I don’t say enough about Home Automation, Inc. (HAI), the New Orleans-based manufacturer of home automation products. You have to respect a company that’s been at it since ’85, and managed to stay slightly ahead of the curve by generating a healthy list of “connectivity partners” to increase interoperability, incorporating a well-known wireless technology standard into its products, AND keeping energy efficiency a priority.

HAI’s latest release of products - the Omnistat-Z line of thermostats – bear all the hallmarks of an HAI product line. The five different models all include Z-wave transceivers, allowing them to integrate seamlessly with an existing Z-wave network within a home. This means they can also be controlled via remote control, telephone, or remotely through the Internet. The five models cover the different HVAC systems found in homes, and all thermostats in the Omnistat-Z line are compliant with Energy Star’s energy efficiency standards. The unit itself is simple and clean, with a “cool blue” LCD backlight and straightforward programming buttons. Consumers in the market for some HVAC control could do a lot worse.

The Omnistat-Z line retails for around $250-350, depending on the distributor and the model selected.

Ben Hardy - Contributing Writer

Between watching re-runs of the The Jetsons and convincing his Insteon and Z-Wave controls to get along, Ben Hardy is immersed in the world of home automation, home control, and home networking.