I have an Amazon Echo that someone gave me a year ago, but I just bought some Philips Hue lights and a Nest thermostat. Can I control everything from a single app or do I need to have several open? I'd like them to work together without any hassle.
Technically what they're saying is right, but there's an important detail: the Echo controls the Hue without any issues, but Nest is a bit more stubborn and doesn't integrate directly with Alexa the same way. You'll be able to see the Nest in the Google Home app and control it from there, but if you want true automation between everything (like the thermostat adjusting when you turn off the lights), you need to use separate routines or rely on external platforms like IFTTT. The most practical solution is to accept that you'll probably end up using two apps: Alexa for the Echo and the Hue, and Google Home or the native Nest app for the thermostat. It's not as uncomfortable as it sounds because after that everything works in the background without you touching anything.
Most of that connects pretty seamlessly without much hassle. Amazon's Echo controls Philips Hue lights directly through the Alexa app, and Nest links up easy from there too, so technically you can run everything from a single app no problem.
What you will notice is that some of Nest's more advanced features (like super specific routines or complex automations) sometimes it's more convenient to set them up from the Google Home app, because Nest is Google's. But for everyday stuff - turning lights on, lowering the temperature, that kind of thing - it all works perfectly integrated into Alexa without having to jump between apps.
The good news is that Amazon's Echo works pretty well as a central hub because both Philips Hue and Nest integrate with Alexa, so you can control everything from Amazon's app or by voice. What'll happen is each brand still has its own app if you want more detailed adjustments (for example, custom scenes in Hue or complex schedules in Nest), but basic control from one place is covered.
Don't fall into the trap of trying to get everything working perfectly on day one, because some devices need a manual touch to link up properly 🎯. What the other comments don't mention is that it's worth setting up routines in Alexa instead of just controlling each thing separately: that way you say "Alexa, good night" and it automatically turns off your Hue lights, lowers the Nest thermostat, and closes whatever else you need, all at once. Plus, even though Alexa is your central hub (and it works well for that), download the native apps from Philips and Google Home on your phone, because sometimes when your Echo connection drops, you need to access the devices directly without going through intermediaries.
Have you tried linking the Nest directly from the Amazon app or would you rather do it from Google Home? Here's something nobody's mentioned: Philips Hue and Nest work better if you use Google Home as a complementary hub instead of relying only on Alexa, because Nest has more synergies with Google's ecosystem. Downloading the Google Home app isn't complicated, and from there you can create more powerful automations between devices (like "when the Nest temperature drops, dim the Hue"). You'll end up with two apps open, but that's the price of mixing brands, and that way you avoid surprises when Alexa doesn't recognize the Nest right away.
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