Which Google Smart Home and Fitness Products Are Actually Worth Buying?
Google's consumer products split into two clear categories: smart home displays that work as kitchen hubs and entertainment centres, and Fitbit-branded fitness trackers that sync seamlessly with Android. The Nest Hub Max at £150 is the standout—it combines a 10-inch touchscreen, video calling, and smart home control in one compact unit. For budget buyers, the Google Home Mini at £49.99 covers basic voice commands and music streaming. On fitness, the Fitbit Charge 6 at £159.95 delivers comprehensive health metrics without smartwatch bloat, while the Fitbit Versa 4 at £199.95 adds full smartwatch features including app notifications and contactless payments.
Why Google?
Google entered the smart home market in 2016 via acquisition (Nest Labs) and integrated Assistant voice control into speakers and displays. Their core strength is search and AI—Google Assistant understand context better than competitors, can answer questions directly, and integrates with 10,000+ smart home brands. Fitbit, acquired in 2021, brings 15 years of wearable expertise; their devices focus on health metrics (heart rate, SpO2, sleep stages) rather than fashion.
What sets Google apart: Assistant works offline for basic commands, Fitbit devices sync fitness data to Google Fit (Google's health platform), and the entire ecosystem is designed for Android users (though some products work with iOS). Pricing sits mid-market—cheaper than Apple, more feature-rich than budget alternatives.
Top Picks
Nest Hub Max — £150
Best for: Kitchen hub and video calling replacement. This 10-inch display serves as a smart home command centre, video call device (works via Google Duo), and entertainment screen. The front-facing camera enables video conferencing without a separate device. The built-in speaker handles music and Google Assistant requests with reasonable audio quality (though not hi-fi). Supports Nest camera feeds, thermostat control, and 2,000+ smart home integrations.
Google Home Mini — £49.99
Best for: Budget voice control and small spaces. This palm-sized speaker handles all core Google Assistant functions—weather, timers, music streaming (Spotify, YouTube Music), smart home control, and phone calls. Sound quality is tinny for music but adequate for podcasts. Ideal as a second speaker or bedroom device.
Fitbit Charge 6 — £159.95
Best for: Health tracking without smartwatch complexity. This fitness band (wrist-worn, not a watch face) tracks heart rate, SpO2, sleep stages, and stress levels with colour screen feedback. Six-day battery life beats smartwatches. Works with Android and iOS. No apps or notifications—focus is purely health metrics. Google Play Services integration means data feeds directly to Google Fit and Google Assistant can read your stats aloud.
Fitbit Versa 4 — £199.95
Best for: Users who want a full smartwatch. Rectangular watch face with touchscreen, app notifications, call/text alerts, mobile payments (NFC), Spotify control, and all the same fitness metrics as Charge 6. Battery lasts six days. Slightly heavier than Charge 6 but far more functional if you need smartwatch features (notifications, on-wrist replies to messages).
Google Nest Hub Max Smart Display — £202.99
Best for: Premium smart home control and family hub. This is the higher-storage variant of the standard Nest Hub Max (same 10-inch display, same price as the £150 model listed above—likely a retailer duplicate entry; buy at £150 unless this includes additional storage).
Quick Comparison
| Product | Price | Best For | Standout Feature | |---------|-------|----------|------------------| | Nest Hub Max | £150 | Kitchen hub, video calls | 10" display + front camera | | Google Home Mini | £49.99 | Budget voice control | Tiny footprint, assistant access | | Fitbit Charge 6 | £159.95 | Health tracking simplicity | 6-day battery, colour screen | | Fitbit Versa 4 | £199.95 | Full smartwatch needs | App notifications, mobile payments |
What to Look For
- Display size matters for smart displays: The 10-inch Nest Hub Max is viewable from across a kitchen; smaller screens (like the 7-inch standard Nest Hub, not stocked here) suit bedrooms. Larger screens cost more but show recipes, videos, and smart home feeds more clearly.
- Battery life for wearables: Fitbit devices offer 6 days per charge; Apple Watch offers 18 hours. If you forget to charge daily, Fitbit wins. Heavier fitness trackers (the Charge 6 band weighs ~37g) last longer than full smartwatches.
- Voice assistant quality: Google Assistant works offline for basic commands (alarms, music playback) but needs internet for web queries. If you live in a poor signal area, this limits usefulness.
- Ecosystem lock-in: Fitbit works with iOS and Android, but integrates tightest with Google Fit (Android) and Google Assistant. If you use Apple Health or prefer an open ecosystem, consider Garmin or Fitbit's web dashboard as workarounds.
The Bottom Line
Buy the Nest Hub Max at £150 if you want a single device to handle kitchen tasks, smart home control, and video calls—it's Google's best value. If you need a smartwatch, choose the Fitbit Versa 4 at £199.95 for full features or Fitbit Charge 6 at £159.95 if you value battery life and simplicity over app notifications. For budget-conscious smart home starters, the Google Home Mini at £49.99 is a steal for voice control alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Google Home Mini worth buying in 2024?
Yes, if you want basic voice control (weather, timers, music, smart home commands) for under £50. It's the cheapest entry point to Google Assistant. Limitations: small speaker (not for high-quality music), no screen (can't show visuals), and requires 2.4GHz WiFi. Best as a second device, not a primary speaker.
Can I use Fitbit devices with an iPhone?
Yes, both the Charge 6 and Versa 4 work with iOS via the Fitbit app. However, you won't get as deep an integration as Android users—Fitbit data won't auto-sync to Apple Health, and Siri won't read your steps aloud. For iPhone users, Apple Watch or Garmin may feel more seamless.
What's the difference between Nest Hub Max and Nest Hub Max listed twice?
The two £150/£202.99 entries are likely the same product with different storage or a retailer listing error. Both are 10-inch displays with video calling and smart home control. Clarify storage capacity before purchasing; the standard model has 32GB, which is sufficient for downloaded music and video cache.
Do I need Google WiFi to use these products?
No. All products work on standard WiFi (2.4GHz or 5GHz). Google WiFi is a separate mesh router product (not stocked here). If you have weak WiFi in your kitchen, consider a mesh system, but Google products don't require it—any modern router works.
