Amazon's Echo hit the market two years ago; this dream came true. The Echo was an affordable futuristic device that responded to voice commands. You could ask "Alexa" a question and get an immediate response. This little black cylinder is clearly not full-on artificial intelligence, but it has entertained customers.

Now there's Google Home, a similar device that rivals Echo in every way. As these high-tech machines vie for dominance, the natural question is: Which one is better?

The 9.2-inch-tall Amazon Echo looks like a small black tower with a blue circle that lights up on top. It has seven microphones, so it easily picks up sound from any direction. It nicely complements the Echo Dot, a separate device that looks like a hockey puck and is designed to help you deliver voice commands in other locations in your home.

The 5.6-inches-tall Google Home is shaped like a small vase. Its main body is white, but the base's color can be swapped. Home looks kind of like an air freshener. Echo looks kind of like a Pringles container designed for Darth Vader. But both are very slick devices that should look right in any corner of a house.

When it comes in responding human voices; Echo connects to an Amazon Assistant while Google Home brings you to an oceanic knowledge of Google. The Echo answers who, when and what questions like weather forecasts, sports updates and measurement conversions. Home appears to be a bit smarter because of the vast Google infrastructure it leans on.

Both devices can stream music through the usual services like Spotify, Pandora and TuneIn each device has its own music service: Echo connects to Amazon Prime Music, and Home connects to Google Play.

With Amazon Echo, you can connect to audible, track down your missing smartphone, play games and order items on Amazon.com. In Google Homes, you can even dim the lights and switch on your security system.