I consider each time I need to pull out my phone and "do it myself" to be a failure of my smart home system.

If a light cannot be automatically on when I need it (like a motion sensor) or controlled with a dedicated button within arms reach (like a remote on my desk) then the third best option is one that lets me control it without interrupting what I'm doing, moving from where I am, using my hands, or possessing anything (a voice assistant).

I guess most of my use is whilst driving, to start/stop music or audiobooks, change navigation etc. Although changing navigation through Siri is somewhat painful as it often gets my intended destination wrong lol.

I prefer voice strongly. I don't want to stop what i am doing, find a device, open the app, wait for it refresh, navigate and click to get Milk on a list. Sure you can bring this down a few steps, but all of which still require me to move, have a hand and eye free.

I pretty much only use them for timers and weather, and the occasional lookup for quick random info. And this is all only if I don’t have a phone handy or eg the toddler is going to timeout and I need to set his timer in the midst of him having a meltdown about it.

It’s why I haven’t and won’t enable Gemini, and I’ll likely chuck my nest minis once I’m forced to have an LLM-based experience. Hopefully they’ll be able to at least function as dumb Bluetooth speakers still but I’m not holding out hope on that end

I use it frequently for reminders and calendar events when not at a computer, as voice is faster than the mobile interface (with so many screens) for setting something up

I don't. I pretty much don't like talking in general, especially if I'm alone. Accordingly, no voice assistants; I don't think I've ever triggered one except accidentally.

I would, if they worked even 90%.

I mostly set timers because it’s one of the few things that always works.

I love it for lists- like my hands are full making something in the kitchen and I can just tell it to add things to my grocery list as soon as I notice I'm out of something.

I started designing and building a voice assistant for myself and then realized that the only time I'd find it useful would be during cooking to set timers. But a loud extractor fan would be running making the voice recognition very difficult.