The 13 Best Google Home Devices of 2023
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Start your smart home setup with one of these Google devices
The Spruce / David Hattan
Google Home is a smart home ecosystem with a vast selection of compatible devices, all able to work together on the platform to add connected convenience to your daily life. Whether it's a smart speaker or a light, a thermostat or garage door opener, a Google Nest product or not, any smart gadget that supports Google Home (or Matter) gives you the power of voice commands, remote access, and automation through the Google Home app on your mobile device.
"The main thing that sets Google Home’s ecosystem apart from others is that if you have an Android phone, you’re probably already used to interacting with it," says smart home expert Marlon Buchanan, author of "The Smart Home Manual" and founder of HomeTechHacker.com. "Android phones come with Google Assistant, which powers the Google Home ecosystem. That means Google Home is with you wherever you and your phone go."
To help narrow down the options, we researched Google's own Google Nest smart home line to learn which devices can form the core of a high-tech household. We compared costs, features, compatibility, and other key factors to come up with this list of the top Google Home devices for your smart home.
Best Overall: Google Nest Hub 2nd Gen
What We Like
Touchscreen display for videos and camera feeds
Built-in smart speaker functionality
Unique sleep tracking features
What We Don't Like
Not the biggest, sharpest screen
No camera for making video calls
Not the most powerful audio
What's a better launching point for your Google Home system than a device that serves as a central control panel for everything else? The Google Nest Hub is, at its core, a smart display that connects to your home Wi-Fi network and lets you watch videos and display photos on its 7-inch touchscreen. Its capabilities really open up, though, when you sync up other Google Home gadgets. With extra gadgets, you can check the feed from security cameras or video doorbells. You can even control thermostats, smart lighting, or other device settings. Plus, with its ability to serve as a controller for Matter devices, it will work with any and all products equipped for the new universal wireless standard.
The Nest Hub doubles as a smart speaker as well, playing music or podcasts or making audio (not video) calls. While the sound quality won't match up to a premium dedicated speaker system, its three long-range microphones work great for picking up voice commands for Google Assistant. Just say "Hey Google" and ask it to give you the news or weather, set timers, dim your smart lights, or make adjustments to any connected devices. "If you use other Google services like YouTube TV and Google Photos, you’ll find much better integrations with the Google ecosystem than any other ecosystem, says Buchanan. “Google Photos combined with a Google Nest Hub is the best and most powerful digital photo frame you can have."
A new feature added in this second iteration of the product is Sleep Sensing. Set the display by your bedside and it tracks your breathing, snoring, and any light and temperature changes in your room, providing reports of your sleep patterns in the morning. Combined with its gradually brightening sunrise alarm and options for soothing bedtime sounds, the device makes for an excellent nightstand companion.
Price at time of publish: $100
Dimensions: 4.7 x 7.0 x 2.7 inches | Power Supply: Power cord | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
What is Matter?
Matter is an open-source connectivity standard for smart home and internet devices. It allows you to connect devices across different platforms and smart home ecosystems. It's also especially useful for homes that have multiple smart devices that don’t currently connect to each other (like an Amazon Echo device and a Google Nest Hub).
Best Budget: Google Nest Mini 2nd Generation
What We Like
Good voice recognition for Google Assistant
Decent 360-degree sound for the size
Compact, versatile design
What We Don't Like
Not the most powerful audio
No 3.5mm audio port
No battery for wireless operation
To take full advantage of hands-free voice commands in your smart home, you'll want devices with built-in Google Assistant to interact with throughout your house, and the Google Nest Mini offers a cost-effective way to do that. As the company's smaller smart speaker, available in a handful of color options, it fits in well just about anywhere, including being mounted on a wall. You'll just need to keep it plugged in since there's no battery-powered option. Wherever it ends up, its three microphones and accurate voice recognition do a nice job of picking up voice commands and responding with answers or controlling your Google Home or Matter devices.
In terms of audio quality, the second-generation model doubles the bass output from the original, but the compact speaker won't be blowing listeners away. It supports Spotify, YouTube Music, and many other services for playing back music, internet radio, podcasts, and news. You also have the option to connect over Bluetooth to pipe in audio directly from your phone or other Bluetooth-compatible sources. What it lacks compared to some of Amazon's Echo smart speakers, though, are a wired audio jack and the option for a clock display.
Price at time of publish: $50
Dimensions: 1.65 x 3.85 x 3.85 inches | Power Supply: Power cord | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Best Splurge: Google Nest Hub Max
What We Like
Large display for videos and camera feeds
Camera for video calls
Strong-sounding smart speaker
What We Don't Like
Not the sharpest resolution
No Sleep Sensing features
If you're looking for an upgraded control hub for your Google Home smart gadgets, the Google Nest Hub Max warrants consideration as the brand's premium smart display. For more than twice the price of the base-level Nest Hub, you get a larger, 10-inch touchscreen, offering a better entertainment experience when watching videos. However, the display's modest 1280 x 800 pixel resolution won't be replacing your big screen TV, but it's more than enough for multitasking in the kitchen, not to mention as an interface for managing your smart home. The Nest Hub Max also adds a 6.5-megapixel wide-angle camera that makes it capable of video conferencing and serving as a noise/motion-activated camera within your Nest security setup.
The Nest Hub Max represents a significant step up on the speaker front, too. It delivers commendably powerful audio for a smart display, via a pair of forward-facing stereo speakers and 3-inch woofer in the back. Importantly, it's also great at hearing and understanding what you're saying to Google Assistant, making it easy to control your compatible Google Home (or Matter-enabled) devices.
Price at time of publish: $230
Dimensions: 7.19 x 9.85 x 3.99 inches | Power Supply: Power cord | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Best Hub: Google Nest WiFi Pro
What We Like
Speedy mesh network with Wi-Fi 6E
Support for Matter and Thread devices
Manage settings through Google Home app and voice
Appealing design for a router
What We Don't Like
No built-in smart speaker
It might not be as interactive or entertaining as other types of smart gadgets, but the surprisingly stylish Google Nest Wifi Pro can still play a critical role in your smart home configuration. Using mesh Wi-Fi technology, you can set up multiple routers for stronger connections across a large space, and tri-band Wi-Fi 6E gives you the new six gigahertz (GHz) band for fast, uncluttered internet on supported devices. In addition to naturally serving as an optimal network for Google Home products, the Nest Wifi Pro functions as a hub for Matter, as well as low-energy Thread wireless. That means any devices with those technologies will be fully compatible with your system.
You can access the router's full, easy-to-use settings on the Google Home app, including guest access and parental controls. You can even issue voice commands from your phone or other devices with Google Assistant. But while previous Nest Wifi models had built-in smart speaker functionality, the Nest Wifi Pro itself does not (and it isn't backward compatible with those older routers). You'll have to rely on your other Google Home devices to hear voice commands and talk back to you.
Price at time of publish: $200
Dimensions: 5.12 x 4.61 x 3.35 inches | Power Supply: Power cord | Connectivity: Wi-Fi
Best Video Doorbell: Google Nest Doorbell 2nd Gen
What We Like
Remotely accessible video feed
Smart detection and alerts
Continuous recording available
Sleek design with color options
What We Don't Like
Nest Aware subscription needed for full features
Today's camera-equipped smart doorbells do much more than announce guests, providing security and peace of mind for the front of your home. Google's Nest Doorbell comes in a wireless battery-powered version, but we like the hardwired model for its continuous power and a few extra features. While installing the wired doorbell is more involved, it's more compact and costs the same upfront as the battery-powered alternative. Both cameras cover a tall, 145-degree-diagonal field of view, at a resolution of 960 x 1280 pixels up to 30 frames per second. Combined with infrared night vision, it doesn't miss much.
You can always call up a live feed on your phone, web browser, or a smart display like the Nest Hub, and you can talk back and forth with whoever's there. When not actively watching, intelligent detection technology picks up on motion and the presence of people, vehicles, and even animals. You'll be alerted to these detection events, and they're saved to your event history. The wired doorbell also offers 24/7 continuous recording, but only through the Nest Aware Plus plan for $12 a month. The plan saves the last 10 days of recordings, plus 60 days of event history. You get 30 days of events with the basic $6 per month Nest Aware plan, or the default settings are the last three hours for free. The paid plans also allow for custom detection zones, more fine-tuned notifications, package detection, and "familiar face" alerts that recognize people the camera has seen before.
Price at time of publish: $180
Dimensions: 5.2 x 1.7 x 1.1 inches | Power Supply: Hardwired | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Best Camera: Google Nest Cam
What We Like
Remotely accessible video feed
Smart detection and alerts
Easy to install and recharge
Weatherproof for outdoor use
What We Don't Like
Nest Aware subscription needed for full features
Indoor stand and outdoor cables sold separately
You can set up a robust smart security system that operates through Google Home, and the battery-powered indoor/outdoor Nest Cam is great hardware to start with. It comes with mounting plates for simple cord-free wall installation, with a magnetic base for easy repositioning and recharging. You can also purchase a separate stand accessory if you prefer to keep it on an indoor surface. For outdoor use, the device is weatherproof with an ingress protection rating of IP54, meaning it's protected against dust and splashing water, and you can opt to buy weatherproof cables to avoid having to take it down regularly for recharging. The battery has a listed three-month lifespan with typical use.
The camera itself uses a two-megapixel sensor with a wide 130-degree field of view and records up to 30 frames per second at 1080p HD resolution. It's solid video quality for a security camera, with 20 feet of black-and-white night vision as well. It supports 6x digital zoom while you're watching the feed and two-way talk through the unit. Like with the Nest Doorbell, the Nest Cam sends alerts when it senses motion or detects people, vehicles, and pets. Access to recorded footage is similarly plan-based: three hours of event history is free, raised to 30 days with a Nest Aware subscription, and 60 days plus 10 days of continuous recording history added with Nest Aware Plus (if you keep the device plugged in).
Price at time of publish: $180
Dimensions: 3.27 x 3.27 x 3.27 inches | Power Supply: Rechargeable battery, optional power cord | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Best Smart Light Bulb: Wyze Bulb Color
What We Like
Gets quite bright and quite dim
Multicolor and tunable white light
Sold in packs as well
What We Don't Like
Limited Google Assistant control
No advanced color effects
Smart lighting is an area where Google hasn't made its own products, but plenty of the best smart bulbs are Google-compatible. The Wyze Bulb Color is a case in point. The energy-efficient LED bulb dims as low as 30 lumens and maxes out at 1100 lumens, brighter than most color smart bulbs. Its white light color temperature ranges from a warm, cozy 1800 Kelvin to a cool, daylight-like 6500 Kelvin. It's also capable of a full range of 16 million colors that can be assigned to preset scenes. You can control all these settings using your phone or voice; just make a simple connection to your Wi-Fi network or to a nearby device via Bluetooth.
The Wyze Bulb Color doesn't have the complex color effects and animations you see on more premium smart lights like the Philips Hue line, but those require the separate Hue Bridge to unlock the full set of features, in addition to the considerably higher price points. The Wyze bulbs are more affordably priced, including bundles of up to four in a pack. You can then use the Wyze app to group the bulbs and control them together or individually, including detailed automations like sleep routines and vacation mode to make it look like you're home. Using your voice through Google Assistant, though, limits you to basic actions like on and off or changing the brightness and color.
Price at time of publish: $26 for 2
Dimensions: 5 x 2.5 x 2.5 inches | Power Supply: Light bulb socket | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Best Smart Plug: TP-Link Tapo P125M Mini Smart Wi-Fi Plug
What We Like
Very easy to set up and use
Works with Google Home and Matter
Compact size
What We Don't Like
No energy monitoring
May have quirks with new Matter technology
Smart plugs like the TP-Link Tapo P125M are simple gadgets that add a lot of versatility to your home automation. All it essentially does is turn the power on or off to whatever you plug into it (up to 1800W max). But by connecting to Wi-Fi and giving you control over how and when to toggle the power, it lets you turn just about any "dumb" device "smart." Turn a fan on or off from across the room with your phone or voice. Have your lamps or holiday lights kick on at night. Set your coffee maker to start up in the morning and turn off in a few hours. For a low initial investment, you can save on energy costs long term. One thing the Tapo P125M lacks, however, is the ability to monitor the energy use of plugged-in devices, a feature found on plugs within TP-Link's other line of products, Kasa Smart.
As one of the first Matter-enabled devices, the Tapo P125M offers additional unique advantages. It will work not only with Google Home, but also most other leading smart platforms if you decide to make a switch later. It will also continue to work with any other Matter devices in your local area network, even if your internet connection cuts out.
Price at time of publish: $20
Dimensions: 1.5 x 2.4 x 1.3 inches | Power Supply: Wall outlet | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (for setup only)
Best Speakers: Google Nest Audio
What We Like
Strong, balanced sound
Good voice recognition for Google Assistant
Serves as a hub for Matter
What We Don't Like
Not quite the audio quality of premium speakers
No 3.5mm audio port
No battery for wireless operation
For those looking for a smart speaker with more "speaker" to it than our best budget, the Nest Mini, the Nest Audio is worth the extra cost. It's a directional speaker that uses a 3-inch woofer and 0.75-inch tweeter to produce loud, clear sound, well-balanced between lows and highs. It optimizes its sound to the type of media, which could be music, audiobooks, and more from streaming platforms, or straight from your phone via Bluetooth or built-in Chromecast. Audio purists looking for top-tier sound may prefer to stick with a full, dedicated speaker system, but Nest Audio's lower price (compared to full systems) is reasonable for what it delivers. There's also the option to pair two units for stereo playback.
Part of what you're paying for with the Nest Audio, though, is its ability to serve as a Google Home and Matter hub and listen to voice commands, and it excels at those functions as well. Voice match technology allows Google Assistant to distinguish between people in your household, so it can provide info about schedules and tasks specific to that person's account. If you have a Nest Aware plan for home security, the Nest Audio plays its part by listening for unusual sounds like breaking glass while you're away.
Price at time of publish: $100
Dimensions: 6.89 x 4.89 x 3.07 inches | Power Supply: Power cord | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Best Smart Thermostat: Google Nest Learning Thermostat
What We Like
Automated schedules through machine learning
Prioritizes energy savings
Supports separate Nest Temperature Sensors
What We Don't Like
Installation may require extra wiring
Before becoming a part of Google, the Nest brand launched its original smart thermostat in 2011, and the third-generation Nest Learning Thermostat remains a top choice today. While Google's new Nest Thermostat is more economically priced, the Nest Learning Thermostat is richer in both design and features. After at least a week of use, the device starts setting a heating and cooling schedule based on your habits, such as the temperatures you set when you wake up or go to bed. It guides you with ways to save energy and provides regular reports on your usage and savings. Your local energy company may even offer rebates for using a smart thermostat.
You can install a new smart thermostat as a DIY project, but if you're not comfortable with some electrical work or your setup requires new wires to be put in, you'll want to call a professional. Once the unit is mounted and connected to Wi-Fi, you can access your schedules and settings from anywhere with either the Nest app or the Google Home app, and command the thermostat from a separate Google Assistant device. You can also control it manually by turning the iconic circular display, which is higher-resolution and shows more info than the newer non-rotating Nest Thermostat.
Price at time of publish: $250
Dimensions: 3.3 x 3.3 x 1.1 inches | Power Supply: Built-in rechargeable battery | Connectivity: Wi-Fi
Best Smart Lock: Google Nest x Yale Lock with Nest Connect
What We Like
Tamper-proof keyless entry
Connects to Nest app and other devices
Straightforward installation on most doors
Sleek design
What We Don't Like
No backup key
To give homeowners a sense of security to go along with convenience, Google Nest partnered with the trusted lock brand Yale to produce the aptly named Nest x Yale smart lock. The keyless deadbolt is designed to fit most door sizes, with a slick, minimal exterior design that helps it blend nicely on your front door (with a few finishes to choose from). The face stays blank, and the number pad illuminates when you're ready to enter your passcode.
The lock itself doesn't connect to your Wi-Fi network; remote features require a nearby Nest Connect, which ships with the lock from most retailers. This allows for control through the Nest app, where you can lock/unlock your door remotely, view the lock's activity history, and assign temporary codes for guests. You can set it to lock automatically as you leave the house, but for security purposes, there's no way to unlock it based on your location or with voice commands. Google Assistant can lock it, however, as well as sync it up with your smart lights, camera, and thermostat, among other functions.
Price at time of publish: $300
Dimensions: 3.3 x 3.3 x 1.1 inches | Power Supply: 4 AA batteries, wall outlet (for Nest Connect) | Connectivity: Wi-Fi (for Nest Connect)
Best Smart Smoke Alarm: Google Nest Protect Smoke & CO Alarm 2nd Generation
Full Review: The Nest Protect Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Is Smart and User-friendly
What We Like
Good smoke and CO sensing with false alarm detection
Smart connectivity with app and other alarms
Self-testing and battery monitoring
Hardwired and battery options
What We Don't Like
More expensive than traditional smoke alarms
Not meant to last more than 10 years
Interconnected smoke detectors aren't new, but Google's Nest Protect is one of the only full-featured smart smoke and carbon monoxide alarms available at the time of publishing. Being connected to the internet and thus an app and virtual assistant is convenient, but it's also a matter of safety. In an emergency, all connected Nest Protect units in the house will alarm and announce exactly what's happening, and it'll alert your phone wherever you are. For less serious situations, it can warn you to check on the issue, or you can easily cancel a false alarm.
For its core smoke detection, the Nest Protect uses a split-spectrum sensor to pick up on both smoldering and fast-burning fires, with methods for distinguishing steam and harmless cooking smoke—we were impressed by how well it cut back on false alarms. We appreciate that you can easily toggle off the alarm in the app in the case of a false alarm. Plus, the Nest Protect provides a calm audio ‘heads up’ and a push notification from the app when the alarm is about to sound. And you don't have to remember to test it regularly, since it self-checks its sensors and batteries 400 times a day and its alarms and speaker once a month. As a bonus, the center ring glows at night when triggered by motion to help light your way.
Price at time of publish: $119
Dimensions: 5.3 x 5.3 x 1.6 inches | Power Supply: Hardwired or 6 AA batteries | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Best Smart Garage Door Opener: Tailwind iQ3 Smart Automatic Garage Controller Pro
What We Like
App and voice control
Proximity sensor for automatic opening
Wide compatibility with free adapter
What We Don't Like
Wired sensor makes setup more complex
Various accessories may be required in certain situations
The garage door is an overlooked but handy thing to automate, and the Tailwind iQ3 is one of the best smart garage door openers for Google Home users. It works with most types of garage door openers, and the company provides a free adapter if yours is incompatible. Installing the sensor requires some wiring and more effort than with wireless controllers, but the wired configuration does pay off with added reliability.
When the hardware is connected to your garage opener and Wi-Fi network, you can use the Tailwind app to remotely open or close the door and see a history of who opened it and when. You can receive notifications of activity and set the door to close itself if it's been open a while at night. The iQ3's unique feature, though, is being able to automatically open and close when your car is arriving or leaving. This works if you have an Android phone and a Bluetooth-enabled car; if you lack one or the other, you'll need to purchase an extra vehicle sensor.
Price at time of publish: $80
Dimensions: Not listed | Power Supply: Hardwired | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (for automatic opening)
Final Verdict
We recommend our best overall pick, the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) as a focal point for a Google Home setup. It's a touchscreen smart display loaded up with Google Assistant, smart speaker functionality, sleep sensing features, and the forward-looking capability to be a controller for Matter devices. Our best budget pick, the Google Nest Mini is a compact smart speaker that can similarly serve as a voice-activated hub for any Google Home or Matter-compatible products, but at a lower price.
What to Look for in Google Home Devices
Compatibility
Google's own smart home line today carries the Nest branding, so any Google Nest products will be compatible and optimized to run through Google Home. But other companies manufacture a multitude of smart home devices of all types that are also fully compatible—Google Home and Amazon's Alexa are the most commonly supported ecosystems. Just look for packaging that states that it works with Google Home or Google Assistant. The virtual assistant generally comes equipped on Android phones, so there's natural synergy there.
Google Home also joins the other leading smart platforms in the push for universal compatibility through a new connectivity standard called Matter. As companies produce more and more Matter-enabled devices, those products will automatically work with Google Home, as long as you have a Matter-controlling hub like the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) (best overall), the Google Nest Audio (best speakers), or the Google Nest Wifi Pro (best hub).
Functionality
Specific features and functions will depend on the type of device and its purpose around the house, but Google Home products will have some capabilities in common. They'll have settings and controls you can access from the Google Home mobile app, or possibly a separate smart home app if the device is from a third party. They usually have some number of functions you can control through Google Assistant voice commands.
A premium smart display like our best splurge pick, the Google Nest Hub Max, includes many different features and controls for multiple devices, rolled into one product. "I believe the Google Assistant-powered smart displays have more robust features and better interfaces than other ecosystems," says Marlon Buchanan of HomeTechHacker.com. "For example, they have built-in Chromecast and YouTube capabilities."
Price
Prices for Google Home devices vary widely based on the type of product, its level of features, and manufacturer. There are plenty of lower-priced options on the market that work with Google Assistant, with the trade-off that integration with the platform may be limited or less smooth. Google's own Nest products tend to be on the pricier side, though we like our best budget pick, the Google Nest Mini smart speaker for the value it delivers for its cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
What devices will work with Google Home?
Besides the Google Nest smart home lineup, any third-party products that list compatibility with Google Home or Google Assistant will work with the platform. Additionally, any gadgets developed now or in the future under the universal Matter standard will be compatible with Google Home. All you need is one of Google Nest's latest smart displays, smart speakers, or Wi-Fi routers, which include the ability to serve as a hub for Matter devices; no separate Matter controller required.
"These Google Nest hubs support Matter, a new standard for making smart device compatibility ubiquitous," Buchanan says. "Even without Matter, most smart home devices that are controllable with apps also have integrations with Google Home. And, many of the popular smart home hubs (e.g., SmartThings, Hubitat, and Home Assistant) integrate with the Google Home ecosystem."
Do smart devices use a lot of electricity?
While it's true that smart gadgets need to always draw some power in order to kick in at the push of a button or the sound of your voice, it may not add up to as much as you think.
"A lot of people worry about the electricity consumption of Google Home products and smart home devices," says Buchanan. "However, most are efficient energy users. Most Google Nest smart speakers use less than 2 watts (W) on standby, probably costing you no more than a couple of dollars a year. Other products like the Nest Cams use slightly more electricity but can be configured to be in a low-power mode until they sense motion."
Buchanan also points out how home automation can even reduce costs in the long run: "If you use smart switches and smart plugs (Google powered or not) to cut power to vampire devices and automatically turn off lights and other appliances you often leave on, you’ll save more energy than these devices use."
How safe are Google Home devices?
When you have devices with cameras and/or microphones that connect to the internet, the potential for hacking or security breaches is unfortunately going to exist to some degree. Most products have options to manually delete recordings or have them clear out at certain intervals, and you can always avoid camera-equipped devices in sensitive locations or altogether. Otherwise, you count on the security measures of the platform or product and do what you can to keep it at full strength.
"The Google Home ecosystem has similar security capabilities as other popular ecosystems like Apple HomeKit and Alexa," says Buchanan. "Because these devices are cloud-connected, there is always a danger of successful cyberattacks. The best defense for that is using strong passwords for all of your services and keeping the firmware on all of your smart devices and your router up to date."
Why Trust The Spruce?
Anton Galang is a freelance contributor for The Spruce who covers just about any type of object in your home that can be "smart," whether it's lighting, switches, smoke detectors, or blinds. He began writing and editing in the consumer tech space in 2007 as part of PC Magazine and has kept his interests there since. He uses a Google Nest thermostat in his home and Google Assistant on his phone but enjoys trying out a variety of platforms at any opportunity.
In developing this list of Google Home devices, Anton considered dozens of products across core smart home categories. He focused on Google Nest products for their seamless integration with the platform but also researched other brands for compatible alternatives with potentially better value and functionality.
Our Experts:
Marlon Buchanan, home technology specialist and IT director who founded the HomeTechHacker.com website and author of "The Smart Home Manual" and other tech books for homeowners
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Read the original article on The Spruce.
