Dreyfuss modernized the appearance of Honeywell’s thermostats in the 1930s; among the first was the Chronotherm, which incorporated a “digital” clock into its display. Dreyfuss was frustrated, however, that rectangular thermostats never seemed to hang squarely on the wall. Work began on a round thermostat in 1940. Placing all the elements in a circular form was more difficult than it first seemed; attempts to make a curved thermometer were especially problematic. World War II halted the development program but helped provide technical solutions. The substitution of a bimetallic coiled thermometer and use of a sealed mercury switch eliminated problems with contamination from dust. By 1953, the thermostat was refined into its now-familiar form, refered to simply as the Round. Its low price and ability to fit most situations has made the Round one of Dreyfuss’s most successful designs. His continuing emphasis on ease of use and maintenance, clarity in form and function, and concern for end use helped make Honeywell a leader in the field of controls for both domestic and industrial environments.
Tombstone
Thermostat, "T86 Round". Designed by Henry Dreyfuss, manufactured by Honeywell, Inc., 1953. Gift of Honeywell Inc.. 1994-37-1.
Collection Record
6 thoughts on “The round thermostat”
Squaring Off with Round Tech – Intel Free Press on March 5, 2015 at 2:24 pm
[…] design dating back to 1953. The T-86, otherwise known as “The Round” was designed by Henry Dreyfuss. Earlier thermostats typically had mercury thermometers and some sort of a clock mechanism. In the […]
Carl Schnorr on May 23, 2015 at 3:50 pm
Where can I buy one of these? And how much are they?
Robert on February 10, 2016 at 6:18 pm
Try Amazon. Current versions are about $40.
Squaring Off with Round Tech | Petit News on June 3, 2015 at 5:17 am
[…] by Honeywell’s design dating back to 1953. The T-86, otherwise known as “The Round” was designed by Henry Dreyfuss. Earlier thermostats typically had mercury thermometers and some sort of a clock mechanism. In the […]
Surviving the Winter When You’re a Phoenician on December 28, 2016 at 5:53 pm
[…] you still have the ol’ Honeywell T832 round thermostat, join us here in the 21st century! Have Day & Night Air replace your thermostat with a more […]
The New Leica M10-D Is Delightfully (and Infuriatingly) Old-School | My News on November 7, 2018 at 11:01 am
[…] can be a good thing. The still-excellent Nest thermostat didn’t need to look and adjust like the classic Honeywell thermostat from the 1930s. But when you walk up to a Nest, you know instinctively to turn it clockwise for […]