The Internet of Things promised to allow all of our connected devices to talk to one another. However, things haven’t quite worked out like that. Your smart plug may be able to talk to Alexa, but may not be able to talk to Siri, or vice versa. Amazon probably has the jump on the competition, as the Amazon Echo was the first mainstream smart speaker, and is now compatible with a huge range of smart home gear.
Read more: Best smart thermostat: Compare Nest, Ecobee, Amazon, and more
However, there is also a wide range of smart tech that works with Google Home. If you’re ready to build a smart home around Google, then here are some of the best Google Home accessories you can get your hands on right now.
Best Google Home accessories: Our top choices
Google Nest Mini (2nd Gen)
1. Best Google Home smart speaker
A small but might smart speaker that can be your Google Home hub.
The Google Nest Mini is the perfect choice to use as a home hub for your Google Home accessories. Just by asking Google, you can power on your smart tech or unlock your front door. It offers decent sound for its size, too.
- Great value
- Decent sound
- Can act as home hub
- Not the same sound as larger smart speakers
- No Zigbee support
If you’re buying Google Home accessories, you’re going to need something to control them with. The Google Nest Mini is one of the cheapest ways to get voice control via Google Assistant using a smart speaker.
You can issue commands or query the status of your Google Home accessories through the Google Nest Mini using just your voice. The second-generation version also has better bass than the original version and is good enough for casual music. If you’re looking for superior audio, however, then the Google Nest Audio is a great option.
Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)
2. Best Google Home smart display
A smart display with Thread support.
$60 $100 Save $40
If you’re looking for a smart display that works with Google Home then the Google Nest Hub is a strong choice. It has Thread support making it a great smart home hub, and can even track your sleep if you have one in your bedroom.
- 7-inch display
- Thread support
- Sleep sensing
- No Zigbee support
- No camera for video calls
If you’re using Google Home accessories such as security cameras or smart video doorbells, then you’ll want something that allows you to view their live feeds. The Google Nest Hub is exactly what you need. It has a seven-inch display that allows you to see the feeds from your security cameras or video doorbells but is also really useful for things like making calls, playing music, or even tracking your sleep if you use it as a bedside display.
If you need more screen real estate, and want a built-in camera for video calls, then the ten-inch display of the Google Nest Hub Max might be a better option.
Kasa
Kasa Smart Plug Mini with Energy Monitoring
3. Best Google Home smart plug
Compatible smart plug with energy monitoring.
$9 $18 Save $9
A smart plug is one of the easiest ways to make your home smart, and the Kasa Smart Plug adds energy monitoring to the mix, too. Google Home support allows you to turn devices on and off with just your voice, like magic.
- Low profile so won’t obscure other sockets
- Energy monitoring
- Wi-Fi so no need for hub
- Not HomeKit compatible
- Not the best app
A smart plug can turn almost any dumb device into a smart one. The Kasa Smart Plug mini is a Wi-Fi smart plug that works perfectly with Google Home. You can turn the plug on and off with your voice, set up automations in Google Home to turn the smart plug on and off at specific times, or even have it automatically power off when you leave home, and turn back on again when you get back. The Kasa Smart Plug Mini also has energy monitoring, so you can keep an eye on how much electricity your devices are using.
Google Nest Cam (Outdoor or Indoor, Battery)
4. Best Google Home security camera
A stylish security camera that can be used indoors or out.
This Google Nest Cam is suitable for use both indoors and out, and integrates perfectly with Google Home. Just ask Google, and you can stream the live feed directly to your Google Nest Hub. The battery power means you can put it almost anywhere.
- Suitable for indoor and outdoor use
- Stylish design
- Stream straight to your Google Nest Hub
- Needs wiring for continuous video
- No physical fixings
This Google Nest Cam isn’t just on this list because it’s from Google, so will obviously offer great compatibility with Google Home. It also happens to be one of our favourite smart security cameras.
That’s because it’s incredibly versatile, as you can use it both indoors and out, is battery powered, so can be placed almost anywhere, and has a clever magnetic mounting system, too. It’s also one of the best looking security cameras out there, so you won’t feel embarrassed having it in your (Google) home.
Google Nest Doorbell (Battery)
5. Best Google Home video doorbell
A smart video doorbell that can stream straight to your Google Nest Hub.
$146 $180 Save $34
Google’s own smart video doorbell unsurprisingly works seamlessly with a Google Nest Hub, but you can also stream the live feed to Echo Show devices, too. It has some great features, including person and package detection.
- Wide coverage
- Can stream to Alexa as well as Google smart displays
- Package detection
- Must be wired for continuous recording
- Not HomeKit compatible
Another Google device, but this really is a perfect combination with a Google Nest Hub or Google Nest Hub Max. That’s because when someone rings your doorbell, you can have the feed from your Google Nest Doorbell appear on the screen of your smart display, so you can instantly see who is at the door, and even speak to them via the two-way talk feature.
It has a great field of view, can offer continuous recording if you wire it up, and is fairly easy to install. We rate it as being better than the Ring Video Doorbell 4.
Google Nest Learning Thermostat
6. Best Google Home smart thermostat
Learns your schedule for more efficient heating.
This smart thermostat learns your habits and can then automatically adjust your heating schedule to match your lifestyle, so you never use more energy than you need to. It also works brilliantly with Google Home.
- Stylish design
- Voice control with Google Assistant or Alexa
- Learns your household’s habits
- Room sensors must be bought separately
- Not the cheapest
There are smart thermostats, and then there are really smart thermostats. The Google Nest Learning Thermostat falls firmly into the latter category. That’s because using its built-in smarts, it can actually learn your routine, and adjust your heating schedule accordingly. That means you’re only using your heating or cooling when you actually need and are never heating an empty home.
In the long run, this can save you a significant amount of money. It’s been around for a long time, but it’s still one of the best smart thermostats out there, and being a Google product, it’s simple to integrate into Google Home.
Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance 3-Pack
7. Best Google Home smart bulbs
Stunning smart bulbs you can control with Google Home.
$90 $135 Save $45
Philips Hue is the big name when it comes to smart lighting. These bulbs can give you any look you want from bright whites to stunning colours. With an additional hub, you can control them with your voice using Google Home.
- Stunning colours
- Bright whites
- Integrate well with Google Home
- Require an additional hub
- Not the cheapest
Philips Hue is probably the biggest name in smart lighting. The company has a huge range of products, from smart floodlights to smart LED light strips. The simplest way to get started with smart lighting, however, is with some smart bulbs, and the Philips Hue smart bulbs are excellent.
They’re far from the cheapest option, but they offer great whites, stunning colours, and you can control them using Google Home, allowing you to turn on individual lights, turn on entire groups of lights, or even change the colour of your lights, all with your voice.
August
August Home Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th Generation)
8. Best Google Home smart lock
A Wi-Fi smart lock that you can unlock with your voice.
$170 $230 Save $60
This Wi-Fi smart lock fits most existing deadbolts, so there’s no need to replace your current locking mechanism, and you can still use your own keys. With Google Assistant, you can unlock your door just by asking.
- No need for additional hub
- Fits most deadbolts
- Can still use your own keys
- Keypad sold separately
- Can look bulky
Smart locks are a great way to add security to your home while also making life more convenient. The first time you come home with your arms full of shopping and the door unlocks automatically for you is the day you become a true smart home convert. The August Home Wi-Fi smart lock integrates easily into Google Home, allowing you to lock or unlock your door via your phone or even with your voice. You can even ask Google if your front door is locked, so you can put your mind at ease in the middle of the night when you wake up in a cold sweat. And if you did forget to lock it, just ask Google to do it for you and go back to sleep.
Best Google Home accessories: The bottom line
If you’re going all-in on the Google Home ecosystem, then you’re going to need a smart home hub that can send out the relevant signals to your devices when you issue your commands. The Google Nest Mini is a low-cost way to control your Google Home accessories, and it’s a decent smart speaker in its own right. The low price means you can put them all around your home, so you can issue voice commands like an omnipotent being whichever room you’re in.
Google Nest Mini (2nd Gen)
Editor’s Choice
How I chose the best Google Home accessories
When choosing the accessories for this list, there were a few things I kept in mind. Firstly, and most importantly, they had to be devices that worked well with Google Home rather than just often basic integration. Most choices on the list we reviewed extensively here at Pocket-lint and many made or topped the list of some of our consumer tech “best of” guides. I also wanted to cover the main types of smart home devices that you might want for your home. Finally, I wanted to include a range of price points so that there were options to suit all budgets.
How to choose Google Home accessories
When you’re looking for Google Home accessories, there are a few questions you’ll need to ask yourself to help narrow down your choices.
Is the device compatible with Google Home?
This is obviously the most important question, but it’s all too easy to end up buying a smart home device only to find that it doesn’t work with Google Home out of the box. Some smart home products require an additional hub in order to connect to Google Home, and this may not be included in the product that you’ve bought. For example, some Philips Hue lights connect over Zigbee, and since a Google Nest Mini is not Zigbee-compatible, you’ll need the Hue Bridge hub in order to connect Google Home to your lights.
What can I do with Google Home?
Not every smart device will offer the same features when connected to Google Home. For example, the Google Nest Doorbell can stream the video from your doorbell to your Google Nest Hub or Google Nest Hub Max. And although a Ring video doorbell can work with Google Home in a limited way, you won’t be able to stream the feed from a Ring doorbell on your Google Nest Hub. You should ensure that the product you’re buying is able to perform the feature that you want.
Will my device work with other smart home ecosystems?
Even if you’re all about Google, other people in your home may not be. If another family member is an Alexa fan, or has an iPhone, then you want to be sure that they can still use the smart home gear in your home. Not every smart home device will support every voice assistant, so be sure to do your homework before you buy. Some devices do offer a good degree of compatibility, however. The Google Nest Doorbell, for example, can stream live video to a Google Nest Hub, but it can also stream to an Echo Show device, too.
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