The best Google Assistant devices of 2019

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The Google Nest Hub (formerly Home Hub) is a great way to launch a Google-centric smart home. It uses Google Assistant to answer all the same voice commands as a Google Home smart speaker. The touch screen displays additional information when you ask questions about the weather, look for restaurants, etc. Plus, you can use it to watch videos or scroll family photos.

In fact, a unique adaptive brightness sensor makes the Nest Hub a superb digital photo frame, as it adapts to brightness levels and color temperature so that it always looks like a physical photo in a frame. You can set a scrolling slideshow of family photos as a screen saver.

The Nest Hub is also an excellent kitchen assistant, as it can guide you step by step in recipes and allows you to multitask at the same time as you cook. Set a timer, listen to music, add an ingredient to your shopping list, and more. – The Nest Hub will even keep you in the recipe when you need to check it.

All of these features make the Nest Hub useful in many ways, but a simple control panel makes it the best choice for your smart home device. Slide down for shortcuts allowing you to turn off the lights or check your security cameras. You can then press to view a room-by-room preview of all your devices. The control panel is well organized and useful, especially if family members have trouble remembering which voice commands work. Now, they can simply press.

The Nest Hub is our favorite combination of smart screens and regularly on sale at a price still below its reasonable price of $ 130. It's useful even if you do not have a lot of gadgets for the smart home, but it's essential if you want a smart home that works with Google Assistant.

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If you have an extra screen in your home, Google Home Mini is another good starting point for the smart home. Google's smart little speaker offers all the same voice commands compatible with Google Assistant. Control compatible gadgets, search the web, listen to music and more simply by asking.

The Mini is as cute and comes in a variety of colors. At $ 50, it's the cheapest way to launch your smart home without sacrificing voice capabilities. The Mini is also a good secondary device. If you're installing a Google Nest hub in your kitchen, you can install a mini in a different room. Both devices will be able to control all compatible compatible devices you have configured. Even if they both hear you, only the closest will answer.

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Once you've set up the control points with a smart display or smart speaker, it's time to figure out which smart devices you want. A smart bulb is a good start, and C by GE bulbs work particularly well with Google.

These affordable Bluetooth bulbs can use a Google Home device (the Home Mini and Nest Hub will work) as a bridge. You can configure the bulbs from the Google Home app, and then control them from anywhere, as long as the bulb is close to your Google gadget. Better yet, since the light bulb communicates directly with your Google device, the response time is incredibly fast.

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Changing the temperature of your thermostat with a voice command is a cool thing that never really gets old. Many smart thermostats work with Google Assistant. Check out our list of the best smart thermostat for options. Since Google is the owner of Nest, the third-generation Nest Learning Thermostat is an obvious choice, but I'm going to give Ecobee3 Lite the go-ahead.

Ecobee's budget model offers most of the same skills as the more expensive competition, including the $ 250 Nest model. It responds to all the same voice commands and intuitive controls make manual planning easy.

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Smart plugs are a great way to effectively add connectivity to stupid devices. Connect a lamp or a fan and you can control it with an application. The Kasa TP-Link plug-in provides application controls and Google Assistant compatibility. In addition, its design is attractive and does not block adjacent outlets.

It does not monitor energy, but allows you to control an old-fashioned floor fan with your voice for a reasonable price.

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Nest's obvious choice makes more sense here. The $ 300 Nest Cam IQ Indoor Camera is an excellent security camera in its own right. You can view a live stream remotely and get free motion alerts and personal alerts. Sign up for Nest's premium "Nest Aware" service and get alerts based on who's seeing the camera with built-in facial recognition.

Best of all, Nest Cam has a built-in microphone that lets you talk directly to Google Assistant, making it a great choice to secure your home and extend your connectivity with Google.

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The extensive range of SimpliSafe accessories rivals the professional options offered by companies such as ADT. The starter kit costs $ 230. Unfortunately, you have to pay for access to remote applications, but $ 25 a month report this to you, as well as professional supervision.

With the $ 25 monthly subscription, you can also control your system with Google Assistant. Simplisafe devices will respond quickly to your voice commands.

Again, Nest has an option that is a viable alternative. Nest Guard has a higher initial cost, but you can do a lot more without a subscription. Thanks to all its reliable accessories, SimpliSafe stands out from Nest Guard, especially if you want to monitor.

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Speaking of locking your home, the easy-to-install August Pro fits your existing deadbolt. The Connect module allows you to control it remotely and with your voice. You can ask Google Assistant to lock your door.

The August Pro has many features, including an open-close sensor allowing you to make sure you have closed the door before going out. August is responsive and reliable, making the Pro a good choice if you want to let Google Assistant take the input.

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It's a good idea for the favorite video doorbell from Nest Hello. This is the best solution for a Google-centric smart home. Nest Hello has excellent video quality when you want to check the flow of your porch. You will receive an alert when someone rings at the door.

Better yet, if you have the Nest Hub, you can talk to the person at the door with your smart display. Nest Hello even offers facial recognition for a premium subscription. It is compatible with other Google products. This is the smartest and most powerful video doorbell on the market.