The cheapest Lux Products 7 day programmable thermostat is the TX9100E that costs $55 and the cheapest 7 day Honeywell thermostat is the RTH7500D that costs about $70. In nearly every respect the Hunter 44550 is the match of these more expensive models.
The most important feature on the Hunter 44550 is that it gives the user a program slot for every day of the week. Within each day 4 different periods of heating/cooling can be set up. This makes sure that you never waste money heating or cooling an empty house. There is also smart recovery on the Hunter 44550 so that the room temperature is always correct at the start of a programmed period.
Another great feature on the Hunter 44550 is swing control. This function lets you set up a range within 2 degrees from the set temperature. In this range the thermostat does not cycle the HVAC. This prevents the air-con, furnace etc. from wearing out from frequent short cycling.
For further comfort the Hunter 44550 also has automatic seasonal change-over. This means it detects the changing of the seasons and automatically switches between heating and cooling.
Installation and programming is straight forward with this device. There is armchair programming and a useful temporary override button for when you decide to have a day off work or stay up late.
The only downside about the Hunter 44550 is that it is battery powered and only compatible with single stage heating, cooling and heat pumps. If your HVAC doesn’t preclude you from getting this thermostat than I recommend you give buying a Hunter 44550 7 day programmable thermostat serious thought.
