Amazon Echo vs. Google Home: One of these smart speakers is better than the other

When one product is better in one aspect, but it's competitor is stronger in another, the easy answer is to recommend both. You might want a Sony TV in your home theater, for instance, but Anthem's A/V receiver, Bowers & Wilkins' speakers, and a subwoofer from SVS. Well that dog won't hunt when it comes to smart speakers, especially if you're looking to control your smart home. No one wants to remember one wake word to turn on a light, a second to stream music, and a third to lock the front door. With this in mind, I evaluated the two most popular smart speakers--Amazon Echo and Google Home--using seven important criteria, but giving smart home control the heaviest weight. If you can't stand the suspense, my current opinion is that the Amazon Echo series is superior to the Google Home series.