- Top Pick: Honeywell Home X2P Programmable Thermostat, White | RTH20B Single-Stage, 1 Heat/1 Cool Compatibility, 5-2 Day Schedule
- Best Value: Upgraded Multi-Stage Non-Programmable Thermostats for Home 2 Heat/2 Cool, with Temperature & Humidity Monitor and Large Green LCD
- Premium Choice: NonProgrammable Thermostat for Home,Single-Stage Systems,Digital Energy-Saving Thermostat,1 Heat/1 Cool, Easy DIY Install, White Backlight
Anyone who has climbed the stairs on a July evening knows the problem with a two story house: warm air rises, so the upstairs bedrooms drift several degrees away from the hallway where the thermostat hangs. A single wall thermostat reads one spot and makes one decision for the whole system. Choosing the right model is therefore less about gadgets and more about matching your equipment, deciding where the unit will sit, and knowing what it can and cannot balance between floors.
This 2026 guide is for owners swapping a worn-out control in a two story home, whether it runs one system or a separate system per floor. None of the listings below advertise room sensors or zoning, so they are judged on what their titles actually state: stage count, heat pump support, schedule type, and Wi-Fi features. If you have a dual-zone setup, plan on one thermostat per zone and use this list to pick each one.
Quick Picks
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| Product | Best for | Key spec from the title |
|---|---|---|
| Honeywell Home X2P RTH20B | Single-system homes wanting a weekday and weekend schedule | Programmable, 1 Heat/1 Cool, 5-2 day schedule |
| Garystat Multi-Stage | Two-stage heating and cooling equipment | 2 Heat/2 Cool, temperature and humidity monitor |
| Riseem Non-Programmable | Simple DIY swap on a basic system | 1 Heat/1 Cool, easy DIY install, backlight |
| Suuwer Non-Programmable | Conventional single-stage systems | 1 Heat/1 Cool, blue backlight |
| Honeywell Home X2P RTH22B | Heat pump or conventional systems with a flexible schedule | Conventional/heat pump compatibility |
| Sensi Smart ST55 | Adjusting the upstairs setting from a phone | Wi-Fi, DIY, Alexa, efficiency certified |
| Honeywell Home CT30A1005 | Plain manual control | Standard manual economy thermostat |
| Honeywell Home CT33A1009/E1 | Millivolt heating equipment | Economy millivolt, non-programmable |
How to Choose
Confirm your system type and stage count
Look at the label on your furnace, air handler, or current thermostat. Single-stage equipment has one heating step and one cooling step, written 1 Heat/1 Cool. Two-stage equipment, written 2 Heat/2 Cool, needs a thermostat built for it. A heat pump needs a unit that lists heat pump compatibility. Millivolt systems, often wall heaters or gas fireplaces without a transformer, use a separate type of control. Buying the wrong category is the most common reason a replacement will not work.
Think about where the unit will live
In a two story house, the thermostat usually hangs on the main floor, so it reads the lower, cooler level. If the upstairs overheats in summer, a lower setting can overcool the ground floor. Keep the unit away from direct sun, kitchen heat, and supply vents, and on an interior wall at roughly eye level. If you have a second system for the upper level, give it a thermostat of its own on that floor instead of sharing one.
Pick a schedule style that fits your habits
A 5-2 day schedule sets one pattern for weekdays and another for the weekend. A flexible schedule offers more periods per day. Non-programmable units hold one setting until you change it, which suits households that are home most of the time or prefer direct control. A Wi-Fi unit lets you adjust from bed or while away, which helps when the second floor needs a different setting at night. Ignore extras you will not use.
Know where budget models cut corners
Entry-level controls tend to skip remote access, voice assistants, and detailed scheduling. Some offer a backlit display but few other conveniences. Check the wiring: DIY installs usually need a common wire for powered units, so photograph the old wiring before removal. A humidity readout, as on the Garystat, is a monitor only, so it does not replace a dehumidifier. Efficiency-certified marks on a smart model describe the product category, not how well it balances two floors.
The 8 Best Options
Honeywell Home X2P RTH20B
A programmable model for homes with single-stage equipment. Its title lists 1 Heat/1 Cool compatibility and a 5-2 day schedule, which gives weekday and weekend patterns. It suits a family whose routine is steady, with the house warm in the morning and cooler overnight. On a two story layout, the schedule can also pre-cool a little earlier on summer afternoons so the upper floor is less of a heat trap by bedtime.
- Strength: Programmable schedule with separate weekday and weekend programs.
- Strength: A well-known name in thermostats, with a clear model number to match against manuals.
- Trade-off: Single-stage only, so it will not run two-stage equipment.
Skip it if your system is two-stage, if you want phone control, or if the house has a heat pump that this model’s title does not cover.
Garystat Multi-Stage Non-Programmable
This is the pick for two-stage systems. The title shows 2 Heat/2 Cool support, a temperature and humidity monitor, and a large green LCD. There is no schedule, so you set the temperature and it holds that level until you change it. For a house with a larger two-stage system, that match matters more than any extra feature.
- Strength: Handles 2 Heat/2 Cool equipment that single-stage models cannot.
- Strength: The humidity readout helps you see how damp the main floor feels.
- Trade-off: Non-programmable, so no automatic night or away settings.
Skip it if you want scheduled temperature changes, or if your equipment is the common single-stage type and the second stage would sit unused.
Riseem Non-Programmable Digital Thermostat
A basic digital control for single-stage systems. The title mentions 1 Heat/1 Cool, easy DIY install, a white backlight, and an energy-saving design. It is a sensible way to replace an aging dial on the second-floor system of a home with two units. The listing keeps the feature set small, which leaves fewer settings to confuse guests or teenagers.
- Strength: Easy DIY install, according to the title.
- Strength: Backlit display is readable in a dim hallway.
- Trade-off: No schedule and no connected features.
Skip it if you have a two-stage or heat pump setup that the title does not list, or if you expect weekly programming.
Suuwer Non-Programmable Thermostat
Built for conventional single-stage systems, with 1 Heat/1 Cool support and a blue backlight. It follows the same simple formula as the Riseem: set a temperature and leave it. For an upstairs zone that only needs one steady setting, that can be enough. The title calls out conventional single-stage systems, so check your equipment label against that wording before ordering.
- Strength: Straightforward 1 Heat/1 Cool match for conventional equipment.
- Strength: Backlight makes the display visible at night.
- Trade-off: No programming, so every change is manual.
Skip it if you want a timed schedule or if your system is a heat pump, since the title does not list heat pump support.
Honeywell Home X2P RTH22B
The more flexible sibling of the RTH20B. The title lists conventional and heat pump compatibility plus a flexible schedule. That broader compatibility makes it a good fit for homes that use a heat pump, particularly in milder climates where one is common in two story construction. With a flexible schedule, the same unit can follow different patterns for early mornings and late evenings.
- Strength: Works with conventional and heat pump systems.
- Strength: Flexible schedule gives more control over daily patterns.
- Trade-off: The title does not mention Wi-Fi, so changes happen at the wall.
Skip it if you want app control or have a two-stage furnace, because neither is listed in the title.
Sensi Smart Thermostat ST55
This is the only connected model in the group, listing Wi-Fi, DIY installation, Alexa support, and efficiency certification. For a two story home, the draw is adjusting the setting from anywhere in the house instead of walking downstairs, which suits households where the upstairs warms up late in the evening. Alexa support also means a voice request can replace a trip to the hallway wall.
- Strength: Wi-Fi control and Alexa compatibility.
- Strength: DIY install design listed in the title.
- Trade-off: The title mentions no room sensors, so it still reads one location.
Skip it if you lack a reliable home network, want a plain wall control, or expect it to read the temperature of an upstairs bedroom.
Honeywell Home CT30A1005 Manual Economy
The simplest control here, listed as a standard manual economy thermostat in an almond color. It is for owners who want a familiar adjust-by-hand device with no menus, perhaps for a guest suite or a seasonal space. Its listing is short on features, which is the point: there is little to set up and little that can go wrong.
- Strength: Manual operation with nothing to program.
- Strength: Almond color is an option for walls where white would stand out.
- Trade-off: No schedule, display features, or connectivity listed.
Skip it if you want digital readouts, scheduling, or any kind of remote adjustment from another floor.
Honeywell Home CT33A1009/E1 Millivolt
A specialty model: the title lists an economy millivolt non-programmable thermostat in white. Millivolt controls pair with equipment such as certain gas heaters, so this is a narrow-use choice. In a two story house it may fit a single heater serving one level. Because the control is non-programmable, the person living on that floor sets the comfort level by hand.
- Strength: Designed for millivolt heating equipment.
- Strength: Simple operation without a schedule to learn.
- Trade-off: Not meant for standard central air systems.
Skip it if your home has a typical furnace and air conditioner, since central air is not what this control is described for.
Which One Fits Your Situation
One system serving both floors, steady weekday routine
The Honeywell Home X2P RTH20B fits when your equipment is single-stage. Its 5-2 day schedule can lower the setting while the house is empty and raise it before the family returns.
Heat pump upstairs and downstairs
Go with the Honeywell Home X2P RTH22B, since its title lists heat pump compatibility along with a flexible schedule. Confirm your wiring before ordering.
Upstairs always warmer, and you want to adjust remotely
The Sensi Smart ST55 lets you change settings from a phone. It cannot sense the upstairs temperature, so pair it with fans or vent adjustments for real balance.
Two-stage equipment or a basic like-for-like swap
Pick the Garystat for 2 Heat/2 Cool systems. For plain single-stage replacement with minimal fuss, the Riseem or the Suuwer does the job.
Common Mistakes
- Ordering before checking whether the equipment is single-stage, two-stage, or a heat pump.
- Mounting the unit in a hallway near a supply vent or in direct sun.
- Expecting one thermostat to even out the temperature gap between floors.
- Skipping a photo of the old wiring before disconnecting it.
- Buying a millivolt control for a standard central air system.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can one thermostat keep both floors comfortable?
Only partly. It senses the temperature where it is mounted, so the other floor can still run warmer or cooler. Airflow adjustments or a second zone with its own thermostat do more than any single control.
Where should the thermostat go in a two story home?
Most owners mount it on an interior wall of the main floor, away from vents, windows, and kitchens. If the bedrooms matter most, a spot closer to them can shift the balance.
Do I need a programmable model?
Not necessarily. Programmable units help when the house is empty on a regular schedule. If someone is home most days, a simple non-programmable model is easier to live with.
Will a smart thermostat work with any system?
Not automatically. Wiring and system type matter, so compare your existing wire labels and equipment against the manufacturer’s compatibility guidance before buying.
