Gear Heads | Which Smart Display Aced our Tests?



Warning: If you have one of these smart displays you may want to watch with headphones!
Many people put a smart display in the kitchen, which is often the hub of home life. Smart display manufacturers believe that using these devices as kitchen helpers and reference tools is one of the most important ways people have adopted this technology. Lisa and Hannah test Google and Amazon’s versions to see which was truly the smartest.

Read the full review of Smart Displays:
Buy the Amazon Echo Show:

ABOUT US: Located in Boston’s Seaport District in the historic Innovation and Design Building, America’s Test Kitchen features 15,000 square feet of kitchen space including multiple photography and video studios. It is the home of Cook’s Illustrated magazine and Cook’s Country magazine and is the workday destination for more than 60 test cooks, editors, and cookware specialists. Our mission is to test recipes over and over again until we understand how and why they work and until we arrive at the best version.

If you like us, follow us:
Hannah’s Instagram:
Lisa’s Twitter:

source

Similar Posts

48 Comments

  1. Remember that you can always adjust the settings to use whatever measurements you like.
    You can have it use fractions, decimals, metric or imperial… etc.
    Don’t get too hung up on small details like that, because you can easily adjust that stuff, as well as the actual voice and accent, and more.

    Just a tip for people on the fence.

  2. I would hope both companies see this video and make appropriate updates to the UI and wording.
    Lisa, at 3:49 your question "Hey Google, add 15 minutes to the timer called Roast Beef" didn't work. Did you find a particular phrasing that did work? Maybe using the word "extend" instead of "add"…something like "Hey Google, extend timer called Roast Beef by 15 minutes."

    Also, does this mean that you all at ATK should be producing your content (written articles, accompanying photos, hashtags) in a way that Google can efficiently harvest that info? I mean hell, amazon should REALLY want to sell you stuff I think eventually "Alexa, how I do tell when Salmon is cooked?" is answered by the answer and a follow up ad like "According to America's Test Kitchen, a Wusthof Gourmet 12" Fish Spatula would REALLY help you out right about now."

  3. FYI, Google Assistant did not respond to your video with two Google devices within 10 inches. Alexa in the next room about 5 feet away kept trying to answer your questions. Pretty funny I say and I agree that on average Google is usually more informative and Alexa is more "chatty and inaccurate but easier to talk too". Thank you for the Video and keep up the good work👍👍🙌🙌👍👍🙌🙌

  4. I have an Amazon Echo Show 5, but for some reason it's not properly streaming media right now, and it worked fine last year.
    I also regret getting the 5 instead of the 10.

    Update: I won a second gen Echo 8 during a raffle at work, so…
    Also, Amazon has since updated Alexa to state sources.

  5. I think you guys missed a very important round on one the most helpful things a Smart Display is used for in the kitchen which is following a recipe. How easy is to find, watch and follow a recipe. I'm sure conflict of interest might be in place as you don't want to promote other companies.

  6. My phone was sitting next to the computer and heard 'okay google' and answered as quickly as on the video! Too funny. I guess any time a device hears 'okay google' or 'Alexa', it will try to answer. So nosy!

  7. Here's a question: Why not just a smart speaker? Except for the timer – which frankly, your phone can do – you didn't need the screen. Why the extra expense of a smart display when a $40 smart speaker from Google or Amazon will do?

  8. Based on what I saw here, I have to say that my conclusion is that neither of these perform well enough to justify the asking the price. The other qualm I have is that it is well known that Google is not an organic search engine. The results you get are not related to your query, but rather are chosen based on Google's own agenda. I can't help but feel that this makes the results you'd get from their device somewhat suspect.

Leave a Reply