Sensi 💵

Sensi’s own site names no first responder discount, so there’s nothing to claim on its side. What does exist is cash back on Sensi orders through Rakuten, which pays you after the purchase tracks instead of lowering the price at checkout. If your shifts mean the house runs on a schedule you’re rarely home to see, a smart thermostat is one of the easier upgrades to price out, and this is how to get something back on it.

Sensi makes smart thermostats. Its thermostats page lists three for homeowners, the Sensi Touch 2 Smart Thermostat, the Sensi Lite Smart Thermostat and the Sensi Smart Thermostat, and each one has an Add to Cart button, so you can buy straight from Sensi’s own site. The site says most Sensi smart thermostat installations take 30 minutes or less, and that the thermostats work with the top smart home platforms, including Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Samsung SmartThings. Sensi’s home page also says the thermostats are manufactured by the experts at Copeland, the maker of HVAC components found in most homes.

How To Get The Sensi First Responder Discount

There’s no discount to claim on Sensi’s side, so there’s no code to find and no verification to complete. Sensi’s home page, its thermostats page, its support page and its legal page don’t mention a first responder, military or community discount. The route that does exist runs through Rakuten, and the steps are short:

1. Create a free Rakuten account if you don’t have one.
2. Search for Sensi in Rakuten’s stores, open its page and choose Shop Now so Rakuten sends you to Sensi’s site.
3. Shop the way you normally would. Pick your thermostat, add it to the cart and check out.
4. Wait for the confirmation. Rakuten says you make a qualifying purchase and it emails you when Cash Back is added to your account.

What Sensi’s Own Pages Show

Four Sensi pages were read for this post: the home page, the thermostats page, the support page and the legal page. None of them names a first responder program. What they do show is open to every shopper. The thermostats page describes the lineup as Energy Star certified and carries a Find Rebates link under a line about taking advantage of local energy rebates, so it’s worth checking whether your utility or city pays something on a qualifying thermostat before you order. That’s a separate benefit from cash back, and it doesn’t depend on your job.

The legal page lists Sensi’s Terms and Conditions of Sale, its Paid Subscription Terms and a warranty table, and for the DIY models in that table the warranty reads 3 years. Read the Terms and Conditions of Sale for return terms before you buy, because that’s where Sensi puts them.

Check Your System Before You Order

The one thing cash back can’t fix is a thermostat that doesn’t fit your equipment. Sensi’s support page answers the question directly: “Sensi thermostats work with most HVAC systems. Please see full compatibility chart.” The thermostats page links the same check under Check compatibility. The support page also has an article on what a common wire is and how you’d know if you have or need one, which is worth a few minutes if you haven’t looked behind your current thermostat in years.

What To Watch With The Cash Back

Rakuten’s Sensi page lists a current cash back figure, and that figure changes, which is why this post doesn’t print one. Check it on the day you order. Rakuten says it pays by PayPal or check as soon as 15 days after your first purchase and quarterly after that, so plan for a wait rather than an instant credit. Start from Rakuten’s page every time you’re ready to buy, because a purchase that begins somewhere else has nothing to track. If you might send a thermostat back because it doesn’t suit your system, look at Rakuten’s terms for how a return affects what you earned before you check out.

If You’re Comparing Thermostats

Google does have a first responder program. It takes a discount at the Google Store through ID.me, and Nest thermostats are inside it. The details, including what the code excludes, are in our Google Nest first responder discount post.

Q&A

Q: Does Sensi have a first responder discount?
A: Sensi’s own pages name none. The route that does exist is cash back through Rakuten.

Q: Can I buy straight from Sensi?
A: Yes. Its thermostats page lists three models, each with an Add to Cart button.

Q: Will a Sensi thermostat work with my heating and cooling system?
A: Sensi’s support page says they work with most HVAC systems and points you to a full compatibility chart. Check it before you order.

Q: Does Sensi work with voice assistants?
A: Its home page says the thermostats work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Samsung SmartThings.

Q: How is cash back different from a discount?
A: A discount lowers the price at checkout. Cash back pays you after the order is confirmed, which is why Rakuten emails you when it’s added to your account.

Q: Is the Rakuten cash back figure fixed?
A: No. Check Rakuten’s Sensi page on the day you order.

More Information:

Sensi’s offers and Rakuten’s figure both change, so check each one before you order. For other smart home savings, browse our tech discounts.