The best smart speakers add music, calling capabilities, and smart home controls to any room. They work by using built-in microphones to passively listen out for a wake word such as "Hey Google" or "Alexa" to activate. Once triggered, you have a brief time window to speak a voice command or ask a question. For example, you can tell an Amazon Echo device "Alexa, turn on my bedroom lights" to turn on a set of connected smart lights.
From serving as my everyday assistant that reminds me of events on my calendar to boasting cool features like linking music between multiple speakers, there's a lot that I like about these devices. This extensive functionality is one of the reasons I have a smart speaker in each room of my house. Still, between privacy concerns and the occasional glitch, there are some things to consider before you go gung-ho on buying one. Here are 5 things I wish I'd known before adding a smart speaker to my home.
