Tado AI heating system saves 18% on gas bills in two-year test
A Guardian journalist spent two years testing whether AI-powered smart heating could reduce energy costs compared to manual control. The test took place in a 1930s brick house, comparing a basic Hive thermostat with a full Tado X system featuring 13 smart radiator thermostats and AI-driven automation.
What you can do with it
AI at Work →Reduce heating costs with Tado X
What you get You can control room temperatures.
AI manages heating room by room based on usage and occupancy.
- Who for
- founders
- Cost
- paid from £3.99
- Effort
- needs a developer
Use it for
- Reduce heating costs
- Control room temperatures
- Monitor energy usage
How to set it up · From the article
- Install 13 smart radiator thermostats and wireless sensors
- Wire programmer to boiler (requires heating engineer)
- Subscribe to AI features via Tado app
Watch out Requires £930 hardware setup and professional wiring for boiler connection
Key points from the news
- AI-controlled Tado X system used 18% less gas than manual control over 213 days.
- Gas usage dropped from 14,316.7 kWh to 11,735.7 kWh, saving £205.70 at current price cap.
- Full Tado X setup costs about £930, with AI features requiring a £3.99 monthly subscription.
During the winter of 2024, manual control with a basic schedule consumed 14,316.7 kWh of gas over 213 days. After switching to the Tado X system in summer 2025, which uses AI to learn room heating patterns and manage individual radiators, gas usage dropped to 11,735.7 kWh over the same period in 2025-2026. This represented an 18% reduction in energy use, equating to a saving of £205.70 at the current energy price cap.
The Tado system costs about £930 for the full setup, plus a £3.99 monthly subscription for AI features. The AI, built on data from over 1 million homes, automatically adjusts heating based on occupancy and window status. The tester noted that while the house felt warmer and more comfortable, the AI system was significantly more efficient than their previous "miserly" manual approach, suggesting greater savings are possible for less frugal users.
Can AI really save you money on your heating bill? I spent two years testing to find out
The Guardian AI · 7 November 2026
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This text was published by The Guardian AI and written by Samuel Gibbs Consumer technology editor. It is reproduced here with attribution so you can read it in full; the rights remain with the publisher. Read it at the source ↗
The headline, key points and digest above were generated by Digest AI's editorial model from the linked sources. Automated summaries can contain errors: the sources are the record. Spotted a mistake? Tell us. Published by Martin K., who runs Digest AI and handles corrections.
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