Google doesn't sell Nest power cables, here's what it recommends to do

Google’s smart home devices are mostly great, but there have been some confusing decisions over the years, some of which were quite controversial. The death of OnHub and the merging of Google Wifi into the Google Home app come to mind. I didn’t expect to feel annoyed about power cables for my Google Home or Nest devices, but now I’ve come across a situation that has left me and others frustrated.

We probably don’t think about power cables too often when it comes to smart speakers and routers, as they tend to remain in one place while plugged into power. There are times when it matters, though, such as when a pet can damage a power cord, or maybe you lose a cable while moving houses. We take it for granted that we can obtain a replacement in that event, but that’s not as smooth of an experience as it should be.

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A blue Google Nest Wifi router on display at the Google Store in Boston.

Strangely, Google’s smart products use various power cables rather than having a standard. The Google Home Mini uses a micro USB, and the Google Wifi uses a USB-C, but everything else uses a standard DC barrel plug. Naturally, it would be great if everything used USB-C, the standard most electronics have settled on, even the iPhone. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter as long as you can easily replace the cable should anything happen.

I, for example, moved recently, and in the chaos, I lost the power cable to one of my Nest Mini speakers. So, I hopped onto Google’s Store support and asked if I could buy another one as I couldn’t find one in the store. I had no illusion they’d replace it for free, not when I’d owned the speaker since 2019, and it was my fault the cable was missing.

Google:
Have you tried looking for reputable online stores like Amazon, eBay, or other electronics retailers?

Zachary Kew-Denniss:
Not yet, but I can do

Zachary Kew-Denniss:
I’ve found one on Amazon, thanks

Google:
Thank you for that information. You can try to visit those online stores by searching for “Google Nest Mini 2nd Generation Power Cord” or “Google Nest Mini Power Adapter.”

Google:
Awesome! Is there anything else that I can assist you with today aside from this?

Zachary Kew-Denniss:
That’s it, thanks for your help

Google:
I hope this helps you get your Nest Mini back up and running!

You would think buying a replacement directly from Google would be simple, given that the Nest Mini is still sold, and newer products like the Nest Wifi Pro use the same connector. But, as you can see from the transcript above, Google told me I’d need to buy a compatible cable from eBay or Amazon.

The part that seems so strange to me is that it would have sent a replacement if I was within warranty. So, if replacements are available, why can’t I pay them for one?

My interaction was good compared to what some other people experienced. As seen in this Nest Community support thread, the user Ekb was told they’d need to buy a new Wi-Fi point just because the cable wasn’t working.

The Nest Wifi Pro presents a unique challenge, as it requires more power than the Nest Mini and most other devices for this sort of connection. You can buy replacements online, but you could buy something that won’t work unless you know what spec you need.

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Customer support matters, and Google should focus on making the support experience seamless. Sure, this situation might not always come up, and I’m not even saying Google should devote an entire store listing to replacement power cables, but if replacement cables exist for warranty replacements, it would make sense for Google to sell them to users who get in touch.

The generic cables you can get from Amazon or eBay are probably fine, but it feels odd when a retailer sends you elsewhere.

Sure, checking the specs and tracking down the suitable cable is something I can do without much effort. On the other hand, my grandparents would likely give up after being turned away by Google. Likewise, there are a lot of people I know who give up as soon as something becomes mildly inconvenient. How often has someone asked you something they could’ve Googled because asking you was marginally easier?

This isn’t a problem exclusive to Google, either. The power supply for my Nvidia Shield TV is dying. Not only will Nvidia not sell me a new one, but you can’t even find third-party ones. My only options are buying a used replacement or replacing the entire product.

Companies need to do better. Google, Samsung, and others will happily brag about how their smartphones get seven years of updates and that replacement parts will be available for that time, which is impressive. But we’re in a weird situation where companies are happy to do the hard part, like supporting a device for so long with software, but unwilling to consider the simpler issues that arise — small chances to win customer loyalty.