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2022 Smart Home Speaker Buying Guide

Google Nest Hub vs. Apple HomePod vs. Amazon Echo

Smart speakers can be an excellent, inexpensive gift for birthdays & holidays, but there are a lot of factors to take into consideration when choosing one for that person in your life. Here's our quick rundown of how to choose one...

Google Nest & Hub • $50–$230

Google Nest and Hub devices are the best option for the person who’s all-in on the Google and Android ecosystem. They work best with Google services (Google Calendar, YouTube Music, Google Duo, etc.) as well as a wide variety of third-party music streaming: Spotify, Apple Music, Sirius XM, and more. They’re a no-brainer if you choose to build your smart home using Google’s ecosystem of devices: Nest cameras, Nest thermostat, Chromecast, and Google/Android TVs. Reviews show Google's smart home devices to be the smartest; typically answering with over 90% accuracy to questions and requests for smart home tasks.

Making phone calls with Google’s smart home devices, however, is a complicated topic. And because Google is ultimately an ad company, Google’s ability to monitor so many aspects of your home can be a concern for privacy-focused people.

PRO TIP: Spend a little extra, and go for a Google Nest Hub. These devices include a display so you can watch YouTube videos (great for cooking in the kitchen!).

Apple HomePod • $100 ($300+ for an original HomePod)

Apple’s HomePod strengths lie in its deep connection to your other Apple devices, and tends to rank highest in audio quality. The HomePod is by far the device to get for the person who is all-in on Apple, and Apple audiophiles who subscribe to Apple Music (staring at $5/month) for its lossless audio quality. iPhone users can easily make calls, send & receive texts, add calendar events & reminders to their Apple devices, ask Siri questions, and manage some smart home requests. You can even use a pair of HomePods with your Apple TV for a “surround-like” Dolby Atmos experience. Apple's strong focus on privacy also means you can rest a little easier knowing their devices aren’t compiling data about you & your home.

However, the HomePod is essentially useless to your Google Android friends. Music streaming is limited to Apple Music (unless you AirPlay other music apps from your iPhone to a HomePod), and no additional inputs means you won’t be using a HomePod with any other devices other than your iPhone, iPad, iMac, MacBook, or Apple TV. Siri isn’t the smartest or quickest of the digital assistants, either. Smart home device compatibility is also much more limited with HomePod, and compatible third-party smart home devices tend to be more expensive (but must also adhere to Apple’s strict privacy policies).

PRO TIP: If you’re truly an Apple audiophile, find a pair of discontinued original HomePods on eBay. Prices now may be upwards of $300, but these larger HomePods output much more sound, and really sound great filling a room as a stereo pair!

Amazon Echo • $50–$250

Amazon Echo devices are a good budget option for someone who’s looking to get started with dabbling in smart home control, or just wants to play around with it asking questions, telling jokes, playing audio-based games, or streaming some music. Echo devices work with a wide-range of other smart home devices. You can control a variety of smart bulbs, turn off & on compatible smart TVs (including changing inputs), and if you have an Echo with a display, view budget-friendly Wyze cameras monitoring your home. And making phone calls seems to be a more straightforward affair than with Google’s Nest devices.

However, there are becoming less and less reasons to prefer Echo over others. The audio quality tends to rank below Apple’s HomePod, and Amazon’s Alexa assistant ranks below Google’s assistant in intelligence. As with Google, privacy is also a concern here since Amazon would like to be able to sell you more products. The ability to order products from Amazon is also a questionable selling point as Amazon’s sellers, prices, and item descriptions can vary wildly, so being able to see what you’re buying is important (rather than just ordering by voice). Also, because Google and Amazon are competitors, Google doesn’t allow YouTube video streaming on Amazon’s Echo devices with displays (although there is a workaround).

PRO TIP: Find a deal with an Echo packaged with a Philips Hue lightbulb to give your gift recipient a smart home device to play with. Anyone in your life with movement difficulties may find turning off & on a light or two with just their voice a thoughtful convenience!

Summary

Buying a smart home device ultimately comes down to who you’re buying it for. Apple users all-in on the Apple ecosystem (including Apple Music), with a focus on Apple’s privacy, will likely appreciate a HomePod. Google Android users will definitely get a lot of use from a Google Nest or Hub device (and Apple users probably will too!). While Amazon’s Echo may be your best bet for the most inexpensive option (but throw in a smart device with it so they can see the benefits of a smarter home).

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