Ashley Archambault removed the Google Home device from her kitchen and threw it in the trash after it failed to respond to multiple voice commands.

Archambault had used the device for various kitchen tasks, including checking weather updates, playing music, and researching cooking questions. "Hey Google, can dogs eat mango?" Archambault said while cooking, demonstrating one typical use of the device. She also used voice commands for entertainment, saying "Hey Google, play The Smiths," to play music on the device.

The device often misunderstood voice commands or did not respond, leading Archambault and her family to yell at it when it misinterpreted commands or failed to respond. While cooking, Archambault asked Google Home to turn the volume down, but when the device did not respond to her requests multiple times, she threw it in the trash. Despite often telling her family to speak politely to Google Home despite it being inanimate, Archambault noticed her son consistently yelled at the device during every interaction.

Archambault said she had become tired of the device's presence and found it hard to ignore when it was not in use. She said she felt uncomfortable shouting commands to the device.

After removing Google Home, Archambault found workarounds for its functions. She began using a Bluetooth speaker paired with her cellphone for music in the kitchen after a couple of weeks without the device. Archambault found that picking up her phone, selecting music, and pairing it to the Bluetooth speaker took only slightly longer than using voice commands. Archambault said that using her phone to select music prevented future frustration caused by incorrect voice commands.

Archambault began writing down things to remember or research later instead of asking Google Home for answers and looked up information on her phone when she wanted to know more. Archambault found that writing things down or reading information helped her retain it.

Archambault reported experiencing an immediate sense of relief after removing the device, though she said she experienced some regret about its removal. She had liked saying "Good morning, Google," to hear the local weather, a corny joke, and news updates. While preparing meals, she had asked Google Home about the nutritional content of certain ingredients.

With Google Home gone, Archambault noticed that her family used kinder language at home. Archambault said that the kitchen and living area were quieter and calmer without the device. Archambault said that the most significant change was an improvement in her family's overall mood. She said she grew to appreciate the quiet sometimes.