When you move beyond standard smart thermostats, you enter a world of truly intelligent climate control. A premium smart heating system, typically costing £250 or more for a starter kit, isn't just about a flashy screen or app control; it's about gaining granular, room-by-room command over your home's comfort and unlocking the highest levels of energy efficiency.

These advanced systems are designed for homeowners with larger or more complex properties, those with underfloor heating, or simply anyone who values uncompromising performance and is willing to invest in the best solution. They offer powerful multi-zone capabilities that can significantly reduce waste by ensuring you only heat the parts of your home you are actually using.

If you're just starting your research or have a more conventional home, our Smart Thermostats & Radiator Valves in the UK: Complete 2025 Buying Guide provides a comprehensive overview of the entire market. But if you’re ready for the ultimate upgrade, this guide covers the very best premium systems available today.

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What Defines a 'Premium' Smart Heating System?

The jump in price from a standard to a premium system isn't arbitrary. It buys you tangible upgrades in four key areas that translate directly into greater comfort, control, and long-term energy savings.

 

Unrivalled Multi-Zone Control

This is the single most important feature of a high-end system. While standard thermostats create one heating zone for the entire house, premium systems allow you to create many. By fitting smart thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) on individual radiators, you can set unique schedules and temperatures for the living room, home office, bedrooms, and more. This means you stop wasting money heating empty rooms—the primary source of energy waste in most homes. For a deeper dive into this concept, see our guide on Smart Thermostat vs Smart TRVs: Do You Need Both?

 

Advanced Boiler Modulation (OpenTherm)

Most premium systems support advanced communication protocols like OpenTherm. Instead of just telling your boiler to switch on or off at full power, modulation allows the thermostat to tell a compatible modern boiler how hard it needs to work. Running at a lower, more consistent output for longer is far more efficient than repeatedly blasting at 100% capacity. This reduces gas consumption, lowers your bills, and minimises wear and tear on your boiler. It’s a crucial way How Smart Heating Actually Saves Money (and Is It Worth It?).

 

Superior Build Quality and Design

You can often feel the difference. Premium thermostats, like the Google Nest, use high-end materials such as stainless steel and glass, giving them a satisfying, quality feel. They often feature high-resolution colour displays and tactile controls, like a physical dial, that are more intuitive to use than basic plastic buttons. This focus on design ensures the device looks like a sophisticated piece of technology, not just a utility.

 

Dedicated Control Hardware vs. App Reliance

While every smart system has an app, the most robust premium options, notably Honeywell Evohome, come with a dedicated touchscreen controller. This is a significant advantage for reliability. It gives you full, local control over every zone in your house, even if your Wi-Fi goes down or your phone is unavailable. It ensures your heating system is never compromised by a temporary internet outage.

 

The Best Premium Smart Heating Systems for UK Homes

Here we review the top-tier systems that justify their premium price tag through superior performance, granular control, and advanced features. Whether you need to manage a large, complex property or simply want the most intelligent system for a smaller space, these are the best options on the market.

 

Honeywell Evohome: The Ultimate in Multi-Zone Control

 

 

• Best for: Owners of large, complex, or multi-generational properties needing the most powerful room-by-room heating control available.
• Key features: Manages up to 12 distinct heating zones, including underfloor heating. Features a dedicated touchscreen controller for reliable local control without internet. Supports hot water control.
• Performance/Results: Evohome is the market leader for granular control. Its ability to manage complex systems is unmatched, making it ideal for properties where different rooms have vastly different heating needs. The dedicated controller is a major reliability advantage over app-only systems.
• Drawbacks: The initial purchase cost is very high, with a full-house system easily exceeding £500. The TRVs are functional but bulky, and their motor is noticeably louder than competitors'. It also lacks built-in geofencing, requiring a third-party service like IFTTT.
• Ongoing cost/maintenance: None. There are no subscription fees. TRVs require battery changes every 1-2 years.

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(Approx. £215 for the starter pack; individual TRVs approx. £59 each)

 

Tado° V3+ (Fully Expanded System): The Smart, Data-Rich All-Rounder

 

 

• Best for: Tech-savvy users who want a feature-rich, highly flexible system with excellent smart home compatibility, including Apple HomeKit.
• Key features: Manages up to 25 zones. Features include geofencing, weather adaptation, open window detection, and air quality monitoring. Excellent smart home support (Alexa, Google, HomeKit).
• Performance/Results: Tado° excels at automation. Its data-driven approach uses weather forecasts to pre-heat your home more efficiently, and its geofencing is highly reliable. The TRVs are compact, quiet, and feature a clear LED display. For a complete analysis, read our Tado° V3+ Smart Thermostat & TRV Kit: In-Depth UK Review.
• Drawbacks: The key automation features (Auto-Assist) are locked behind a £3.99/month subscription. Without it, the system only sends notifications prompting you to make manual adjustments, which significantly increases the total cost of ownership.
• Ongoing cost/maintenance: A £3.99 monthly subscription is highly recommended to unlock the system's best features. TRVs require battery changes every 1-2 years.

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(Approx. £180 for starter kit; TRVs approx. £60 each)

 

Drayton Wiser (Fully Expanded System): The Pragmatic Powerhouse

 

 

• Best for: Homeowners looking for powerful, subscription-free multi-zone heating that offers exceptional value for money.
• Key features: Manages up to 16 zones with 32 devices. Supports efficient OpenTherm boiler modulation. Simple, intuitive app and 'twist-to-boost' function on the TRVs.
• Performance/Results: Wiser delivers the core benefit of premium multi-zone heating—saving money by not heating empty rooms—at a fraction of the cost of its rivals. It is a robust, reliable system from a trusted UK-based company. Its "heat on demand" function works perfectly, allowing any room to call for heat from the boiler.
• Drawbacks: The hardware design is functional rather than stylish; the TRVs lack a digital display. The app is less polished than premium competitors, and the system's wireless range can be a challenge in larger homes without a signal booster.
• Ongoing cost/maintenance: None. There are no subscription fees for any features. TRVs require battery changes every 1-2 years.

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(Approx. £220-£250 for a multi-room kit including two TRVs)

 

Buying Guide: Choosing Your High-End System

Investing in a premium system requires a clear plan. Follow these steps to ensure you choose the right high-end solution that matches your home, your boiler, and your budget perfectly.

 

Step 1: Map Your Home's Heating Zones

First, determine exactly what you need to control. Walk through your home and count the number of radiators in rooms that need independent schedules.

• For most UK homes (e.g., 3-4 bedrooms, 6-10 radiators): A fully expanded Drayton Wiser or Tado° V3+ system provides more than enough power and flexibility.
• For large, complex properties (12+ zones, underfloor heating): The Honeywell Evohome is specifically designed for this level of complexity and is the clear choice.

 

Step 2: Verify Your Boiler's Compatibility

Before buying, you must confirm the system will work with your boiler. The most important feature to look for is OpenTherm support, as this unlocks the highest level of energy efficiency.

• Check the boiler itself: Look for the OpenTherm logo on the front panel or casing.
• Consult the manual: Your boiler's documentation will state its compatibility.
• Use our guide: For a detailed walkthrough, refer to our Smart Thermostat Compatibility: A 5-Minute Check for Your Boiler.

 

Step 3: Budget for Professional Installation

While swapping radiator heads with smart TRVs is a simple DIY job, the boiler receiver unit requires mains voltage wiring. For safety and peace of mind, we strongly recommend budgeting an extra £50 - £100 for a qualified heating engineer to perform the installation.

 

Step 4: Calculate the 5-Year Total Cost of Ownership

The initial purchase price is only one part of the equation. A true cost assessment includes:

• Hardware Costs: The price of the starter kit plus the cost of all the extra TRVs you need.
• Subscription Fees: This is a crucial difference. Tado°'s key automation features require a £3.99/month subscription, adding nearly £240 to your costs over five years. Drayton Wiser and Honeywell Evohome have no mandatory subscriptions.
• Running Costs: A minor, ongoing cost for replacing the AA batteries in each TRV every 1-2 years.

Understanding these long-term costs is key to understanding How Smart Heating Actually Saves Money.

 

Decision Table: Which Premium System Fits Your Home?

Use this table to quickly match your primary need to the best system for the job.