There is more to your home than meets the eye. Some of your regular old appliances and non-smart technology can tap into the power of the Google Assistant and we have the perfect gifts to turn friends, relatives, or your own home into a certified Google smart home.
Of course, the holidays are a stressful period that can be made more stressful if you aren’t the most organized.
Tapping into the almost unrivaled power of the Google Assistant also means that you can actually automate much of your Christmas headaches and heartaches using the awesome Routines function.
Once set up, you can let the Christmas tree take care of itself, the vacuum can keep the dust at bay, and allow the lights to turn off before bedtime — so you’re assured of a silent night.
Plus, what would the holiday season be without providing some much-needed tech support for your nearest and dearest?
Hands-free power outlet control: meross Smart Power Strip
Being able to power your Christmas tree with your voice is something that everyone needs to experience at least once and with the meross smart power strip, you can control the real star of the show without ever needing to head near your power outlet.
There are multiple power cable outlets within the one strip and all of them are capable of being independently controlled by your voice. You can do things like plug in a ton of Christmas lights and control them individually from your smartphone or any Google Assistant-powered device. At just $25, the meross smart power strip is the perfect way to start your Google-powered smart home.
Family fun: Google Nest Hub Max
The US is a big place and not only that, you might have family all over the globe. Luckily, the Nest Hub Max adds a front-facing camera to the already excellent Nest Hub and gives you the ability to video call friends and family using Google Duo right in the heart of your home.
Beyond video calling the Nest Hub Max still remains the best Smart Display for just about everyone. It’s a control center for all of your smart home tech and the portal in which you can view photos, videos and more beyond that.
The ability to play trivia games like Song Pop, Riddle Rooms, Magic Door, and far more on top makes it a one-stop entertainment station too for when the board games have run their course. At $229, the Nest Hub Max is not cheap but it’s the best smart display you can buy today.
Keeping things clean: Eufy Robovac 30C
With a busy home, you might need to tidy things a little more than usual during the holiday season. One of the best ways to do that is to grab a smart vacuum, and one of the best is the Eufy RoboVac 30C. Being able to link your Eufy account to your Google Assistant means that you can even set routines for the powerful little vacuum cleaner — allowing it to scuttle around and clean the carpets and hard floors when you hit the hay after a long day entertaining family.
At $299, the Eufy Robovac is not cheap but it will save you time, effort, and can vacuum in those hard-to-reach places that we all tend to neglect.
Seasonal lighting: Lifx Mini bulb
My out-and-out favorite smart bulbs are from Lifx. They are pricey but don’t require a hub or any extra hardware. For simplicity, the Lifx family of smart bulbs are easily the most intuitive for those even the most technophobic family members.
One bulb costs around $30 on sites like Amazon, with the shape, size, and range of colors exceeding almost every other smart color bulb I’ve tried or tested. They also allow you to deck your halls with neat colors and fine-tune your Christmas displays like never before.
Entertainment for the whole family: Google Chromecast
The TV still feels like the main entertainment hub for all the family and as far as Google smart home gifts go, the Chromecast is still the very best streaming device on the market — no question. Having the ability to cast from your smartphone (on iOS or Android) to your home TV (any TV with an HDMI port) is a game-changer.
Share your video and photos memories by casting your Google Photos content to the big screen, watch your favorite movies and TV shows on Netflix and put on a Christmas musical playlist to really get you in the mood. When you consider the Chromecast is only $35 for the 1080p version or $70 for the 4K Chromecast Ultra, it’s an awesome entertainment addition to your family Christmas.
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