Amazon Echo Buying Guide: Which Alexa Device Is Best for You? (2024)

The best Alexa speakers balance rich sound with snappy voice controls. Which one you should buy comes down to your needs. Amazon and other audio manufacturers (such as Sonos) offer a wide range of Alexa-enabled smart speakers and displays. From inexpensive mini spheres to booming towers, there are speakers for all types of listeners.

Each of the best Alexa speakers handle a wide variety of tasks using just your voice. Whether you’re looking to stream music from Spotify, control the best Alexa compatible devices, change the channel of your smart TV, or create a home communication hub, Amazon’s voice assistant can help.

Once you learn how to use Alexa to the fullest, having a smart speaker (or three) will let you take advantage of all the best Alexa skills and features. But not all the best smart speakers are made the same —that’s why we’ve spent hundreds of hours testing dozens of options to narrow down which are worth buying.

The quick list

The best Alexa speakers you can buy today

Best overall

Of all the best Alexa speakers we've tested, the 4th-generation Amazon Echo is our top pick for most people. The new sphere-shaped design is a big visual statement, but look inside and you'll find a sizable 3-inch woofer and pair of punchy front-firing tweeters that give the Echo detail-packed sound. At under $100 this base Echo balances price, performance, and features to serve as the best overall Alexa smart speaker.

Compared to the 3rd-generation Amazon Echo, this one not only has improved audio, but a host of other features that make it one of the most convincing smart home devices around. The inclusion of a Zigbee hub lets this Echo lay a foundation for the rest of your connected products. So if you’re looking for a smart speaker that will not just play tunes, but act as a central smart home hub, the 4th-generation Echo is the best choice.

Read our full Amazon Echo (4th gen) review.

Best budget

Not only does the spherical shape of the device and larger speaker improve the fullness of the Echo Dot's sound compared to the previous model, but the display has added functionality. More than just the time, the Echo Dot with Clock's display shows the current temperature, song titles and answers to math equations. It functions as a timer, too

What's more, it has a temperature sensor and Eero mesh built-in, growing what's possible in terms of smart home connectivity and Alexa routines. In fact, we wish more smart home companies took Amazon's cue and make minor —yet effective — enhancements to already excellent devices. This balance of sleek design with practical functionality is why the Echo Dot with Clock is also our pick for the best smart home device overall.

Read our full Amazon Echo Dot with Clock (5th Gen) review.

Best sound quality

That's right. The best-sounding Alexa speaker isn't made by Amazon. The Sonos Era delivers exceptional sound in a uniquely shaped package. And, among all the Alexa-enabled speakers, this is the only one that can play Dolby Atmos spatial audio tracks — making it sound like the music is coming from all around you.

As with other Sonos speakers, you can pair two Era 300s for even more immersive sound, use them as rear channels if you have a Sonos soundbar, and group multiple devices together for whole-home audio.

But what also makes Sonos products great is its ability to stream audio from hundreds of sources across the company's library: Not just Spotify and TuneIn, but SiriusXM, MLB, and much, much more. And, you can control it all using Alexa. Unlike the older Sonos One, though, the Era 300 does not work with Google Assistant.

Read our full Sonos Era 300 review.

Best smart display

The newest Echo Show’s 10's display is the same size and resolution (1280 x 800) as previous models, but it has a new trick. The screen rests atop a motorized base that rotates to keep you at the center of its attention. This way when you're taking video calls with the 13MP camera, or need to bounce around the kitchen while following Alexa's recipes, the display stays in your line of sight.

This might sound a little creepy, but our experience felt more intuitive than we expected. It's not following you all the time —just when you use your assistant's wake word. The large display also acts like a versatile hub for your collection of smart home devices, so you can control them easily on a single interface.This is currently the best smart display you can get for Alexa.

Read our full Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd gen) review.

Best value

Although the Echo Show 10 might be the best Alexa display we’ve ever tested, it costs $249. For half the price, the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) now has the same camera and Alexa features. It's compact design makes it more counter-friendly, too.

The Echo Show 8 delivers visuals and audio far better than its price would suggest. And, for the same price as the first version, the new Echo Show 8 has an upgraded 13-megapixel camera for higher-quality video chats. It also adopted the digital pan-and-zoom abilities of the Show 10. While the display can't physically rotate to keep you in frame, the new wide-angle lens can center you like theGoogle Nest Hub Maxand theFacebook Portalcan.

Read our full Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) review.

Best bass

The booming Echo Studio is Amazon's first premium audio hardware product in a never-before-seen package. While it's a notch below the Sonos One in terms of sound quality, it's one of the best Alexa devices for audiophiles that lets you use Alexa calling. It's designed to support Amazon HD Unlimited, Amazon's 3D audio platform, and even has a bass aperture to ensure the fullest possible sound.

One thing the Echo Studio has that the Sonos One lacks is a 3.5mm audio-in port. So, for example, you can connect a turntable directly to the Echo Studio to elevate its sound. It might not be the best entry-level Echo, but we found that it's worth the $200 price tag if you're looking for a great speaker that makes use of all Alexa's features.

Read our full Amazon Echo Studio review.

Best mini speaker

Amazon is committed to getting Alexa in as many houses as possible, which means figuring out ways to make the best Alexa speakers even cheaper than they are. This challenge led to the creation of the $39 Amazon Echo Pop, which is currently the least expensive smart speaker offered by the company.

Amazon has had to remove some features from the Echo Dot, mainly some smart home features. The Echo Dot has both temperature and motion sensors built in, so you can use them as part of your Alexa smart home routines, making it a more full-featured smart speaker. The Echo Pop lacks this technology, but provides good sound for the size still giving it enough function to make it worth recommending.

Read our full Amazon Echo Pop review.

Best compact screen

The Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) is a petite smart display you can use to make calls and video chat, browse recipes, watch videos using NBC and Prime Video visual skills, check the feeds from your security camera, dim your lights and more on its 5-inch screen.

However, due to its small size, it looks and feels a bit more like a clock than a full-sized smart display. Should you find yourself smitten with the Echo Show 5’s adorably compact design, and like the idea of being able to ring up loved ones before you go to sleep, the smart display is worth considering. Not to mention, the Kids Edition is a strong sell, providing a stationary Amazon Fire tablet alternative that doesn’t need to be recharged all the time. And that version comes with warranty.

Read our full Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) review.

How to pick the best Alexa speaker for you

The key decision you’ll have to make while shopping for one of the best Alexa speakers is whether you’re looking for a standard, grilled speaker or a speaker with a display. If this is your first smart home purchase, you’ll want to opt for the 4th-generation Echo, Echo Dot or Sonos One. All are simple to set up and lay a foundation for getting your other gadgets connected.

If you have a large family or spend a lot of time in the kitchen or other shared space, a smart speaker with a display is a better choice. You can check in on your security cameras and video doorbells, get recipe advice and make calls. Video calls can only be made with the Echo Show 8, second-generation Echo Show or Echo Show 5, though.

Check our smart home guide for more advice on finding the right Alexa speaker for you.

How we test the best Alexa speakers

When reviewing any of the best Alexa speakers (or any of the best smart home devices, for that matter) we consider several different factors before assigning it a final rating. Here are some things we look for, after spending hours testing available buying options:

Ease of setup: How simple is the device to install?Can anyone, even a first time smart speaker owner, set it up themself?

Features: What features does the device have relative to others in its price range?

Performance:Does it actually work as advertised? Is its app easy to use, with a sensible layout?

Price: How expensive is it when compared to similar devices? While this isn't the most critical criteria, it is a factor in its final rating.

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