Over the years, we have seen speakers that can speak to humans. There are speakers that are used in different settings to give humans instructions or ask questions.
In recent times, however, new speakers have been released into the market. These brand-new technological devices are known as smart speakers. With these speakers, you can talk to them, ask them questions, or command them to perform certain tasks.
These devices are still new in the market and work well with different voice assistant features.
Smart speakers are not the best at maintaining conversation, however, they can always provide you with weather updates, update you on your appointments, order food for you, and what’s best is that they can control and manage all the smart home appliances that you own.
The good news is that you don’t necessarily need to be in a smart home to gain from all of the benefits that a smart speaker comes with. Digital assistants such as Siri, Google Assistant, Alexa and many others can easily aid you in a ton of different ways.
Users are never required to physically summon or control the devices. All they need to do is simply call their names.
Here’s what you need to know before purchasing smart home speakers
When purchasing a smart home speaker, it is very important that you take some time to think about the features and functions that you would like your device to perform. It would be great is all the speakers in the market were compatible with each other.
This would allow users to purchase a certain brand because it works well with music, another because it is the best option for smart home control, and the other one because it is the fastest at accessing information and data from the internet. However, that’s not the case.
Once you have decided to purchase a certain smart speaker, you will have to stick to that device and work with all of the features and functions that it offers.
The good thing about Home speakers
On the positive side, selecting a certain brand over another does not necessarily affiliate you to everything about that brand’s ecosystem. For example, purchasing an Amazon Echo speaker does not necessarily limit you to only accessing the service of Amazon’s music.
You can also enjoy music from SiriusXM radio, Pandora, Spotify and so much more. Even if you only have a smart home system from only one company, you can make use of the voice controls to manage smart home devices that would actually not be compatible with the system.
With that been said, it is very important that you find out the most ideal smart speaker for your home. In this review, we go through the greatest features of the best smart home speakers in the market as well as the advantages.
This guide will give you an idea of what you should expect from the smart home speaker that you will buy. If you are in the market searching for the best smart speaker for your home, this article will guide you through the entire process.
A List of the best smarthome speakers
1. Sonos One
The Sonos One smart speaker was basically the first device that set off the smart speaker revolution. This is the first speaker that does not force users to make a choice between smart devices and sound quality.
It is designed with both functions that are great. In the near future, this speaker will not require users to make a choice between Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant.
The industry is working on upgrading the deice making it compatible with all three voice assistant platforms.
Nevertheless, even without this feature, the Sonos One speaker is still one of the best in the market. Users have always expressed how great the sound quality is. Another great advantage is the speaker’s multi-room ecosystem. This works well in filling the gaps that were left out in the ecosystem for Alexa.
Sonia Design
Sonia is designed with a number of controls that are very easy to manage. On the surface of this device, you will notice that it is touch-sensitive.
With just a touch you can swipe from right to left, to move forward or backward on your playlist. Pressing on the middle part of your speaker either plays the music or pauses.
Finally, gently pressing on the right and left halves of the speaker’s panel heighten or lowers the volume. The good thing is that you can control all of these functions by simply using the app on your phone or you could also use the voice control features.
To improve this voice control function, Sonos has placed six microphones inside the speaker. This design is great as the speaker can clearly hear and understand each command.
More Sonos One features and benefits
Whether you are shouting, speaking in a sluggish tone or talking calmly, the speaker will be able to discern your words and perform the task as requested. On the surface of the speaker, you will also notice the LED light that is used to indicate the status of your device.
The second LED light is built into the microphone. This means that if the LED is not releasing an illuminating light, the microphones will not be able to hear what you are saying.
Setting up this device is an easy task. First of all, you will be required to install the Alexa app as well as the Sonos app. Additionally, you will have to sign in to these accounts and all of your music streaming accounts.
This will enable you to listen to all your favorite music streaming services with your speaker.
While setting up the device, it is advisable to participate in the Trueplay Tuning process. It is a sound test activity and users are required to walk to different sections of your house with your phone.
Your smartphone basically listens to the noise produced by the speaker and the surrounding environment. Additionally, it adjusts the sound to your preference. While setting up the smart speaker, you will be required to place the Sonos One in a certain room.
This will enable you to recognize it from your app. At this point, you will also be able to pair the Sonos.
Pros
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- It produces loud, rich sounds
- Users get the chance to use both Sonos and Alexa
- When Alexa is on mute the speaker can still play music
- Provides you with AirPlay 2 support
- Provides you with Google Assistant support.
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Cons
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- This speaker does not come with any high-resolution support
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2. Google Home Mini
The search giant is google has done a wonderful job at releasing its highly advanced smart speaker.
Since its first release, the Google industry has released a ton of new features for the device such as dialing numbers to increasing smart technology for the Google’s AI. All these features help make Google Home one of the most ideal choices for your smart home.
You can make use of the speaker’s inbuilt Google Assistant feature that works well in giving you the climate report.
It can also switch off your air conditioner when you leave your house. You can enjoy all the different facts that it can give you or you can command the device to download a funny clip that you had seen.
This speaker is designed in the shape of a small vase. The speaker has a large bottom surface and a narrower top region. Each google home speaker is designed with a base of fabric material that is gray in color.
The bottom region is also made of rubber; however, you can replace it with different kinds of material and even color. At the moment the industry offers two different types of bases to match with your home décor.
More on the Google Home Mini features
This is a fabric base and a metallic base. The metallic base is designed with polycarbonate or painted steel.
It has carbon, snow or carbon colors. The fabric base has three different colors that include white, violet, mango and marine. The Google Home speaker has a very attractive look.
It is quite short measuring only 5.62 inches x 3.79 inches. This shows that it’s so easy for this speaker to blend into the surrounding environment. The top flat surface of this speaker acts just like a touch panel.
This enables you to adjust the volume, play and pause the music or turn on Google Home assistant with just one single tap. Once switched on, you will notice four different lights that flash and whirl indicating that the device is on.
Build of the Google Home mini Model
The device is built with two microphones that are placed internally. This is great as your voice will immediately be picked out as soon as you speak.
If you unscrew the bottom surface of the speaker, you will see the speaker as well as two passive radiators that produce excellent sound quality.
With Google home speaker, users are given access to a ton of streaming services including Pandora, Spotify, YouTube Music, and Google Play Music. This is great as you get to enjoy unlimited access to all the music on YouTube. Google Home definitely has the widest song library in the market.
Pros
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- You can customize the base of your speaker
- The song library is the largest in the world
- The hardware ecosystem can expand to your preference
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Cons
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- It does not have Google’s services
- The phrasing of this device must be precise
- Google cast support needs to be improved.
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3. Apple HomePod
Over the last decade, the Apple industry has really grown and the Apple Homepod is just a representation of how innovative this industry has turned out to be. Since the launch of the Apple HomePod, the industry has announced a ton of updates that will be included to the HomePod.
The HomePod was really late in joining the smart speaker industry, however, Apple has never really worried about that. This is because they continue to release ideal updates and features and users are always presented with very nice and advanced options.
The sound quality of Apple HomePod is quite amazing. Setting up the device is very easy.
First of all, you must ensure that the device that you are using is one of the latest upgraded models. That means that you must have an iPhone or an iPad to set up your HomePod.
During the set-up process, you will notice the illuminating light on the surface of the device. Once you begin to issue commands to the device, you will notice that the light transforms into the diversely colored Siri logo.
Another great convenience with using this device is that if you would like to make use of another wi-fi network that is already connected on your iPhone, all you need to do is place the phone near the device and the connection automatically occurs.
The HomePod works well from wherever it is placed by playing some music.
How the apple homepod works
The device actually assesses the surrounding environment by listening to the sound that it will produce. If there is a wall behind the device it will dispatch specific sections of the music that you are listening to that direction.
The main vocals or musical instruments will be pushed forward.
If the speaker is not placed in an adjacent position on the wall, the device will release the sound in a space of 360 degrees. After you have completed the set-up process, you can step out of your home with your iPhone and your family members or roommates will still get the chance to use the speaker.
The speaker gives you the option to turn off any kind of personal requests, this is in case you do not want other people to meddle with your business. The HomePod gives off a very dense and lightweight look, however, it is heavier than you think to weigh about 2.5 Kgs.
It has a very high frame measuring 6.8 inches. Its weight and dimensions are attributed to the number of speakers that are in the device. This speaker is designed with seven tweeters. Each tweeter has its own amplifier.
There is a woofer as well as six microphones that are spread out helping the device to capture your voice as soon as you start talking to Siri. This device produces a premium sound that quickly fills your room. It performs better when placed against the wall.
Pros
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- The device produces really nice sound quality
- The voice accuracy used by Siri is really nice
- The speaker has a very simple yet attractive design.
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Cons
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- The Siri service is quite limited
- You will not be able to connect to anything using Bluetooth
- You will have to be subscribed to Apple Music to achieve the greatest experience.
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4. The Amazon Echo Speaker
The Amazon Echo speaker makes use of materials and advanced audio parts of the Echo Plus speaker.
This means that this speaker actually has a similar bulked-out symmetrical shape and a mesh casing that is wrapped around the device. The speaker has nice curved edges which are great as there will be no sharp points that will be exposed.
The device is designed with a power port and an Aux cord on the rear side of the Echo speaker. This is a great advantage as you can easily connect the speaker to a larger speaker system if you would like.
However, this will actually defeat the purpose as the Echo speaker produces amazing and fine-tuned sound.
The surface of this Echo speaker is designed with four inputs. You can choose to work with either one of these inputs. The surface also contains two volume controls as well as an action button that can be used to call Alexa.
You can also work with a mute button that stops Alexa from listening out to any of your questions or commands. This speaker also releases a Twilight Blue color as well as a sandstone, charcoal and heather color.
These colors enhance the look of your Echo speaker.
More Echo speaker features
With this device, you can easily handle simple day-to-day activities by using voice control platforms like Alexa. This platform quickly responds to questions and commands without the user using any kind of physical input. Setting up this device is quite easy.
First of all, you have to get everything you need. This is the Echo speaker as well as the power adapter that it came with. It is important to remember that these speakers actually do not run on batteries so you will have to have an ideal power cable.
To work with the device’s software system, you will have to use a phone or a tablet.
The device works well with both iOS and Android gadgets. Then you can install the Alexa app into your phone. Once you have installed the app you should take the speaker and turn it over.
On the base of the speaker, you will see the power jack which you will use to attach the Echo’s power adapter and plug it into the power jack. After that, you can take the other end of the power adapter and plug it to the wall.
You will notice that a glowing light will be released from the speaker and this indicates that your speaker has finally powered up. Once the device has initialized the process, you are required to open the app and navigate through to the settings page for the next procedure.
You can then select your device and connect it as well as connect the device to your home wi-fi. This device performs greatly as it includes a woofer, a back volume as well as a neodymium drive. This makes the bass really strong.
Pros
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- High sound
- Users can make use of the voice command features with Alexa
- The voice profiles are highly personalized
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Cons
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- There is no Zigbee feature
- The device is quite similar to the previous models
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Do I have to install home Wi-Fi to create a smart home?
Yes, you can actually set up a number of smart devices without the use of the internet. Unfortunately, the choices that you will have will be very limited and the experience will not be as amazing.
As we all know, smart speakers depend on the internet to function, so without any internet connection, smart speakers and other displays will not really come in handy. Additionally, without the internet, you miss out on essential smart home features such as receiving alerts or remote smart camera access.
Smart appliances also constantly require regular software updates that include feature upgrades and security patches. If your home has internet access, these updates occur automatically and all your smart devices function properly.
2. What is the use of a smart speaker or a voice assistant?
All the displays and smart speakers in the industry all come with inbuilt voice assistants. The voice assistants make up the interactive component of the speaker. They are simple and easy to use.
Voice assistant platforms like Amazon Echo, Apple’s Siri and Google Nest give you the chance to have control over the platform without ever having to use your hands. Even if you walk into the room with your hands full, all you have to do is command the device.
Just controlling your device to perform a certain task is easier and more natural than having to type or physically press on any button. Listening to a response from your speaker is actually easier than having to read something.
3. Is a smart speaker always listening to my conversations?
No, however, the speaker is always listening out for a command. The command is also known as a wake word and could be a number of phrases such as, “Hey Siri!” or “Hey Google”.
Only after it hears specific wake words or prompt will your device begin working. What the smart speaker records and keeps track of are your various interactions with it. That is how it gets to know certain voices and preferences.
If this is still concerning to you, you will be happy to find out that smart speakers often have a mute button. With this button, you can manage when your microphone should be active. In addition, you can access your voice history and delete everything from Apple Siri, Google Assistant and also Amazon Alexa.
Conclusion
This article has the best four smart speakers in the industry. With the growing success of these voice-activated smart home devices, the products listed above are just the beginning.
At the moment, there are a ton of companies all over the world working on releasing more advanced smart home speakers and other devices. When these devices are paired with a number of different voice assistant platforms and other smart home devices, they perform excellently, improving the state of your home.
