Customer Reviews

Lux Products TX1500E-010 Smart Temp Programmable Thermostat

5 star:		(109)
4 star:		(37)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Lux Products TX1500E Smart Temp Programmable Thermostat

After researching thermostats, I replaced my builder-grade 1 week thermostats with a couple of Lux 1500E units. This was one of Consumer Reports' best buy models from last year (the other also a Lux). Additionally, I liked Lux's programming dial which simplifies programming; with the dial, there are fewer arcane button press combinations to deal with. Installation was simple and straightforward. The display on the 1500E is fairly large and has an electroluminescent back light that's activated by pressing any button. I'm farsighted but can read the display without my glasses. The 1500E is a 5-1-1 thermostat but also includes a "special" schedule that can used for vacation or holiday making this a 5-1-1-1 thermostat.

I found programming to be quick and simple and the unit works as advertised. I have one complaint and one quirk to mention. The complaint: The operating instructions aren't the best. In particular, there is precious little explanation of the "swing" function or what the swing numbers actually mean. I sent an email to Lux and received a phone call the next day with a thorough explanation. Fantastic customer service!! For the record, the swing setting numbers correlate to quarter degrees (the instructions should state this but don't). The default setting is 1 meaning the thermostat will cycle when the temperature deviates .25 degrees. Keeps the house temperature constant but heat or AC will constantly cycle. Setting the swing to 4 will cause heat or AC to turn on when temperature deviates 1 degree (4 X .25) from the set temperature. You can set the swing up to a value of 9 (2.25 degrees). Here's the quirk part: with my old thermostat, if I set the temperature to 69, the heat would turn on when the displayed temperature dropped to 68 and turn off when the displayed temperature rose to 70. The 1500E, with a swing setting of 4, doesn't work quite the same way. Even though displayed temp is 68, heat won't come on right away. It's almost as if the thermometer controlling the display isn't the same one controlling the thermostat itself. Either that, or a swing setting of 4 is working differently than I'm expecting. Please note, I do not find this a problem with the 1500E, just a little odd. Also note: most instructions accompanying thermostats are lacking.

Overall, I am very pleased with the Lux 1500E. It feels well built, has a nice display, and a competitive price. Add Lux's great customer support, and I'd highly recommend it.

I did a ton of research before buying two of these thermostats to replace the typical round Honeywell ones. These are easy to install and are working well. I particularly like the ease of checking humidity levels, living in far Northern MN it is essential to keep the humidity level up during our winters. Easy to program and use.

Replaced a Hunter thermostat which drove us crazy because it did what it wanted to do rather than what I wanted it to do. It was difficult to program and unecessarily complicated compared to the LUX. The LUX was easy to install and hasn't missed a beat since I put it in. Consumer Reports rated it a best buy.

I bought this after reading Consumer Reports and the reviews posted here.

When I received the unit, I was a bit intimidated with the various wiring diagrams, but once I removed my Totaline (non-programmable) thermostat from the wall, I could see that the wiring would be pretty straightforward. I am a terrible handyman and yet this job only required 15 minutes and two different-sized Philips screwdrivers.

Here's my beef, and why I only give this otherwise excellent unit 2 stars:

1. It must be manually switched from heat to cool mode, and vice-versa. In my old home, I had a programmable Totaline, and in program mode it would automatically switch to whichever mode was needed (heat or cool) to keep the home within the desired temperature range. I was very surprised to unbox this unit, with all of its favorable reviews, and find this feature missing. Here in North Florida, we sometimes need AC during the warm days but heat during a cool night. I don't want to constantly be flipping a hardware switch to toggle between heat & cool modes! I thought that was the whole point of a programmable thermostat!

2. By default, the swing setting is ridiculously short. Really? 0.25 degrees by default?

3. It doesn't display program temp, only current temp. I would prefer a display that shows the current temp as well a the target temp (or even better, the target temp range - see beef #1).

Maybe it's my fault for not doing more research. The only programmable thermostat I've had before this was the Totaline and I assumed that all of the highly-rated thermostats would have a truly automatic-switching feature.

I'll probably leave this installed upstairs, but do more careful research and buy a different thermostat for downstairs.

My husband and I are very pleased with our new thermostat. The Lux TX1500E is easy to program. It has multiple programs and a HOLD feature that allows you to override the current program and set the temperature to whatever you want it to be. For instance, it's Saturday morning and we are eating our breakfast, so using the hold feature, we set the temperature at 68. When we leave the house, we will release the hold so it can return to the previous programming. This flexibility combines convenience and efficiency. The screen is also very easy to read. All in all, we think we have gotten a lot of bang for our buck and are happy we chose the Lux.Lux Products TX1500E Smart Temp Programmable Thermostat

I installed the Lux TX1500E Programmable Thermostat in my house a few weeks ago and it was straightforward to install, reasonably priced and had all the features I wanted. Installation was especially easy because the mounting slots on the Lux aligned with existing wall holes from my old thermostat. The package even included small lettered & numbered flags so I could tag existing wires (sticker 'W' on wire attached to terminal 'W,' etc.) before removing the old thermostat!

The TX1500E provides 5/1/1 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) and 'Special' modes, each of which allows temperature programming changes at four different times. 'Special' mode lets you switch over to a range of settings that you've programmed for when you want to quickly override daily settings. I like the notched circle molded into the door which prevents the door from closing in 'Special' mode, a passive reminder which lessens the chance of you accidentally leaving it there long-term.

I am quite pleased with this thermostat and recommend it to anyone who wants a programmable thermostat with a solid, basic feature set. Choose a different model if you want to set Mon-Fri individually, or switch automatically between 'Cool' and 'Heat' modes: I have no need for either feature and appreciate the programming simplicity of this model.

Installation tips:
* The new thermostat - as did the existing one - rocked a bit on the wall when I pushed buttons. I felt this would eventually work the drywall screw anchors loose so I stuck two strip of thin foam on the back of the base - horizontally above and below the screws - before final installation: it now feels nice and tight on the wall!

* Internal clearance is tight so take extra care when routing wires and stuffing excess back into the wall or it's a pain snapping the main unit into the base. This was probably the most time-consuming stage of the installation.

It works fine but the wiring schematics leave something to be desired.
I could not do the installation with out searching on the internet for days and finally opening a thermostat at my friends house who happened to have the same product.
It is very simple to install if the existing thermostat wires match exactly one to one and by color.
I hope that LUX creates a manual and electric schematics for the average handyman person.

PROS: Very sensitive and accurate temperature, measures humidity, and cheap (on Amazon) for the features it offers.

CONS: Buttons just cheap and hard to push as the lower-end models from Lux. It also seems to me that the most important display on a thermostat is the current temperature and the target temperature. The engineers at Lux decided that you would prefer to use the unit as a clock, so the time in large bold letters, while you have to press a button to see what the current temperature is. Seems like a small detail but it becomes very annoying.

OTHER: We purchased this about 4 months ago when the button on our base model Lux stopped working. Lured by the "Soft touch" button and bright display we decided to upgrade. Very disappointed. This has the same hard-to-push buttons as the other model, but with soft plastic covers. The durability is just as poor, and it has now broke. We now have a model from Honeywell.

My live-in girlfriends seems to think that the house should be 30 degrees inside in the summer. The constant thermostat battle has just been won by me thanks to this awesome thermostat by LUX and it's lock-out feature. I am now in control of the temp and she can't over-ride it. It has many great features, was easy to install, and easier to program. Very clear instructions etc. I've recommended this to my dad and 4 or 5 friends and would recommend it to anyone.

I have three zones in my house - a 4 level multi-family with 3 units. The entire heating bill is mine (oil fed boiler with hot water radiators). So, anything that I can do to make my home more efficient is in my best interests. I looked at many thermostats here on Amazon before deciding that this one would probably do the trick.

They were a snap to install. It's got detailed diagrams that make it easy to know exactly what wire connects up to what. My needs were straightforward as I just needed "heat only". And in an hour I installed all three units. And had each of them configured in 5 minutes flat. It's really simple - you just set the dial for weekday, then set the time/temp - for each of the periods you want. And do the same for sat and sun - each of which is done separately instead of a single weekend program. It's nice having that extra flexibility, and the backlight is a nice added touch.

I felt that I got a very good deal on these at only $31 each including free shipping, for full programmable units. They are a bit more right now but still I would buy them at $37 each.

I also bought a mastercool infrared thermometer to help identify those cold spots, to help me know where to add foam sealant and insulation. At $45 - that's a bargain too!