Description
| Dimensions | 16.5 x 9 x 28 |
|---|---|
| Warranty | Provided By Manufacturer |
| Product | GTUJ73A |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Batteries | Lithium ion batteries required. |
| Condition | New |
| ASIN | HK1485204 |
Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) (Chalk, GA01331)
£188.08 £122.25
Out of stock
Email when stock available
Additional information
| Product code | ACE-57933 |
|---|---|
| Barcode | 0193575009407 |
| Brand | |
| Colour | Standard |
igotanew45 –
This product, the Google home mini nest is best, most helpful thing that I have ever owned First off, the color is on point Love the coral… straight out of the box the google nest was easily paired with my phone via Bluetooth. It can play your fav songs from thr designated media player. It works with those smarty led light bulbs as well. My favorite part is how sensitive the hey google to activate him is….
IanBonham –
I have been using Amazon Echo Home Mini units for some time, and really enjoyed them and the convenience. Having programming experience I have been able to add new functions to my ALEXA, and the Echo Home Mini also functions well with my home automation equipment.However I had long wanted to move to Google as I am heavily invested in Google Services for Email, Calendar, Music, Video etc etc. So I decided to finally purchase one to try out. Thank Goodness I only purchased oneWhilst the audio quality is remarkably good from such a small device, and the add ons you can install are solid including allowing interfacing with the aforementioned home automation there is a MASSIVE gotcha.I pay for Google services, as I do not want the tracking which comes with the free services. This is a service from Google known as GSuite and is mostly used in Business, but some tech cluedup people pay for the service on their phones and accounts also to avoid the tracking which we are all aware of.Potential purchasers of this item should be aware it WILL NOT WORK with PaidFor Google servicesWhilst my Amazon Echo devices can access my Google Gsuite calendar, the Google Home devices will not. ShockinglyI discovered online after purchase I am not the only one to have these issues and many who pay for Google services are now getting rid of these Google devices. Many reviews rave about them, but it seems they are not often tested with the GSuite service. It is almost offensive we pay for Google software services which are not compatible with Google devices.Im gifting this one to a friend who uses Google Free services, with which it will work. I will personally be staying with the Amazon Alexa systems.I could not recommend this Google device to anyone who pays for Google services though, it will NOT work. Amazon Alexa devices are a better bet in that case.
gina.c –
The google home mini is a great speaker to have in your home Some pros of this speaker is its really small so its easy to transport around your house, you can hook it up to your lights or even your TV if you have smart devices, you can talk to it to ask for the time or even to ask it to set up an alarm for you, and its great for playing music and asking it to play specific songs or skip songs. it has a really nice speaker that is loud and it is super easy to use. its also very affordable for a smart speaker my cons with it is that it has to be plugged in to work so you cant bring it with you anywhere where you cant access an outlet, which is a bummer as i love to bring speakers with me to the beach or even in my car. the other con with it is that when you ask it to play a song it only plays the clean version of the song as well as sometimes it doesnt hear you or understand what youre saying. otherwise, this is a solid smart home speaker to have
diana.s –
This is probably a really good present to give to someone for Christmas or their birthday. The amount of things you can pair it with, do with it, etc. It makes me super excited for IoT and personal assistants to get even more advanced. I especially love the fact I dont have to turn on my phone to stream music to it. I can Google Cast from my computer. I received this one free from my Spotify, but I bought one for my boyfriend as it also works with YouTube. Youtube free at that Theres so many things you can link your Google assistant to. I have it tell me my horoscope everyday. Reminders, for example my Google Home Mini knows where I put my passport because I told it to remember it for me. Theres so many endless possibilities. You can tell google to tell you a story You can tell it to sing you a lullaby I love it I use it every day. I dont check my phone as often now that I have it.
Anonymous –
I actually have the coral, and I love the color, really cute. Nice size, and of quality. You cant power it on or off, but you can turn the mic on or off. Comes with a very nice Android charger which can be used multipurpose. Very responsive, and responds quickly. Sound quality is a little off, so I wouldnt really use it to listen to music. Plus there isnt really bass, which throws it off. However, very nice functions with telling you important things every morning, being able to set alarms, get recipes, etc, etc. Theres a function for everybody. Nifty and useful.
chrissy.b –
Google mini is one small smart speaker which does many things. It tells you the current weather, plays songs, can make calls from your contact list. It also connects to chromecast and plays videos on youtube or you van cast from Netflix, Prime and Disney TV. The range of Ok Google, Hey Google is good enough that it can hear you from quite a distance. It can hear even when there is something playing in the background. The sound is also good. High enough to fill an entire room and the sound doesnt gets distorted on full volume. All in all, this is a good device to transform your home into a smart one
Jeremy –
I originally bought a Google Home Mini. It has reasonable highs but virtually no lows, so after a while, I put the Mini in the bedroom and bought the larger Home speaker. It has better lows but not good highs. I got tired of the so so sound quality so Ive just ordered a Sonos One which apparently has excellent sound quality. Well see. Funny thing, after I ordered the Sonos, I had the idea of putting both Google Home speakers, together, in a Home Group. Voila Together, they sound much better now. If the Sonos isnt a dramatic improvement, Ill send it back. Stay tuned.
Bob –
The Google Home Mini is a great electronic device for everyday users interested in using Googles voice assistant. For this review we will be evaluating the Google Home Mini based on the following criteria initial setup, sound quality, style, durability, and price. This lowtech device is perfect for any age group who wants to simply stream music, ask questions, or call friends and family hands free. For first time users, the devices setup is timeless and straightforward allowing anyone to setup, personalize, and use their device in no time. The instructions provide a simple outline to follow that eliminates any possible issues when connecting your Google Home Mini to your WiFi or network connection. To initiate the setup, the device requires that you create a google play account and download the Google Home app, but this will help you personalize your specific profile. By doing so, you can connect other apps to the device such as Spotify, YouTube, Netflix, and much more as updates become readily available. These features allow you to play your favorite music, movies, or videos just by simply telling the device to do so.When you ask the Google Home Mini to play something or ask a question, the design allows the sound of the music or voice being played to fill the entire room. The upward facing speakers propel the sound and improves the sounds quality, which enhances the users experience with this device. Compared to the Amazon Echo Dot, the Google Home Mini has an overall better capability to project the sound more clearly, making it easier to hear and accessible to use for older ages. The Google assistant built into the device allows you to change the volume output from anywhere in your house just by saying Okay google, softer. You will find that the style of this device fits in with a wide variety of home interior designs. The simple oval shape with the option to pick from three color choices can complement the look of any room in your home. If you are known to drop things, the outer shell of the device does an excellent job protecting the hardware with its strong durability to prevent any damage from occurring. For a lowtech product with high tech qualities, the device is well worth the cost. For around 50 dollars the Google Home Mini is an excellent voice assistant for the everyday user looking to get value out of their product.
bbbrittanybee –
This was a fantastic purchase. I use this speaker for everything. It entertains the kids with games and music that they can control, so they arent looking at a screen for fun. They can get homework help from it, too. I love using it to read me recipes while I cook. We set mood music for our dinners and can play peaceful sounds at bedtime to wind down. I make announcements from it via my phone and use it for phone calls and adding events to my phone calendar. It really is the best tech purchase Ive made for helping with everyday tasks.
emma.o –
I got my Google Home Mini discounted free from Spotify and I absolutely love her. Simply being able to get music on request makes me so happy and shes also super useful for quick kitchen conversions and recipe substitutions. Ill ask her about the weather, and I recently discovered the Dress Right action, that helps you pick out outfits, which is just above and beyond. Knowing how useful my Google Home Mini is now, I definitely think its worth paying full price. Id be interested to see the difference in abilities between the Mini and the standard.
kim.e –
Okay Google Full disclaimer I received the Google Home as part of a promotional deal with my tvinternetphone provider. My husband and I loved it so much, we bought the mini. We live in a fairly small apartment, so you wouldnt think that we need 2, but its great. We can stream our music and both of our Google Homes will play on speakers. We can ring the dinner bell, set reminders, and even broadcast. I was driving home and my husband wasnt picking up his phone. I had an important message for him so I pulled over and broadcasted the message over the Google Home app. We are able to attach our smart outlets and smart bulbs to our Google Homes, have her set timers and alarms, and we can ask questions that we would normally look up ourselves For such a small device, her speakers are excellent The quality is similar to our larger Google Home. Overall, I highly recommend it
sweenytoddler01 –
It was a choice between this and the other well known one and I chose this because of the speaker sound quality which I must say is pretty good considering its size. Nice even bass and clear treble. It also goes very loud but I find the clarity distorts slightly if I do that but its loud enough anyway even if not on full. You tap the sides to raiselower the volume. A long press on the side can pausestop playback. You can also tell the AI to lower the volume by xx or pause playback etc. The AI Google Assistant is still learning and like all similar smart speakers it will take a while for you it to learn how to respond more accurately and what you can say to it to get a more accurate response. It can be a little bit frustrating having to repeat yourself a few times but I must say it seems fairly intuitive and quickly learns. More schemes are being added to it so you can add more connected gadgets. It doesnt have as many as its rival but its slowly getting there. You can switch off the mic on this so thats great for us security minded people. I have yet to link another speaker via bluetooth but have it linked to my Chromecasts and a cheap wifi plug with no issues at all. I would like it if the AI could be switched to only recognising my voice and no other and possibly changing its name so that my phone and tablet dont spring to life when they hear the OK Google phrase the facilities may be there already but I havent found them yet. I have now started telling it good morning which will give me a rundown of my schedule and the days news highlights. I also tell it good night and enjoy hearing it say something silly like good night, up the stairs to Bedfordshire or something equally amusing. On the whole Im glad I bought it and would consider getting another for other rooms.
Tony –
Its like having Albert Einstein sitting in my house just waiting to answer any question I could throw at him. This thing is a genius. It can track my appointments, tell me the news or tell me the weather, give me directions to the grocery store or order me a pizza. It can even help with homework and do math calculations. The mini has the same functionality as the Google Home but in a sleeker and compact design. The smaller design allows it to easily blend into any dcor without being noticeable.Physical setup is extremely easy, just open the box, put in on the table and plug it in.Google has also made the software setup very easy and straightforward. However, you will need a smartphonetablet and a Gmail account. From your smartphone just download the google home app and run it. The app will ask a few questions, have you sign in then automatically detect and connect the mini to your house WiFi. Last step will be to train your voice so the mini can identify you. At this point you are setup and ready to start using the system.Just as the original Google Home you can ask any questions, set timers, get directions, hear the news or the weather, order food or even control your inhome smart devices. It even has integration into your smart phone, allowing you to make calls directly from the mini.If choosing between the mini or the larger google home the only difference will be in the smaller compact design and the speaker quality, functionality is the same. As for the speaker quality for a small device it sounds great. When comparing to the larger Google Home, the Home will have a bit more of a robust sound. This is a perfect size for a small apartment or a bedroom.As google is constantly expanding the supported products and functionality of this product, this in one of the few products that will constantly be expanding to meet your needs.
Happybuyer –
I love my Google mini. When Im doing the dishes or cleaning the house I always put the music on. When Im painting and my hands are dirty all I do is talk into it from across the room. The only problem with it is that you cant get the exact songs you want to listen to most of the time because you have to buy a subscription. But you can get the genres and the artist, Etc. The other part that stinks are the commercials are terrible. You got a commercial after every song. You can buy a subscription and Im sure its much better. I use mine without a subscription just fine. Its not perfect, but it does have its great features. You can get the weather everyday, ask it to turn the volume up and down, Etc.
DesignerJen –
This was our third Google Home Mini purchase, which we bought after getting 2 standard Google Home assistants and 2 Home Minis about 10 months ago. We love them all We purchased them initially because it gave us the ability to designate speaker groups for playing music in different areas of the house or throughout the entire house, which we thought would be very convenient for parties. And it is The sound is great for the compact size, and for just playing music in certain rooms, the addition of the Mini with its relatively low cost allows you to have that capability in several areas without spending a ton. And its nice that they are so portable from one location to another.Weve attempted to figure out the best music service to use with the Google Home, but this will be more of a personal preference. The Google Home products work with Google Play Music, YouTube Music, Spotify, Pandora, and Deezer. Some of these have limited options you can use without purchasing a subscription, but we did find that many of the songs we asked for were not available without a subscription. So…if youre not a current subscriber or are opposed to a music subscription service, you may wish to investigate prior to making a purchase. We chose to try the Spotify free trial, which we really do enjoy. However, we have found that only one device or device group per Spotify user subscription can be using the service at a time, but this is a Spotify subscription limitation, not a Google Home issue. Its just something to be aware of if you are a novice comparing music services.Prior to purchasing Google Home products, we had not had experience using an Assistant of any kind, so I cannot compare ease of use or capabilities to other models, but the Google Home app was very easy to set up on our phones and once we did, setting up the speakers was straight forward and easy too. It has been nice to have them around for questions without having to stop what youre doing to look things up, like if you need measurement conversions from ml to cups for a recipe, or something similar, you just ask And if you need to pause the music, you just say so instead of tracking down your phone to tap pause. It is quite convenient, especially if you have dirty hands or need to act quickly. My understanding is that there are also Roku sticks that are compatible with the Google HomeAssistant for voice controls, which we do have, but we have not attempted to use that feature.The only reason I rated the Mini at 4 stars instead of 5 is because the touch controls are different from the standard Google Home, and it would be much easier if they both operated the same way. Its not difficult to use the controls on either device, but if a customer has both types and takes a little time to catch on to new things, I can see the differences being confusing to someone who has challenges with operating electronics.Overall, we LOVE the Google Home products. It should be noted that if youre on the fence about trying this line, you can use the Home Mini on its own without the standard Google Home. This provides the option of testing the capabilities of the Google Assistant and the music services without a large initial investment so you can determine if it fits in with your lifestyle and what you want it to do. We also found that it makes a nice gift These products have definitely met our expectations, and we would recommend giving them a try
emily.b –
I love having a smart home. I chose google over Amazon and I really like my google devices. Google home does WAY more than you can imagine. From setting a timer while cooking, telling me the weather and news in the morning, or just answering random questions, google is amazing. I like how I can control other smart home items like my hue lights from my google home. Google also has safety features like letting me know when a smoke alarm is going off or if it hears glass breaking. Google brings me piece of mind even when Im away.
valerie.l –
This is actually the second smart device, the Amazon echo being the first. When I started using them both, I didnt notice much difference until now. Aesthetically I like the Mini because it blends in better with my entertainment center than the white Echo. However, my like pretty much stops there. Since I really didnt have any Bluetooth speakers, dealing with the Mini was a bit challenging whereas the Amazon device has the 3.5 aux. jack which meant I could directly connect it to the speaker of my choice. Another pro for Amazon is the fact that I have an Amazon music subscription that I can access giving me somewhat more of a choice in music. If I had to choose between the two, Id go with Amazon.
Mike –
This is my second set of mins. I now have one in my living room, one in my office, one in my bedroom and now one in my bath. Love my minis. I have all 4 of mine set up as speakers so when mini plays my music it is played everywhere in my apartment. I can play games, mini will read books to me and keep me on track with my schedule. With a few commands mini gives me the weather forcast, current temperature and the news in the morning while going over my daily schedule. At night it will turn out the light and play my thunderstorms that I fall asleep to. The only thing mini does not do is call 911 but I even have that covered. Since I am elderly and there is a possibility I may slip in the shower or fall in the house, I can have mini call a family member who will then call 911.
anika.b –
My home is a Google home. The Google Home Mini is the last of a few Google products I purchased for my home, I actually purchased 3 of them. Along with the Minis, I also have a Google Hub and Google Home. Compared with the Google Hub and Home, its less sensitive and responsive when it comes to hearing my promptsquestions and performing the tasks Ive asked of it. Id be closer to the Google Mini versus my Google Home and the Google Home will respond and act before my Google Mini does. However, when it does hear me, it is smart due to the Google Assistant and pretty loud. I like that I can broadcast to all the Google devices in my home and play music on them all at once, or one device at a time. I like how smart it is compared to Siri and other AIs out there. I like that its small and compact to just litter everywhere. This one is an older version of the Google Mini I believe theres a Google Nest Mini or something like that out there thats supposed to be better. Its easy to set up with the app on my Pixel 4XL. For the technologychallenged, the setup at the beginning might be difficult if youve never had Google products before, but the prompts are easy to follow and complete let setting up your voice and account. Using the device is a breeze, anyone can do it.
BAintheBoro –
Mini Chalk This is the standard Mini version of the Google Home device. The Mini works well as a speaker and home device. It provides weather, trivia, music, and compares well with all smart home devices. Google is easy to trust with their line of technology products.We have two minis, a Home, and a Home Max in the house. This can be confusing if youre trying to play music as you typically set one device as the primary music speaker. If youre in the bedroom and ask to play music, it will often begin playing in the living room. Im still trying to figure that out. It could be user error.Pros Speakers are good. The morning and evening routines are great. You can configure Google to give you weather, traffic, news, play selected music, or none of the above each morning or night just by saying, Hey Google Good Morning or Good Night. Good night also asks what time to set your alarm and will play various sleeping music. These features alone make us like this more than the Alexa Dot.You can link multiple music accounts Pandora, Google Music, Spotify more to your Google Device. You do have to be specific when asking it, otherwise it will go to the default setting.Pros All standard smart home routines work great similar to Alexa. Morning and Evening routines are really great.Cons Having multiple devices can sometimes be confusing as to which speaker will play music for you but the sound quality is better than the competitors products. Having multiple music website choices force you to be specific when asking for a specific song and if your 14 year old daughter makes changes, then its changed for everyone. Haha.Overall We are really enjoying the Google Home experience. We really enjoyed the Alexa Dot but Google, in typical Google fashion, has extra perks that rate it ahead, in my opinion.
Tommy305 –
I got this after getting the Google Home since I loved that so much This is like a miniaturecompact version of Google Home Its perfect for smaller rooms or compact spaces I use it in my kitchen sometimes in my bathroom..I love that its so compact but has enough punch to fill the room with music Its about 4 diameter by 1.75 thick. Perfect as a hideaway on the kitchen counter under the cabinets or out in the open in the bathroom I keep mine on the far corner of the long sink space, under the medicine cabinet. Its great for me, when Im away from my Google Home in my bedroom, to catch up on newssportsentertainment especially listen to my favorite music while in the bathroom getting ready for work in morning or kitchen while cooking or eating. You could really use this in any room though big or small. Its the mini Google Home thats your mini assistant, connecting you to the world.. playing your favorite song or catching you up on things..even letting you know how the weather is outside..or connecting to your calendar to keep you on schedule. Much like the original Google Home, this is a great smaller version that works just the same will add a great accent to any room Love this
Irene –
Pros Really handy. Dot lives in my kitchen, on the window sill. I listen to the radio and news, but when cooking dot serves as my timer, no setting timers It just Hey Google remind me item in time so I can ask to be reminded about multiple things. Appointment, date, birthdays, I love that dot reminds me. Brilliant for older people Once its set up there are no fiddly controls, and the entertainment options are endless, It tells stories, plays quizzes, tells jokes etc etc… Hey Google good morning, Weather, news, radio. Simple to set up Yes my grown up children laugh at me, but I do love my dot Very good value for money……Cons Nothing to dislike about this, its all voice controlled by me
migarel80 –
I put one of these in most rooms of my house. I use them as an intercom between them. No more yelling across the house. The kids use them to help with schoolwork. And the baby likes when we say okay Google, sing a nursery rhyme. Asking Google for the weather or random questions is useful and fun. We also use Google mini to set alarms and Family bells. Google doesnt always understand but its useful and I wouldnt want to do without it.
melissa.s –
I love my Google Home Mini I have one in my bedroom, and one in my living room. Ive got smart wifi outlets all through my home, so when I go from room to room, I just tell my Google device to turn the various lights on in each room. What I also love is that I can just say Hey Google, what day of the week is it Or What day of the week will July 4, 2021 be on And it acts as an alarm clock, as well. I just tell it to wow me up at whatever time, and it sets an alarm for me. Even if I need a reminder for something later in the day, its easy to set with the Google device. Them theres music….you can ask it to play whatever type of music you want and itll find a Spotify station for you, and play it right through its speaker. And it was super easy to set up when I first got each one. Easy to sync you wifi smart outlets with it, as well. And I havent had any instances of it talking or laughing when not prompted, like Ive heard of happening with a competing product. I would absolutely recommend the Google Home Mini
Anonymous –
I love my Google Home Mini Ive been using mine for a year and its honestly made me more efficient. I start off my mornings with a Routine which includes weather, commute info, and I set it up so it gives me tech business news from my favorite publishers. Perfect way to be up to date while getting ready for work. The integration with Shopify premium is ideal and I find myself listening to more music podcasts. Hey Google, play . Super easy and loud enough for parties as well. There are often times where it doesnt know the answers andor Ill rephrase them, but its learning pretty fast and often leaves me surprised. Great human touch, especially if you use words like pleasethank you. Interesting sense of humor There are LOTS more uses for a Google Home mini and I picked mine up from Best Buy when they had it on sale. No regrets I bought one for my parents as well who previously owned another voice assistant. They love this way more and my sister whos in elementary school is using it for her homework suggesting new recipes to my mom
megan.m –
We own a couple of these all throughout the house. They work really well. Are ease to command. Easy enough that my toddlers can use them. This one is in their bedroom. They like to listen to music on it. Lots of baby shark We also keep one in the down stairs living room. My sons bathroom and the playroom. Easy to set up when you download the app. I would definitely recommend this product.
therese.r –
Perfect for my use Google mini is a handsfree assistant whose basic functions are helpful. Set a timer to remind you when the laundry is done, ask what the weather is or if it will rain or ask it to tell you a joke. Connect your Spotify and tell it to throw on your favorite playlist or radio station. Ready for bed Ask it to play ocean waves and set the sleep timer to shut it down after an hour or two. All of these functions may seem quite basic and they are but helping out with the basic needs free up time for you to focus on the things that need more of your attention. Love it
Anonymous –
We have two google nest minis in our home. One upstairs and one downstairs. I love my google nest mini. I can listen to my favourite podcasts, playlists or radio from the comfort of my own living room. Broadcast messages to the other nest mini in the home, set timers and alarms and there are countless numbers of other features we havent even unearthed yet. Couldnt live without it. Cant recommend these devices enough.
William –
The downside of this device is that its capabilities have dropped. Google closed down their music service and switched everything to YouTube music. What that means is that you are unable to tell your Google mini to play your own music. In other words, you paid to buy the Google Device, you paid to buy the songs, but you cannot play the songs you bought on the device you bought. Google makes you pay for a premium subscription to YouTube music to be able to do that. So if you are getting this device with the idea of being able to play your own collection at home, dont waste your money.
monserrath.c –
The size and weight of the Home Mini make it easy to place and move anywhere in the house without complications. The colors proposed by Google, coral, black and gray, also make it possible to integrate into the decoration of the house without attracting too much attention. Perhaps for some people the biggest problem in terms of design is that it has to be connected to the light to work, but in my case, it did not take away practicality, but beyond the design, what matters in this type of speaker is performance. Initially, making the necessary facilities to use it takes less than 10 minutes. You have to connect it to a light source, download the Google Home app and follow the steps described in it, ranging from confirming that a buzzer was heard when the horn was turned on and linking it to a WiFi network. Subsequently, many other customizations can be made that will allow Home Mini to follow the instructions more accurately. The Home Mini is smart enough to recognize who is talking to you and, from there, give the right answers. Of course, if the people who use it up to six download the app from Google Home and train the speaker to recognize their voice. Using it is simple, you only need to say Ok Google or Hey Google and the instruction for it to take some action. At the top of the speaker you will distinguish four lights that come on so you know that it is listening to you.
Acyducy –
Google Home MiniIncludedGoogle Home MiniAC power adapterNeededWiFi networkElectrical outletAndroid or iOS device with Blue tooth enabledGoogle HomeA google accountThe Mini is powered by the Google Assistant. You can ask it question, set alarms and reminders, get news, traffic info, make calls to your contacts list, use it as an intercom with two or more Google Home units, play back music and connect to Bluetooth speakers all by speaking commands to the Mini.The hand size Home Mini has a fabric mesh, but its conductive to your touch in a few areas. Tapping the top pauses and resumes play. Placing a finger on the left and right sides of the speaker lowers and raises the volumes. While you navigate with your voice or touch, the Home Mini will illuminate four LEDs on its top to show that your action has been registered.This unit has a micro USB port on its rear to provide power, and a microphone switch that enables you to turn off active listening.On its bottom, you can see a circular rubber mat to keep it still on your table. Mini comes in coral peach, chalk grey or charcoal black. Mine was chalk and blended well in my living room.Voice recognition isnt hurt due to its small size or price. Good results were obtained from across the room or speaking gently 10 feet away, with only an occasional need to repeat commands.Ok Google is the start command.OK GOOGLE SET A TEN MINUTE TIMER FOR PIZZA.You string commands together such asOK GOOGLE PLAY BRIDGE OVER TROUBLE WATERS ON SPOTIFYThe Home Mini can take control of many external things. Stream music through music apps like Pandora, Spotify, YouTube Music, iHeartRadio and more. It can send a request to pull up a YouTube video over to your Chromecast another smart unit.The Home Mini is also a smart home hub in that it can also be used with smart devices such as light bulbs.Connecting through the Google Home app and Home will teach you things about the Home Mini, like how it works and resources that provide instant access to a wide variety of free audio content. If you want to use the Home Mini as a Bluetooth speaker, the Google Home app offers up pairing settings, though they are rather buried within the app.Once your smartphone is set up with the Home Mini, its simple to begin listening. Either give the speaker a shout for some tunes, being as specific or obscure as youd like, or just hit the Cast button near the top to give your phone free reign to push its audio straight to the Home Mini.The Mini is really a desk unit or can give you a cheap way to extend your Home Google network anywhere within range of your WiFi, outdoor shed, pool area note NOT water proof, think intercom. It is great if youre are using it to get a glimpse at your calendar, hear the latest news or phone a friend. But if youre looking for something that will faithfully reproduce your favorite music, this isnt the best solution out there. This mini speaker can get fairly loud, but theres no bass.If youre in the market for a cheap speaker, the Google Home Mini will do the trickDisclosure I was provided this unit for evaluation by Lowes.
randi.b –
My son got the Google home mini for Christmas because he loves being able to ask all the random questions he wants. We put it in our living room and we have all used it. It is very handy, as you can just ask your question out loud rather than type it in your phone or computer. It seems to work great and have the same basic functions as the regular Google home. I changed the voice so now John Legend answers our questions, tells us jokes, gives me the forecast, etc haha. We found it on sale at Walmart Black Friday for only 15 and we are very pleased It is small so it takes up little to no space, which makes it more appealing in my opinion. If you are a parent of a curious kiddo, I would definitely recommend the mini home
xerxes991 –
I am amazed at what this entry level device will do. As well as all the Google Assistant capabilities, it also will function as a conventional bluetooth speaker, which I hadnt realised when I bought it. Be aware of one significant difference between this original Home Mini and the later much more expensive Google Nest speaker. The Home Mini is powered by any Micro USB charger, whereas the Nest is only powered by a mains adapter, which is required for the greater power draw on the Nest. The trade off is that you get a more powerful speaker with the Nest. Your money your choice.
Mike –
As part of my fairly complete suite of Google Home devices, the Home Mini serves quite well, in my opinion, for several personal assistantlike and smart home functions. That is, sound reproduction is still not up to its major competitors ability. I also find trying to link several Google Home devices to replay or stream the same input is cumbersome, at best. On the other hand, would be easier to link to my personal music library, when loaded to Google Drive, a major obstacle now with the competitor eliminating ability to store a library with them.Like all of the Google Home family devices I have tested, I find that the functionality as a smart home controllerinput device is flawless, and in fact seems much more timeresponsive than the prevalent competing devices, which lately seem to be lagging between command and smart device actuation. With few exceptions, almost all of the smart devices installed can be controlled by either system, which does provide me with redundancy.. One exception is a bundled GE smart light bulb, that I can only control via Google, unless I want to write an IFTTT as I understand it routine for the other system. One standout is its interaction with my smart thermostat, which is much more intuitive. Other than the mobile app, it is the only means of which Im aware for controlling the Chromecast device, to include voice commands for those services which the Chromecast is enabled. See my Chromecast review for more. Moreover, the smaller size of the Home Mini allows its placement in locations where neither the fullsized normal Home, nor obviously the huge Google Max.would fit.To me, the one other lack with regard to playing music, is that the Google Home devices cannot be wireconnected to either a powered speaker set or full audio system, having to link via Bluetooth. While for many this is preferable anyway, I personally am not a fan of creating a large paired set of devices to have access to a playback means. Also, I would think, but do not know for sure, that there will be even further audio spectrum clipping due to bandwidth limitations.Oh, and one other function where it excels, is obviously direct access to Google Search and stored data functions. There is not as extensive a skills library, and the one entertainment app Ive used seems a bit hokey the trivia game show.Again, it is a very capable device and system, and I generally like it. For someone else who is not a Prime member, it is a definite alternative to the major competitors smaller version, and in a home running both systems, it serves as both a niche and as an alternative system quite well. One niche example is that I have only Google Home devices a Mni light bulbs in my basement where I no longer entertain. I could later add a Bluetooth adapter, should I decide I wanted to stream music via the Google device there.In short, once again, a recommended and quite capable system that just would not be a total solution for me, but could well be for others.
Lisa –
I hate Google Home Mini or Google Nest any device specially because of it does not provide auto play off feature. After one song I want device should not play related song without my permission. it continue playing which is annoying a lot. When i called and ask support people they said this feature only available when you buy the subscription, why i have to buy subscription. When i play you tube it should have such option auto play mode onoff for free. This should be device feature nothing related to any subscription.
mehrail.y –
The Smart Light Starter Kit consists of 2 products the Google Mini Smart Speaker and as Smart Light. You need to 1st set up the speaker in order to set up the light, unless you already have existing Google hub. Setting up the speaker was a breeze I already had Google Home app on my phone, it recognized the speaker and in few minutes it was up and running. Setting up the light was even faster I turned it on and the app took over and in a minute or so it was ready to go. You can assign each product to a room, which makes it easier to control down the road i.e. Game room, Bathroom, Tonys room and so on. The kit gets 5 stars for set up. The light is easily controlled both from the app or through the Mini by using common sense commands. For example Hey Google, set the light in the Movie Room at 30 and the light will deem appropriately, or set it at 100 and itll glow at its full brightness. I tested its functionality by using the app on my phone while on mobile network not on homes WiFi and the light reacted accordingly, which comes handy if youd like to use it while away on vacation. You should be able to set a vacation schedule as well, but Ive not tested that yet. The only downside of the light is that its 60W equivalent with about 800 lumens of light output, which is OK for a small room, but in a larger room youll need several of these to be able to achieve the necessary brightness in the room. The Mini executes verbal commands really quick, and given the fact that I have an accent it does a really good job The Mini is surprisingly good speaker, given the tiny size under 4 diameter and under 1.5 thick. Its loud enough to fill in very large living area it feels like you can clearly hear the music in the entire house. Google did a good job in adjusting the equalizer of the speaker as you change the volume up or down so that you dont hear the annoying distortion thats common at high volume for most small speakers. In my own tests I find the sweet spot to be around 6065 of the volume. That will vary depending on source streaming online directly from the speaker, cast from your phone or computer, type of music, and quality of the records, but in general above that level the speaker will start cutting down the lows and while the sound remains clear, you will notice the missing bass. When you lower the volume to about 40 youll notice amazing details and really pleasant low frequency fullness of the music. You can control the volume level with you voice by saying Hey Google, set the volume of Game room speaker at 60, use the Google Home app on your phone, or use the tap sensitive areas on both sides of the speaker to increase or decrease it. One thing you need to keep in mind though when you play your musing loud, you will have to communicate with your Mini much louder than normal One of the best things I like about the Mini is the fact that it has a hardware clickslider button to turn the mic off or on as you wish. When you slid the button of the microphone control to Off position the 4 speaker lights on top of it will turn amber color and each time you shake the speaker or turn it on itll tell you that By the way, the microphone is turned off The mini comes with a wall charger with hard wired to the plug cable with USB micro to be plugged into the speaker. The plug is rated for output of 5V at 1.8A, which in general is more than what you need for a phone and less from what you need for a tablet. Given these characteristics I tried to use the speaker as a portable speaker by plugging it into a USB battery pack that has 2A rated output. This didnt go really smooth the speaker rebooted several times for no apparent reason, so Id guess it didnt have proper power supply. I then connected it to a brand name battery and it did better played for some time, but when I cranked the volume to 90 the speaker rebooted. Im not frustrated with this findings as the product is designed to be plugged into a 120V outlet, but would be convenient to take it with you from the office to the bathroom without interrupting you audiobook or podcast. I also used the Google Home app on my phone to Call Home and it immediately invoked Duo and called the Mini very convenient I can call my son to lower the volume of his game without leaving my bed on Sunday morning Id definitely recommend this product. It really worked as advertized both the speaker and the light.
patiteed –
My kids gave us our original Google Speaker….the tower one. We decided we wanted another and I started our going to buy the original one we had. But I started reading the reviews and bought this one based on the excellent things people were saying. We are very pleased with this. The sound is at least as good as the other and is small and compact to use. The price is excellent for this powerful little speaker.
larissa.l –
Great product and price It was easy and fast to set up. The speakers are quite helpful in asking questions about what one might look up on the internet. The speaker would then go through the list of tasks for which you had set up. It also allow one to use them as an intercom by broadcasting. This feature will cause each speaker in the Google Home to broadcast whatever you say. Google Home gives us a clean, easy to use, onestop shopping type experience to controlreview all the various products in our Home. This is definitely a great buy
krista.t –
Google Home Mini is a versatile miniature rendition of Google Home with a smaller, yet surprisingly good sounding speaker. Similar to its larger sibling, simply call out OK Google or Hey Google and speak your request. The strong suit, not surprising, for this Google assistant, is to address a question that can be answered by Google search engine. That is where it really shines blows away its competition. For this reason I recommend owning at least one of these or one of the full sized Google Home, if you prefer. If you already own a competitive virtual assistant, I recommend you buy this Google Home Mini. Owning both one or more Google Home Minis and a competitive assistant make perfect sense. Each has a specialty and can do specific tasks better than the other. Owning BOTH offers you the best of both worlds. In addition to voice controls that I prefer, tap the top to pause or resume music playback, and you can tap and hold to activate the Assistant. To adjust the volume, you tap the sides of the device. Or best yet, simply SPEAK your command I recommend the Google Home Mini
lauren.k –
I absolutely love my google home mini I have one in the bathroom so I can listen to the morning news, I have one in my bedroom to listen to music and to wake me up everyday and we also have one in the kitchen to listen to music while we cook or to help w a recipe. I love the automation too It works flawlessly with smart plugs. I love being able to say hey google turn off the kitchen or hey google turn on the bed room fan. I feel like my home has been brought into the future by use of this super easy to use device of the future. I never thought I would see the day that such a cost effective device would be available to me to automate my household. My father is also unable to get up and hell ask google to call me if he cant reach his phone. This actually saved his life last year when he fell and couldnt get up. It called me and I was able to call 911 and save my daddys life. So it truly is a life saver I highly recommend this product It is so versatile. I especially recommend it if you have an elderly parent You dont have to be tech savvy to be able to operate or set it up either And at leas than 30 each, you cant beat it
denise.p –
I have my Google Home meeting for almost 2 years now. I dont use it as much as I thought I would use it but it can come in very handy. Its super easy to ask for the weather or the time. Are use it as a speaker to listen to music since it connects to Spotify. If youre someone who uses this is really handy for say in your office or just your room. It does happen that it sometimes doesnt react to the words hey Google. Or sometimes it listens too good when my mom screams a Google downstairs. its a small box and doesnt use much space. You can connected to other things such as your TV or your lights. It has many functions you may not know or it could surprise you. google homeassistent music googlehome
langutani.n –
I bought this device early this year, it was a process to set it up but eventually figured it out after 3 weeks or so. If it wasnt for lockdown I dont think I would have found use for it. All was well for a while. Played music on it and it woke me up for work in the morning. Over a period of months it began to glitch. Music seems to overwhelm the little guy. It shuts down every time I ask it to play a song or when I connect my laptop. I use it for alarm only now. I know for a fact id gladly ditch it for a homepod mini. Perhaps mine may be a factory fault but I cant be sure. Im not willing to go through the process of getting another one or fix. There is just too much competition. Its a handy product but quality may or may not be dependable or optimum. Lol, I said optimum.
nncy101 –
The google mini is a great starter for someone not sure if they want to turn their home into a smart home. Start with a Google mini or two They are very affordablewatch for sales auctions. And add a smart light bulb or two. The system is fairly easy to set up, nothing to it at all, if you are tech savvy. I have several google minis in different rooms in my house now, with google assistant compatible smart bulbs in several of the same rooms. I can turn on my lights by voice command when I walk into a dark room and can turn the lights on and off when in bed. My google home is connected to my home security system ADT as well, so I can arm and disarm security and adjust my thermostat by voice. I can broadcast messages across the different rooms which have google minis. Even when I am not at home. I broadcast my message to my cell phone google assistant app away from home and my message will be heard from each google mini in the house. Great way to communicate with kids that forget to charge their phones or chronically leave their phones on silent Or maybe they were just telling me that and they were really just ignoring my calls. Well, can you hear me now Yes, I know you can, because the whole heard what I just said The google mini is not the most powerful speaker out there, but it is perfect for home use. I have one in the bathroom to listen to while showering or getting ready for work. Please note, they are not waterproof. Mine is mounted on the wall above my lightswitch. I have one in my bedroom to listen to news and use as an alarm clock. When doing housework, I will broadcast my playlist across ALL the google mini speakers so the music is in stereo and I can move from room to room and keep listening to my music. The Ramones are my housework standard, but you could easily do an audio book or listen to a news program instead. I put two minis in my kitchen so I have my work music in stereo. Besides asking Google for random bits of information what the weather is, is asked most frequently, and the reason I felt completely justified in calling it quits with the yard work this past weekend when google told me the feelslike temp was 105 degrees F Asking for commute times and locations of nearby commercial businesses is also helpful, as well as math equations and measurement conversions. I can keep track of my shopping lists as well. I notice that I am out of something so I say, hey google, add shampoo to the shopping list and it is on the list when I am ready to do my shopping. Before, I used to tell myself that I needed this, that and the other thing from the store and goofy me would expect to be able to remember all 30 or 40 items when I got there. It rarely worked out well. Ever walk into a store to buy one thing, just to buy 10 other items and forget to buy what you were supposed to get, forgetting the ONE thing you actually needed I dont do that anymore Google Assistant keeps track of my list for me. Do not forget to set up your routines. You are missing one of the best functions of the google mini if you dont set up morning and bedtime routines. I have a Google mini and smart bulbs in my bedroom. I tell google goodnight, my lights are turned off, security armed, thermostat adjusted, tomorrows weather is given as well as my calendar items and reminders. Then google asks me what time do I need for my morning alarm. The good morning routine works the opposite. Hey google, good morning. My bedroom and kitchen lights go on, todays weather given, commute estimates to work, my calendar and reminders are gone over and then the headlines from half a dozen news sources are gone over. All while I am still stretching and trying to figure out how many minutes do I have left before I ABSOLUTELY have to get out of bed When the news gets to be just too awful to deal with in the morning and I decide to start my day with something that puts me in a good mood, I can either temporarily turn off the autonews recitation and go straight to my favorite music. Nothing too relaxing or Ill never get out of bed. One current limitation is that routines can only be operated on one google mini. Consequently I do not have leaving home routines set up. Hopefully this limiation will be corrected in the future. All in all, my offspring and I are very happy with our google minis and are finding new uses for them all the time. We cant wait to see what new features will become available next and what new compatible products we can try. I have a couple of smart plugs for outlets so I have the means to googlefy some electronics that are not actually google assistant compatible. Plug an item in the google compatible outlet adapter and leave the device in on mode. You control the onoff power of this item by voice controlling the onoff power of the outlet its plugged into. Not sure what I will googlefy next, but I cant wait to try it
Jamie –
We have several of these Im our house alone with a couple Alexa devices. These sound great. I only wish Google Home had a brief mode like Alexa. Im putting my baby to sleep and I whisper Hey Google, play baby lullabies on Spotify and she yells out Okay Playing baby lullabies from the baby lullaby album Playing now on Spotify It might as well just smack the baby awake. Lack of brief mode Alexa devices can be set to respond with brief answers or just a simple DING to confirm…and baby stays asleep. Also I feel like you should be able to enable calling on these devices ONLY when it detects specified voices. That way my kids cant say Hey Google or Alexa Call John Smith and it listens to them. Give parents more choices and customization. Aside from all that these are great.
macey.h –
When I first bought this product it took me a while before I started using it daily, as I found it slightly strange asking my google home questions. However, I have fallen in love with my mini When I wake up in the morning I always ask the mini to tell me about my day in which she provides me with traffic information, daily news and the weather forecast. My favorite features however are tied between the speaker options, which makes it easy to request playing songs on spotify or skipping tracks even when my phone is in another room, and the alarm settings. I have very long days with gym in the morning, school and then work so by the time I arrive home im exhausted and jump straight into bed. It may seem like a small detail but when my phone is on charge on my dresser and im falling asleep being able to ask google mini to set an alarm in the morning is the most relieving thing than having to get up out of my warm covers and turn on an alarm by myself
152bs –
It can do pretty basic stuff. Almost all of that could be done with your Google Assistant app if you own an Android phone already which you most probably do. Automating lights, thermostats… well, you gotta buy smart versions of those first. And even after you buy those, you can control them with voice commands via Google Assistant app on your Android device. The UI of google Home Mini speaker is almost entirely dependent on another preferably Android device. It connects to your WiFi… It also has some bluetooth connectivity, which I find nice and kinda necessary, given the fact that you cant plug in AUX cable it lacks 3.5 mm audio input jack. Thanks for the Google Home Mini, nevertheless.
jaylee.b –
The google home mini is a very good. Not only has this been fun to use, its making my life a whole lot easier. Basically all of the Google Homes do the same thing. The mini is a lot less expensive and the size is a lot more convenient. It is fine for me as I just want to listen to music in the area that its in and I dont need to blast it throughout the entire house. If you wanted a speaker that will blast music throughout the house, I wouldnt recommend this product, however you can get multiple Google homes and can pair them. Set up was easy, all you need is a smart phone to download the Google home app and do the set up, then youll need WiFi. Also the cool thing about having the app installed on your phone is that you can control what the speaker is doing on there. This is a awesome product and totally recommend.
Laura –
I already had Google Nest Minis in other rooms in my apartment, and to save money I went with this version for my bathroom. Now I have music or radio playing in every single room of my house which is great for those times I am doing chores around the house. Its also much easier to control the music when Im in the shower, now that I dont use a bluetooth speaker anymore. I just tell google to skip a song, up the volume, etc. Because I am using this in the bathroom, the sound quality is just fineOne thing I would have liked is if the cord was a little longer and the actual plug a little smaller so it can properly fit with other things in the outlet. I found that to be an issue across multiple Goggle devices Nest Wifi and Point, Nest Mini.Overall, I am happy with it, and I especially liked the sale price
Bejaph89 –
We have had this google mini installed in our kitchen.Firstly to set the google mini you need to download the google home app and follow the setup instructions, this is common of many electrical products. The set up did seem to take a long time but this could of been down to my internet connectivity rather than the app itself.The google mini needs to be plugged in at all times, It would of been nice if the cable colour matched the device to blend it in more as the white cable stands out on our black worktops and the actual plug is bulky but this is personal preference and doesnt affect the product.We have been very impressed with the google minis understanding it never fails to answer or perform the task requested regardless of who has asked it, woman, man, or child.As a speaker I dont think the sound quality is as good as other speakers on the market but that said other speakers dont remind you to make a packed lunch or tell you how long to cook roast parsnips for. We havent got Spotify or googleplay which are the main music platforms supported by the voice activation but it is simple to pair your phone or table via Bluetooth to play music. You can request it plays radio stations for you without the need for a secondary device nearby if you dont use the above mentioned platforms.There is so much this device can do and we havent even begun to fully utilise it yet, what we have done isStored shopping lists on it so when youve got dirty hands cooking and use the last of something you can add it to the shopping list straight away without forgetting Kitchen timer, you can ask it how long is left on the timer too New and weather updates specific to youre local area or wherever else you request Recipes Radio TImerMy 9 year old has particularly enjoyed some of the fun features like beat boxing, trivia games and getting the answer to his maths homework.This is a fun family gadget.
bordermancer –
This is my second Home Mini. Im very impressed with all that it will do. Now I can communicate with Google Home from most places in my small home without yelling. I have it working with everything from my Nest thermostat to the Chromecast device attached to my TV to my Wyze security cameras. Plus, it works seamlessly with several remote switches and outlets made by various manufacturers. I have an iPhone and two iPads and have enjoyed using Siri for several years. However, I havent gone the Apple route for automating my home due to the much higher costs involved. Google Home and the Google Home Mini give me great value at a very good price.
emily.g –
This device can be tricky some days. Sometimes it doesnt connect to the internet and other times its connected with no problems. It doesnt take up much room and can be used anywhere. I like that it has the ability to be a Bluetooth speaker as well. We use the routine feature and have it start playing music in the morning while getting ready then automatically shut off at a certain time. The speaker can get very loud on it and plays clearly.
marlene.g –
I love my google home mini. If you are on the fence between Alexa or google, they both have their pros and cons. Alexa has so many skills that are great and can do so much. My favorite one is the whisper skill.. The downside is that amazon is ALWAYS trying to sell you something. It wont play a specific song you want unless you sign up for their monthly music subscription but it will play similar songs. The reminders are great, it will remind you to do things just like you asked it to do. Google on the other hand doesnt have the skills that Alexa has, but its not selling you anything. If you say play this song it will.. But if you set a reminder it will notify you that there is a reminder an will not tell you what it is unless you ask hey google what is my reminder this is so annoying to me. I personally have both devices at home. I like to not be sold anything when asking for simple requests.
horselips2 –
Installation was easy and fast. Does most of what I want it to do, except ONE BIG THING. Google assistant WILL NOT PLAY SONGS unless you buy an optional music service. Ask it to play a song, and it says it cant, then it goes to a radio station it hopes you will like.I bought these turkeys because I thought they would function like the Alexa unit I have, but they do not. Alexa will play any song I ask for no questions asked, no optional extracost nonsense. I didnt buy these assistants to end up with a neverending monthly bill. Google stinks. Im deciding now whether to return them and buy more Alexa units. Alexa units are more expensive to buy, but at least once you pay for them youre done. Ive learned my lesson nothing from Google ever again.Highest praise to Walmart package arrives well packed and believe it or not, 4 days early Walmart has earned my business online and at their stores.
Jefurlan –
Love the ease of setup and the overall performance of the product. Even the package is so nice Setup was a breeze using the required app on my iPhone. Linking the Mini to the otter devices in the house was also easy. Sound quality is good not great and it can be improved by connecting a Bluetooth speaker to the smart assistant. Overall very pleased with the product and the price. Delivery was fast.
jessie.j –
Ever since I was a kid in the 90s, Ive wanted a smart house like Taj Mowry… this product lets me get pretty close. I have 3 of these personally and there are like 6 total in my home. They are hooked to the lights, the air, the TV, my phone, you name it. Gone are the days I cant find my phone because I can just ask and it will recognize my voice and make my phone ring even though its on vibrate. Gone also are the days where I would forget about things in the oven, microwave, washer, dryer, I can set a timer and it reminds me… this thing has made my life so much easier in so many ways. I got my first one because I had a Spotify account a while back and I still actively use it and have been for a few years.
FutureAmazonCustomer –
WORST SUPPORT IN ALL OF HISTORY Since Google doesnt allow any of their products to be reviewed directly on google, or on the google store, here is my review of google homechromecast ONLY in regards to their customer support… your agents provide inaccurate instructions, and are ill informed. They are barely understandable, hang up on customers, avoid surveys, and make NO attempts to make things right supervisors included. I had an agent receiving a facebook call while we were on the line we all know what the facebook messenger ringtone sounds like and tried to deny it happened at all, stating they are not allowed to receive facebook calls while working Although Amazons smart home products are extremely inferior, I will be switching to them because at least they provide intelligent support, that is sympathetic, and goes the extra mile to make their customers feel like they are cared about. Goodbye Google smart devices I own 3 google homes, and 3 chromecasts. They will live in the landfill as of next Tuesday
lauren.p –
We have several of these speakers throughout our house and like the convenience of being able to talk, broadcast and listen throughout our house. We do find the sensitivity to be lacking at times, however, and we always get a good chuckle if we are watching TV and it hears the words or what it thinks is the words hey google. We probably use them the most to listen to music or turn on lights throughout our house, and we love the ability to manage them within the google home house and create a group of whole house speakers so our music plays on all speakers at the same time. The audio is decent quality, though I wouldnt expect it to be the same as dedicated audio equipment. Essentially these are pretty nifty little convenience devices that dont have the security risk of a video camera but can make your day to day just little bit easier.
matthew.o –
I got one of these free as part of a promotion. I didnt use it for a long time as anything other than a Bluetooth speaker, and for that alone it was fine. When I started to integrate other functions it occasionally would glitch out and the personalization was invasive but not always in the way I wanted. It did work with my Bluetooth devices which was nice, but the assistant was just not worth it. I hope they continue to improve their AI. I havent been very impressed with Google products lately, which is unfortunate considering the liberties they have taken with peoples privacy. Like, at least make it worth it.
SteveMac –
Google HomeMiniMax Smart SpeakersInitial Setup and PerformanceThe Google Home was the last module received and was just as easy to set up. A quick check with the Google Home app found that the Home was waiting for connection. The controls integrated into the top are more versatile and responsive than those found in the Home Mini or Home Max, with the pause and volume functions on the top that worked well.Voice commands on the Home worked well, although there was often some confusion between speakers in the kitchen and living room when I tried to get the Home to play music. If the Mini could hear me better, it would start playing music rather than the Home. I dont doubt that theres a setting that would remedy this, but I havent found it yet.Speaking of sound quality, the three speakers Home, Home Mini and Home Max were as expected, with the sound quality and maximum volume increasing with size. While none of them were a substitute for a proper hifi system, each was of adequate quality for background listening. The big boy, the Max was capable of respectable sound quality and volume in a smallish room like my office although it was no match for either the monitors attached to my computer MAudio Studiophile DX4 or my vintage 2channel system with large English monitors. Most surprising though was the sound quality that came from the Home speaker, the mid sized one. I could hear actual bass coming from them and I was repeatedly and pleasantly surprised by the quality of the Pandora stream being played. This is the Mama Bear of the three, just right, not too big but big enough to please.As I have an Amazon Echo Dot placed beside the kitchen Home Mini, I was able to evaluate the relative sound quality between them, as well as the effectiveness of their responses.In terms of the sound quality, the Echo Dot has a fairly thin and tinny sound, befitting its low price. Its good for low background listening or spoken audio, such as news. The Home Mini has a much smoother sound, and although lacking in bass, makes those spoken audio or short audio clips much more listenable. However, if youre like my wife, you will play it loud without a care for the sound quality and anything, including her transistor radio, will do that.As far as the quality of the responses to questions go, simple stuff like how many milliliters in a quart or whats the nearest Italian restaurant are pretty easy and accurate. But the AI response for most other things is pretty lacking. One advantage of the Echo is that it can notify you when your package has shipped or arrived and Google has yet to yield that information to me. Of course, you will be expected to ask it to tell you a joke, but Google, was it necessary to have the punch line end with a figurative rimshot The noises at the end are just juvenile and Amazon doesnt use them.Impressions and ConclusionsAny of the Home speakers will interface with the Google system and the Home Mini is small and inconspicuous for placement around the house. The original Home is the GoldilocksMama Bear, just right. It takes up hardly more room on a table than the Mini but has a fullybaked sound quality. Which brings us to the Home Max. Yes, its sound quality is even better, but at a cost of size. It has transitioned from a compact smart speaker to a large unit that occupies quite a lot of space, filling a bookshelf or other similar sized space. If you want your smart speaker to substitute for a fullfledged sound system, then this is your speaker. But perhaps a better choice would be a Googlecompatible receiver and speakers that would outpace the Max in sound quality.
Jennifer –
Syncs with Hulu, YouTube, Spotify and many other apps. Me and my 5 and 6 year old use our Google Mini for so many things She helps us keep track of our Halloween countdown, tells us when its time to head to the bus stop and when to get ready for bed. Shes now my sole timer for cooking, baking or anything else I need to calendar. Is my alarm clock that lets me know the weather and reminds me of anything on my calandar. She is my radio and always has a joke when we need one.I had gone out looking for an Alexa but am so happy I found this instead. She syncs up to the apps I already utilized instead of only ones from the same company.
Kitcat07 –
Taking the mini out of the box it looks smart, modern and compact. The base is rubberised and when responding 4 lights appear on the top.Mini needed to be plugged in and the app installed on your smart phone. When it came to pairing the phone Samsung Galaxy S5 with the mini it wouldnt create the initial connection. Whereas my partners phone Samsung Galaxy S7 paired straight away and completed setup. Once this was done my phone worked correctly with the mini.The mini has clear sound and good voice definition, picking commands from a distance though it sometimes interrupts and if trained can recognise individual voices. After using the mini it feels like its still a work in progress, though from the looks of it new functionality is being added constantly. To get full functionality 3rd party smart devices are required. Unfortunately I dont currently have though I think the Philips smart light bulbs, Chromecast TV control, and NEST heating control would be good. Another feature that is coming soon is the ability to make and receive calls.What you get straight out of the box is the ability to ask it facts, news, dictionary definitions, spell words, the weather, reads calendar entries, creates shopping lists, set timers and alarms, good night puts it into night mode, good morning can be setup to give you information. Very handy on traffic, advising how long it will take to get to work.To play music youll need to be subscribed to a music service that is available in the home app. It doesnt appear to be able to play locally stored music although will play radio stations.I have found it more useful than what I thought and I am looking forward to new functionality. I would happily recommend.
CraigG4 –
This product has yet to answer the question as to where exactly my life went so wrong. It can however, answer pretty much everything else.Aesthetically, the Google Home Mini fits in perfectly with the feng shui of my home. Unlike its Amazon rival, which despite having a seductive name, does not have a captivating design.When I asked Google Home Mini to review itself for the purposes of this review, it actually scored itself 7.33 out of 10. I was surprised by how lifelike the answer was. From this, I discovered that my Google Home Mini is confident with high self esteem, but isnt overconfident or narcissistic. This is exactly the type of personality that I need to guide me through some tricky questions, such as, how do you make a lasagnaGoogle Home Mini can tell me about the latest news, change the temperature on my Nest thermostat, manage my day and play me whale music on Spotify before I enter into deep sleep, knowing in my heart that all of my questions have been answered.Google Home Mini is about the size of a large pebble. Gentoo Penguins search through piles of pebbles to find the smoothest, most perfect ones, before presenting it to their intended companion. With Christmas right around the corner, Google Home Mini is the perfect gift for your penguin.
krupa.v –
This was my first experience with any smart home tech, and I absolutely LOVE IT Not only can you control the light bulb with simply your voice, but you also have the option to control it from an app on your phone from anywhere in the world as long as you have internet connection to both your phone and your bulb. It should be noted that this bulb will require a constant power supply even when its off, for it to work properly. So, you probably wont be using this bulb in your ceiling lights, unless you want to leave the switch on 247. If you are looking for that kind of control, you should look into getting a smart switch instead. This bulb is best suited in something like a bedside lamp something that is always plugged in. I found this to be rather useful for that very purpose. Not only has this solved the fight every night about whos going to get out of bed to turn off the light, but you can also setup routines through the Google app to automate turning on and off the light. As a practical example, I have an automated routine set to turn on the light 10 minutes before my alarm goes off every morning. This has allowed me to have already begun waking up by the time my alarm rings, which helps me to feel better rested and ready to get up instead of the normal shock that comes from being jarred awake out of a dead sleep. As far as the Google Home Mini itself, Ive been super impressed with its volume and range. Its max volume is more than youd ever need, even in a large open room. And, Ive consistently had it recognize my command from the next room when Im shouting of course. But, that said, if youre in the general vicinity of the device, you never really have to raise your voice for it to recognize your request. Additionally, I love the built in games, sleep sounds, news and music options, etc. This starter kit has awoken a NEED for smart home tech inside of me Ive already purchased a smart garage door opener, which is controlled seamlessly with the Google Home Mini. Additionally, Im looking to purchase a couple more of these for around the house, and upgrade some of my existing dumb light switches to smart switches. Smart Home products are no longer the way of the future they are here now And this package is a great starting place for anyone looking to dip their toe in the water
liams.bargains –
We have converted our lamps from manual switches to smart switches using cheap sonoff WiFi switches inline with the power cords. We also had a chrome for our TV and its great to call up your videos or setup up routines for example saying Hey Google, Good Night. Responds with Good Night….., the weather for tomorrow will be….., your calendar entries for tomorrow are……., what time would you like your alarm Followed by turning all the living room lamps off. Just Brilliant My little boy loves using it for his homework too by asking questions he gets the answers read back out to him on his requested topic. I plan on having one in each room and use it for automating lights, playing music from Spotify or casting items to the TV more Chromecast devices needed too. Once youve started going Smart, your home will never be the same again
Samuel –
Functional small speaker with big sound. I just replaced all my Alexa Amazon Dots with Google minis . The Google mini is an absolute necessity after having tried it. Set up is amazing easily and takes only a minute or two. The user interface is visually pleasing and fairly intuitive. You can program it for multiple users that have different voices, so that each person can have their own setups individual to them.The Mini works much like the full size Google Home but its more compact, so you can put it basically anywhere Its approx 4 diameter x 1.7..so you will love how compact it is The only thing I havent figured out or dislike, is when I ask it to my Mom, it comes up restricted on her called ID and is blocked. Not sure what calling system it uses, but I can call everyone on my phone list. Will look into this matter. Otherwise, its a great product.Warning You will want one in every room
skight44 –
We have 6 of these speakers in our house and they are awesome. I bought the first one for my daughters room. She was afraid of going into her room when it was dark, so I added some of the white hue lights, and now she can say, Hey Google, can you turn on my lights Its a great feature, but they can do so much more. We use them a lot to broadcast messages to the kids, synchronize music through the whole house great for cleaning days or getting the kids to unplug from their tablets and phones. One of my favorite features is to say Hey Google, good morning when I get out of bed and it will rattle off a ton of info like time, weather, current temp, traffic, top news stories, history factoids, etc. And you can tailor it to your interests. The only real con with this device. The sound quality while playing music is better at lower volumes. You cant exactly rock out with this device, however Google has created a workaround that allows you to sync to a Bluetooth speaker and play music that way.
taylor.b –
I find this smart device very useful for certain things setting alarms, weather info, morning and nighttime settings, etc. I have the Google home mini in the coral colour. Me and my boyfriend are set up to it so Google recognizes the both of us. I mainly use it to easily set an alarm and Google usually answers right away. Sometimes I have to repeat myself because she doesnt hear me, not sure if thats a technical glitch or a me problem. When asking her to tell jokes, dont be surprised to receive a very bad Dad joke LOL One thing that Google could improve on is to better set the volume to your preferred setting when you ask it to play music. When I ask Google to turn it down, she doesnt really do much to help its like she wants me to party So I have to manually do that myself or I get annoyed and just say hey Google, turn off the music.
robmilmel –
New ones are 39 on a deal right now, regularly 69…This was 18.99 open box. No scratches or any other physical negatives. Sounds exactly like my 1st one, and nice to pair them for stereo sound. 20 under the cheapest ones I could find. Now thats a deal And, for me at least, after using my minis for a month I wonder how I did wo them. Best is using them when youre in bed, change music wo sitting up.
michael.c –
Very good This was my first ever smart speaker, and while I wouldnt say it totally lives up to Googles hype commercials, I cant deny that the device is useful for certain things. I mainly use the speaker as a way to play music and media , and its very good and doing that . For such a compact item, the speaker is powerful and the sound quality is good. My only complaint is that, if the volume is sufficiently loud, its hard for the voice recognition to pick up your Ok Google or Hey Google commands The drawback is, this device LOVES to tell you what it cant do. There are apparently routines you can set up with Google Assistant, such as a going to bed routine that silences your phone, reduces speaker volume, and prompts it to start playing the sound of ocean waves. Trouble is, the smart speaker cant ACTUALLY silence your phone, and so when you tell it Ok Google Im going to sleep, it reminds you to just pull out your phone and do it that way anyways. Every. Single. Time. It gets annoying.Finally, the speaker is great for quick handsfree Google searches. If Im debating a point with someone and need to check something, I can say Hey Google, how to I calculate Celsius from Fahrenheit However, you do need to be careful with how this is phrased, because this is a literal Google search the device types your words verbatim into a virtual browser and reads you the top result. To use the example above, it may, instead of giving me the equation Im looking for, just read a quick blurb about the history of Celsius. Interesting, certainly, but not what Im looking for. Or, more likely, the Speaker will simply respond I dont have any information about that, though this seems to happen more with complex subjects that arent explained in the first paragraph of a Wikipedia article.In all, I like the Google Home for the simple things, music and quick searches, but thats pretty much it. The other bells and whistles are pretty hitormiss for me, but I imagine somebody more plugged into Googles whole ecosystem may appreciate them.
brittany.s –
Im teeter tottering on this review. On the one hand, my mom has some google devices scattered around her apartment and we all love it. On the other hand, my girlfriend and I got a google home mini, another google mini, and a set of smart lights. When we went to set it up, we couldnt use them because we share WIFI with others in our apartment complex. Apparently, the google home services are housed though your wifi and on the app, there is no way to isolate your devices from others who you share wifi with. This includes your contact info, anything you connect to your device, and the ability to control devices from the app. For example, we were confused while setting it up and were playing music on our neighbours google home by accident. Definitely something to keep in mind if you live in a dorm or an apartment complex where you share wifi with people who dont live in your space with you.
drJ –
Youre considering a dive into home automation. The question that arises is where do I start. You can get intelligent lightbulbs, switches, outlets, thermostats, and TVs. Your ability to use these devices, however, is limited to how you can interact with them. If you want to use the Google Home infrastructure, the first interface is going to be your Android or iOS device. While control mechanism works, it is somewhat cumbersome Ive been doing it that way for a year.Enter Googles Home Mini. Essentially, the Mini adds two additional features the ability to speak commands and to listen to results without having to fumble for your cellphone or tablet. As a byproduct, it also adds decent audio albeit a little tinny when compared to Googles Home, its bigger sibling to listen to streaming sources on the Internet and a coolness factor. It also has a limitation your cellphone or tablet doesnt have the Home Mini has no display. As a result instead of viewing your options on your cellphone, you need to know whats available e.g. know that I have a coffee pot plugged into a Google Home compatible socket that can be turned onoff pretty easy or the name and source of a specific musical album.Having said all that, there are times and features that really make voice control of your environment fantastic. While I cant say I couldnt live without it, it CAN BE very convenient.By the way, in case youre interested, the time to install with a preexisting wifi network from removing the plastic wrapper to my first command Hey Google, play some jazz. was about 7 minutes. Not bad for a new install
franhonor0 –
I really like the design and quality of this device, its quite neutral but very responsive. I bought this to compare it to the Amazon echo, a product I use now. Google home mini has some nice advantages compared to the Amazon echo, the voice recognition seems to be a lot better and its better at picking up your voice in a noisy environment. It also just looks a lot nicer. However, the software, Google Home, used to manage this device is just awful. The Google Home app has almost no gui tools to work with a smart home environment, for some strange reason Google wants you to use your voice commands to set this up. This is done by asking google home mini to scan for new devices and then you can manage them through additional voice commands, but if you havent configured your device names with the specific intention of using voice control you have a major problem. I for example have a light in your living room named LightWallLeftLRoom, you can imagine the problems getting a voice recognition system selecting this device. For Amazon echo I can set up routines using the Alexa app gui, which gives me easy visual access to administrate my smart home devices. Using routines i can connect the voice commands i want to use to the devices i want to manage, for example i have a routine called Good night which turns off all lights and media center devices. I know Google is implementing something similar, but for now its only available to the US as far as i can find. I can also mention that Amazon support also is a lot better than Google, from Amazon i at least get a response from a human while Google just links me some random forum threads if i get any response at all.
sara.r –
I have one of these in my bedroom as well as my office. I also have an echo dot in my kitchen. I can say without a doubt that the Google mini is far superior to the dot in ever way. First and foremost, I use it most for listening to music and the sound quality of the Google is a million times better. Also, the preface to the app and connecting to you phone in general is so much easier and better Ill definitely be sticking with the Google version of these speakers
wondernaut –
Truly garbage I own two of these because they hand them out like candy with any purchase you can think of I got them with a Spotify pro purchase and some random Target purchase. Both have stopped blutooth function and frequently disconnect from the internet after two weeks of use. On the rare occasion bluetooth decides to work, there are delays in function or my phone stops connecting and the home gets a mind of its own. User interface of the apps also is awful. I downloaded all of them because to utilize all the homes features, you have to download MULTIPLE apps ridiculous. Sometimes Id be searching for a setup function in the app for 5 minutes only to find out that what I needed was in ANOTHER app. Privacy concerns are also there with any smart tech these days, theres a privacy tradeoff, obviously, but its extremely stupid to say Well, you can switch off the listening capability …might as well buy a decent bluetooth speaker that ACTUALLY connects to my phone, then and stick to my weather and traffic apps for all its worth. The fact that I have two useless hockey pucks that now just sit around doing nothing because I cant even count on them not listening in on mine and my boyfriends convos yeah, more than once weve been talking and have then logged onto our phone and gotten weird ads weve never gotten before featuring products relating to what we were just talking about. Conspiracy Who cares, its concerning that its believable enough to consider it in the first place. If youre considering paying REAL money for this Dont bother. Even for free, I regret having these wasting space in my apartment.
marisa.s –
Love my google home mini It can tell me the weather, play my Spotify playlists, and with Chromecast and smart bulbs can cast netflix or youtube to my tv with just my voice and dim or turn onoff lights or even change their colors I can also ask it to call places for me and it will without having a number attached to it. So, if my pet is acting strange I can ask Google to call the veterinarian and it will and I can speak to my vet handsfree without having to look anything up and leave my animal. The lights and smart plugs are a fun, inexpensive added bonus. I set several lights to come on in the evening so I never come home to a dark house. I also have a light over my plants that comes on for about 10 hours a day during winter, without me having to remember to get up and turn it on I originally bought this bc of migraines, I wanted the ability to simply say shut off the lights without having to get up while feeling sick and it has worked great
theleadbeat00 –
The product does not compare to my other Google Home Mini. The sound quality is very scratchy and tinny. Responses from Google are fine but are not easy to hear. You would have better audio from any bluetooth speaker for the same price. Did not come in the proper Google packaging and I wonder if that explains the terrible quality of sound. This is unusable as a speaker.
llaltick –
I had the Home base station and found it a much better assistant than Alexa. When I found this Home Mini, the price made it a nobrainer. The speaker mic picks up my voice from another room. I am finding I use it for even more than the Home base. I set alarms and notifications for myself. Play music and radio stations. It keeps telling me about additional capabilities I wasnt aware it had. The more I learn about it, the more I like it.
gillymorris2 –
My digital radio packed up so I bought this, it was cheaper than a new radio. Easy to set up, plays the music stations by just a voice command. Also tells me the weather and my traffic to work which is a God send. There is so many things this does. I have actually now got three in different rooms. As for safety, if you had a fall or cant get out of bed, you voice command it to call whoever and the call comes through on speaker. I have recommended this to friends, in fact I cant see why ANYONE would not want one of these.
Rick –
I am making a switch to the Google Home service and this was a nice addon device. I have used the Amazon Echo Dot and have made a few comparisons herein.PROS At a high level the Home Mini does everything that the Home Hub and and the Home Max deliver with Google Assistant. Sounds better than the Echo Dot comparatively better range, richer sound. I like the appearance with the fabric cover and color options available. The Home Mini is a very affordable entry smart home hub that can integrate with Internet of Things IoT devices i.e. TPLink, Philips Hue, Wemo, etc. or anything compatible with Google Assistant.FEATURES EXPERIENCE You can place a call free phone call, stream music through music apps like Pandora, Spotify, YouTube Music, etc. Easy integration with Google Chromecast and use voice command to launch YouTube. Netflix, etc. to your TV. You can send the Mini audio to other speakers with Bluetooth.CONS Touch controls are not intuitive. The Mini does not have a 3.5mm auxillary output jack like the Echo Dot. The indicator lights on top are not easy to see from a distance unlike the light ring on the Echo DotSUMMARY The Home Mini significantly lacks in sound quality and speaker capabilities compared to the Home Hub or Home Max. That should be expected with the considerable lower price point. Because of this it should supplement an anchor speaker to the Home Hub or Home Max in your Google Home platform. While the touch controls are not intuitive tap and swipe on the side you will likely use voice controls most of the time. I would recommend this as an affordable means to expand your Google Assistant options and start a Google smart home platform.
Deborah –
I have 3 of these in use now. My kids bought my Dad 85 years young one for Christmas and he loves it. So They bought 2 more for me. one in the kitchen and one in my room. Now, Dad wants one for his bedroom. These are great for when we need to communicate from room to room. He has a life alert but these minis make it so I dont walk my legs off to check on him and he feels so secure knowing he can ask Google to call me anywhere I am. I also have a google assist in my car. These get a super high 5 because of all the help they are to my Dad and I. I also use baby monitors in his room, next to his recliner and one by his desk. I have the monitor with me but he cant hear me speak over it so its good for checking on him and saves me much walking. I would recommend these Minis to anyone for multiple uses. Best Buy Ive made in a long long time.
Prasanna M –
I needed to replace the one that my son had as he moved out. This unit from Kogan was the perfect replacement. I even observed many more features that could help us. I can even control lights and also make announcements when a member returns home or leave home. We can use to to call out someone with out using the house phone. Looks and performance seems to be as of a brand new one. No real defects observed upto now.
laurence.g –
Great for weather, reminders, playing games and lots more You can do just about anything with your google home mini. The only reason I dont give it 5 stars is because it sometimes does weird things. We can be watching tv or just talking and it starts playing music or explaining something. Its like it picked up on something we said or the tv and I find it a bit weirdcreepy. You gotta say Ok google for it to listen so I dont understand why sometimes it randomly does that. Ive heard of that issue before so I dont know if it got fixed in the newer version.
angela11814 –
Its all in the programming of your smart home. I prefer YouTube music vs apple so I can watch videos through my chrome cast. Ive got 5 smart lights set up 2 smart TVs 3 google homes and one google hub. I personally like pairing them together to make surround sound but sometimes its annoying when sound starts on one then answers you on another one. Pretty much you can program these things to do anything almost. From laundry to lights to coffee and warmers and strip lights. The possibilities are endless.
Jeff –
This is one of Googles smaller Home smart speakerassistants. I think of it as Google Home Lite, because the entire device is only the size of a hockey puck. You can do everything with the Mini Chalk that you can with the Home except raise the level of the sound fidelity to that of the Google Home or Home Max. The rationale for obtaining a Home Mini instead of a Home or Home Max is cost and thus affordability, for this device is inexpensive enough to buy for every room of the house or apartment. Like all of Googles smart home devices, this smart speaker is a lot of fun, seriously cool, and very easy to setup. BTW Googles Home, Home Max and Home Mini smart speakers install and work exactly the same way so if you also come across my review of them, you may notice considerable similarity.So long as you have a nearby power outlet, a Google login, a smartphone to load the Google Home app, and a home wireless router within range, the voice activated Google Home Mini personal assistant will be a breeze to install and use. Once it is setup, its Look ma, no hands. All I had to say was Hey Google and fireoff a question or command. Im glad these devices include touch as well as voice controls for volume, and mic mute so I can just touch it with a finger to adjust the volume without always having to do it verbally. I also like broadcasting my voice messages throughout the house wherever a Google Home, smart speaker exists.
The dever –
We have 5 throughout the house and they control all of my lights, plugs, thermostat and other smart devices accurately and reliably. They play my spotify music all at once or in groups Ive assigned. Wifi connection is rock solid as is the Bluetooth connection to other speakers or phones. I also use to set timers, and add appts to my calendar. I have no idea why people are saying they have connection issues, never had a single one, ever. Its a cool device with many conveniences baked if you used properly.
cambot2701 –
I have a number of Google minis and Google Homes great tech if you like this sought of stuff. I prefer Google to Alexa, as I find Amazons user interface a bit monotone and less engaging. They are very easy and quick to set up. If you want more of a smart speaker with good sound then opt for the Google Home great sound and bass although its not the loudest. I have a number of smart power outlets and Chromecast dongles all work faultlessly with Google. Once you get started there are plenty of things you can control from your arm chair. You can also play games, listen to music not Amazon music, listen to radio, set alarmstimers, ask joke of the day, news updates, ask all sorts of questions. Good fun
Anonymous –
The Home Mini is a voicecontrolled speaker that can be used to play music, control smart home gadgets, answer trivia questions, add things to a shopping list, create calendar appointments, or play video on a Chromecastenabled screen. Recently, Google added the ability to place phone calls from the Home speakers, as well as use them to locate your phone if youve misplaced it somewhere in your home. Its in the couch. Its always in the couch. Theres certainly an aspect of subjectivity in judging sound quality, but most would agree that what the Home Mini is capable of isnt a whole lot. The soundstage despite being pitched as 360degrees falls a little flat. While skilled in pulling up the most obscure music you can think up from a fairly wide variety of streaming services, the Mini has a difficult time doing them justice because of this speakers diminutive profile. However, if you already own a Google Home or have a speaker set up with a Chromecast Audio, the Home Mini will make your audio arrangement even sweeter with its expertise leaning on the highs in the sound profile. Vocals and the like chime through clearly, but come in at the expense of, well, everything else. This isnt a problem if you have other speakers picking up the slack, but by itself, the Home Mini just isnt mighty enough. In spite of that fact however, its impossible not to recommend this little device. Its Assistant smarts, large list of features and low price make it easy to take the plunge on the Home Mini. techie Google Tech GoogleHomeMini
Daniaal –
The google home pod mini is a great in home device. I have had this for a few months now and it still seems to be working fine. I have one issue though. After a while of owning this and one other google home pod mini there seems to be little holes in the netting. They are still very small and hardly noticeable. The google homepod mini also disconnects from the google home app. If these things were fixed it would definitely be a 5 star item.
victoria.e –
I love our little Home Mini. we received as a gift with purchase so wouldnt usually go for this sort of thing but its a great bit of kit. Its really easy to set up and link with your phone. Weve had Alexa in the past and the setup time for that was just ridiculous but with Google it was seamless. Also, when you ask Google something it has the power of searching through three different search engines so youre more likely to get your answer. Alexa only searches through Bing so you get a very minimal search. There are great little features including quizzes and its a lifesaver in the kitchen for recipes and timers. Were looking at getting others for different rooms in the house as they can all be linked up.
Deanne36 –
This is a great little smart speaker. It hears my voice even when I speak more quite, and I also like the size of it. I use this speaker to set my smart lights, my smart thermostat, to set my alarms for morning, and for many other things. I really like having these Google Home Mini Smart Speaker I areas of my house like the bedrooms, games room, and so on. So no matter what room I am in I can always talk to my Google Home Mini Smart Speaker and have it set my other smart device to what I wantneed them to be at. I recommend this smart speakers to people that have or dont have other smart devices in their home, because these can also be used as alarms or a speaker for music, etc. these are great smart speakers.
willow.s –
I received my coral Google Home Mini as a free gift for being a Spotify Premium customer, and Ive loved it ever since. Its super user friendly and easy to figure out and set up. Not to mention the speaker which is surprisingly loud and good quality. I love the routines feature, that way I can use one word commands for multiple actions. For example, my favorite routine I have set up is nighttime. Ive always had trouble falling asleep, but the Google Home Mini has helped tremendously All it takes is Hey Google, goodnight for it to tell me tomorrows weather, my calendar events, set up alarms, and play relaxing sounds. This is a great product for the price, Id recommend to anyone whos new to smart home devices or wants an affordable option.
kiley.b –
The google home mini is very convenient, buy I have found that I could be in the kitchen asking my phone a question and google home plays the answer in another room on the other side of the house. I have also been having issues with voice recognition for my son for the last 4 months. I reached out to Google 4 months ago as when I set the family link kids account up with my sons voice it would overwrite my voice and google would no longer recognize my voice and would call my son by my name. Finally, after 3 months and a lot of trying to get it to recognize both voices, it recognizes two different voices, but calls us both by my name. I reached out to google multiple times and was told they would look into it, but I never heard back. I am very disappointed with the customer service. Music quality is good on the speaker though and you can ask it so many different questions, play games, have it tell you a story or set character alarms for the kids.
Sharon –
Pros My 16 year old son loves it. Feel it is good for all ages and plenty to do with it. Watching TV, listening to music, having a chat, playing games on your own or with family,making phone calls and more. Can be connected to more than one TV if connected correctly. Customers service very helpful, however, needs to know a bit about there products to be able to assist better. But all were great and called back to check that l was happy and device was working correctly.Teaches you to speak, clearly, In sentences to allow Google mini to understand you and assist correctly.Gets young people talking and using the correct grammar rather than constantly looking on there phones. A little more interactive. Thats what we need in 2020.Cons Didnt realise l needed a chrome cast device to connect to my TV to be able to work the Google mini. Not very expensive however, it is definitely needed if you want Google to switch over your TV and watch different shows. A bit difficult to set up when trying to set it up on more than one TV however, is doable with customer services assistance,talking you through everything.
jen.n –
Reviewing both the google home mini and the google home. Purchased this product about 45 years ago. Absolutely love the automation that google home is capable of. Fast, easy installation, price is impeccable for the value. Easy to link up other home automation devices to it and use your voice to control. The bigger google home does have a button on the side to turn off the microphone wheras the google home mini does not. The speakers on the mini are also not as strong, but you can have multiple minis linked up to create your own sound system as well. Highly recommend to all tech enthusiasts
ann.c –
We absolutely love our google home It was gifted to us by youtube when we became a premium member Its easy to set up and it can be moved anywhere around the house. The speaker is actually nice and loud considering its only a small device We love playing music on our google home. The kids also enjoy the jokes it tells, the beat boxing and how they can play baby shark Overall, highly recommended product Everyone in the family will surely enjoy and be entertained.
CJMicknoulty –
Great product and price Fast shipping This 2pack was an addon to our existing Google Home. As with all the other Google products, it was quite easy and fast to set up. The speakers are quite helpful in asking questions about what one might look up on the internet. It also allows you to set certain habits, such as hey Google, good morning. At that point, the speaker would then go through the list of tasks for which you had set up. For example, you may want to know the weather forecast, the tasks on your calendar for the day, commute time to work and then begin playing a particular playlist of music to begin your day. The speakers also allow one to use them as an intercom by broadcasting. This feature will cause each speaker in the Google Home to broadcast whatever you say. For those with teenagersearly twenty year olds, Im sure you can probably appreciate this ability rather than trying to get your kiddos attention to come to dinner, do chores, etc. We have other apps integrated into our Google Home, such as our washer and dryer. Google Home gives us a clean, easy to use, onestop shopping type experience to controlreview all the various products in our Home. This is definitely a great buy
jj.j –
If youre invested in the Google ecosystem and just starting out with smart devices this combo is a great introduction, and if you already have Google smart devices in your home then this could be a convenient way to extend coverage into additional rooms. These are Google Assistant devices so people who are already using other Google products and services will get the most out of this combo. Set up and integration between the Home Mini and the Smart Light is quick and painless surprisingly painless, in fact. I tend to have low expectations when setting up new devices but I was glad to be proven wrong in this case. Within minutes I was controlling the light through the Home Mini, listening to my music, and playing content on a Chromecast. Prior to purchasing this combo I had used my phone to stream content from Google services and I can unequivocally say that using the Home Mini to control content selection and playback is a clearly better experience. Interactions are quick, accurate, and consistent and the default voice has a pleasantly personable quality without falling into the uncanny valley. I had been using a Gen 1 Echo Dot before purchasing this combo and Im impressed with the quality of the Home Mini compared to the Dot. The build quality feels more substantial, I prefer the industrial design, and to my ears the Home Mini produces better sound. Ive also found that the responses to general questions from Google Assistant tend to be more accurate than the responses from Alexa. Also, when using Alexa I felt as though purchases were suggested more frequently and forcefully. For example, if a specific song requested was only available through a subscription, Alexa would inform you that the song required a subscription, play a snippet of the song and then continue with a related playlist. Google Assistant, on the other hand, only made a note of the subscription requirement and went directly to a related playlist. The Smart Light is… well, its a dimmable smart home connected soft white light bulb. It paired quickly to the Home Mini and works consistently. As far as negatives any concerns one may have with connected home devices as a product category certainly still exist with the Home Mini. Youre sending a lot of information to a third party, and your feelings about that are going to depend on how you feel about that third party. If you dont trust Google then a speaker puck and light bulb combo arent going to change that. This is just more Google in more places, for good or ill.
Vingole –
The Mini is strikingly small with a neutral, somewhat boring look, but thats okay if you plan on putting these all over the home. The Minis size is perfect for getting out of the way and blending into the living room or kitchen, while still packing a decent speaker and touch controls for accessing volume. Its also very appreciated that theres a dedicated hardware switch to turn off the microphone, whether you just want a little privacy, or a friend doesnt feel too comfortable house sitting with it on. Setting up the Google Home Mini is simple enough Plug it in, download the Google Home app, signin to your GmailGoogle account, and the app walks you through the rest. Youll be up and running in about 5 minutes.Google Home Mini is proving to be the easiest way to have your Google Assistant be omnipresent throughout your home. Its a smart speaker that gets out of the way and doesnt call attention from houseguests. Over time, you just expect it to be there and youre able to just say Hey Google, and a handsfree portal to the web and your home opens. After saying the trigger phrase, you can ask anything from Who was the 21st president of the USA, to Whats on my calendar for tomorrow Its a great companion that seems like it can be placed anywhere. Voice control will most likely be the chosen method of control by most, but the Google Home app is outstanding for updating settings, learning what the Mini can do, and especially, streaming music to the device. Playing music through the Mini is a pleasant and simple experience, though, the speaker is a little weak to get too loud. That said, as a set it and forget device that disappears into the background of your bookshelf, all while providing your family a seriously smart assistant, the Mini would be a worthy purchase.
nicole.r –
When it comes to technology and devices their taking over the world When these s came out I was like what in the world is this. After watching FB lives I discovered that they would play a song by you saying Hey Google, Play such and such song and it would play it. I thought that was cool, but I have to admit I wasnt a fan of having devices in My Home to be spyed on or so the government can tap in and spy on Myself and My Family. But I received the Google Mini when I signed up for Spotify, it was an incentive gift. I do really like that it plays Music by the sound of your sound of your voice and by saying Hey Google I will say its a pretty cool device and its taken awhile for it to grow on Me So, Hey Google Hey brandminishopaholicbysophiekinsella
caitlin.s –
I love my Google nest mini. They are so affordable and the speaker quality is very good. The Google assistant is very useful and understands my voice well. I really like the hidden features such as games that you can play with the whole family. I cant fault this speaker at all, it does exactly what it claims. I even got one for my elderly grandparents and they have managed to work it out quite easily.