If you have a smart assistant in your home, you'll know it's a handy tool. Rather than finding your phone, unlocking the screen and opening up an app or two to find the information you need, a smart home device can answer most queries in the space of a few seconds.

Google's Next Big Thing, the Nest Hub Max, is the granddaddy of smart assistants. Aside from streamlining information, it doubles as a security camera, a digital photo album, a crisp music system, an expert recipe book and a whole lot more.

The main things left to consider are the $349 price tag and whether recent privacy concerns -- it was revealed humans were listening to your Google requests -- are worth the convenience this device delivers.