Drayton Wiser vs Honeywell Evohome

Hardware
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Seen plenty of comparisons online, but none specifically geared towards this community. I’m not talking about pulling apart the systems either; I’m talking about still allowing them to control their relevant ecosystems but with the odd HA setting tweak/status read here and there.

My goal is maximising the efficiency of my new boiler. My original plan was on/off relays for the boiler and hacked Zigbee TRVs (via deCONZ) with HA having full control. Since I’ve learned about burner modulation, condensing temperatures, optimum starts, weather compensation etc I’ve realised I don’t have a chance at programming something as good as the smart stats.

I considered an Opentherm gateway from Nodo but I won’t get TRV support/room zoning.

For me, winners:

Price - Wiser
HA integration - Wiser
TRV battery life - Evohome
Use of system without smartphone app - Evohome

On the face of it you’d think it’s 2-2 BUT:

Is the Opentherm support as good on the Wiser? You’d think so when reading their blogs, seems they have optimum start/stop, burner modulation, weather compensation via online outdoor temp readings etc.

How good does it work offline/not connected to the cloud, what functionality is lost? (Excluding their own geofencing/anything HA can do with relevent integrations).

Which system is more likely to break HA integration via firmware update etc?

Looks like development for integrations is currently more active for Wiser.

Then how about the fact that Evohome is on 868Mhz, Wiser on 2.4Ghz Zigbee? I already have a Zigbee network it needs to avoid, plus Wifi on two of the three channels - asking for trouble?!

Would be nice to make sure before spending £500+.

Boiler is Ideal Vogue Max 40.

Thanks!

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We have the Honeywell EVO Home, and have had it for almost five years. I got the boiler and hot water part professionally installed, and it was a pain for them to do as well.

However since then it has just worked. I barely have to touch it (usually two or three times a year at most). I buy a pack of Amazon Basics AA batteries each year and change all of the batteries. We did add the standalone sensors in a couple of rooms where furniture etc was blocking the TRVs, but that was about it.

The integration in HA works well, although goes through the cloud, which for some is a deal breaker. There is a project to get around that as well. However if the internet goes, then the panel we have on the wall (powered by the same wires that powered the old single zone thermostat) continues to work.
Never had the integration fail to work.

Like you, I came to the conclusion that doing it all manually was a waste of effort. Honeywell have been doing thermostats and heating for more years than I have been alive. It isn’t pretty, it isn’t flash, it isn’t “cool”, but it just works, which is what I want from heating. The HA staff is an added extra.

Can’t comment on the others as I haven’t seen them. Have seen lots of Nests break for naff all reasons though.

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