features without premium pricing, this is a strong contender – just be prepared for some initial setup complexity and minor software quirks that will likely improve with updates.