While you might not initially think that you need voice control in the kitchen, it can be a game-changer. Your hands are probably dirty while you’re in the kitchen cooking up a storm, or, you’re busy multitasking as you prepare a meal. Imagine still being able to adjust songs on your playlist, pause a recipe video you’re following to grab the ingredient you need or find out how many ounces are in a gram without having to tap the screen on your phone. There are plenty of products you can use in the kitchen that come with Google Assistant built-in. Here are some great ones to consider.
Your guiding chef
Google Nest Hub Smart Display
Staff pick
Imagine having your own assistant in the kitchen. While this smart display can’t stir sauce or chop veggies, it can playback cooking videos for you to follow along with, let you add items to a shopping list, play music, do measurement conversions, set timers, and more, and it’s all controllable with your voice.
$80 at Best Buy
$79 at Walmart
Make gadgets smart
Gosund Mini WiFi Outlets
Transform any standard table lamp, multicooker, coffeemaker, or other kitchen appliance into one that can be controlled by voice with these smart plugs. Plug one into an outlet then plug any device into it and you can now control it. Turn it on and off using the app or your voice. You can even create a group for all Google Home outlets to control them via a single command.
$30 at Amazon
$31 at Newegg
Efficient clean-up
iRobot Braava Jet m6 Robot Mop
With one command, you can send this smart robotic mop zooming across the kitchen floor to make it sparkling clean. Use a sweeper pad for quick sweeps or a wet pad and the cleaning solution to wipe up dirt and grime from your kitchen floors. It can also map your home so you can separate rooms for customized cleans or be set on a schedule to mop the kitchen floor every Sunday night.
$399 at Amazon
$400 at Best Buy
Mini helper
Google Nest Mini Smart Speaker (2nd-Gen)
If you don’t need the video or don’t have the room, set up this tiny and inconspicuous puck-shaped smart speaker somewhere in or near the kitchen to help when you need it. It can provide quiet background tunes, measurement conversions, shopping list updates, cooking timers, or directions on how to properly slice an onion.
$30 at Best Buy
$30 at Walmart
Set the mood
Philips Hue White & Color Ambiance BR30 Smart Bulbs
Whether you need bright white light while preparing dishes for a big gathering or soft red for ambiance during a romantic dinner, these bulbs can be controlled by your voice to adjust the lighting as the mood and task fit. Choose from 16 million colors and set timers and routines, like specific lighting for weekday mornings and Sunday dinners.
$90 at Amazon
$139 at Newegg
Clear the air
Geeni Breathe XL Air Purifier
Rid your kitchen of pungent odors using this handy air purifier that can get rid of 99.97% of all airborne particles as well as smells, smoke, and steam that comes from cooking. It has an advanced HEPA filter, Wi-Fi controls, and operates quietly in the background so as not to disturb your cooking groove.
$90 at Amazon
$100 at Newegg
Google Assistant is your virtual kitchen sous chef
Using voice in the kitchen can simplify cooking, cleaning, and entertaining, leaving you more time to do the things you love. I often use recipes when cooking and find that I have to constantly wash my hands to wake up my smartphone screen and scroll back and forth through directions. Imagine being able to control all of that by voice? You can do that seamlessly with the Google Nest Hub, which also makes it super simple for novice cooks to follow along with recipe videos, simply saying “pause” or “rewind” as needed. The fact it can play music and do so many other things as well makes it a no-brainer for the kitchen.
I have been using an iRobot Braava Jet M6 for some time now and it’s a wonderful companion for mopping the kitchen when you need it done in a rush. You need to use the deep clean option to get down and dirty, but it does an efficient job, especially if you have lots of kids running back and forth with muddy shoes or entertain often.
Lighting really can make the difference in a kitchen: you need bright, spotlight lighting when cooking on the stove, but mood lighting with some music can be perfect for date night or during a party. Because of course, everyone always congregates in the kitchen! Philips Hue is one of the most popular brands in smart lighting, and the fact that you can control the Philips Hue White & Color Ambiance BR30 Bulbs by voice via Google Assistant (and other voice assistants as well) in addition to using the app is a bonus.
Finally, air purifiers are essential for keeping the air in your home clean. I have some in both my basement and my son’s bedroom, but I really should opt for one for the kitchen, too. Especially if you tend to cook very pungent foods, like curries and heavily-spiced items, a device like the Geeni Breathe XL can come in handy for helping clear the air in the kitchen quickly. Of course, there’s nothing like the smell of fresh-baked bread coming from the kitchen! But if you tend to produce a lot of steam and smoke while cooking, an air purifier can be a perfect complement to the range hood.
I’d argue that there’s no room you could benefit from voice technology more so than the kitchen. And These Google Assistant products could be game-changers for your cooking routines.
