Best Google-compatible smart home gadgets for 2018

If you haven’t yet brought at least one or two voice-controlled devices around your home, chances are good you will be soon, and one big question is which voice platform to choose. Recently we looked at those that were compatible with Alexa, Amazon’s voice assistant; this week CNET offers its picks for the best gadgets that play well with Google’s Google Assistant platform.

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Lutron Caseta In-Wall Wireless Smart Lighting

Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/reviews/lutron-caseta-in-wall-wireless-smart-lighting-kit-review/#ftag=CAD187281f

CNET rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 (Outstanding)

The good: Lutron’s in-wall smart switches are reliable performers that work with Alexa, Nest, IFTTT, Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant, to name a few. The well-designed Lutron app is easy to use, and offers plenty of helpful features, including geofencing, scene management, and a security mode that’ll help make it look like you’re home when you’re not.

The bad: Lutron won’t let you program your lights to fade on or off over a custom length of time, and the Lutron Bridge requires a hardwired Ethernet connection to your router.

The cost: $119.90

The bottom line: These are the best-performing, most fully-featured smart switches currently available, and well worth the money if you’re serious about connected lighting.

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Nest Hello

Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/reviews/nest-hello-review/#ftag=CAD187281f

CNET rating: 4.0 stars out of 5 (Excellent)

The good: Nest’s Hello video doorbell looks great and works consistently well. Its optional facial recognition feature and advanced integrations with the Nest Cam IQ Indoor and Google Home speakers set this smart buzzer above the rest.

The bad: A seemingly unnecessary “chime connector” accessory comes with your purchase and is a required part of the installation for “power management” purposes whether you have a manual or a digital doorbell chime. There’s no free video clip storage.

The cost: $199.00 to $229.99

The bottom line: The Nest Hello is the smartest video doorbell available today, and a really solid choice for anyone — but it’s especially appealing if you’re sold on a broader Google/Nest smart home.

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Philips Hue White LED Starter Kit

Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/reviews/philips-hue-white-led-starter-kit-review/#ftag=CAD187281f

CNET rating: 4.0 stars out of 5 (Excellent)

The good: The plain, vanilla version of Philips Hue’s smart LEDs don’t change colors, but they do enjoy all of the benefits of Hue’s well-connected platform. They’re also bright, good looking bulbs with easy-to-use smarts, and you can add extras to your setup for just $15 each.

The bad: At $70, the two-bulb starter kit still comes with a fair share of sticker shock.

The cost: $69.95

The bottom line: Philips Hue is one of the best-developed DIY smart-home platforms money can buy, and this white-light starter kit is your most affordable entry point. It’s practically a must-buy if you’re serious about smart lighting.

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Google Home

Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/reviews/google-home-review/#ftag=CAD187281f

CNET rating: 4.0 stars out of 5 (Excellent)

The good: The Google Home accurately answers almost any question you can think to ask it. It’s loaded with cool features that allow it to make calls, control your smart home, help out in the kitchen and more. It even sounds pretty good when playing music and can control your TV.

The bad: Google’s marquee smart speaker still can’t do a couple of basic tasks such as take notes. Its sound quality won’t be good enough if you’re an audiophile. Google Home has caught up, but still doesn’t work with as many smart home gadgets as the Amazon Echo.

The cost: $129.00 to $129.96

The bottom line: Google Home is a great smart speaker with a ton of capabilities, but you have so many smart speaker options at this point that I’m less inclined to recommend this well balanced middle child.

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The following CNET staff contributed to this story: Senior Associate Editor Ry Crist, Senior Associate Editor Andrew Gebhart, Senior Associate Editor Megan Wollerton and Senior Editor Laura K. Cucullu. For more reviews of personal technology products, visit www.cnet.com.