You can now preorder the Johnson Controls GLAS thermostat with built-in Microsoft Cortana voice capabilities. But be prepared: It’s got a price tag to match its unique look.
Each unit will set you back $319 and the GLAS is currently only sold in the United States. You can preorder it on Amazon and on Johnson Controls’ online store. At the current exchange rate $319 converts to roughly £250 or AU$440.
We first heard about the GLAS thermostat back in July 2017 and got a preview of it at CES 2018 in January. Its see-through OLED touchscreen display is its most obvious departure from smart thermostat competitors such as Nest, Ecobee and Honeywell.
So is its price. At $319, the GLAS is the most expensive smart thermostat we’ve come across. The Editors’ Choice-award winning Ecobee4, which offers a ton of great features, costs ‘just’ $249. That was previously considered the high end of the spectrum — not anymore.
Johnson Controls’ smart thermostat does promise some unique features you can’t currently find elsewhere. The GLAS is supposed to track humidity and indoor and outdoor air quality. If the the thermostat senses poor indoor air quality, it’s supposed to automatically enlist a fan or ventilation system to help.
It also has a built-in Cortana speaker, but it’s supposed to work with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands, too (assuming you have a compatible Alexa- or Google Assistant-enabled device).
You should be able to adjust the temperature, as for the current indoor and outdoor temps and more with voice commands.
Is your HVAC system compatible with the GLAS thermostat? Find out here. We’re testing out the Johnson Controls GLAS thermostat now, so check back soon to see if it’s really worth the $319.
