If you have your smart home programmed through Google Home and you use a Google Assistant smart speaker, then you'll want some compatible lights. Smart lights are one of the most popular, easy-to-use pieces of smart home tech that anyone and everyone can set up. Smart lights are really accessible and a lot of fun to use. Who doesn't like the idea of using a simple voice command to turn on and off all the lights?

The functionality goes far beyond that, of course. With Google Assistant behind the scenes, you can program all kinds of actions and automations to make your day both smarter and easier. If you're all in on Android, Google Assistant, and Google Home, these are the lights you want to get.

  • Not just for content creators, these light panels can create amazing designs and effects anywhere in the home. The panels can each display multiple colors at once, support animated effects, and can bounce along to your music. Control them using Google Assistant or the full-featured companion app.
    Govee Glide Hexa

    Not just for content creators, these light panels can create amazing designs and effects anywhere in the home. The panels can each display multiple colors at once, support animated effects, and can bounce along to your music. Control them using Google Assistant or the full-featured companion app.

    See at Amazon
  • GE Cync is a whole ecosystem of smart home products including cameras and thermostats that are more affordable than some competitors while offering similar features. If you just want some great, affordable, Google-compatible smart bulbs, though, they're an easy recommendation.
    GE Cync

    GE Cync is a whole ecosystem of smart home products including cameras and thermostats that are more affordable than some competitors while offering similar features. If you just want some great, affordable, Google-compatible smart bulbs, though, they're an easy recommendation.

    See at Amazon
  • The original modular smart light panels have branched out and now come in a bunch of different shapes. They're all compatible with each other, though, so you can truly create the smart lighting design of your dreams. Create inventive scenes and control them with the app or your Google Assistant.
    Nanoleaf Shapes

    The original modular smart light panels have branched out and now come in a bunch of different shapes. They're all compatible with each other, though, so you can truly create the smart lighting design of your dreams. Create inventive scenes and control them with the app or your Google Assistant.

    See at Amazon
  • Philips' other smart light brand is a little different to Hue in that there's no hub required. These affordable bulbs are available in white light or RGB and connect directly to your home Wi-Fi. Control with the app, Google Assistant, or even the optional hardware remote. Perfect bulbs to start out with.
    Wiz Connected

    Philips' other smart light brand is a little different to Hue in that there's no hub required. These affordable bulbs are available in white light or RGB and connect directly to your home Wi-Fi. Control with the app, Google Assistant, or even the optional hardware remote. Perfect bulbs to start out with.

    See at Amazon
  • Lifx is a great alternative to the Hue ecosystem that doesn't require a hub. And if you want to get more creative than just bulbs, LED strips are the way to go. These have 8 zones to light up as part of your custom scenes, and of course, all controllable with Google Assistant.
    LIFX Lightstrip

    Lifx is a great alternative to the Hue ecosystem that doesn't require a hub. And if you want to get more creative than just bulbs, LED strips are the way to go. These have 8 zones to light up as part of your custom scenes, and of course, all controllable with Google Assistant.

    See at Amazon

Shopping for smart lights that support Google Home and Google Assistant can be a lot of fun. But also quite overwhelming, since there's so much choice. When it comes to smart lights, the first place to look is Philips Hue. The brand is like the iPad of smart lights, almost synonymous with the category. The range has grown to cover inside-home and outside-home categories, and if you can't find it from Hue, it probably doesn't exist. Philips is also a founding partner of Matter, the forthcoming smart home standard. This is important for a number of reasons, not least because it future-proofs your smart home.

But competition is what drives innovation, and Hue certainly helped drive a thriving category. Great alternatives come from the likes of Govee and Lifx, both of which have ever-increasing ranges, neither of which require a dedicated hub. Philips even has a budget offering in Wiz, with affordable bulbs that are great for first-timers. Thanks to Google Assistant and Google Home, you don't need to worry about locking into a single product ecosystem, you can mix and match easily and get great results.

Control your smart home and get great sounding music with Google's best ever smart speaker. A perfect companion to Google Assistant for anywhere in the home.
Google Nest Audio

Control your smart home and get great sounding music with Google's best ever smart speaker. A perfect companion to Google Assistant for anywhere in the home.

$100 at Best Buy

If you want to diversify though, a good starting point is to pick one of the best smart speakers for your needs and then build your home ecosystem around it.