8 Smart Speaker / Hub
When it comes to setting up a smart home, a smart speaker with a digital assistant is essential: It’s the brain of your smart home. You have a couple options here, and for most people, it’s a decision between Amazon Echo and Google Home.
Based on compatibility and capabilities, we can give the edge to Alexa. Amazon’s flagship Echo speaker ($99.99) is an excellent choice, though you can always make do with a cheaper Echo Dot ($49.99). Even better yet, you can order them together for a $20 discount.
If you’re an Apple aficionado, you might opt for HomePod ($349). It’s quite a bit more expensive and Siri isn’t as polished as Alexa, but it’s a solid choice and has excellent sound quality.
Continue reading on the next page to learn all about the second most important smart home item: the smart plug.