Each product is carefully planned by Esquire editors. We may earn commissions from these links.
Lead the trend of the times with smart speakers, plugs, locks-any smart device created by Google.
In a few decades, you will tell your grandchildren this bedtime story: a long time ago, there was an era of peace between Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant. But when InterContinental's enthusiasm for iSheep (Apple's snob) becomes more radical to non-iOS virtual assistant systems, Amazon and Google must defend their space to restore peace.
Really, they are all technological superpowers, and everyone may be the villain of that story. Apple prefers to use smart home speakers controlled by Siri. Amazon’s strategy, led by a billionaire who was bombed into space, is to launch a large number of Alexa-supported accessories for Echo, and it has performed well in this consumerism war. But the real dark horse is Google Home powered by Google Assistant. The entire ecosystem of smart products compatible with Google Assistant is seriously underestimated. But people in the know know its benefits: control via the Google Home app or a gentle "Hey Google", audio and video entertainment, first-class home security equipment, and tricks that seem fun. Who is Alex? Where is Siri? Google Home is both MVP and VIP.
We have selected 10 best Google Home devices and gadgets to help you live the smart life you want. Smart bulbs, smart plugs, smart doorbells, smart locks, smart speakers, smart thermostats-give any command, these home robots will start service. Because building a future world of peace-loving intelligent assistants starts at home.
Want to make sure your technology is up-to-date-and in extreme fashion? Join Mr. Fashion's selection.
Haba haba. This display is the command HQ of all your Google Home devices. Tap it with your crisp voice or your fingers, and it will become the center of your daily life. On the day it arrives, you will use it to watch YouTube and Netflix, listen to music and podcasts, turn off the lights before leaving, lock the door for the night, and wake you up the next morning. You will definitely be addicted to it. If you don’t, please sue us, but don’t fix it to the wall first.
We told you: Google knows how to make its gadgets look funny or cute. Yes, this thing is a super smart speaker with a lot of sound. It is equipped with a savvy voice recognition function that can register your "Hey Google" command even from a distance, so you don't need to scream out every time you want to change the song. By the way, the slogan of Nest Mini is "Just Ask" because it can respond to almost all your instructions correctly: dim the lights, turn off the air conditioner, and stop broadcasting the news.
Forget about buying a new smart TV worth thousands of dollars. Google’s Chromecast can turn your HDMI port TV into a smart TV so you can transfer content from your mobile phone, tablet, and laptop to it. You should, because you don't want to watch the Crown or Spencer, the Super Bowl, and anything related to Marvel on the display screens, which can easily be destroyed by spilled coffee. In addition, you can handle multiple tasks on your phone while watching the TV screen-this is a habit that makes us feel alive.
Even if you live in a 35-story high-end, gated apartment building with panoramic views of the city, you should still consider installing this surveillance camera in your home. If you do live in a house, install it to monitor every movement on your property. It is best to be prepared. Or, place it indoors to broadcast your home 24/7. Monitor your pet. It also has night vision as clear as during the day, and can record your funny sleeping postures.
If you use a smart thermostat to save energy, you are an admirable person, and if you hate the tedious work of changing the temperature at different times of the day or in and out of your house, then you are an admirable person. Thankfully, this smart thermostat can learn from your habitat and program itself, turn off the air conditioner when you leave, turn on the heating when you return, and adjust which rooms should be in which climate-yes, that's pretty good clever. After installation, you may never need to touch it again, which is why you should get it.
Please don't tell us that there is still a deadlock on your front door. Well, now that we know, you will have to get a keyless smart lock that can be directly controlled. Instead of giving the keys to a loved one you trust (really, how old are you?), you can now assign them a unique password so that they can come and go (you will also be notified). Isn’t it romantic to let someone you date seriously into your home? Now this is love.
Remember the scene in "Home Alone" where Kevin tried to scare the thief away through a light show to make it look like someone's home? These LED bulbs will not completely cast the shadow of the party on your windows, but even if you are not at home, you can turn them on and off to show that your location is occupied and no interesting business is welcome. Or maybe you just hate going home every night, it’s getting dark, it reminds you of how tired you are, it doesn’t matter. These bulbs can also let you play with the color spectrum.
If you still have a lot of unannounced visits to your home, this is good for your popularity after high school. For your family’s safety and curiosity, get this wireless doorbell so you can know who is jingling, or sit back and relax when you know the package has arrived. It can intelligently recognize familiar faces and objects, and provide three hours of video playback, in case you leave for too long and don't want to miss anything. To install it correctly, use an adjustable mount.
If your Wifi is installed in a closet, then RIP to your home Internet experience. You must have endured a lot of loading cycles and zoom lag. However, if you plug the Nest Wifi router (or more to create the entire system) into the modem of the Internet provider, you will gradually forget the feeling of buffering until you go out and use public Wifi. Just a Nest router can provide up to 2,200 square feet of comprehensive and fast coverage. This is quite a lot of 4K streaming and video games, time and time again.
It is a wise decision to buy a smart plug and make every electronic device connected to it smart. Remotely control it or say "Hey Google, turn on plug number one" and then with a bang, the coffee machine you connect the plug to pour fresh French vanilla for your morning, or your personal air conditioner will turn on to cool the air before you come back. Be smarter and get a few plugs to take advantage of their scheduling features: humidifier at 4pm, air fryer at 7pm, fan at 11pm.