If you’ve gotten used to a voice assistant helping out in your daily life, compatibility with one is probably a must-have when searching for a smart speaker. You probably already have a preferred voice assistant too, one that’s connected to your calendar, favorite music, smart home routines, and more.
For this list, we’re focusing specifically on the best Google-friendly speakers, those that come with Google Assistant built in to help you juggle your tasks. Get ready to make a pick and say “Hey Google” to your new smart speaker. Here’s why these are the best smart home picks.
Nest Audio
Best all-around Google speaker
- Superb audio performance
- Charming design for any decor
- Adapts audio quality to any room
- Attractive $100 cost
- Dense weight
- Too complacent with feature upgrades
Google owns the Nest brand, so you can bet that their smart speakers are made to work with Google Assistant and the Google Home app right out of the box. Speaking of the box, this is one of the easiest speakers to set up that we’ve found -- thanks to easy automatic pairing and Google’s simple walkthrough prompts. The sound is also impressive -- the speaker sports a woofer, tweet, and tuning software that can adapt audio to the surrounding environment (as well as what type of audio you’re playing).
In addition to all the streaming possibilities and connections that Google Assistant can make, the Nest Audio can also pair with another Audio model, allowing you to set up a stereo system with truly impressive sound. The Nest Audio is also fairly affordable for this size of a smart speaker too, so you don’t need to spend too much to get the full package.
Sonos One (Gen 2)
Best Google speaker for home theaters
- Excellent sound for its compact size
- Google Assistant and Alexa support
- Pairs with Sonos sound systems
- Those only interested in Google won't need two voice assistants
Sonos excels at combining top-notch sound with useful smart features, and the Sonos One is better than ever with its latest 2nd-generation model that can fill a room with sound while also making your life easier. The Sonos One is a third-party speaker that comes with support for both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, so you have a choice of voice assistants. Like the Nest Audio, you can pair two Sonos One speakers together, but you can also link it to other compatible Sonos speaker systems and even use them as rear home theater speakers in a surround sound setup.
While not exactly tiny, the speaker is compact enough to fit on most shelves or desks. There are basic controls on the top of the speaker, but one of the advantages of having a voice assistant like Google Assistant is that you can give hands-free commands, so you’ll have plenty of placement options for this sound powerhouse.
Belkin Soundform Elite Hi-Fi
Best Google speaker with phone charging
- Offers convenient wireless charging
- Models support Alexa or Google Assistant
- Accurate voice recognition
- Bass overwhelms the audio
If you are really, really invested in Google Assistant already, you probably have it working on other devices, especially something like an Android smartphone. Belkin’s speaker is designed just for such users: The beautiful exterior includes an angled resting place for your phone with wireless charging capabilities, so you can charge up your phone while keeping an eye on notifications. That makes the SoundForm Elite a great speaker to place in central locations — where you still want access to your phone — like a coffee table or desk.
In addition to the built-in Google Assistant, the speaker includes Active Matching technology to optimize audio, as well as dual-woofers with a vibration-canceling design, making this speaker excellent for more bass-oriented music and audio. It can also pair with any other Google-enabled smart speaker. The biggest downside to this amazing smart speaker is that it’s also one of the most expensive options.
Nest Hub Max
Best Google smart display
- Dazzling display, perfect for picture sharing
- Camera adds a layer of home security
- Auto-framing keeps us in view with video calls
- Tailored experience thanks to Face Match
- Audio quality is strained at louder volumes
Your smart speaker doesn’t have to just be a speaker — it can also be a smart display with Google built in. The Nest Hub Max is the best Google smart display around, equipped with a 10-inch touchscreen that allows you to interact with information, watch all kinds of videos, view livestreams through compatible security cameras, video chat with friends, and play unique games. The base includes speakers and a woofer so you still get powerful sound, too.
The Hub Max also has Chromecast for easy casting from other devices. Keep in mind that you’ll want to place the unit in a highly visible spot, ideally close enough to touch to take advantage of the smart display. But in the right spot, this model really can become a hub for your smart home offering a trove of useful info and entertainment whenever you want.
Sonos Move
Best portable Google speaker
- Superb build quality
- Integration with Sonos systems
- Sounds especially good outdoors
- User-replaceable battery
- Sonos app doesn’t work over Bluetooth
- Big size, big price
Many of the smart speakers on our list need to stay anchored in one spot near an outlet for power. Not so with the Sonos Move, which is a battery-powered speaker designed to be taken on the go. The battery can last for up to 11 hours on a charge (USB-C charger included), and the design has an IP56 rating to help withstand rain, snow, dust, salty ocean spray, and more.
Like other Sonos speakers, support for both Google Assistant and Alexa is included here. While you may not always be in Wi-Fi range to use the voice assistants all the time, there’s also Bluetooth support, so you can make direct connections to your smartphone and play all the tunes that you want. Read our tutorial to learn how to connect Google Assistant to Sonos.
Nest Mini (Gen 2)
Best small Google speaker
- Quick responses
- Adjusts sound based on background noise
- Eco-friendly materials
- Affordable price
- Max volume could be louder
- Same look as the previous model
A personal voice assistant is designed to be, well, personal. If you are less interested in big sound and more focused on a helpful smart speaker at your side, the Nest Mini is an affordable option. The speaker is tiny, but it can still play music or podcasts, and it's the ideal size to sit beside your computer at a desk -- although it can also be mounted on a nearby wall. It also works well as a pair if you’d like to get two.
Of course, sound won’t be as good as with a larger speaker, although you can still enjoy songs on a nearby Mini. Note: You’ll also need to connect the Mini to a power outlet, as it doesn’t have an internal battery.
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