If you are looking for an affordable yet reliable upgrade to your digital thermostat, or just want a low-priced smart thermostat, then check out the Bosch connected control(BCC100) thermostat. Bosch has been a reliable and trusted brand name in the American market. The BCC100 is fairly low priced when compared to the big names like Ecobee and Nest.
The BCC100 claims to give maximum comfort with minimal inputs and has numerous smart features on its new thermostat unit. It falls into the low-priced smart thermostat category alongside the Ecobee and Nest budget thermostats.
BCC 100 is a low-voltage thermostat with Wi-Fi capabilities that suits almost all 24-volt low-voltage systems including gas and electric furnaces, and single and dual-stage systems. One feature which makes it stand out from its competitors is that it can control humidifiers and dehumidifiers along with the HVAC systems.
It has a simple installation process and requires a c-wire. It does not depend on an app to be functional and makes its use effortless. Without the app, you can use its pre-programmed basic schedule. However, for a personalized schedule, the program is limited to 2 modes: home and vacation.
You can also access the remote control feature by installing the app on your android/iOS device. The use of the app enables you to program up to 4 schedules with 8 temperatures for a day. The flexibility in choosing the way you want it to operate is an added advantage to this thermostat.
This article takes you through the various important features of the BOSCH BCC100 thermostat to help you decide whether you want to get one or not.
Important Features and key specs of BOSCH BCC100 Thermostat
Following are the key specs of the Bosch BCC100 thermostat:
- 5-inch full-color touchscreen display (854 x 480 pixels)
- 78mm x 132mm x 25mm in size
- 2.4GHz Wi-Fi support
- Local weather forecast
- Compatible with the majority of HVAC systems – No matter if your house has a simple HVAC system or a complex, the BCC100 thermostat is compatible with almost everyone. It also does well with humidifier and dehumidifier systems.
Let us dive into the core features of Bosch BCC 100.
Design and Display
The BOSCH BCC100 is designed to look elegant yet simple. The 5-inch color display fits perfectly on its rectangular body and can add beauty to any of your walls. The display interface is pretty basic and hence easily comprehensible. The display is fully touch screen and has quite a good responsive screen. The font is clear and sized enough to be read from a fair distance. The screen lights up as soon as it is touched.
The up-down button on the screen helps navigate through the menu and adjust the temperature. Other than the current room temperature, you get to know the set temperature and the humidity level of your room from the screen. Also, the vital information like time and icons for fan mode, menu, wi-fi, etc are clearly visible and can be interpreted properly.
User Interface
When it comes to the user interface it isn’t the best you’ll ever use, but it gets the job done. On the display of the physical thermostat, when you press the Menu button, in the top left corner, another menu opens on the left side of the display. You can watch the local weather forecast, based on your zip code, by tapping on the Weather tab. On the Schedule tab, you can set the schedule for your home and vacation, but once you connect the thermostat to Wi-Fi, you can create more schedules.
The Wi-Fi settings, screen brightness, date and time, and other system settings can be accessed from the Device Settings tab. From the System Settings tab, you can perform an initial setup, update the system firmware, set temperature alerts, and view runtime statistics.
Similarly, the BCC100 mobile app can be used to control the temperature of your house if you don’t want to move out of your bed in cold weather. The user interface of the app almost looks the same. All the features (except the weather forecast) you have on the physical thermostat are available to control from your smartphone. Not to mention, the app is available for download on both App Store and Google Play Store.
Operation
As already mentioned Bosch BCC100 can be either operated over your phone or you can control it the old school style. The thermostat comes with a pre-programmed schedule to minimize your efforts, in case you feel the process of programming to be a cumbersome task.
However, for personalized settings, you can use the app from your android/iOS device and program up to 4 schedules with 8 temperature settings per day. If you do not want an app and want to access it directly from the thermostat, it still provides the option of personalizing your program but only in 2 modes that are: Home and Vacation mode.
The scheduling process may take some of your good time, as the design and programming interface is not as good as those of Nest and Ecobee thermostats.
The thermostat comes with a detailed instruction manual that aids in understanding the product. You can use your Wi-Fi or cloud to access the thermostat from anywhere.
The Bosch BCC100 not only controls the heating/cooling system but also can control the humidifiers and dehumidifiers. You can also access the local weather forecast from the device. This feature is, however, not available in its app.
The thermostat also has a feature to alert you in case the temperature drops down below or climbs up above your preferred temperature. For example, if you have the lowest temperature set at 50 degrees Fahrenheit and the highest temperature at 90 degrees, it will alert you for the same. If you check the ‘Auto-on’ box, the thermostat will power on the system itself and apply a fix. It also keeps a record of every change or input made so in case anyone in your house makes a change, you’ll get to know.
The Bosch BCC100 also lacks a motion sensor feature that wakes up the thermostat’s screen whenever someone approaches the device. The screen goes dark if not in use for a long time, and one has to tap the screen every time to check details and settings if they don’t want to use their phone at the time.
Amazon Alexa Enabled
The Bosch BCC100 can be paired up with Amazon Alexa as well. The older versions did not have this feature. This was added in its newest version. Support for Google Assistant and Siri is yet to come.
Alerts for extreme temperature changes
If your house experiences a temperature dip below or climbs up your preferred temperature setting, it will send you an alert on your phone. You can set a temperature range of anything between 45 and 99 degrees Fahrenheit. All the inputs to the thermostat are kept in check so you can know of any unauthorized access made to the device.
Installation and Compatibility
The installation process of Bosch BCC100 is pretty straightforward and can be done with some prior experience in handling home wiring systems. Professional guidance is however recommended if you want the thermostat to control the humidifiers/dehumidifiers of your place. Simple tools like screws, anchors, screwdrivers, etc. Read the instructions in the manual carefully before installation.
Remember BCC100 needs a C wire, so make sure your HVAC system has a provision for that.
Bosch BCC100 is compatible with almost all 24-volt heating and cooling systems like conventional gas, oil, and electric systems with two heating and two cooling stages and heat pump systems with four heating and two cooling stages.
As already mentioned it is compatible with HVAC systems that have humidifiers and dehumidifiers as well.
What’s missing in BCC100?
Ok, as you have read the good part of the thermostat, let’s talk about the features which could have been added to this thermostat to make it a value-for-money product. When you compare the BCC100 with other thermostats like Nest thermostat E or Ecobee3 lite, you will feel there are modern features missing from this thermostat from Bosch.
The thermostat does not support the geo-fencing feature which has proven to save a lot on energy usage. Also, it lacks compatibility with the various smart home hubs or listening to any voice assistants other than Amazon Alexa. This product also lacks the motion sensor feature which controls the thermostat by detecting if the room is empty or not.
Pros of BCC100
- Attractive design with a color touchscreen display
- Easily readable fonts on the display
- Works and controls humidifiers/dehumidifiers as well
- Can be controlled without an app
- App gives the provision of setting up to 4 schedules with 8 temperature settings per day
- Remote access to the features via cloud/Wi-Fi
- Works with Amazon Alexa voice assistant
- Instant alert if the temperature of the room goes beyond the set temperature range
- Compatible with many the 24 volt HVAC systems
Cons of this thermostat
- Not compatible with smart home hubs
- Does not work with any other voice assistant other than Amazon Alexa
- Lacks geo fencing and motion sensor
- The interface and programming are a bit complex.
- Requires a c wire.
The main essence of Bosch BCC is its simplicity in design and features hence you can always opt for it if you prefer an attractive yet basic Wi-Fi thermostat.
The BCC100 is particularly versatile, capable of controlling the most common HVAC systems, including gas, oil, and electric two-stage heating and two-stage cooling, heat pumps with four-stage heating and two-stage cooling, and any whole-house humidifier.
Users also claim that this is a high-quality thermostat, so there are no bugs or glitches. The main point of the BCC100 is simplicity in design and function, so you can always choose it if you prefer an attractive yet simple Wi-Fi thermostat.
The bottom line is that the Bosch BCC100 is a functional smart thermostat and can be controlled from anywhere. However, it’s not as smart as its competitors. The Nest Thermostat E, for example, is available at the same cost as the BCC100 and offers smarter features, but can’t manage complex multi-stage HVAC systems.
That said, if you are on the hunt for an affordable thermostat with maximum compatibility and an easy-to-use setup, the Bosch BCC100 can be the right fit for you.
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