The best Google Assistant devices to spend your money on

Since Google Assistant launched in 2016, the digital helper has expanded its reach from smartphones and watches to a huge plethora of devices for the home. The Google Nest brand emerged as part of this expansion, offering an assortment of speakers, thermostats, sensors, routers, and cameras.

Here’s what we consider the best Google Assistant devices you can get for your home and in general. Some have Assistant built-in, while others can only be controlled when paired with a separate phone, smart speaker, or smart display.

The best Google Assistant devices

Editor’s note: We’ll be updating this list regularly with new Google Assistant devices as they land, so stay tuned!

1. Google Nest Hub Max

For convenience’s sake, you’ll want a smart speaker or display to anchor any Assistant-based smart home. With the Nest Hub Max Google provides a 10-inch screen, enabling both visual and voice-based controls. You can play music, make video calls, stream security cameras, and watch video services like YouTube and Netflix. 

If you’re looking for something more affordable and don’t mind giving up a camera, some audio quality, and some display area, you might also consider the 7-inch 2nd gen Nest Hub. It even has Sleep Sensing, which might make it the better option for a bedside companion.

2. Google Nest Audio

As nice as they are, smart displays can be sometimes be overkill or offer subpar sound. Enter the Nest Audio, which has an elegant, fabric-covered design that fits desks, nightstands, bookshelves, and many other locations. It’s equipped with a 19mm tweeter and a 75mm woofer, which may not make it the absolute best Assistant speaker out there, but at $100 or less it delivers a lot of punch for the dollar.

Two features that boost sound quality are Media EQ and Ambient IQ. The former automatically tunes the speaker based on the type of content you’re listening to (music, podcasts, audiobooks, etc.), while the latter auto-adjusts volume based on how noisy your home is at the moment.

Those wanting something cheaper might look at the Nest Mini. It retails for half the price, and can often be found for even less. It’s really meant for smart home control and Google Search, however, since it’s lacking in the volume and bass departments.

3. NVIDIA Shield TV

If you don’t have a smart TV, or have one and aren’t happy with its apps and features, you should check out the NVIDIA Shield TV. It can add Android TV to just about anything, and by extension, Google Assistant.

You can use your voice to launch apps like Netflix and YouTube, or control other Google-compatible smart home accessories from your couch. It’s not slouch in the specs department either, supporting standards like Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, and PC games via GameStream or GeForce Now.

4. Chromecast with Google TV

Google TV is an evolution of Android TV that’s finding its way onto more and more devices. In fact unlike previous Chromecast iterations, the Chromecast with Google TV is the first with a standalone remote and interface. That means you’re no longer required to cast media from a phone, tablet, or PC. A button on the remote triggers Assistant, which is often faster than scrolling and enables control of all your other Google-linked accessories.

It’s less powerful than the Shield, but its permanently-attached HDMI dongle makes it easy to switch from room to room or take on trips. If you have any Assistant-compatible speakers, you can control your Chromecast without a phone or remote.

Note that there are both 4K and “HD” (1080p) versions. We strongly suggest going with the 4K model for the sake of flexibility.

5. Sony Bravia A80K

Sony is one of the biggest backers of Google TV on dedicated TV sets, and the model we’ve gone with is the A80K. It may not be Sony’s most advanced tech, but that keeps cost down, and it’s still an OLED TV with Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and even some PlayStation 5-oriented features like Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Switch.

On top of Assistant, control options include Apple AirPlay and Amazon Alexa. You’ll need a separate speaker for the latter. The A80K is available in 55-, 65-, and 77-inch sizes.

6. Acer Chromebook Spin 713

Chromebooks run Google’s lightweight Chrome OS, and require web access for many tasks. The advantage however is that Chromebooks cost substantially less than most laptops, since they don’t need gobs of storage or processing power.

While the Spin 713 isn’t the most powerful Chromebook, you can get configurations with up to 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and its display runs at a sharp 2256 x 1504. It also meets the MIL-STD 810G durability standard, and can covert into a touchscreen tablet.

7. Google Nest Learning Thermostat

An easy pick among Google Assistant devices is the third-generation Nest Learning Thermostat. Nest created the famous original Learning Thermostat as an independent company, but was bought out by Google in 2014 and later fully integrated into Google’s hardware unit as Google Nest.

The third-gen model can be controlled via Google Assistant, mobile apps, or even Alexa. Its signature feature is learning household habits to generate an automatic schedule, though you can also create a manual schedule if you prefer. Either way, the accessory can potentially pay for itself with more efficient heating and cooling.

The Learning Thermostat has a little brother, simply called the Nest Thermostat, which drops learning functions but offers many of the same features at a lower price point. Utility companies sometimes offer rebates on the equipment, bringing costs down further. Just be aware that the basic Thermostat doesn’t work with every wiring setup.

8. Google Nest Protect

The Nest Protect is a self-testing smoke and CO (carbon monoxide) alarm. Apart from Google Assistant integration, its features include verbal alerts, and app integration that includes early battery warnings — no more scrambling for a ladder to shut off annoying chirps. It even distinguishes between smoke and steam, and lights up automatically when you walk underneath at night.

If you have a Nest thermostat, the Protect can automatically cut off gas- or oil-based heating equipment in the event of a CO leak. You can also choose between wired and battery-operated versions, although the former still uses a few batteries as backup.

9. Google Nest Doorbell (Battery)

There are two Nest Doorbell models, both which let you see who’s at the door, communicate with them, and receive alerts about people and general movement. The Nest Doorbell Battery can record event footage for an hour after a power or Wi-Fi cut, and still supports wired power like its sibling.

Unlike many video doorbells, it offers three hours of free cloud recording, and onboard recognition of people, animals, packages, and vehicles. That cuts down on false alerts, which can be especially important if your door is facing a busy street.

If there are drawbacks, they’re only that resolution could stand to be higher, and that you need a Nest Aware subscription to make the most of things. That gets you friend and family recognition, plus 30 days or more of event history. You can add as many Nest products to Aware as you like without it jacking up fees.

10. Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro

Most Android devices come with Assistant, but if you want the most Google-optimized smartphones in existence, the obvious leaders are the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro. Both are powered by Google’s Tensor G2 processor, and share other hardware features like a 50-megapixel main camera with laser autofocus and optical image stabilization. The Pro upgrades from a 6.32-inch 90Hz display to a 6.7-inch 120Hz panel, simultaneously gaining a bigger battery, more RAM, and a 48-megapixel telephoto shooter. 

What makes the Pixel line superior in terms of Assistant is that it’s always first to get the latest version of Android, and in its purest form to boot. That translates into the full Assistant experience, checked only by how powerful your specs are. 

11. Philips Hue Starter Kit

Philips Hue is one of the biggest names in smart lighting, and its lineup is both well-rated and available in many different form factors, from regular A19/E26 bulbs to lightstrips and outdoor lights. The Hue Smart Hub, meanwhile, removes a lot of the burden on your Wi-Fi network, connecting up to 50 lights per unit. The Hub additionally links with Alexa and Apple HomeKit, so you’re not stuck with Assistant if you decide to switch (or combine) platforms.

12. Google Nest Wifi Pro

The Nest Wifi Pro is a mesh router, meaning you can improve coverage by scattering multiple units throughout your home. A single Pro covers up to 2,200 square feet (about 204 square meters).

Google has made some critical upgrades over the original Nest Wifi, most notably jumping from Wi-Fi 5 to Wi-Fi 6E for superior bandwidth and a much, much larger number of simultaneous connections. Each Pro has two gigabit Ethernet ports, and if you’re on the cutting edge of smart home tech, there’s support for Matter and Thread.