The new Google Nest thermostat has better controls than before thanks to this handy comfort feature

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Earlier this year, Google announced that a the fourth generation of the popular Nest thermostat was at work After many leaks about the new model, the new Nest Learning Thermostat, or Nest Planet Protector as Google called it, has finally been launched.

As one of the best smart thermostats on the market, the Nest Learning Thermostat is now in its fourth edition, with many of the same features as its predecessor, but with an improved design, better app controls and intuitive scheduling – see Nest Learning Thermostat Review for more detailed information. But I was most intrigued by the Nest temperature sensor.

The fourth generation Nest thermostat with self-learning now comes with a new Nest temperature sensor that helps you better prioritize each room in your home and make it as comfortable as possible. While you could buy a Nest temperature sensor with previous iterations of the smart thermostat, this is the first time it’s been included with your initial purchase.

Having an external sensor to work with your smart thermostat is extremely convenient, especially if you have a room in your home that is always too hot or too cold. This is because your smart thermostat will only measure the temperature of the room it’s installed in and use that reading to heat or cool the whole house based on that, which isn’t particularly helpful if your main room is freezing and your bedroom is sweltering .

The Nest temperature sensor can be placed away from the thermostat in a completely different room and it will measure the temperature in the room and send that data to the Nest learning thermostat. The thermostat will then work to prioritize heating in that room to make you more comfortable.

In the Google Home app, you can add multiple sensors and choose which thermostat to send reports to. When the sensor is active, the thermostat will use its readings to turn on and off, and even ignore its own built-in sensor to fully handle the heating or cooling of the selected room.

If you have multiple Nest temperature sensors in your home, you can switch between them and schedule them to work at different times of the day. For example, if you have one in your office and you work from home, you can tell your thermostat to focus on that room’s sensor between 9-5 and switch priority to your living room when you’re done for the day.

Since the third-generation Nest Learning Thermostat didn’t automatically come with a Nest temperature sensor, I had no idea how useful such a sensor would be. But it was easily my favorite feature or accessory Nest self-learning thermostat (4th generation) comes with