Let me start by saying the Hive Smart Thermostat looks and feels premium. The circular design with that protruding knob gives it a distinct appearance on my wall - though I'll admit, the knob does stick out more than I'd like.

The installation process was surprisingly smooth for me. As a first-time thermostat installer, taking photos of my old wiring setup beforehand was a lifesaver. The included wire labels in the manual made matching everything up much easier than expected. That said, if you don't have a C-wire (like many older homes), you're in for either an extra purchase or some DIY YouTube education.

Where this system really shines is in its core functionality. Once paired with the Hive Hub (which does feel like an unnecessary extra device in this age of direct WiFi connections), the thermostat maintains perfect temperature accuracy - verified against my expensive aquarium probes. The scheduling feature works flawlessly after initial setup, and I appreciate that it stores schedules locally so internet outages don't leave me climate-less.

However, the smart home integration is where things fall apart. Alexa commands suffer from frustrating 10-15 second delays that make me question if anything happened at all. Remote access via phone has been completely unreliable after working briefly initially - a major disappointment for a 'smart' device in 2023.

The most baffling limitation? No Apple HomeKit support means I can't integrate it into my existing smart home scenes or automations. For a device at this price point, that's a significant omission.

Ultimately, while the Hive delivers solid basic thermostat functionality with accurate temperature control and reliable scheduling, its smart features feel half-baked compared to competitors. If you're looking for seamless smart home integration or live outside the UK (where it's apparently no longer supported), you might want to keep shopping.