The Google Home and recently rebranded Nest Mini speakers are a great way to stream music, control smart-home devices, and have your general queries answered all just by using your voice. They’ve already proved very popular, giving Amazon’s Echo and Echo Dot products a run for their money.
To increase the capabilities of these fantastic devices even more, we’ve gathered together some of the best accessories currently available. From battery packs to smart thermostats, there’s sure to be something for everyone.
If you’ve yet to experience Google’s voice controlled speakers, take a look at our Google Home and Google Nest Mini reviews, then check our Best Smart Home deals.
Chromecast
One product that compliments the Google Home range is Google’s own Chromecast. With this inexpensive device plugged into your TV you’ll be able to say ‘Ok Google, Play Glow on Netflix’ and the Home will send the instruction to the Chromecast, which in turn starts the next episode.
Chromecasts are also useful in their own right, as they add streaming abilities to older TVs, can display your photos on the biggest display in your house, plus they can mirror your laptop display on the TV as well.
The standard Chromecast costs £30/$35 and has a maximum video quality of 1080p. For 4K and HDR you’ll want the Chromecast Ultra, which will set you back £69/$69.
To find out more about these excellent products, read our Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra reviews.
Google Nest Mini Wall Mount
The Google Nest Mini added native support for a wall mount, and it’s definitely something worth taking advantage of. This one from CozyCase allows you to conceal the plug and wiring in a minimalist design, and what’s more it’s also compatible with the older Google Home Mini
At such an affordable price, these are especially great if you’ve got multiple Google smart speakers dotted around the house, and don’t know where to put them
There’s also the added advantage of freeing up space on your desk or shelves, and easily being able to move the Google Mini devices between rooms.
Base for Google Home
A quick and easy way to change the look of your Google Home is to swap the mesh base for one of a different colour. Google offers several varieties, with the current crop including copper, black and coral to accompany the normal grey option.
Each base costs £18/ $20 and can be interchanged in a few seconds, making it simple to alter the appearance of your Google Home to suit your mood.
Kiwi Google Home Mini battery base
Due to the size and shape of a Google Home Mini, you’d think that it would be portable. But, unplugging it from the included power supply instantly converts the speaker into an expensive paperweight.
Thankfully, it’s an issue that can be solved by the addition of a battery case, such as this one from Kiwi. Simply attach the charging cable located in the case, pop in your Mini, and you’ll be able to roam around the house for several hours without the encumbrance of a lead. Just be sure to stay within range of your Wi-Fi connection.
It’s available now for £29.99/ $29.99, while you can get an extra £5 saving in the UK by applying the in-listing voucher.
Loft Portable Battery Base for Google Home
It’s not just Google Home Minis that can become portable. Battery cases also exist for the larger Google Home too, such as this one from Ninety7.
The Loft Portable battery case offers eight hours of power from a single charge, connects magnetically, and can use the existing Google Home charger to re-power the base. The design aesthetic also fits nicely with the device itself.
You can buy it now for £59/ $39.95.
Google Home Mini Desk Stand
Having your Google Home Mini by your bedside or on your desk allows you to enjoy music from Spotify, Deezer, Google Music and others while you work or rest. There’s one downside though, in that the speaker is pointing at the ceiling rather than at you.
This is remedied by the cheap and cheerful Google Mini Desk Stand from Sportlink. For £10.99/ $9.99 you can place your device into the cradle and gain a more optimum angle for audio.
Philips Hue Starter Kit
Google Home devices are compatible with a wide array of Smart Home products, all of which allow you to control various elements of your home just by issuing voice commands. A particularly popular area is lighting, with many cool smart bulbs now available.
Philips Hue is one of the most popular ranges, with the 3-Bulb starter kit being an excellent option for those who want to change the colour of their lights or switch them on and off simply by telling their Google Home to do so.
Read our Philips Hue review for more details. You can buy it now, starting at £129.99/ $79.99.
Nest Learning Thermostat
Smart thermostats are another popular part of modern smart-home setups. Nest was the breakthrough device that helped bring this phenomena about, and the fact that it’s owned by Google means that it works perfectly with Google Home and Mini devices.
Once fitted you can instruct your Home to adjust the temperature of the room, all without leaving the sofa. Truly, these are days of wonder!
You can buy it now for £175/ $244.99
TP-Link Smart Plug
Smart plugs can turn a standard lamp, kettle, or other mundane device into a voice controlled one when combined with a Google Home. The principle is straightforward: plug your appliance into the smart plug, then put the latter in your wall socket. When you want the device to come on, tell Google Home, which in turn will flick the switch.
TP-Link’s Smart Plus is a good mixture of price and quality, with the bonus that it can also be controlled by your Android or iOS smartphone.
You can buy it now for £18.92, while you can get two in the US for just $19.99.
Lanmu Clock Holder
Many people use the Google Home as a alarm clock. Should you wish to add a splash of colour and fun to the proceedings then this Clock shaped holder for the Google Home Mini will transform your modern device into a classic style bell-clock.
It’s not going to change your life, but might raise a smile on the cold winter mornings.
Author: Martyn Casserly, Contributor
Martyn has been involved with tech ever since the arrival of his ZX Spectrum back in the early 80s. He covers iOS, Android, Windows and macOS, writing tutorials, buying guides and reviews for Macworld and its sister site Tech Advisor.