Best Google Smart Home Devices

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Google Nest Hub, Nest Mini, WiZ bulb, TP-Link smart plug on a table

Google has gradually expanded its portfolio of smart home devices while opening up to more third-party devices.

Chris Wede/CNET

Whether you are just getting started or want to upgrade your current smart home setup, you know that not all smart devices play well together, which is why it is important to check for compatibility before you invest. The best way to start with that is to settle on an ecosystem of your choice (Google, Apple HomeKit, etc). That way, you can get compatible devices that work together as a cohesive system.

Google now has a solid ecosystem of smart devices that work together, including smart speakers, displays, cameras, thermostats and more. Whether you’re just getting started with a smart home setup, looking to expand your existing smart home or shopping for smart home gifts, Google has several devices worth considering. Plus, many non-Google products also integrate seamlessly with the Google Home platform.

If you need the right devices for a smart home centered around Google-powered devices, we’re here to help. After spending hours testing smart home devices and analyzing interoperability, we’ve compiled this guide to the best Google Nest devices and Google Assistant-compatible smart home products. You can start simple with a smart display or speaker to control your smart home, then expand your setup with our picks for compatible LED lights, door locks, smart switches, smart thermostats and other helpful gadgets to get the complete experience. 

There’s something for every smart home enthusiast on our list of top picks.

A Nest Hub (2nd gen) on a night table

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The Google Nest Hub (formerly the Home Hub) is a great way to kick off a Google-centric smart home. It uses Google Assistant to respond to all of the same voice commands as a Google Home smart speaker. The touchscreen will show you extra info when you ask about the weather, search for restaurants and so on. Plus, you can use this smart home hub to watch videos or scroll through family pictures.

In fact, unique adaptive brightness sensors make the Nest Hub a great digital photo frame, as it adapts to both light levels and color temperature so it always looks like a physical photo in a frame. You can set it to play a scrolling slideshow of family pics as your screensaver. Google’s Soli is also onboard this second-gen model for Sleep Sensing and Quick Gestures like pausing media with an air tap in front of the display. 

The Nest Hub is also a great kitchen helper, as it can walk you through recipes step by step and you can multitask while you cook. Set a timer, play music, add an ingredient to your shopping list — the Nest Hub will even keep your place in the recipe when you need to check it next. You can plug it in and set it up on your Wi-Fi network using the Google Home app and ask the Google Nest Hub any question you’d ask the original Google Home. 

All of these voice control features make the Nest Hub useful in a lot of ways, but a simple control panel makes it the best choice for your central connected home device. Swipe down from the top for shortcuts that turn off the lights or let you check your smart home security cameras. You can then tap to see a room-by-room (living room, kitchen, etc.) overview of all of your devices. The control panel is well organized and helpful, particularly if you have family members who struggle to remember how to phrase voice commands. Now, they can just tap. 

The Nest Hub is our favorite smart display overall and boasts a reasonable $100 price. It’s useful even if you don’t have a lot of smart home gadgets, but it’s indispensable if you want a smart home that works with Google Assistant.

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If having an extra screen in your house would annoy you, the Google Nest Mini makes another good smart home starting point. Google’s small smart speaker is now in its second generation and offers all of the same Google Assistant-enabled voice commands as the rest, plus helpful extras like intercom functionality and stereo pairing with multiple Minis. Control compatible gadgets, search the web, play music and use its other features just by asking. The audio quality of the Nest Mini is surprisingly good, especially in this second-gen model. 

The Nest Mini is also cute and comes in four colors (though Coral is currently out of stock). At $49, it’s the least expensive way to try smart home features without sacrificing voice control. The Nest Mini is also a good secondary device. If you put a Google Nest Hub in your kitchen, you can put a Nest Mini in a different room, and both will be able to control any compatible smart devices you set up. Even if they both hear you, only the closest one will respond.

Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) showing current temperatures outside

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The Nest smart thermostat has been a mainstay in the smart home world for years, and in 2024, we finally got a new Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen), which works exceptionally well. It is on the expensive side, but the thermostat’s overall design is stunning, with a large display that mimics weather conditions.

Sensors and intelligence also enable the thermostat to learn and adjust your climate preferences over time to keep you comfortable and save money. It integrates perfectly within the Google Home ecosystem with remote temperature sensors, one of which is included in the box, to help monitor climate and activity in the home.

Installation is a breeze, and it can be installed in nearly any home since it doesn’t require a C-wire, which is typically needed to work with some older homes or HVAC systems.

8.2

Nest cam kept beside a planter

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Many smart cams work with Google Assistant and Google Home, the Nest Cam remains the best option if you want complete support. It’s reasonably affordable, easy to position and pop off the base for recharging, and it offers a couple of welcome bonuses. 

First, the Nest Cam offers three free hours of cloud storage with no subscription required. Second, like many top cams, the Nest Cam has object detection for people, packages, vehicles and animals. Google’s version is accurate and completely free to use (recognizing faces will require a Nest Aware subscription starting at $8 per month).

CNET Score Breakdown


Performance
8

Usability
9.5

Features
9

Design
8

An Arlo Pro cam mounted outdoors on gray siding.

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The Arlo Pro 5s ranks high on several of our security camera lists, and for good reason. This 2K camera features a powerful zoom, bright spotlight, two-way audio, color night vision and a massive 160-degree field of view. Its IP65 weather resistance can handle a typical rain shower just fine.

We’re also fans of the Arlo app, which makes setup and control easy. Many features are locked behind an Arlo Secure subscription starting at $10 per month, so you’ll seriously want to consider a subscription plan with this camera. The good news is that higher-tier plans can unlock advanced custom object detection, which no other cameras are offering right now.

An ADT keypad on a indoor wood stump table.

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ADT’s integration with Google Nest is complete with the 2024 arrival of ADT Plus, a new version of ADT’s home security system that’s built from the ground up to work with Google Home, Nest devices and Google Assistant. You can control your Nest devices using Google Home or the ADT Plus app. ADT Plus can also utilize Nest’s familiar face technology for its Trusted Neighbor passes, which can unlock a smart lock when the Nest Doorbell recognizes a family member or pet sitter. 

ADT’s kit has also received a minor revamp, making sensors more compact than ever. Displays like the Nest Hub Max also work well with the system. Some old ADT caveats remain notably the required $8 monthly subscription fee. The subscription offers 24/7 professional monitoring but is a bare-bones system that only includes the base, one window/door sensor, a yard sign and some stickers, so buyers should always review the fine print.

The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock installed in a white door.

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Speaking of locking down your home, the easy-to-install August Wi-Fi Smart Lock fits over your existing deadbolt. Built-in Wi-Fi lets you control it remotely and with voice recognition, so you can tell Google Assistant to lock your door. 

The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock has lots of features, including open-close sensors so you can check to make sure you pulled the door shut on your way out. August is responsive and reliable as well, making the Wi-Fi Smart Lock a good choice if you want to put Google Assistant in charge of your smart lock, door and entryway.

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Wrapping this up with another one from Nest, the Nest Doorbell is a top-notch wireless device with excellent specs and unique perks. While its predecessor Nest Hello (now called the Nest Doorbell (wired)) is still available for purchase, the battery-powered option has a more impressive design and better performance, making it an upgrade on almost every level. 

The Nest Doorbell with battery is an affordable $180 and offers a slew of neat features: two-way talk, high-def resolution, a 145-degree field of view with a 3:4 aspect ratio, smart alerts, facial recognition and a few other cool perks. And for icing on the cake, many of these best features come right out of the box — no monthly subscription to Nest Aware is necessary. 

There are some video doorbells I like more (namely the Arlo Wire-Free), but the Nest Doorbell (battery) is a solid device. If you’re a Google loyalist or shopping for a wireless device with smart features without the monthly fees, then this video doorbell might be for you. 

Wiz smart light bulb on a table

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WiZ is a smart lighting brand that has greatly improved its products and features over the past few years. The smooth and consistent connectivity, affordability and Spacesense motion sensor make these lights stand out from others.

Connecting these lights to your Google Home system is as easy as following a few prompts in the app. Once connected, you get all the expected features of smart lights, including remote control from anywhere with an internet connection, brightness controls, scheduling, automations and more. The most interesting feature is Spacesense.

This feature helps the bulb act as its motion sensor and allows it to turn on and off whenever movement is detected. Using the mobile app, you can link multiple WiZ bulbs and have them all react in sync when motion has been detected. For the features these bulbs offer, at only $17 for a three-pack, it’s hard to beat.

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A smart plug is a great way to efficiently add connectivity to dumb devices. Plug in a lamp or fan, and you’ll be able to control it with an app. The TP-Link Kasa Smart Plug offers smartphone app controls and Google Assistant compatibility. Plus, the design is attractive and doesn’t block adjacent outlets. 

It won’t monitor energy, but the smart plug lets you control an old-fashioned floor fan with your voice for a reasonable price. Like most smart plugs, it works with a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network connection.


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