10 Best RV Thermostats: Brand Buying Guide & Reviews

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Last Updated on October 7, 2024 by Paul Clayton

10 Best RV Thermostats: Brand Buying Guide & Reviews

Consider yourself lucky if you’ve never been in an RV without a working thermostat. It’s the last thing you want to experience, especially on the road. Take it from people who have gone through it.

Key Takeaways:

1. 1. Thermostat Features: Before purchasing a thermostat for your RV, identify the features you need—basic temperature control or more advanced options like app connectivity and automation.
   2. Thermostat Types: There are four types—analog (basic and affordable), electronic (precise control), programmable (automatic settings), and communicating (smart thermostats with remote control capabilities). The best choice depends on your specific needs and preferences.
   3. Manufacturer and Accessibility: Products made in different regions adhere to various regulations. U.S.-made thermostats generally comply with stricter standards, but other areas might offer more affordable options with similar quality.
   4. Quality and Warranty: Research customer reviews to assess product quality. Avoid relying solely on manufacturer descriptions. A good warranty offers peace of mind and protection against potential issues.
   5. Installation and Replacement: You can purchase RV thermostats online from retailers like Amazon and CampingWorld and local stores like Home Depot or Walmart. Professional installation is recommended for beginners, but those with experience can opt for a DIY approach to save on costs.

Imagine spending a whole day on the road in an enclosed space whose temperature almost mimics the outside. It’s hell on earth. If that road’s burning, your RV will feel like an oven slowly cooking you inside. It’s not a pleasant experience and certainly not something you’d want to go through in your travels.

So, here’s what you can do: Get a good thermostat. It might seem like a small, insignificant tool, but it would greatly help you. With a trusty thermostat, you’ll never have to experience a day like that. They are essential to RVs and will largely affect your trip and your experience on the road.

If you are unsure how to start looking for a thermostat, this article can teach you what you need to know. Below are detailed reviews of the top thermostats in the market and their advantages and disadvantages. We’ve also included a list of factors to consider when deciding which thermostat will work best with your RV. After reading this article, you will know enough about getting a good thermostat.

THE BEST RV THERMOSTATS

Here is your thermostat hall of farmers. Each product has a unique trait that sets it apart from the others. We’ll review them here in as much detail as possible so you’ll know what makes them good and if they will work for your RV.

THE BEST RV THERMOSTATS OF THE YEAR  

1. Coleman

The first thermostat we’ll review is from Coleman, a manufacturer known for its quality products and fantastic service. Coleman prioritizes customer satisfaction and has never failed to deliver its products. This model, the RV camper, embodies all the great features that made Coleman famous in the industry.

The thermostat allows you to control the speed of its fans and the intensity of the heat or cold in your vehicle. The product enjoyed great reviews when it was first released and continues to impress customers with its simplicity and effectiveness. Despite its mid-range price, its impressive performance made it a well-preferred thermostat.

As a testament to its dedication to its customers, Coleman offers professional installation when you order a product. It truly wants to help you maximize the products you purchase from it.

If you judge this product based on the opinions of the customers who own it, you can say it’s a wholesome and quality thermostat. There are almost no bad reviews about it. Everyone is satisfied and impressed with its performance.

The only downside is that it’s an analog type. If you are unfamiliar with the types of thermostats, a portion near the bottom of the article fully explains each type.

The point is that analogs are outdated and disappearing fast. They’re the thermostat version of floppy disks. The others are more feature-packed and can deliver faster and more accurate results.

So why go for this one? The price. It’s incredibly cheap and has a good record of serving its customers well. This thermostat can do wonders for your RV’s temperature, even for an analog.

Please exercise caution when purchasing this product. Some customers have had issues with the product’s warranty, and Coleman has done nothing to address the problem and help the people involved.

However, don’t let this dissuade you from checking out the product. Only a few customers had the problem, and the rest were happy about the RV Camper’s performance.

Pros

• Cheap
• Made in the US
• Great performance
• It gives you the freedom over heat and cold inside your RV
• Comes with expert installation for a small price.

Cons

• It’s analog
• Warranty problems with Coleman, the manufacturer.

2. Atwood 38453

This next thermometer is also analog. Atwood, a well-known thermostat manufacturer in the industry, makes it. More than two of their products made this list. You can expect high-quality and excellent performance from products made by this company.

To show its commitment to customer satisfaction, Atwood is very generous with its warranties. So far, no customers have come forward with complaints against the company and the legalities surrounding its products.

The Atwood 38453’s best feature is its easy installation. It takes under 30 minutes to complete, and some customers even reported completing it in less than half that time. This is convenient, especially for beginners.

Being an analog type, it’s incredibly cheap. Of course, you shouldn’t expect any special features from it. You’ll get what you paid for. This is just a fully functioning analog thermostat, nothing more, nothing less.

Its one redeeming quality is its incredible reliability. You can trust this thermostat to deliver every reading and result it promised. It may not be that overly impressive, but it’s efficient. It won’t let you down.

This thermostat has only two disadvantages. The biggest one is that it’s an analog type. Analog thermostats get the job done, but they’re outdated. The other thermostats can give you better results and more control over your RV’s temperature.

The other disadvantage is that it can only control heat. Unless you have an RV that needs heat control, this might not be the thermostat for you.

Still, it’s a quality thermostat. If you only need to regulate the heat in your vehicle, this is the best product on the market. At least try to check it out before crossing it off your list.

Pros

• Works many types of RV
• Very cheap
• Generous Warranty
• Easy installation

Cons

• It’s analog
• It can only control heat.

3. Suburban 161154

The following product we’ll review is the Suburban 161154. It’s a simple analog thermostat designed for ease of use. Like most analogs, it lacks impressive add-on features, but you can bank on its reliability and durability.

This product is cheap, but I don’t think that its performance is also as low as its price. It’s the opposite. This thermometer can perform just as well, if not better, than the top analog thermostat in the market. Its manufacturer was dedicated to developing effective, affordable thermostats for budget-conscious customers.

The Suburban 161154 truly delivers on all of its promises. There haven’t been any customer complaints about its performance or its durability. Everyone who bought this product seems impressed with its efficiency.

One of its best features is its easy installation. The manufacturer developed this product with convenience in mind. Even beginners would find the entire process easy. You shouldn’t have any problems getting it to work on your RV. However, if you’re cautious and want that installation done right, you could also avail of professional installation services from Suburban. They don’t charge much for it. At least, you’ll have peace of mind that it would 100% work.

One of its most significant downsides is that it can only control heat. It won’t work for everyone. Maintaining the cold inside your vehicle is essential, especially in winter.

If you’re one of those spontaneous RVers who travel in different seasons, this might now work for you. However, this is as good as it gets if you only need control over the heat. This is the cheapest best-performing heat analog thermostat in the market. You’ll have a hard time finding a better and more affordable alternative.

Pros

• Cheapest one here
• It comes with expert installation for a small price
• Great Performance

Cons

• It’s analog
• It can only control heat.

4. Micro-Air

The following product is from the famous thermostat maker Micro-Air. You might have heard of them. They make all kinds of thermostats and thermometers, some of which you can find in drugstores. This company has an excellent reputation for producing quality devices. In this article, they have more than one thermostat.

This thermostat can control both furnaces and air conditioners so that you can control your vehicle’s internal temperature.

This product has many fans. It’s not one of those thermostats whose Amazon page has bad reviews. It’s the opposite. People who bought it seem to be happy with its performance. If we’re going by other people’s reviews, this product will be the best analog thermostat in the market, if not the best.

In terms of installation, you shouldn’t have difficulty getting it to work on your RV. Some customers swear they could hook it up in under 10 minutes. It’s easy enough. However, if you’re a beginner and unsure if you can do it, it’s best to get professional help. It will be much more expensive to destroy this one while trying to install it. Then you’ll have to buy another one.

If you’re worried about how much this great product will cost you, chill. Although it’s a little more expensive than average analogs, it’s not far off. You can get it for a fair price, but despite all these, it’s still an analog. You’d get better results and far more advanced features with the newer types of thermostats. However, if you’re only looking for a cheap but good thermostat that will allow you to control the temperature in your vehicle, then this one will do.

Micro-Air outdid themselves with this product. They made a digital thermostat appealing to a market spoiled by feature-packed analog ones. This is the best digital thermostat that you could ever get your hands on.

Sadly, it’s not for all types of RVs. If you think this could be the thermostat for you, search online to see if it works on your RV. If it can, you’re lucky, but if it can’t, you’ll have to keep looking.

Pros

• It can give you control over the furnace and Air Conditioner
• Warranty
• Cheap
• Great Performance

Cons

• It’s digital
• Not for every RV type

5. Honeywell

Here’s another one from Honeywell: a digital thermostat that uses the best modern technology to give you more accurate temperature readings. Over 16 thousand reviews equal 4.5 stars. You can trust this digital device to deliver outstanding results and enhance your experience on the road.

If you think that just because it’s digital, it would have all sorts of cool features, then you’re wrong. This thermostat can do the same thing analogs can, only more precisely.

This isn’t for you if you want a thermostat with many features. However, if you need one that can do the job well, then check this one out. This thermostat can control both the heat and the cold in your vehicle. Unlike analogs, whose numbers are estimated, this electronic thermostat lets you input your desired temperature down to the last point.

Plus, it’s cheap—not as expensive as you’d expect it to be. Coleman once again did their customers a solid by offering such a high-quality product at an affordable price.

The Digital RV has a sensor that can detect even a point change in the temperature in your vehicle. Once it is determined that the current temperature is not at the specific point that you want it to be, it will automatically open your furnace or your air conditioner and make the necessary changes. You can either go with this or with analogs, which make changes when the temperature reaches 15 points down or up to what you want it to be. You’d be dead by then. This is the better option.

Sadly, this product isn’t for all types of RVs. It’s easy to install, though. You don’t need a professional to come and help you do it. You can figure it out yourself, even if you’re a beginner.

Don’t try to force this thermostat into RVs that cannot be equipped. You’ll damage both this product and your RV.

One slight downside to this product is its fans. Some noted that there’s little to no difference between the fans’ speeds when the thermostat is set to low or high. For some RVers, this might not even be a problem, but for others, it can be very inconvenient. It’s best to check if this problem affects you a lot before buying this thermostat.

Honeywell makes excellent products, and I will indeed purchase this one. It’s a great replacement for your current one and would greatly help you.

Pros

• It can give you control over the furnace and Air Conditioner
• Digital
• Fair price
• Easy installation

Cons

• Fan speed issues

6. Dometic Single Zone LCD

As promised, here’s another product from the manufacturer Dometic. The RV Air Conditioner Single Zone LCD is a great programmable thermostat that will make your trips more convenient and enjoyable. Knowing Dometic makes it, you’re guaranteed its quality and its performance.

This thermostat gives you absolute control over your RV’s internal temperature. You can choose from three fan speeds, whichever best suits your needs in a given climate.

To improve the user experience, this product has a monitor screen where you can see anything and everything about your RV’s current temperature. It also has an automatic fan feature that you can set to give the thermostat freedom to change the fan speeds. That way, you’ll never have to keep changing it to keep the temperature bearable. The thermostat will automatically set the fan to whichever speed can keep the room temperature to the digits you dictated.

Plus, this product comes with a two-year warranty. So don’t worry about your money; Dometic ensures you’ll get the most out of it before you need another thermostat.

With all of those features, it’s easy to see why this product made this least. Sadly, those features come at a terrible price. They do. This model is the most expensive here. You might be surprised at how outrageous it costs. However, this is the best option if you want a great thermostat and are not concerned about the budget.

Another major letdown is that it can only replace Dometic products. Like the previous item, the manufacturer made this product to upgrade their other products. Before you even think about buying it, check your RV and hope the thermostat is Dometic.

Pros

• It has a Display monitor with its light
• Automatic fan feature
• Generous two-year warranty
• Choose from three fan speeds
• Backup memory in case of a sudden loss of power.

Cons

• Pricey
• It can only serve as a replacement for other Dometic thermostats

7. Emerson Sensi Touch

The following product is also an electronic type thermostat. It can control your room temperature by connecting to your Air conditioners. Unfortunately, it can only adjust the heat inside your RV, but its incredible specifications are worth mentioning.

Unlike most thermostats on this list, this one doesn’t choose the vehicle. It can work with almost all RVs, so you shouldn’t have any problem making it work on yours. It’s easy to install, and you can do it without professional help.

One of this product’s best features is its design. It’s a small, compact device that easily blends in with your vehicle. You can install it anywhere inside your RV. It won’t look out of place or make that corner look bad.

Another great plus for this product is its excellent customer service. You can see glowing reviews for them on every page on which this product is sold. This is a real treat for customers. Imagine the peace of mind you can get from knowing that whatever happens, the company you bought the product from will ensure you can make the most of it.

Great reviews also praise the product and its performance. You’ll never regret buying this thermostat. It’s a great product.

This should be on your list if you ever need a heat-only electric thermostat. It’s a high-quality product worthy of your time and money.

The only downside is that its temperature readings are a little off. This shouldn’t bother you much since it won’t greatly affect its performance or the overall temperature of your room. It’s a minor thing compared to its many, many great features.

Pros

• Fair Price
• Easy installation
• Nice design
• Can work with any RV
• Amazing Customer service

Cons

• It can only control heat.
• Temperature readings are slightly off

8. Honeywell TH5110D1006

The next one is a Honeywell TH5110D1006. It’s an electronic type thermostat that’s durable, versatile, and efficient. It would be a great help to you and your RV.

One of its best features is its all-around function. Although this product is made for RVs, you can use it inside your house. No other models on the market have this feature, partly because this product is unique.

It can access both your air conditioner and your furnace. You’ll be able to control the overall temperature of your RV. Plus, it has one of those professional install packages. You can add a little more for a professional installation.

Aside from that, this product is not that expensive. You can get this thermostat for slightly more than analog types despite being electronic. However, it won’t give you lousy performance just because it’s cheap. This thermostat can give everyone here a run for their money. It’s as good as any of them and can serve you well.

Like all electronic thermostats, this one lets you input the exact temperature you want the room to be at. This feature makes electronics superior to analogs.

The only problem with this product is its short lifespan. It wasn’t made to last very long, hence the price. Since it’s that cheap, you can buy another one after it wears out. It seems like a lot of work, but given its price and features, it’s still worth it.