How to Check if the Amazon Smart Plug Works with Google Home

The Amazon Smart Plugs have a lot of options and possibilities for use. When it comes to integrating other smart home technologies aside from Amazon's, though, they aren't all flexible. If you have an Amazon smart plug and want to know if it works with Google Assistant, then this article has the answer you're looking for.

Amazon Smart Plugs and Google Home

First, though, let's briefly cover what Amazon and Google offer: An Amazon smart plug is an Alexa-enabled device that plugs into your existing wall outlet. It can be controlled with Amazon Alexa or from a smartphone app. You name the smart plug after the room it is in, which makes voice control simple if you have multiple smart devices, including smart plugs. Google Home is a voice-activated speaker powered by Google Assistant that can play music, control appliances, and other smart home devices, show you the traffic or weather forecast, set alarms or timers, and many more tasks. You will need to name each Google Home device before you can use them for calling or playing songs. This is also where you can check what smart devices are currently in use with Google Assistant.

Do Amazon Smart Plugs Work With Google Home?

No, the two platforms do not work together. You cannot control your Amazon smart plug with your Google Home. The reasons for this are unclear, though it appears that the companies have not been able to agree on a common set of standards to let their respective products work together. This means you will need an Alexa-enabled device in addition to your Google Home if you want to control your smart plug with voice commands. You will also need an Alexa-enabled device to ask Google Home about the status of any connected Amazon smart plugs.

What Can I Do About It?

If you have an Amazon smart plug and want to control it with Google Home, then you will need an Alexa-enabled device. You may also choose to invest in a smart outlet that has both Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility. That way, you can use either of the two voice assistants with your smart plugs. A good example of such an outlet is the Wemo Mini Smart Plug, which allows you to control lights and appliances using your voice or a smartphone. You can also use it with other Alexa-enabled devices.

Alternatives That Work with Google Home

You can try the following alternatives with your Google Home:

1. Make use of an Alexa-enabled device.

You will need to use another Alexa-enabled device to control your Amazon smart plug with voice commands. You may also schedule it or link it to other smart home devices using IFTTT. This, however, is not as simple as using Google Assistant and Google Home.

2. Use a smart plug that is compatible with both Alexa and Google Assistant.

As mentioned above, you can control lights and appliances using either a voice assistant or a smart plug app on your smartphone. One great example is the Wemo Mini Smart Plug, which works with Amazon Alexa as well as other devices such as Nest and Wink. You can use your Google Home and Google Assistant to control the smart plug and the connected devices, including an Amazon smart plug.

3. Use Google Home's Physical Controls

Google Home has physical controls that you can use to turn on and off lights, switches, and even appliances that you've linked to it. This way, you don't need another Alexa-enabled device to control your Amazon smart plug.

4. Use a Smart Plug with a Voice Assistant-Enabled Outlet or Switch

The Wemo Insight Smart Plug allows you to control lights and appliances using Google Home or Amazon Alexa. You can also use it with other Alexa-enabled devices. The outlet is compatible with 2.4GHz Wi-Fi networks, though it can be used without an internet connection. It also comes with IFTTT recipes and even lets you create your own using the Wemo Maker.

5. Make use of a Google Assistant Speaker.

You may consider investing in the newly released Google Home Mini, which is smaller and cheaper than the regular version of Google Home. It can be used to control smart home devices that are compatible with your Amazon device's Alexa-enabled app or, if you prefer, plugged into your Google Home for voice controls.

6. Make use of IFTTT or Yonomi.

IFTTT is a website that allows users to create chains of simple conditional statements, called "recipes". One recipe might read "if an SMS is received, then save a copy of it to a specified Dropbox folder" or "if the sun rises, then turn on my sprinklers." IFTTT supports Google Assistant and allows you to create recipes that will let you manage your smart plugs. Yonomi does the same thing but is an app for iOS and Android devices. You can also use IFTTT to turn your Google Home into an Amazon Echo by linking the two devices together. This way, you'll be able to control your smart plugs or appliances using either a voice assistant when needed or physical controls when you prefer to do things manually.

Final Thoughts

Amazon smart plugs don't work with Google Home. Whether you choose to use your Google Home or another Alexa-enabled device is entirely up to you. However, there are still ways for you to control the smart plugs in your home with either voice assistant without interference. You can easily do so by setting up one of the recommended alternatives above, which you can use independently or in conjunction with each other.