Best Google Smart Home Devices
The Google Nest Hub (formerly Home Hub) is a great way to launch a Google-centric smart home. It uses Google Assistant to respond to all the same voice commands as a Google Home smart speaker. The touchscreen will show you additional information when you ask about the weather, search for restaurants, and more. Additionally, you can use this smart home hub to watch videos or scroll through family photos.
In fact, unique adaptive light 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 photos as a screensaver. Google’s Soli is also built into this second-generation model for sleep detection and quick gestures, like pausing media with an air tap in front of the screen.
The Nest Hub is also a great kitchen assistant, as it can guide you step-by-step through recipes and you can multitask while you cook. Set a timer, play music, add an ingredient to your shopping list—the Nest Hub will even remember 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 all the questions you would ask the original Google Home.
All of these voice control features make the Nest Hub useful in many ways, but a simple control panel makes it the best choice for your central connected home device. Swipe up from the top to access shortcuts that turn off lights or let you check your smart home security cameras. You can then tap to see a room-by-room overview (living room, kitchen, etc.) of all your devices. The control panel is well organized and useful, especially if you have family members who have trouble remembering how to say voice commands. Now they can just type.
The Nest Hub is our favorite smart display overall and comes in at a reasonable $100. It’s useful even if you don’t have many smart home gadgets, but it’s essential if you want a smart home that works with Google Assistant.
