The Denon Home 600 has all the makings of one of the best smart speakers. Sound is the most important thing, right? You’ll be pleased to know that the Home 600 sounds fantastic. There’s enviable balance across the entire frequency range, rich bass, and energetic mids.

So why only a 3.5-star rating? Why not 5? Two reasons: one, the price. $799 is a lot to spend on a home speaker that doesn’t even have its own built-in smart assistant. Two, the companion app: HEOS works, but it has major issues. While not as speaker-breaking as Sonos’ headline-making app problems last year, HEOS just feels like it was designed to be frustrating. And when you’re spending $800 on a speaker, there’s simply no room for these rookie errors.

But if you want a seriously good home speaker that will have your guests going “Ooh” and “Aah”, then you’ll definitely want to learn more. To find out, keep reading this Denon Home 600 review.

Denon Home 600 review: Specs

Denon Home 600 review: Price & availability

There’s no way around it: the Denon Home 600 is very, very, very expensive. It’s a whopping $799 from Amazon U.S. and £599 from Amazon U.K. This is considerably pricier than any competition — the Bose Lifestyle Ultra ($299, although more comparable to Denon’s $399 Home 200 in size), the Apple HomePod 2 ($299), Google Audio Home Speaker ($119), and even its smaller sibling, the Denon Home 400 ($599). Even Sonos’s Era 300 is $499 — yes, $300 cheaper than the Denon Home 600.

There’s not really anything in the Home 600’s ballpark. It’s bigger, heavier, and more expensive than any other home speaker I’ve come across. This is a speaker. No, this is a Speaker. Capital letters required here.

Denon Home 600 review: Design

Just like the Denon Home 400, the Home 600 is beautiful. It’s huge, at almost 18 inches wide and 9 inches deep. Obviously, I don’t know the layout of your home, but this speaker didn’t fit anywhere in my apartment. The Home 400 looks beautiful on my mantlepiece, but the 600 was too deep to fit here. I had to put it on the coffee table. For this reason, I wouldn’t recommend it for small homes.

If you’ve got the space, though, it’ll look gorgeous in your place. The speaker comes in charcoal or stone — obviously, I tested stone. The mesh cover is pleasing to the eye, and the buttons are tactile and accessible. I especially like the brushed metal casing and the tactile plastic on the front speaker; features like this just make it feel more elevated and elegant than Bose, Sonos, and Apple’s equivalents.

Another thing that makes the Home 600 feel elevated? The 5.1 speaker configuration. Yes, the Home 600 has five speakers and a built-in subwoofer, all with individual pre-amps. In real terms, this means the speakers aren’t fighting for power, and the speaker itself has an impressive 170W of audio power.

Connectivity

Apart from the gargantuan size, what sets the Denon Home 600 apart from other smart speakers is the range of connectivity options. Rather than just being a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth speaker — which it can do — it also has hi-res USB-C playback and a 3.5mm input.

As this is a home speaker, I listened via the HEOS app and Spotify Connect.

Smart home features

As with the Denon Home 400, the Home 600 isn’t actually a “smart speaker” in the traditional sense… in that it can’t actually function as a smart speaker. If you have a HomePod, you can add the Denon Home collection to your Apple Home, but the speakers don’t have a native smart assistant. Consequently, you cannot use them as you might expect — no “Alexa, set a timer for 10 minutes” or “Hey Google, put a note in my calendar”. The speakers simply do not function like this.

As I don’t have a HomePod, the Denon Home 600 was effectively just a home speaker with AirPlay and Bluetooth (and USB-C playback). Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great speaker, but this is a pretty major con if you’re looking specifically for a smart speaker. You’d be better off with the Google Nest, Bose, a Sonos, or Apple HomePod 2.

Denon Home 600 review: Sound quality

As with the Denon Home 400, the 600 sounds great. It has a range of connectivity options, as discussed above, which will impress audiophiles more than, say, the Bose Lifestyle Speaker. Due to its positioning as a smart/wireless speaker, I tested via Qobuz, our best music streaming service for audiophiles, built into HEOS.

Before listening, the HEOS app will prompt you to calibrate your sound based on the room. You don’t have to do anything other than tell the app how close the speaker is to a wall.

First, I played Call Me by Blondie. The ravenous guitars were powerful and rich through the Home 600, and the vocals were clear and expansive. Every layer of the track was nicely balanced, and I could even hear the synths skating across the guitars. Blondie sounded great here.

Jesus of Suburbia by Green Day is a little heavier, with louder guitars, more overwhelming bass, and more raucous percussion. The Home 600 did struggle a little separating the vocals here — Billy Joe Armstrong’s own guitar drowned him out, so I had to turn down the bass. This helped poor Billy Joe to be heard over the instrumental, but the vocals were still a little quiet.

I listened to a few more rock songs from a similar era — Foo Fighters, Nirvana, and Muse — and it was just the Green Day track that suffered from suppressed vocals.

Last, I played Tambourine by The Dare, an electronic track with wobbly synth notes and processed vocals. This song sounded fantastic, with powerful, punchy bass and trickling synth notes clear in the top end of the track. It was super wide, clean, and overall just a fantastic performance.

The Denon Home 600 sounds fantastic. It has a wide, high soundscape with delicate handling of soft, high-frequency sounds. The low-end is controlled, but can be insistent and powerful with the bass upped to max. Although I wish the treble was a little less sharp in some genres — rock particularly — this didn’t upset me that much.

Oh, and when I grouped the Home 400 and 600? Magic. I just wish the speaker wasn’t held back by HEOS usability issues… which I’ll get into now.

Denon Home 600 review: App

If you’re familiar with Denon/Marantz products, you’ll likely also be familiar with HEOS. I’m in a love/hate relationship with HEOS. On the one hand, its new design is visually appealing.

On the other hand, it can be just ever-so-slightly frustrating. As I now have the Denon Home 400 and Denon Home 600, I can group my speakers to play the same music or ungroup them to play different songs. Well, kind of. You can group the speakers easily, but if you want to switch the master speaker, you can’t. You have to manually play the same playlist from the secondary speaker and manually turn off the master speaker, and then regroup. Yep, annoying.

However, if you want to stream through both speakers via Spotify, you have to do this from Spotify itself rather than HEOS. Confused? Yeah, me too. Here’s a screenshot so you can see what I mean.

HEOS is a quirky app. For example, you need to go into the ‘Rooms’ tab and activate your desired speaker before searching for music; otherwise, it will play using the last active speaker. You can’t click on the name at the bottom and select from your connected speakers. Again — confused? Me, too.

You also can’t use the built-in streaming services as normal in HEOS. For example, you can’t click on an artist name to view the artist page. You can either choose from Qobuz’s playlists or search for your own. If you want to peruse your own playlists, you have to scroll all the way to the bottom of the Qobuz widget. On top of this, after a song finishes, HEOS doesn’t play the rest of the playlist. It autoplays from previously played tracks. You have to click ‘Play all’ or ‘Shuffle’. It’s just little things like this that make HEOS a touch non-user-friendly.

So while HEOS is quirky, it just depends on whether you have the will and patience to learn. At $800, though, a companion app shouldn’t be quirky. It should just work. But this unfortunately seems par for the course. Remember the Sonos app drama last year? What is it with audio brands releasing fantastic speakers with unfortunate app issues?

Denon Home 600 review: Verdict

The Denon Home 600 is an incredible speaker. Sorry, Speaker (if you remember the lame joke I made at the start of this review). It sounds gorgeous, with lively bass and subtle detail in the high-end. With two Denon Homes, the grouped room playback is awesome.

However, this speaker has a 3.5-star rating for a reason, and that reason is HEOS-shaped. I want to give this speaker 4 stars, because its sound and design deserve it. But HEOS is a relentless beast intent on making me want to pull my hair out. There are quality-of-life issues that require fixing before I can wholeheartedly recommend the Denon Home 600. The Home 400 was cheaper, so these issues were easier to overlook. But $800? Nah. It’s gotta be perfect if you’re asking for almost a grand.

If you can look past app issues, then you won’t be disappointed by the Home 600. It sounds beautiful, looks beautiful, and comes so close. Just ignore HEOS, play direct from your streaming app, and it could be a 4.5-star product.

I test a lot of audio gear, including speakers. Not just Bluetooth speakers, of course: smart speakers, home speakers, you name it. Sometimes, when I test a speaker and notice that it costs the same as another speaker, my mind can't help but pit them against one another. I'm a tech reviewer, after all, that's my job! But what happens when one's a Bluetooth speaker and the other is a mains-powered home speaker?

That's what happened this week when I reviewed the beautiful Marshall Stanmore IV. It's a mains-powered speaker and the latest addition to the fourth iteration of Homeline, Marshall's series of indoors home speakers. I awarded it 4.5-stars and the coveted Editor's Choice Award in my review. And you know what else received the same score?

The JBL Xtreme 5. Though I didn't review it — my colleague Erin did — I've listened to it and I agree with everything she said in her review. The Xtreme 5 costs the same as the Stanmore IV: $399 in the U.S. Of course, the Xtreme 5 is a rugged speaker that can be used outdoors, which is quite the opposite of the Stanmore IV. So, if you had to choose one, which is right for you? I know which is right for me, so let's get into it.

Outdoors or at-home listening?

The biggest question to ask yourself when deciding between the JBL Xtreme 5 and the Marshall Stanmore IV is this: "Am I taking it outdoors, or leaving it at home?" If the answer is outdoors, then the Xtreme 5 is the natural choice.

This speaker is extremely rugged, capable of surviving drops and falls. It's IP68-rated, making it waterproof and the most durable speaker on the market right now.

In terms of portability, the Xtreme 5 weighs 6.4lbs and features a carry strap, so you can lug it around on your shoulder. And just because it's designed for the outdoors doesn't mean you can't use it indoors either. Bluetooth 6.0 wireless and lossless USB-C wired playback make it the speaker that can do everything, really.

But I wouldn't be so quick to write off the Stanmore IV either. Sure, you can't really use it away from a plug but if it's pure power and rock 'n' roll sound you're after, this is the speaker to get. The main advantage of a mains-powered speaker is that it delivers consistently high volume, as the mains power drives the internal amplifiers at full capacity, delivering a great dynamic range. Battery-powered Bluetooth speakers, on the other hand, often try to conserve energy so they can't always play at consistently high volumes.

The Xtreme 5 can get loud, but the Stanmore IV can get very loud. I've soundtracked dinners on my balcony with the Stanmore IV. Even when it's been playing indoors, it's been loud enough to hear outside. Dynamic Loudness, which is Marshall-speak for fine-tuned frequencies that sound the same regardless of the volume, plays a key role here too, as you can listen at the highest volume without any noticeable distortion. Marshall's 'Made of Loud' motto makes a lot of sense now.

There is another...

To quote the great philosopher Yoda, "There is another." The Marshall Stanmore IV isn't the only new kid on the block, or addition to the Marshall Homeline IV, if you will. There's also the Marshall Acton IV, which is basically a smaller (and cheaper) version of the Stanmore IV. It looks near-identical and its internal hardware is almost the same too — except that it has a smaller, 4-inch woofer compared to the Stanmore IV's 5-inch woofer.

In a similar vein, the JBL Xtreme 5 isn't the only speaker that dropped in March 2026. I reviewed the JBL Go 5 when it came out and I absolutely loved it. It quickly became my go-to for taking outdoors, as I loved its pocketable form factor.

Just like the Xtreme 5, the Go 5 is also IP68-rated and drop-proof. If the Xtreme 5 is out of your budget, the Go 5 is a fantastic sub-$60 speaker. And this is a nice segue into why we're all here: the speaker I'd choose...

We have a winner

This is a personal take, but I'm not a fan of carrying around big speakers when I go on a picnic with my partner or friends. Thing is, I'm never going to be blasting my tunes outdoors — I don't like disturbing the local wildlife. All I want is a portable speaker that's loud enough to soundtrack a small gathering without disturbing anyone else.

The JBL Go 5 does just that — and truth be told, many other small speakers do, too, like the Tribit StormBox Mini+ (which, since reviewing, I still use today). If push came to shove and you asked me to choose between the JBL Xtreme 5 and the Marshall Stanmore IV, I'm going with the Stanmore IV. I love having a speaker that's plugged in all the time, and playing tunes on it when my partner and I are cooking, or she's making art and I'm playing a video game.

If I had to spend $399 on one speaker, the Stanmore IV would be an easy decision for me. It's got the retro looks, the loud and ridiculously stunning sound, and connectivity in spades, and it feels like the perfect home speaker. The Xtreme 5 is no doubt awesome in its own right, but it's just not for me. My ideal combination is a powerful home speaker and a tiny pocketable speaker — so I'm sticking with the Stanmore IV and the Go 5 for as long as I can.

More from Tom's Guide

• The JBL Go 5 is one of the best budget speakers I’ve tested, and it offers stellar sound for just $54
• ‘Easy on the eyes and ridiculously stunning sound’ — I tested the Marshall Stanmore IV home speaker and it’s coming for Sonos’ crown
• JBL Xtreme 5 review: The most rugged, bassiest, and gnarliest Xtreme yet

Marshall’s done it once again. The Marshall Acton IV is the latest addition to the fourth iteration of Homeline, the brand’s lineup of home speakers. Now featuring RCA ports for connecting turntables as well as Auracast for pairing it with other Homeline speakers, the Acton IV is one of the best smart speakers around. Energetic but controlled bass combined with refined mids and clean treble results in a truly enjoyable listening experience.

The Acton IV sports Marshall’s retro and classy aesthetics and is a sight to behold. Amp-like controls, a user-friendly companion app, and room-filling sound make it a winner. But there’s still no voice assistant support and no Wi-Fi streaming — both of which are offered by the likes of Sonos and Denon.

Should you still buy it? Read my full Marshall Acton IV review to find out.

Marshall Acton IV review: Specs

Marshall Acton IV review: Price & availability

Launched in July 2026, the Marshall Acton IV succeeds the four-year-old Acton III. It joins the Marshall Stanmore IV ($399) to form the fourth iteration of the British brand’s Homeline series — its lineup of mains-powered home speakers. The Acton IV has a retail price of $299 / £259, the same as the Acton III at launch.

The Acton IV’s sub-$300 price puts it firmly in the mid-range category — and it’s a great Sonos alternative. It’s a lot cheaper than both the Sonos Era 300 ($449) and the Denon Home 350 ($749) but you also sacrifice voice assistant and Wi-Fi support by saving on the Acton IV. The Acton IV is a little pricier compared to the Audio Pro Addon C5 MKII ($219) and the Klipsch The One Plus ($274) but in my opinion, Marshall’s offering is worth the extra dough for its looks alone.

Marshall Acton IV review: Design

It’s hard to argue against the Marshall Acton IV’s styling. Similar to other Marshall speakers, the Acton IV sports a retro, stylish design that’s sure to draw eyeballs to it — in the best way possible. The speaker is available in Black or Cream primary colors, each with brass and gray accents.The gray mesh grille that covers the front, along with the brass Marshall logo, adds a vintage feel to the Acton IV.

Similar to many of Marshall’s other speakers, the Acton IV doesn’t sport any garish RGB lighting so it looks classy. The only lighting you get is the red LED indicators located on the top plate, which indicate the different active settings.

The Acton IV is designed to stay put in one place. It’s a mains-powered home speaker, after all. It measures roughly 10 x 5.9 x 5.6 inches and weighs 5.84lbs, so it isn’t exactly portable. It isn’t too heavy, though, as I’ve carried it to and from the office in my backpack. Compared to the Sonos Era 300 which sports a more rounded shape, the Acton IV is a rectangle, and it’s nearly the same size as the Audio Pro Addon C5 MKII, but smaller than the Klipsch The One Plus. It didn’t take up much space on my bookshelf or my coffee table.

Weatherproofing

The Acton IV is a home speaker designed for indoors, and as such, it doesn’t have an official IP waterproof rating. Also, because it needs to be plugged into mains, I wouldn’t recommend using it in the shower or even in your garden when it’s raining. If you want a weatherproof speaker, you may want to consider one of the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers, like the IP68-rated JBL Xtreme 5 ($399) or the Tribit StormBox Mini+ ($39) if you’re on a tight budget. If you want a rugged speaker in Marshall’s style, the Marshall Middleton II ($329) is IP67-rated while the Marshall Kilburn III ($379) is IP54-rated.

Controls

Keeping in line with Marshall’s design philosophy, the Acton IV features amp-like physical controls located on the top plate. They’re all fairly straightforward to understand. You get a Source button to swap between AUX, RCA and Bluetooth inputs; three dials to adjust the volume, bass and treble; and a joystick to go to the next or previous song as well as play/pause playback.

I appreciate having onboard bass and treble controls, both of which can be adjusted on a scale of one to 10. These negate the need for the companion app (more on that shortly), as you don’t need to fire it up every time you want to adjust the equalizer. All the buttons and knobs give great tactile feedback when pressed or turned.

There’s a customizable M button, too, which is also found on the Marshall Bromley 750 party speaker ($1,299) and the Marshall Milton ANC headphones ($229). Via the app, you can customize it to change the EQ or activate Spotify Tap to instantly start playing music without toggling it on your phone.

Connectivity

I’ll start this off by saying that no, the Acton IV does not feature Wi-Fi connectivity or voice assistant support, like the Sonos Era 300 and the Denon Home 350 do. This isn’t rare in this price range, as the Klipsch The One Plus doesn’t feature Wi-Fi streaming either. You may want to consider either the Denon or the Sonos if you want superior wireless streaming with lossless hi-res playback.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about what the Acton IV does have. The Acton IV utilizes Bluetooth 5.3 to connect to your smartphone, laptop or other Bluetooth-enabled device. There’s support for SBC, AAC, LC3 and LDAC codecs, which gives it a leg-up over the Klipsch The One Plus and the Audio Pro Addon C5 MKII, both of which feature SBC and AAC support only. Compared to AAC and SBC, LC3 offers better efficiency and stability, while LDAC operates at a higher maximum bitrate, thereby minimizing detail loss. In lieu of Wi-Fi streaming, you can use LDAC for hi-res streaming instead.

Connecting via Bluetooth is extremely easy as, when you power on the Acton IV for the first time, it immediately puts itself into pairing mode. For connecting new devices, all you need to do is hold down the Source button.

Wired connectivity is in spades, too. Located next to the controls is a 3.5mm AUX port, and on the Acton IV’s underside, you’ll find RCA ports (which you won’t on the Acton III) for plugging in the best turntables, CD players, or even a TV. Thanks to the Source button, you can keep all your devices connected and swap between inputs as and when needed.

The Acton IV is Auracast-enabled, like its predecessor. But a new feature is that you can now connect the Acton IV to other Homeline speakers, like the Stanmore IV. I tested this as I had both speakers at hand, and it worked like a charm. I placed the Acton IV in my living room and the Stanmore IV in my bedroom, and I was able to play the same tunes through both. Setting this up took just under five minutes, too.

If you want to connect old Homeline speakers with it, like the Acton III and the Stanmore III, you’ll need to purchase the Marshall Heddon physical hub ($299) which uses Wi-Fi to transmit to other Marshall speakers via Auracast. If you buy two or more Homeline speakers together, Marshall happily throws in the Heddon for free.

Marshall Acton IV review: Sound quality

Though it be but little, it is fierce… or whatever it was that William Shakespeare said. The Marshall Acton IV is fitted with two 25W Class D amplifiers which power its dual 0.75-inch tweeters, as well as one 60W Class D amplifier to power its 4-inch woofer. The speaker covers a frequency response range of 37Hz to 38KHz. Marshall says that it has improved the tweeters and waveguides to create “a better, wider soundstage” — and that it does.

To test the Acton IV, I listened to my usual array of testing songs on Qobuz, the best music streaming service for hi-res audio. I kicked things off with Lana Del Rey’s ‘Taco Truck x VB’ with the bass and treble set to five each. The song’s first half landed with a warm, almost analog character that suits the Acton IV’s tuning. Lana’s vocals sat front and centre without sounding too clinical, and every breath felt textured and layered. When the song pivoted into the second section, the beat dropped with rounded, confident low-end impact, and the kick drum had plenty of oomph to it. The track’s dynamism was replicated beautifully and it sounded highly immersive.

To test the balance between treble and bass, I listened to ‘Elephant’ by 070 Shake. The treble remained smooth throughout, as the shimmering synth and ambient effects lit up the soundstage without becoming fatiguing. The bass sounded powerful but controlled, and even though the track doesn’t feature overwhelming sub-bass, the Acton IV gave each note satisfying weight. The song felt alive, and having listened to the entirety of Shake’s album ‘Petrichor’ on it, it felt like the speaker was built for her sound.

The Acton IV looks and feels like a rock and roll speaker, so I had to give ‘Fear of a Blank Planet’ by Porcupine Tree a couple of spins. The opening electric guitars entered with real substance, with the distorted riffs carrying a distinctive crunch. As the drums kicked in, the Acton IV made the dense recording with layered guitars, intricate drumming, and understated vocals sound extremely energetic.

Marshall has also made tweaks to what it calls Dynamic Loudness. It says that subtle adjustments have been made to the high and low frequencies and by doing so, music sounds free of distortion and remains consistent at all volume levels. Having tested the speaker by listening at the lowest and highest volume, I can confirm that this is almost true.

The aforementioned songs sounded just as detailed even at low volumes. I found volume between two and four ideal for listening to lo-fi tracks when concentrating on writing this review. But at the highest volume, the tracks sounded a little distorted and muddy, and not particularly enjoyable. Also, bear in mind that the Acton IV can get very loud. When I was listening to it on the highest volume, I was certain my neighbors were going to knock on my door and tell me to turn it down!

Listen along to my review with the Marshall Acton IV testing playlist:

Marshall Acton IV review: App

The Marshall Acton IV is accompanied by the Marshall Bluetooth app on iOS and Android. The app sports a clean interface with plenty of signposting, and it gives you plenty of control over the Acton IV’s settings. You can customize the five band equalizer or choose one of five EQ presets, assign a function to the ‘M’ button, adjust the brightness of the LED indicators, and update the Acton IV’s firmware.

In addition to all this, you also get access to Placement Compensation where you can tailor the sound based on whether the speaker is close to an edge or flush against a wall or corner. The speaker then corrects for any nearby reflective surfaces that may affect the sound. It’s worth spending a few minutes fiddling with Placement Compensation to get the best sound depending on the speaker’s placement.

Marshall Acton IV review: Verdict

The Marshall Acton IV is designed for music lovers needing a good-looking home speaker that can get very loud. Sporting a beautiful design, the Acton IV is sure to add a retro charm to your living space. But that’s not even its biggest selling point — it’s the room-filling detailed sound. The bass is powerful but controlled, while the treble is vibrant without ever becoming fatiguing.

In addition to Bluetooth connectivity, you get RCA input too for plugging in your record player. While there’s no Wi-Fi streaming, which both Denon and Sonos offer, the Acton IV is Auracast-enabled and can be connected with other Homeline speakers to create a multi-speaker setup. There’s no voice assistant, though, which may also have you considering alternatives.

But if you want a speaker that sounds stupendous and you don’t care about smart features, then the Acton IV should be your port of call. For its looks alone, it has earned a permanent spot on my coffee table.

If, like me, you love listening to music when you’re chilling, cooking or doing basically anything else indoors, you need one of the best smart speakers — and few are better than the Marshall Stanmore IV. The fourth iteration of Stanmore improves on its predecessor by introducing enhanced bass response, plus a wide soundstage to deliver an immersive listening experience.

The Stanmore IV is well-designed and extremely well-built, and it features Bluetooth, RCA and AUX inputs for most, if not all, devices you own. The bass is powerful while the treble is smooth and defined, and the speaker can get very loud without distortion. While it’s missing Wi-Fi streaming and voice assistant support — something its closest rival, Sonos, offers — this is the home speaker to get if you want full-bodied sound above all else.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Marshall Stanmore IV review.

Marshall Stanmore IV review: Specs

Marshall Stanmore IV review: Price & availability

The Marshall Stanmore IV was announced on 7 July 2026 along with the Marshall Acton IV, both of which form the brand’s lineup of home speakers, known as Homeline IV. It’s the fourth iteration of and the successor to the Marshall Stanmore III which came out four years ago. The Stanmore IV has a retail price of $399 / £349 — so it’s $20 pricier than the Stanmore III’s launch price.

The Stanmore IV is also pricier than the Acton IV ($299), but that’s the extra you pay for a bigger speaker and no distortion when playing music at the highest volume. Price- and features-wise, the Stanmore IV competes with the Sonos Era 300 ($449) and the Klipsch The Three Plus ($399). The Era 300 could be worth the extra spend if you want Wi-Fi streaming and voice assistant support, though, neither of which the Stanmore IV can manage.

Denon’s Home lineup is another rival, but with the Denon Home 350 ($749) and the Denon Home 600 ($799) costing nearly double, they may be out of your budget. The Stanmore IV is, then, an excellent speaker for those who don’t want to spend a fortune on full-bodied sound.

Marshall Stanmore IV review: Design

The Marshall Stanmore IV is a chonky boi, and as a mains-powered speaker, it’s meant to be kept plugged in and in one spot. Measuring 13.78 x 7.99 x 7.28 inches and weighing a whopping 8.81lbs, I highly doubt you’ll be lugging it around unless you’re moving houses. The Stanmore IV is a little bigger than the Klipsch The Three Plus and significantly bigger than the rounded Sonos Era 300. It fits nicely on my bookshelf and window sill.

There's no doubt that Marshall knows how to make a good-looking speaker. We’ve seen it with the Bromley 450 ($799), the Kilburn III ($379), and the Middleton II ($329), to name a few. The Stanmore IV is no different. It shares similar design philosophies to its stablemate, the Acton IV. It’s available in black or cream, with brass and gray accents to deliver one of the most stunning speakers I’ve had the pleasure of testing.

Adding to the speaker’s minimalist charm is its lack of any garish RGB lighting, and any form of illumination is limited to the red LED settings indicators on the top plate. Build quality is top-notch so you’re getting bang for your buck here. From the faux-leather vinyl finish to the quality of the knobs and buttons, Marshall has spared no expense to deliver what feels like a long-lasting speaker.

Weatherproofing

Just like the Acton IV, the Stanmore IV is a mains-powered home speaker designed for indoor use. It doesn’t have an official IP waterproof rating so I wouldn’t recommend using it in the bathroom or outside in the rain. You may want to consider one of the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers for outdoor use, such as the IP67-rated Marshall Middleton II, the IP68-rated JBL Xtreme 5 ($399), or the Tribit StormBox Mini+ ($39) if you’re on a really tight budget.

Controls

Controls on the Stanmore IV are identical to the Acton IV’s. The dials and buttons are located on the top plate. These include the Source button to swap between Bluetooth, AUX and RCA inputs; three dials for adjusting the bass, treble and volume on a scale of one to 10 each; a joystick for changing tracks and pausing playback; and a customizable ‘M’ button that, by default, plays Spotify, thereby negating the need to launch the app via your phone.

All the controls are easy to understand and don’t take long to get a hang of. Having onboard bass and treble dials is especially handy as you don’t need to fire up the companion app every time to adjust these. The ‘M’ button can also be customized to swap between EQ presets. The controls also give great tactile feedback when pressed — and the amp-like power button makes me feel like a rockstar every time I turn on the Stanmore IV.

Connectivity

Similar to the Acton IV, the Stanmore IV doesn’t feature Wi-Fi streaming or voice assistant support. These are home speakers and while they look very smart, they aren’t smart speakers, so you may want to consider the Sonos Era 300 if you want superior, lossless hi-res playback. The Klipsch The Three Plus doesn’t feature Wi-Fi connectivity either, so you’re limited to Bluetooth playback on both speakers.

The Stanmore IV utilizes Bluetooth 5.3 with support for SBC, AAC, LC3 and LDAC codecs — the Klipsch The Three Plus supports only SBC and AAC. LC3 offers better stability and efficiency compared to SBC and AAC, and LDAC can be used for hi-res streaming in the absence of Wi-Fi… although Wi-Fi streaming is still more hi-res than Bluetooth LDAC because it doesn’t compress the music files. Again, you’ll need to spend the extra $50 on the Sonos Era 300 for that.

Alongside wireless connectivity, you also get a 3.5mm AUX port located next to the controls, and RCA ports for connecting your record player on the speaker’s underside. You can keep all your devices plugged in and simply use the Source button to swap between them as and when needed. The ports are now located on the speaker’s underside, as opposed to on the back of its predecessor. This means that you can now place the Stanmore IV (and the Acton IV) flush against walls without compromising on space or sound quality.

The Stanmore IV is Auracast-enabled and can now be connected to its Homeline IV sibling — its predecessor could pair with another Stanmore III only, so this is a new feature. I was testing both the Acton IV and the Stanmore IV at the same time so I connected them together which took mere seconds, and it worked like a charm.

If you already own Homeline III speakers, you can grab the Marshall Heddon hub for $299 to connect all your speakers together. The Heddon uses Wi-Fi to transmit to other Marshall speakers, making it worth the investment for multi-room setups. If you buy two or more Homeline speakers, Marshall will throw in the Heddon for free, too.

Marshall Stanmore IV review: Sound quality

The Marshall Stanmore IV is fitted with two 25W Class D amplifiers to power its dual 0.75-inch tweeters, and one 60W Class D amplifier for its 5-inch woofer, and it covers a frequency response range of 36Hz to 38KHz. I tested the speaker by listening to a few songs on Qobuz, the best music streaming service for hi-res audio — and I’ve been thoroughly impressed.

Though it’s a single-box speaker, the Stanmore IV boasts a very wide soundstage, and I immediately noticed this when listening to Tame Impala’s ‘Apocalypse Dreams.’ The swirling synths, shimmering guitars and reverb-soaked vocals extended beyond the cabinet, delivering an almost three-dimensional quality. The speaker’s instrument separation is commendable as it allowed every effect and melody to remain distinct but without losing cohesion.

I then listened to ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by Dire Straits, and it was perhaps the best the song has ever sounded to me. The opening resonator guitar sounded beautifully textured with crisp, shimmering detail, and the treble never once turned harsh. The Stanmore IV’s warm, rich tuning complements the song perfectly, lending it an analog feel while preserving subtle nuances, such as Mark Knopfler’s breath work. As the arrangement swelled, the Stanmore IV handled the dynamics effortlessly, allowing the percussion instruments to occupy their own space without overpowering the acoustic guitar.

Bass on the Stanmore IV is deep and controlled, as was made apparent to me when listening to ‘Intro’ by The xx. The iconic bassline held real weight and filled the room without becoming bloated or overpowering. Each note plucked on the bass started and stopped cleanly which helped the song maintain its hypnotic rhythm. It made me feel like that scene of Jon Hamm dancing at the club in ‘Your Friends & Neighbors.’

The Stanmore IV can get very loud too — louder than you’ll realistically need when listening to music indoors. But what I appreciate about the Stanmore IV’s loudness is that even at the highest volume, music doesn’t sound distorted or muddy — an issue I had with the Acton IV. Marshall’s fine-tuned Dynamic Loudness comes into play here, where the brand has made subtle adjustments to the high and low frequencies, thereby ensuring that music sounds free of distortion regardless of the volume.

If you want a pure rock ‘n’ roll sound that’s consistent across the volume spectrum, few speakers are better than the Stanmore IV.

Listen along to my review with the Marshall Stanmore IV testing playlist:

Marshall Stanmore IV review: App

To customize the Marshall Stanmore IV, you’ll need to download the Marshall Bluetooth app on either iOS or Android. Sporting a clean interface with plenty of signposting, the Marshall Bluetooth app is easy to navigate and enables you to adjust nearly every Marshall device’s settings. You can use it to customize the Stanmore IV’s five-band equalizer, assign a custom function to the ‘M’ button, adjust the brightness of the LED indicators, and of course, update the firmware.

Marshall has also added a Placement Compensation function to the app. You can select whether the speaker is close to an edge or corner, or flush against a wall, and the Stanmore IV will then correct for any nearby reflective surfaces that may affect the sound quality. It’s quick to do and changes are instantaneous, so it’s worth taking a couple of minutes and playing around with it to get the best possible sound.

Marshall Stanmore IV review: Verdict

Home speakers are perfect for, well, at-home listening, and the Marshall Stanmore IV delivers beautiful, immersive sound quality that doesn’t give you much to complain about. It’s an easy speaker to recommend if your priorities are premium design and superb sound quality over smart features, like voice assistant support. The wide, room-filling soundstage, powerful yet controlled bass, and vibrant treble make the Stanmore IV a joy to listen to.

Adding to the Stanmore IV’s charm are its amp-like tactile controls and drool-worthy design. Unlike its smaller sibling, the Acton IV, the Stanmore IV maintains distortion-free sound even at high volumes, making it a great choice for soundtracking dinner parties. Throw in versatile wired inputs and Auracast for connecting other Homeline IV speakers and you’ve got yourself a winner.

If you aren’t fussed about the lack of Wi-Fi streaming and voice assistant support, and can’t swing the extra dough on Sonos or Denon, the Stanmore IV is an exceptional speaker. Sometimes, sounding brilliant is all a home speaker really needs to do.

At long last, Google has refreshed its smart speaker lineup with the new Google Home Speaker; first announced in the fall of 2025, it took nearly nine months for the device to come to market, and replaces the six-year-old Google Nest Audio as the top-shelf smart speaker in the company’s portfolio.

Things have changed a lot since Google last released a smart speaker. During that time, AI got real big, so now the assistant powering the Google Home speaker can do a lot more than just turn on your lights.

So how does the Google Home Speaker stack up against the best smart speakers? I’ve used it for a few days and compared it against its main rivals, the Apple HomePod mini and the Amazon Echo Dot Max, to find out.

Google Home Speaker review: Price and availability

The Google Home Speaker went on sale on June 24, 2026 for $99. You can get it in one of four colors: Jade (green), Berry (red), Porcelain (white) and Hazel (grayish black). However, the Jade and Berry colors are exclusive to the U.S.

The Google Home Speaker replaces the Google Nest Audio, and, for the moment, the Google Nest Mini, both of which are no longer for sale at Google’s online store.

Google Home Speaker review: Design

The Google Home Speaker looks a bit like someone took the Apple HomePod mini and smushed it a little

There are two touch-sensitive buttons on the top of the speaker to control the volume. You can’t see the buttons, as they’re hidden by the fabric, but if you tap the top of the speaker, two LEDs turn on to show you their location. You can’t tell which is volume up or volume down by sight; you’ll have to tap them to find out which is which. Tapping the top of the speaker will also play/pause your music.

Google had similar hidden touch-sensitive buttons on its previous smart speakers with an equally mixed reception; the Mini’s buttons had to be deactivated because of their finicky nature. I just find it annoying that you have to give the speaker an extra tap.

Similar to the Echo Dot Max, the Google Home Speaker has a circular ring of LEDs which changes color based on the circumstance; for example, it turns white when Gemini is listening, multiple colors when it’s thinking, and orange when the microphone is off.

Also on the base of the speaker is a physical switch to disable its microphones, which is a commendable feature. Less so is the nonremovable power cord; break it, and you’ll have to replace the whole device.

Google Home Speaker review: Sustainability

As with most companies’ claims, Google throws out some numbers which are ultimately a little vague. Google says the speaker and its adapter is “Made with at least 37% recycled materials based on product weight.” Whether that means the metal or plastic parts is unclear.

By comparison, Amazon says the Echo Dot Max is made from 23% recycled materials; the fabric parts are made from 98% post-consumer recycled fabric, while the plastic is made from 41% post consumer recycled plastic.

The Apple HomePod mini uses 99% recycled rare earth elements, and 35% or more recycled plastic in multiple components.

Google Home Speaker review: Audio performance

Where the Nest Audio had a 75mm woofer and a 19mm tweeter, the Google Home Speaker has a single 58mm driver. I didn’t have the older Nest to compare the two side-by-side, but the tl;dr is that the Google Home Speaker performs well for its size.

I played a variety of tracks on the Google Home Speaker, as well as the HomePod mini and Echo Dot Max, and though there were some subtle differences between them, they weren’t all that disparate.

I might give a slight edge to the Echo Dot Max; it’s the only device that has two speakers (an 0.8-inch tweeter and 2.5-inch woofer) which helped midtones stand out a bit more than the Google Home and the HomePod mini, which has a single 2-inch driver

Mids sounded a bit compressed, such as Billy Joel’s voice in “Movin’ Out.” Joel’s voice sounded better and warmer on the Echo Dot Max, and there was also better bass. However, the HomePod mini sounded the best of the three.

Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drop Dead” sounded best on the Echo Dot Max, as it was able to better separate the mids and highs; the Google Home Speaker and HomePod mini mushed things a bit.

Not surprisingly, bass was just ok, I threw on some old-school Snoop Dog “Who am I (What’s My Name)?” and the groove was much better on the Echo Dot Max and the HomePod than Google’s speaker.

Google Home Speaker review: Google Gemini

The hardware may be new, but the bigger upgrade inside the Google Play Speaker is Gemini, which is far more capable and powerful than Google Assistant.

Gemini for Home works with all of Google’s smart speakers and displays, but only the newer ones — Nest Audio, Nest mini (2nd Gen), Nest Hub Max and Nest Hub (2nd Gen) — will support the full Gemini for Home experience, as well as Gemini Live, where you can have a more natural, free-flowing conversation.

To test out Gemini on the Google Home Speaker, I asked it a series of questions, which it answered correctly, and was much more engaging than the old Assistant. For example, when I asked “Hey Google, what’s a good recipe for chicken wings?”, Gemini responded with a wide range of options, as well as certain things that it thought were popular.

I then asked Gemini to save the recipe, and it told me it created a note, but not where it was saved. I was able to find it in my Google Keep folder.

I also tested Gemini on sports, and here, it was a bit slower on the uptake. I asked ““Hey Google, did France win today?” and received the response “No, France did not play today,” although they had just defeated Iraq in the World Cup.

I then followed up with “Are you sure France didn’t play today?” and Gemini quickly corrected itself, gave me a summary of the game, and told me that Les Bleus secured a spot in the round of 32.

Google Home Speaker review: Subscription costs

You get Gemini for Home for free with the Google Home Speaker, but to make the most out of Gemini (and the speaker), you’ll need to sign up for a Google Home Premium subscription. Otherwise, you won’t get conversational Gemini, among other things.

If you sign up for Google Home Premium Standard ($10/month or $100/year), you get the following:

• Gemini Live (Get expert help, brainstorm ideas, and learn new topics)
• Help me create (lets you describe to Gemini the smart home routine you want to create)
• Sound detection (Smoke/carbon monoxide alarm and Glass breaking)
• 30 days of video event history

If you sign up for Google Home Premium Advanced ($20/month, $200/year), you get those features as well as these:

• Search video history - Quickly search your camera history by just asking
• Daily summaries - Ask about what you missed when you were away
• 60 days of video history
• 10 days of 24/7 video history
• Descriptive notifications
• Event descriptions

If you’re more invested in Gemini, you can also get the Standard plan as part of a Google AI Pro subscription ($20/month), and the Advanced plan with Google AI Ultra ($99/month).

Google Home Speaker review: Home theater features

Similar to its rival smart speakers, the Google Home Speaker works well with the Google TV Streamer to create a home theater experience. You can pair either a single speaker or two to the streaming device; if you pair two, you can also set up spatial audio. Dolby Atmos is supported, and the Google TV Streamer can also convert HD audio into a proprietary spatial audio format.

Amazon takes things a step further with its Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio speakers, as you can create a full surround sound experience with up to five speakers.

Google Home Speaker review: Smart Home functionality

As a smart home device, the Google Home Speaker is less capable than its Apple and Amazon rivals. For example, the HomePod mini has temperature and humidity sensors; the Amazon Echo Dot Max can act as an eero mesh router extender and has ambient light and temperature sensors, as well as presence detection.

Those other sensors make the other smart speakers far more functional. For example, you can create an Apple Home or Alexa routine to turn on your air conditioner if the temperature as measured by a speaker rises above a certain level, or if it senses someone entering the room.

Google Home Speaker review: Bottom line

Smart speakers aren’t quite the commodity they once were; Like Amazon, Google has gone from releasing a new model every year to waiting more than half a decade between the Nest Audio and the Google Home Speaker.

And that’s fine. There’s only so much you can do, though both Amazon and Apple have done more with their smart speakers than Google in terms of embedding additional sensors to make their devices more integral to a smart home ecosystem.

As smart home assistants, both Alexa and Google are very capable, especially now that they’ve gained extra AI abilities. If you’ve already started using either smart assistant, it’s unlikely that you’re going to switch your smart home from Alexa to Google or vice versa.

At this point, a smart speaker is more or less a delivery mechanism for the smart assistant of your choice. If you already own a Google smart speaker and it’s working well, there’s no real reason to upgrade, unless you want to create a Google-centric home theater system.

In October 2025, Google teased its next Google Home speaker, but declined to provide any release or pricing details. However, thanks to new listings on Best Buy we may have both.

The original Google Home speaker released in 2020, which we described as great if you're in the Google system, but it lacked key features compared to competitors. The new version makes an aesthetic leap that appears more similar to the Apple HomePod Mini and the Echo Dot.

We found a Best Buy listing for the Google Home speaker that reveals a price of $99. It also appears to come in four colors: berry, hazel, jade and porcelain.

The new speaker is "engineered for Gemini," which includes Gemini Live. This version would be able to control your smart home, set up automations and play media. Apparently, it will also be able to detect sounds like alarms going off and breaking glass — responding by sending alerts to your phone.

Earlier today, the Canadian version of Best Buy listed a release date of June 25, 2026. It appears that was a mistake since that information has been scrubbed from the listing as of this writing. Both listings now say "coming Spring 2026."

How it compares to the HomePod mini and Echo Dot

Apple is expected to launch new Gemini/Siri-powered versions of its HomePod devices later this year at which point this comparison will have to change.

Right now, the HomePod mini costs $99. By comparison, the newest model of the Echo Dot costs $49. Though unlike the HomePod and Google's speaker, it comes in a variety of versions including kids and sports-themed ones that have slightly higher prices but still not $100. The larger Echo Dot Max is $99 and works great with Alexa+ but isn't really that much of an upgrade over the Dot.

We took an in-depth look at the Echo versus the HomePod mini and the current Google Nest Audio in October last year. Check out for more concrete details.

Simply, the Echo combined with Alexa Plus works great with Amazon devices like the Ring Doorbell. The audio is a downfall but good enough.

The HomePod mini, meanwhile, has easy setup isn't as compatible with smart devices. The juice is in the sound, which is excellent. The issue is that Apple doesn't have as robust a smart home ecosystem like Google and Amazon, though that is something Apple reportedly wants to change.

Once Google does release its new Home speaker, we'll give it a full test to see how it stacks up. Hopefully, we'll actually have it in our hands at the end of June.

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What took so long? It’s pretty remarkable that, for all its other products, it has taken Bose this long to come out with an in-home smart speaker. But the Bose Lifestyle Ultra is finally here, and it looks like the company has not only taken lessons from its own rich history of designing audio products, but also from what’s worked — and what hasn’t — from its competitors.

Apart from delivering excellent audio, this is the first smart speaker not made by Amazon that supports Alexa+; it supports AirPlay, Google Cast, and Spotify Connect, and you can even plug it directly into a turntable.

But, having used it for a week, I have a few reservations. So how does the Bose Lifestyle Ultra stack up against the best smart speakers? You’ll have to read the rest of my review to find out.

Bose Lifestyle Ultra review: Price and availability

The Bose LifeStyle Ultra Speaker went on sale May 5 2026 at Bose.com, and is more widely available at other retailers. The speaker comes in three colors: the black and white models cost $299, while a limited-edition Driftwood Sand model costs $349.

Bose Lifestyle Ultra review: Design

Stylistically, the Bose speaker falls between the all-plastic Sonos Era 100 and the completely cloth-covered Apple HomePod 2. The body of Bose’s speaker is made primarily of plastic, but the front and sides are wrapped in an acoustic cloth, which softens the overall look.

The top of the device has a speaker grille towards the front, and a circular indentation towards the rear with volume controls. In between are additional touch-sensitive controls for Bluetooth and muting the speaker’s microphone. With all the little icons, it feels a bit busy, but that’s just me.

I saw all three color options in person, and the limited-edition Driftwood Sand model definitely stands out, especially with its white oak base. If you have wood decor, it might be worth springing the cash.

Bose Lifestyle Ultra review: Audio quality

As you might expect from a Bose product, the sound quality from the Lifestyle Ultra speaker is superb. To test its performance, I streamed a number of tracks through Spotify.

One thing I noticed in my hands-on — and confirmed in my home — is that the Bose speaker has much brighter mids and highs compared to the Sonos Era 100. As a result, female vocals were especially more pronounced and defined. I could really hear the personality of Carole King singing “I feel the Earth Move,” Dua Lipa in “Dance the Night,” and Kristen Chenoweth belting out “Popular.”

In fact, the mids were forward sometimes to the point of them sounding a bit too harsh. It was especially evident when I cranked “Tom Sawyer,” Geddy Lee’s falsetto cracked a little bit on the higher lines.

Lower tones also came through loud and clear; on that same track, the bass line and drums were so crisp that I could hear every bang and thump cleanly. The thumping bass line on the Beastie Boys’ “Paul Revere” also rang through like the silversmith running through Massachusetts warning of the British.

When played on the Sonos Era 100, those same vocals weren’t as present — things felt a bit rounder and pulled back — but the soundstage also was a bit wider, if not as tall as the Bose.

Ultimately, choosing between the Bose and the Sonos really comes down to a matter of preference. Both offer superior audio quality, and it’s hard to pick a winner based on sound alone.

The upward-firing speaker also added a bit more height to music, which, in the absence of Dolby Atmos support, is a nice little extra. Still, both the HomePod 2 and Amazon Echo Studio support spatial audio, so Atmos’ absence is felt.

Unlike some of the other smart speakers I’ve tested — most notably the Sonos Era 100, HomePod 2, and even the Amazon Echo Studio — the Bose Lifestyle Ultra speaker does not support Bose’s room-tuning feature, CustomTune.

Bose Lifestyle Ultra review: App and home theater capabilities

Maybe Bose learned from Sonos’ lesson, because its app is pretty minimalistic — but in a good way. You really only need it to set up the speaker, connect it to Wi-Fi, Alexa+, and tweak EQ settings. It has a 3-band EQ (treble, mid, and bass) plus a fourth for height. Overall, it has one of the clearest guides to walk you through the setup process that I’ve ever seen.

After that, there’s little reason why you’d need to use the app, as Bose has designed it to work within the music app of your choice. It’s compatible with Google Cast, Apple Airplay, and Spotify Connect; when I opened Spotify, the Bose speaker was listed there as a music source.

If all else fails, you can also simply connect to the speaker via Bluetooth, or just plug in a 3.5mm cord in the back. At a time when physical audio connections seem to be disappearing, it’s nice to see Bose keeping this legacy connector around.

You can also pair two Bose Lifestyle Ultra speakers for stereo sound, group them in different rooms of your house, or add them as part of a home theater surround system. One bummer is that, while the Lifestyle Ultra Speakers can be paired with a Bose Lifestyle Ultra soundbar, they’re not backwards-compatible with other Bose equipment. So, if you already have a Bose soundbar, you won’t be able to use these as surrounds.

Bose Lifestyle Ultra review: Smart home features

The Lifestyle Ultra is the first third-party smart speaker that’s compatible with Alexa+, Amazon’s AI-improved voice assistant. However, unlike the HomePod and Echo Studio, the Bose Lifestyle Ultra lacks presence, temperature, or any other sensor of that ilk which would allow you to create automated routines

Bose Lifestyle Ultra review: Bottom line

The Bose Lifestyle Ultra is a very capable and well-designed smart speaker. Its audio quality is superb, it’s easy to set up, it works seamlessly with all the major music streaming services and it’s the first third-party smart speaker that can access Alexa+.

All that being said, it’s sandwiched between some well-established competition. At $299, it’s the same price as the Amazon Echo Studio and Apple HomePod 2, but those models both support spatial audio and have extra sensors to take fuller advantage of their smart home capabilities.

Bose’s other chief competitor in this market, the Sonos Era 100, has now been out for three years, costs $80 less, and offers similar audio quality. (Sonos also sells the Alexa-free Sonos Era 100 SL for $189, so I suspect that not as many use voice controls as the company originally thought.)

In addition, all three rivals offer some sort of room-tuning capability, while the Bose does not.

On the basis of its performance as a speaker to play music from your turntable or streaming service of choice, the Bose Lifestyle Ultra will not disappoint. However, it falls a little short when it comes to the little extras you get with its rivals.

It's taken a minute, but Bose is finally coming out with a smart speaker that will rival the likes of the Sonos Era 100 and Apple HomePod 2. Last week, I had the opportunity to listen to the Bose LifeStyle Ultra Speaker, a new device that will not only let you stream music from Spotify, Apple Music and more, but also connect to your home theater system — including your record player.

But how does Bose's new product compare to the best smart speakers? I checked out the Bose LifeStyle Ultra Speaker; here's my early impression of a device that could be the next addition to your entertainment system.

TL;DR

• What is it? A new smart speaker from Bose
• How much will it cost? $299 for the black or white model
• What does it work with? Any streaming service that supports Google Cast, Apple AirPlay, Spotify Connect, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth

Price and availability

The Bose LifeStyle Ultra Speaker goes on sale today (May 5) at Bose.com — we can only imagine that it will be available at other retailers shortly after. The Lifestyle Ultra Speaker will come in three colors: the black and white models will cost $299, while a limited-edition Sandstone model will cost $349.

At launch, Bose's speaker will cost $80 more than the Sonos Era 100 and Amazon Echo Studio, but is the same price as the Apple HomePod 2.

Also going on sale today is the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar ($1,099) as well as the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Subwoofer ($899). Unfortunately, the soundbar is only available in black or white, so you can't get one to match your Sandstone-colored Speaker.

Design

Bose's smart speaker is roughly the same size as its main competition, but has some nice design flourishes to set it apart. As viewed from the top, it has an oval shape, with a fabric wrapping around the front and sides, to give it a softer look. The majority of the rest of the speaker is made of plastic, but the base of the Sandstone model is made of white oak, which looks most visually distinctive.

On the top are the speaker's touch-sensitive controls; there's a large circular indentation for volume controls, which you can adjust either by tapping or spinning your finger around.

Also on the top, you'll see a grille for an upward-firing speaker, which Bose says will help give your music more vertical depth.

Around back is the power plug, as well as a 3.5mm audio jack; the bottom of the speaker has a screw mount should you wish to place it on a pedestal.

Audio

Inside the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker are three drivers; a forward-facing woofer and tweeter, and one more tweeter that's directed upwards. There's also a rather large resonance chamber that exits out the rear of the speaker, to add additional passive bass to your music.

During my hands-on session with the speaker, the music I heard ("Man I Need by Olivia Dean, "Bad as I Used to Be" by Chris Stapleton, "Peaceful Place" by Leon Bridges," and "Hey Nineteen" by Steely Dan) was definitely impressive for its size. Bass was powerful without being overwhelming, and vocals came through crisply.

I will say that the highs sounded a bit too bright for my tastes, but I'll have to listen to it more before I can render an official verdict.

The upward-firing speaker definitely added height to the tracks I listened to, but this is a speaker you'll want to have placed fairly close to a wall, so that the music has something to bounce off. However, keep in mind that unlike the HomePod 2, it does not support Dolby Atmos.

Home theater capabilities

Like most other smart speakers, you can pair two of Bose's together for stereo, and you can also create a multi-room setup.

Similar to the Sonos Era 100, the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker can be used as rear-channel satellites with the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar, should you want to create a more fully immersive home theater setup. However, the Ultra Speakers struggle to interface directly with a TV, unless you were to run RCA cables from your TV to each speaker.

The Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker has a 3.5mm jack, which lets you connect it directly to a turntable — a nice touch for those who want to listen to records with as little fuss as possible. (With the Sonos, you need to purchase a USB-C adapter, and the HomePod and Echo Studio lack this capability entirely.)

Smart functions

Bose takes a very light approach when it comes to the app that controls the speaker. While you need the app to set it up, connect it to your Wi-Fi network, and adjust things such as treble and bass, you won't use the app to when using your music streaming service of choice.

Rather, you'll go through that company's app — be it Apple Music, Spotify, or whatever — and select the Bose speaker there. The speaker supports Google Cast, Apple AirPlay, and Spotify Connect, so you should be well-covered.

In the U.S., the Bose speaker will also support Alexa+, and in fact will be the first third-party speaker to support Amazon's upgraded smart assistant. (The Sonos Era 100 supports the older Alexa, but not the newer version.)

Outlook

Bose finally has a smart speaker that rivals those of its biggest competitors: The Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker certainly ticks all the necessary boxes with strong audio capabilities, as well as support for the major streaming protocols — and it has an audio jack in the back.

At $299, it's priced to compete with the established names out there, so we can't wait to get one in to test out and see how it fares in our home.

I’ve been waiting for the Sonos Era 100 SL for a long time, I just hadn’t realized I’d been waiting for it. See, I use a pair of old Sonos Play:1 speakers as the left and right surrounds in a home theater setup in my back room. They’ve been overdue for an upgrade for years, but Sonos never made a speaker that fit the bill in terms of price-to-performance ratio — until now.

The Sonos Era 100 SL is the company’s most cost-effective speaker with an MSRP of $189/£169 — a tidy saving on the £199/$219 Sonos Era 100. In a year where everything simply seems to be going up in price, more affordable releases like this and Apple’s recent MacBook Neo are refreshing.

To keep the cost down, Sonos has trimmed the fat in a couple of ways. First, there’s no mic on the speaker and therefore no voice control. You can’t ask Sonos Voice Control or a third party like Alexa+ to set timers or answer questions for you. That suits me just fine — I need these speakers to round out a passive sound system, not to be an active participant in my smart home. However, if you pair the Sonos Era 100 SL with a voice-enabled soundbar you can still benefit from voice control that way. Getting rid of a feature I would never use anyway to save me more money is a win-win in my book.

Because of the lack of microphone, there’s no Trueplay technology for Android phones. Instead, it’ll only work with an iOS device. If you’re using one of the best Android phones, this could be a deal-breaker —or at least a reason to pay more for the regular Era 100. But since I have access to an iOS device, this also isn’t a problem for me. Another tick in the plus column for the Era 100 SL.

If you lift the lid, the Era 100 SL has the same sonic architecture as the regular Era 100. When we reviewed that speaker in 2023, we gave it 4.5 stars, saying Sonos “Elevates the sound performance for its new entry-level home speaker with twin tweeters for stereo sound from a single cabinet, and a larger woofer for richer-sounding bass.”

Our reviewer said it was a noticeable step up from the Sonos One, and I can confirm it's absolutely streets ahead of my tired old Play:1 speakers. Bass at lower volumes is noticeably improved which works exceptionally well when you want to use it as part of a larger setup where the soundbar is doing the heavy lifting.

So Sonos is giving me better sound at a lower price by cutting features I either don’t use or aren’t affected by. Sign me up!

Setup is a dream

In the past, I’ve been critical of Sonos’ app and the general frustrations encountered in its software. The company has promised that those are a thing of the past and this is my first time setting up a new speaker on my system since the crisis of the new Sonos app back in 2024. The process couldn’t have been smoother and achieves almost Apple-levels of simplicity.

Once the speakers were plugged in, all I had to do was add them in the Sonos app and, once they were updated and linked to the Wi-Fi network, I was automatically asked if I wanted to group them in with my existing soundbar and mini sub.

It took all of about five minutes to add both speakers through the app, and there wasn’t a single hiccup during the entire process. Technology can all too easily become a rabbit hole of settings and configurations, but adding a pair of Era 100 SL to my setup was handled entirely in the app in a matter of minutes.

If you’re someone who doesn’t want to tweak and fiddle with a setup but would prefer to get on with watching your content with surround sound, I definitely recommend this.

Bottom line

Sonos is pitching the Era 100 SL as the entry to a Sonos home theater and I agree with that wholeheartedly. For example, the speaker doesn’t support Dolby Atmos spatial audio for music but does support Dolby Atmos and surround channels in a home theater setup. So, if you’re in the same boat as me and looking to build out a (or upgrade an elderly) Sonos system, you should stop reading right now and buy this speaker.

On the other hand, if you’re on the hunt for your first Sonos speaker primarily for music playback, it’s probably not the one to go for — even if it is affordable. For ultimate versatility, I would suggest looking at the brand new Sonos Play which gives you the benefit of both a home-based and portable Bluetooth speaker.

The Era 100 SL is a real return to form for Sonos, offering a really solid core performance whilst keeping the cost down by cutting away the window dressing. It would have been even nicer if the company had cut the cost even further through the double pack you can buy for $378, but perhaps that was one step too far.

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• Sonos Play review: One of the best portable speakers in years
• Sonos launches Sonos Play and Era 100 SL speakers — specs, price and what’s new
• Sonos' epic noise-cancelling headphones are the cans I'll take to my grave — and Amazon's Big Spring Sale just dropped them by $100

The Sonos Move is, hands-down, my favorite speaker Sonos has ever made. It has a big sound, big battery and Bluetooth support. My only complaint is that, at over 6.5 pounds, it’s slightly just not portable enough for most situations where you’d actually want to use a wireless speaker. Enter the $299 Sonos Play.

Sonos Play takes the same idea as the Move and scales it down into a sub-3-pound package that’s genuinely convenient to carry, complete with a utility loop and 24 hours of battery life. You still get Wi-Fi for streaming, voice assistants, multi-room listening and all the other core Sonos system features at home. It’s even line-in ready for my record player. But Bluetooth, and waterproofing means this speaker can join me on outings, too.

From someone who’s part of the company’s long-term user base, Sonos has far from escaped its series of software controversies unscathed. But Sonos Play is the kind of product that brings the focus back to what the brand does well — connected smart speakers that fill your space with great sound. And that’s the takeaway you can read more about in my full Sonos Play review below.

Sonos Play cheat sheet

• What is Sonos Play? A portable Sonos speaker that offers Wi-Fi multi-room audio as well as Bluetooth, designed for both home use and on-the-go listening.
• How much does Sonos Play cost? It costs $299.
• Can you use two Sonos Plays together? Yes, pair two for stereo sound over Wi-Fi, or group multiple speakers (including up to three additional Play or Move 2 units) over Bluetooth.
• Can you use Sonos Play with a record player? Yes, as long as you have the $20 Sonos Line-In Adapter. And yes, it has to be the Sonos one to work properly.
• Sonos Play vs. Sonos Move 2? The $399 Sonos Move 2 is larger and more powerful, but less portable. The $299 Play is lighter and easier to carry while still delivering strong stereo sound, plus it has more sophisticated Bluetooth pairing than the Move.
• Sonos Play vs. Sonos Roam? The $179 Sonos Roam is a smaller Wi-Fi/Bluetooth speaker and weighs under 1 pound, but without a charging base or line-in, it’s less appealing for in-home sound system use.
• What is Sonos Play battery life? Up to 24 hours, plus it doubles as a power bank to charge your phone.

The ups

Practical, portable design

While I’ve always sung the praises of the Sonos Move, I’ve never felt the same way about the Sonos Roam. It’s a perfectly fine Bluetooth speaker, but at its price, it’s hard to ignore how many comparable options are out there for less. It doesn’t quite justify itself in the same way something like the Play does.

The Play feels unmistakably like a Sonos speaker, with intuitive controls and a large enough audio presence to complement any Sonos system. But much like the Move, it lives on a wireless charging base at home, then seamlessly transitions into a travel speaker designed for everyday carry. It even has a removable utility loop that makes it easy to grab and go. It’s also IP67-rated, so dust and water aren’t a problem.

To sum it up, the Move is too big of a home speaker to be truly portable, while the Roam is too much of a portable speaker to be practical at home. The Play strikes the perfect balance between them within Sonos’s battery-powered options.

Balanced, room-filling sound

For a speaker this size, the sound is impressively well-rounded. Vocals, whether I was listening to podcasts or stripped-down tracks, come through crisp and clear, thanks to that dedicated midwoofer.

At the same time, bass-heavy tracks (think Kendrick Lamar’s ‘m.A.A.d city’ or electronic playlists) still hit with enough depth to feel satisfying without overpowering everything else. The dual passive radiators do a lot of work here, while the Automatic Trueplay feature adapts playback in real-time to suit your listening space.

Like most Sonos speakers, though, I wouldn’t push it to max volume in most circumstances. It holds up well, but it’s clearly tuned for balance over brute force. The key to getting a bigger sound from Sonos Play is your pairing options.

Flexible pairing

There are lots of different ways you can play music with Play. First, you can listen to it solo over Wi-Fi, either casting (I use AirPlay) or using the Sonos app with your synced streaming services. With the compatible Sonos line-in adapter, the Play can also hook up to a record player and cast to your other speakers.

If you have other Sonos speakers, you can also assign it for multi-device and multi-room playback, too. Better yet, you can stereo pair two Plays over Wi-Fi for a more immersive setup at home.

Over Bluetooth, you can connect one Play to your phone, then sync up to three additional speakers, including the Sonos Move 2, just by holding the pairing button. That’s a newer feature the Move doesn’t have.

24-hour battery life

Sonos rates the Play for up to 24 hours of battery life. I left it off the charging base for about 3 days, and my hours of active listening landed just around that estimate. Comparing the other battery-powered Sonos speakers, the Move 2 lasts 24 hours as well and the Roam lasts up to 10 hours. Both the Play and Move 2 have replaceable batteries, which I think is a meaningful factor for speakers you’d want to last in your home for a long time.

What’s more, the Play doubles as a USB-C power bank. Being able to top off my phone while I was out made this speaker feel even more multi-purpose.

The downs

Pricey depending on what you’re looking for

I’ll be honest, I struggled to find much fault with the Sonos Play. For what it offers (Wi-Fi streaming, multi-room audio, voice control, strong battery life and portability) it actually delivers a lot of value.

That said, you don’t need to spend $299 for a Bluetooth speaker of this size and with solid sound. For example, the UE Everboom can usually be found for $199 and it’s pretty similar in dimensions. I also like the JBL Charge 6, which tends to go on sale for about $170. I’d recommend these if you’re not looking for any “smart” features via Wi-Fi.

Verdict

The Sonos Play takes everything that makes the Sonos ecosystem great and packages it in a design that provides comprehensive versatility between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Unlike past attempts, the Play doesn’t feel like you’re compromising in either direction.

That balance is what makes it stand out against both the Sonos Move 2 and Sonos Roam. One leans too far into being a home speaker, the other too far into being ultra-portable. The Play sits right in the middle, offering enough power for your living room and enough practicality for a park day, weekend trip or if you're like me, concert in the shower.

$299 is a lot if all you want is a Bluetooth speaker. But if you’re even slightly invested in the Sonos ecosystem, or want a speaker that can grow into one, this is easily one of the most well-rounded options the company has debuted in years.

It's been nearly a year, but Amazon is finally taking Alexa+ out of Early Access and making it available to everyone, both Prime and non-Prime members alike. Alexa+ is Amazon's new-and-improved voice assistant, which uses AI to deliver a richer and more personalized experience over the original Alexa.

Up until now, Alexa+ has only been available in what Amazon called Early Access —while that was a bit of a misnomer, as it's already in use in tens of millions of devices — Alexa+ will now be available to anyone, regardless of whether you have a Prime membership, or own an Echo device.

Alexa+ pricing and availability

For Amazon Prime members, Alexa+ will be included as part of your subscription. If you're not a Prime member, you can subscribe to Alexa+ for $19.99/month, which is in line with the price for other AIs, such as Gemini.

However, Amazon is also offering a free tier of Alexa+, which the company says will have all the same features as the paid tier, but with limits; for starters, you will only be able to use it on Alexa.com and the Alexa app, and it will be limited by use, though the company would not provide details as to the number of tokens or activity.

How to get Alexa+

You'll be able to access Alexa+ in one of three ways: Through an Amazon Echo device, via the Alexa app on your phone or tablet (for Android and iOS), or via Alexa.com.

Alexa+ will work on Amazon Echo devices up to eight generations old, which includes not just smart speakers and displays, but Echo Buds, Echo Auto, and Amazon Echo Frames. Pretty much anything except first-generation Echo speakers can access Alexa+.

Additionally, Alexa+ is also available on Fire TV streaming sticks as well as Amazon Fire TVs, and Amazon Fire tablets.

Upgrading to Alexa+ is voluntary; you'll receive prompts on your devices, but you can also say "Alexa, upgrade to Alexa+" to start the process.

More from Tom's Guide

• I’ve been using Alexa+ for 3 months — here are my 5 favorite features (and one I’m not a fan of)
• I tested Alexa+ and liked it so much I put my Echo Auto back in my car — now I can’t imagine driving without it
• Alexa+ — here's everything you need to know

Sonos has been quiet for about a year. It's been working in the background, improving the controversial app and ensuring users get the best possible experience. When I put together my living room's Sonos surround setup, I learned that there are still some kinks — but we're otherwise there.

It looks like the firm has also been working on something new to give the world. It's called the Sonos Amp Multi, and instead of the loud-and-proud Arc Ultra soundbar or the Era 300 smart speaker, it is designed to be the wired-in center of a whole-home audio system. Let's dive in.

For all the speakers

The Amp Multi isn't going to work on its own — it's an amplifier that needs speakers to make the sound. There are eight different stereo channels on the back of the amplifier, which you then need to wire to speakers around the house.

That's going to be done by an installer, so it's unlikely to be something you'll do yourself. Unless you're a Sonos installer with a house that needs speakers.

Once you've wired up all the speakers around the house (through the walls and the floors), you can create rooms for each channel. You can put multiple channels in one room for more sound as well.

All running through the Sonos app

The amp and all the speakers you attach to it are going to be powered by the Sonos app — and depending on your viewpoint, that could be either a great thing or some of the worst news you've ever heard.

For the most part, current experiences with the Sonos app are positive. It seems like the alarm and playback issues have been ironed out, and users of the Era line and other smart speakers are not experiencing anywhere near as many issues as they did when the app was relaunched.

But things aren't perfect, even now. I recently set up a full Sonos surround system in my living room, and I had to spend days troubleshooting before disconnecting everything from the internet and starting completely from scratch. I even had to disconnect my router before TruePlay would work, and the surrounds would make noise.

Despite these issues, the Amp Multi seems to be evidence that Sonos is now ready to leave them in the past. This is a device that relies entirely on the app, with no controls on the device at all. You choose your channel in the app, and then play your tunes/podcast/whatever audio thing you want.

Volume? App. Playback? App. It looks well featured for connection standards, as you might expect, including "Apple AirPlay, Spotify Direct Control, and more." It'll get wired into your house's cable internet for better stability, making for fewer potential app issues. You can still connect to Wi-Fi, if you wish — but if you're wiring in speakers, it would be a waste not to get an ethernet cable plugged into the back.

There are physical connections as well, including a USB-C port and a pair of RCA inputs. You won't be short of ways to plug in — although I'm sure some will miss an HDMI port.

With ProTune, you can dial in the sound for each room (or channel) individually. There's a Parametric EQ for fine adjustments to room acoustics, giving more granular control than TruePlay. This is likely going to be a part of the install, sorted out by your installers.

Still, there's a lot of faith here for a new product to rely on an app that's previously been troubled. It's also a lot to ask of potential consumers, considering that this is going to be permanently wired into your house. Or, at least, wires traipsed around the house. Either way, it's a larger investment than a soundbar or smart speaker.

Simple design that you're not supposed to see

Sonos has made the Amp Multi look as attractive as a permanently situated box could ever be. But given that it's supposed to be tucked away in a media console or even placed in a rack, it's still very much just a black box with some speaker interconnects on the back.

Price is available when you book yourself an install — it's all paid at once. So the box on its own doesn't yet have a price. If you're interested in picking up (or getting one buried in your wall), you can enquire on the Sonos website.

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• I ditched music streaming for my CD collection for a month — and I can't believe how much I missed it
• Your TV is watching you — how to turn off data collection on LG, Samsung, Roku and more

Could 2026 be the year that Amazon’s AI-powered assistant really comes into its own? While Alexa+ is still technically in its early-access phase, it’s now available in millions of Echo smart speakers and displays, and Amazon recently updated both its smartphone app and launched Alexa.com last week, which allows users to access the company’s AI assistant through a web browser.

Since the launch of Alexa+, engagement with the assistant has jumped by scores over the older Alexa, with customers using it two to three times more frequently. In particular, Alexa+ users are interacting with smart home devices — such as creating routines or even just turning their lights on and off — more than 50% more than before.

So what has Amazon seen over the past year with the rollout of Alexa+, and what could this year bring for its assistant? To find out, I sat down with Dan Rausch, the Vice President of Alexa and Fire TV, at CES 2026 to ask him where Alexa+ has come, and where it’s headed.

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

More from Tom's Guide

• Best of CES 2026: The top 27 new gadgets
• Tom's Guide to CES 2026
• Alexa+ on the web is surprisingly good — 5 features that actually beat the app

Alexa+ has been available to Early Access members for some time on smart speakers, smart displays and your phone, but now Amazon is rolling it out to yet another platform: your web browser.

Starting today, Early Access members will be able to access Alexa+ at Alexa.com, which will let you do everything you can with the AI assistant through Chrome, Edge — or any other web browser — that you could do through the Echo Show or your phone. And, in some cases, it's actually easier.

Here are five things to try with Alexa+ on your browser.

Ask it pretty much anything

The Alexa.com home screen is pretty uncluttered; use the large search bar in the middle of the page to type any query into Alexa+. At this time, it doesn't look like you can use your computer's microphone to speak your queries, but hopefully that will be changed in the future so that differently abled individuals can also use the browser.

Below the bar are a few tabs to help provide some guidance on what you can ask Alexa+: Plan, Learn, Create, Shop, and Find. Mouse over any one of these, and a bubble with suggestions will appear.

For example, I asked "what should I make for dinner with leftover cauliflower," and was presented with several recipe ideas. You can read the recipe list and instructions right on Alexa.com, but annoyingly, it doesn't provide a link to the site where it got the recipes. That not only feels like a miss, but a disservice to the person who actually created the recipe.

Control your smart home devices

Along the left side of the screen is an array of icons: Home, Recent Chats, Smart Home, Calendar, and lists. Click on the icon that looks like a light bulb, and a panel will open on the right, showing all of your connected smart home devices. From here, you can control them individually, such as turning your lights on and off, or adjusting the temperature on your thermostat.

However, you can't add or remove any devices, nor can you view your smart home routines. For that, you'll have to use the Alexa app. You can, however, use Alexa.com to create a new smart home routine.

Review and delete your chat history

The second icon along the left lets you view your entire chat history with Alexa+; each interaction is listed, along with the device used to chat with Alexa+. Clicking on each item expands the chat to see it in its entirety. If you want to delete a particular chat, just click the three dots in the upper right of each entry.

By default, Alexa.com will only show conversations you've personally had with Alexa+. However, if you toggle the "Show All" slider in the upper right corner, you will see every interaction individuals on your account have had with Alexa.

While you can delete individual chats, you can't mass-delete them from Alexa.com.

Manage your calendar

If you use Alexa's calendar, you can also view it on Alexa.com, as well as add, modify, and delete events. In addition, you can also type in a query to ask Alexa+ what your schedule looks like for the week.

Select the Calendar icon on the left, and a calendar view will appear on the right side of the screen. Any day with an event will be denoted with a small dot underneath the day. If you select an event, the window will show additional details, such as start and end times, location, and any notes. It will also display the calendar in which it's listed in a drop-down menu; if you select this, you can then add it to additional shared calendars.

View all your saved files

If you click the three dots in the left-hand menu, you'll be shown two options: one for Reminders and Tasks, and the other for Files. The latter will let you view every file you've uploaded to Alexa+, and let you either download or delete it. Being able to see everything on a larger screen such as your web browser makes it a lot easier to manage.

Alexa+ can also analyze all of the files that you've uploaded. For example, I uploaded my school district's calendar and asked how many vacation days there were in January. Alexa+ said that there were two vacation days, January 1 and MLK Day, but those were District Closure days, rather than vacation days.

More from Tom's Guide

• I put Alexa+ to the test with my chaotic family of five
• I tested Alexa+ and liked it so much I put my Echo Auto back in my car
• 5 quirky ways I use Alexa+ — and why it's my favorite AI assistant

One of the features announced when the Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio launched was the ability to use multiple smart speakers to create a surround-sound setup with your Fire TV device. While this concept isn’t new — you could do something similar with older Echo devices, as well as other some of the best smart speakers, like the Apple HomePod — I was curious to see how it would work with Amazon’s newest devices.

So when Amazon sent me four Echo Dot Maxes, four Echo Studios and a Fire TV Stick 4X Max, to try it out, I wanted to see how it might stack up against the best soundbars. Here’s how it went.

What you’ll need — and how much it’ll cost

In order to use the Echo Dot Max or Echo Studio for a home theater setup, you’ll need either a Fire TV Stick 4K (2^nd gen), Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2^nd gen), Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, or Fire TV Cube (3^rd gen). Strangely, this setup doesn’t work with any of Amazon’s new Omni TVs not its Fire TV soundbar, which would seem to be a natural fit for this type of application.

You can connect up to five smart speakers (Amazon recommends at least three), but they have to be all the same device. I had hoped that I could use two Echo Studios as my front channels and two Echo Dot Maxes as my rear channels, but sadly, I could not. And, if you want Dolby Atmos, you’ll need to spring for the Echo Studio, as it’s not supported by the Echo Dot Max.

So, if you don’t need or care for Atmos, you’re looking at a $440 investment if you want four Echo Dot Maxes plus the Fire TV Stick 4K. If you happen to still have an Echo Sub (Amazon stopped selling it a few years ago), you can pair it as well for deeper bass.

if you want Atmos, it’ll cost at least $926 — four Echo Studios and the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus. At that price, you’re not too far away from some of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, like the Sonos Arc Ultra.

Of course, as I write this, both the Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio are currently on sale for $20 and $30 off, respectively, so your total cost for four Maxes would come out to $316, while four Studios would run you $756.

Getting things running

Setup was fairly easy, and was completed all through the Fire TV interface. After I positioned the speakers around the room, I opened “Display & Sounds,” then selected “Alexa Home Theater.” From there, a short video gives you a brief explanation as to how it works, and then you next select the speakers you want to add.

After that’s done, the Fire TV runs a test whereby it plays a series of tones out of each speaker, so as to calibrate them for your room. In all, it took around 10 minutes.

One thing to note: Because of their spherical shapes, the Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio are a lot taller than most soundbars. If your TV is sitting on a console (as mine is), you may need to raise your set up a few inches, or else the tops of the speakers will block part of the picture. It's not as big an issue if you're watching a letterboxed movie, but for all other content that fills the screen, the tops of the speakers will be noticeable.

How it sounded

While the four Echo Dot Max speakers don’t support Atmos, they still managed to provide a subtle improvement, giving scenes greater depth and more immersive experience. The dogfighting scenes “Top Gun: Maverick” gained a bit more oomph as the F/A-18s flew across the screen. When I watched “Avatar 2: The Way of Water,” I heard the ambient sounds of wildlife around me as the Na’vi traipsed through the forests of Pandora. In all, it was a pleasing, if not overwhelming, improvement.

When I swapped out the Echo Dot Maxes for the Echo Studios, things changed — in a big way. Now, when I watched “Top Gun,” it felt like I was in the cockpit, and could really hear and feel the fighters as they whooshed through the sky. The extra bass offered by the Studios also helped to increase the depth of the experience in a more visceral way. I could feel my couch trembling beneath me.

Similarly, when I streamed movies from Disney+, like “Star Wars Episode IX: Rise of Skywalker,” it really felt like I was back in the movie theater as TIE fighters and X-Wings roared all around my head. The Emperor’s voice echoing through the cavernous halls of Exegol was truly creepy.

Plus, the larger speakers in the Echo Studios really let me crank things up to the max, so much so that by wife — two stories below me and through a closed door — told me to turn it down.

Would I recommend it?

If you're paying full freight for a set of four Echo Studios, I would steer you instead to one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars like the Sonos Arc Ultra, which goes for $1,099 at its regular price (though right now it's just $879 on Amazon).

However, at their discounted price, the Echo Studios can make for an effective Dolby Atmos home theater. The two major trade-offs are that you're committed to using a Fire TV stick (among the best streaming devices, Amazon's ad-laden interface is our least favorite), and if your TV sits on a table, you'll have to raise it up a few inches or move the speakers to either side so that they don't block the picture.

Bear in mind that you can create a surround-sound system with as few as three speakers, so you could bring the cost down even further. But where's the fun in that?

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Gone are the days when you’ll want to hide 'eyesore', boring-looking speakers in your home.

IKEA and Teklan have collaborated to announce a new line of upgraded Bluetooth speakers that will certainly turn heads. These colorful speakers are designed to seamlessly integrate high-quality sound with stylish aesthetics, to add visual interest.

“Color is such an emotional and powerful tool — it can completely change how we see an object and shape the atmosphere of a room,” states Teklan. “We wanted to bring that softness and friendliness into technology, to help people see home electronics differently and invite more color into their everyday spaces.”

So what’s new in the lineup? It features three round Bluetooth speakers, lamp speakers, and an upgrade to its popular FADO lamp. All of which are designed in vibrant colorways and eye-catching geometric patterns. What’s more, all speakers connect to each other, and with other compatible IKEA Bluetooth speakers for a multi-speaker mode.

The new collection will launch in December, making it just in time for festive celebrations.

KULGLASS lamp speakers

If you want to integrate (or disguise) your speaker with your lighting scheme, the KULGLASS includes two lamp speakers. These are available in the soft pallet of shades of green or red-brown with pink.

Not only do these lamps effectively merge light, sound, and color all in one clever product, but it looks great too. I particularly like the lamp's swirl-shaped shade, which is reminiscent of an ice-cream swirl.

“I wanted this inviting shape to contrast the technical complexity we usually associate with high-quality sound,” says Teklan. “While the inside is advanced, the outside feels warm, open, and easy to understand. For the colors, I was chasing a soothing feeling from the past."

SOLSKYDD round Bluetooth speakers

Perhaps my favorite in the collection, these round speakers will blend in effortlessly with any interior style. This lineup features three varying sizes and colors, including a small portable model, a medium-sized one, and a large model designed for wall mounting. Plus, the trio is brought to life with striking geometric patterns in a bold orange or green colorway.

I particularly like how unique these speakers are, and they will certainly add a bold decorative feature to any room. The best thing is, nobody will even know what this circular gadget is!

In addition, all speakers connect with each other and support Spotify Tap, so you can even opt for a different size in each room of your choice. Ideal for listening to your favorite playlists around the home.

When can you buy the new IKEA speakers?

The IKEA TEKLAN collaboration will launch in December, rolling out in certain markets. Be sure to watch this space for more updates and pricing info as soon as they come in. I certainly can't wait to try these out myself.

For more top deals, check out IKEA.com.

More from Tom's Guide

• IKEA’s $17 dish rack is perfect for small kitchens — here’s why I’ll be picking one up
• IKEA will celebrate 40th anniversary with '40 weeks of deals'
• I just upgraded my home with these 5 IKEA items

For more discounts, check out our Black Friday deals live blog.

Shop today's best Black Friday deals

• Amazon: 50% off Ring, Ninja, AirPods and more
• Walmart Plus: 50% off @ Walmart
• REI: half-off Arc'teryx, Patagonia, more
• Dell: monitors from $69, laptops from $299
• Nectar: 50% off mattresses + bundles
• Best Buy: laptops from $149
• Lenovo: doorbuster deals from $319
• Wayfair: up to 80% off home decor
• Lululemon: top picks from $9
• Newegg: Doorbuster deals from $6
• Walmart: holiday gifts from $15
• Birkenstock: deals from $20 @ Nordstrom
• Saatva: luxury mattresses from $1,099

I’ve tested a lot of speakers over the years, and Sonos speakers permanently rank among my favorites. But I'll admit, enjoying Sonos sound doesn't come cheap, at least, usually. Thanks to an epic Sonos Black Friday deal on the Era 100, it's possible to start a Sonos system without breaking the bank.

Right now the Sonos Era 100 is on sale for $169 as part of the slew of Sonos Black Friday deals happening right now. It's usually $219, and while $50 might not sound like a massive discount, you need to keep in mind that Sonos speakers almost *never* go on sale.

For even bigger savings, Sonos is offering a stereo set of the Era 100 for $319 on sale, which is a $119 discount and takes another $10 off each speaker.

If you happen to have a larger budget, the Sonos Move 2 is on sale for $399. This deal takes $100 off a portable speaker with super powerful sound. Compared to the Era 100, the Sonos Move has a built-in battery. This means you could move it around your house, to your backyard or even bring it on an outing.

Speaking from experience, it holds up great against weather, drops and general roughing around. For something with luxurious sound, it keeps up pretty well with daily life.

Sonos has a several other enticing Black Friday deals, but the Era 100 and Move 2 are my favorite recommendations. People usually assume that buying Sonos will hurt your wallet, but these sales prove you (and your ears) can experience excellent audio for less if you're smart about shopping during Black Friday. It's the kind of deal that I'm flagging to my friends, knowing they love my own Sonos setup whenever they visit.

Shop today's best Black Friday deals

• Amazon: 50% off Ring, Ninja, AirPods and more
• Walmart Plus: 50% off @ Walmart
• REI: half-off Arc'teryx, Patagonia, more
• Dell: monitors from $69, laptops from $299
• Nectar: 50% off mattresses + bundles
• Best Buy: laptops from $149
• Lenovo: doorbuster deals from $319
• Wayfair: up to 80% off home decor
• Lululemon: top picks from $9
• Newegg: Doorbuster deals from $6
• Walmart: holiday gifts from $15
• Birkenstock: deals from $20 @ Nordstrom
• Saatva: luxury mattresses from $1,099

Black Friday isn't here just yet — but with all the incredible deals we're already seeing, it sure feels like it. If you’re ready to shop items at their lowest prices ever, you're in luck. Yep, you read that correctly. There are tons of early Black Friday deals with price tags at an all-time low. I double checked just to be sure!

Fortunately, I've done the heavy lifting and gathered some of my favorite deals that are just as good (if not better) than actual Black Friday prices — and they start at just $12. Keep scrolling to check out these unprecedented discounts from top brands like Apple, Ring, Shark, Bose and more.

Quick Links

• Amazon Smart Plug: was $24 now $12
• Blink Mini 2: was $39 now $17
• Stanley Quencher H2.0 Tumbler (30 oz): was $40 now $20
• Apple AirPods 4: was $129 now $79
• Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus: was $179 now $99
• Shark Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum: was $299 now $148
• Kindle Colorsoft (16 GB): was $249 now $169
• Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: was $429 now $298
• Apple 13" MacBook Air (M4/256GB): was $999 now $749
• Roku 55" Pro Series 4K QLED TV: was $899 now $597

Lowest Price Deals

For more discounts, check out our Amazon Black Friday deals live blog.

Shop today's best Black Friday deals

• Amazon: 50% off Ring, Ninja, AirPods and more
• Walmart Plus: 50% off @ Walmart
• REI: half-off Arc'teryx, Patagonia, more
• Dell: monitors from $69, laptops from $299
• Nectar: 50% off mattresses + bundles
• Best Buy: laptops from $149
• Lenovo: doorbuster deals from $319
• Wayfair: up to 80% off home decor
• Lululemon: top picks from $9
• Newegg: Doorbuster deals from $6
• Walmart: holiday gifts from $15
• Birkenstock: deals from $20 @ Nordstrom
• Saatva: luxury mattresses from $1,099

Amazon's Echo speakers are among the best smart speakers we've tested. The same can be said for Echo Show devices, which we consider the best smart displays on the market.

Amazon's early Black Friday sale is knocking up to 55% off Echo device models. They aren't at their lowest prices ever quite yet, but they're pretty darn close. The cheapest of the bunch is the Echo Pop on sale for $21. If you want a bit more functionality, you can grab the Echo Dot for $31. You can also snag some gifts for the kiddos like the Echo Show 5 Kids on sale for $54.

Keep in mind the company recently released two new smart speakers and two smart displays, so they most likely won't see any deep discounts. However, the new Echo Show 8 is now sporting a $20 discount.

Below, I've rounded up all the best deals on Echo Dots, Echo Shows and other best-selling Amazon devices. Keep scrolling to check them out.

Quick Links

• Shop all Amazon device deals
• Echo Pop: was $39 now $21
• Echo Pop Kids: was $49 now $21
• Echo Dot (5th Gen): was $49 now $31
• Echo Dot Kids (5th Gen): was $59 now $31
• Echo Spot: was $79 now $49
• Echo Show 5: was $89 now $54
• Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen): was $99 now $54
• Echo Hub: was $179 now $119
• Echo Show 15: was $299 now $254

Best Amazon Echo Deals

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Welcome to the first smart speaker made for the AI era. While the Amazon Echo Dot Max isn’t a huge departure from the company’s previous devices, it’s a part of the first generation of smart speakers to be released after the launch of Alexa+, Amazon’s AI-enhanced assistant.

The Echo Dot Max takes the place of (and is the same price as) the 4th-generation Echo, Amazon’s now-discontinued midrange smart speaker. Why is it called the Echo Dot Max and not just the Echo? Most likely because the Echo Dot Max is closer in size to the Echo Dot than the device it’s replacing.

But what’s changed with the first smart speaker that Amazon has released in a few years? I used the Echo Dot Max for a little under a week to see how it stacks up against the best smart speakers, and, perhaps more importantly, to see if Alexa+ is really worth it.

Amazon Echo Dot Max: Price and availability

The Echo Dot Max went on sale October 29, 2025, for $99. At the time of its release, it was available in three colors: graphite, Glacier White, and amethyst (a shade of purple).

Among Amazon’s smart speaker lineup, the Max is $50 more than the Echo Dot 5th gen, but significantly less than the new Echo Studio ($219).

The Echo Dot Max is also the same price as the Apple HomePod Mini, as well as the Google Home Speaker, which will be released in the spring.

Amazon Echo Dot Max: Design

That’s no moon…it’s a smart speaker! The design of the Echo Dot Max and its larger counterpart, the Echo Studio, immediately invites comparisons to the Death Star. Like the previous few generations of Echo devices, these speakers have a spherical shape, but now, the volume controls are housed in a circular indentation that makes the whole speaker look like the Empire’s ultimate weapon. It’s an apt comparison, considering how Amazon has used its smart speaker to spread Alexa throughout the galaxy.

Ringing the controls is an LED that turns blue when Alexa (or in this case, Alexa+) is listening. It’s more prominent than on the Echo Dot, where the ring is towards the bottom. If you press the center mute button, the ring will turn red, letting you know that Amazon isn’t listening to you.

The fabric and its pattern on the Echo Dot Max is also more prominent than on the Dot, but because of this, it also invites comparisons to two other devices - in this case, the Apple HomePod Mini and the Google Home Speaker.

Size-wise, the Echo Dot Max (4.27 x 4.27 x 3.9 inches) is slightly bigger than the Echo Dot (3.9 x 3.9 x 3.5), and slightly smaller than the 4th-gen Echo (5.7 x 5.7 x 5.2 inches). It should still fit nicely on your nightstand.

Around the back of the Echo Dot Max is is proprietary power port; gone is the audio jack that was on the 4th-gen Echo.

Amazon Echo Dot Max: Audio quality

Compared to the Echo Dot, which has a single 1.73-inch speaker, the Echo Dot Max has a 0.8-inch tweeter and 2.5-inch woofer that Amazon says will deliver “room-filling audio.” That’s basically the same as the 4th-gen Echo, but that device had a larger 3-inch woofer.

Giving the Max some more cred, it has Lossless High Definition, and Automatic Room Adaptation, so it can tailor its audio to the room in which you place it. The latter feature is something that’s also found on the 4th-gen Echo, as well as the HomePod Mini.

To test the Echo Dot Max, I spun up a bunch of lossless audio tunes on Spotify. Indeed, the Max can punch above its weight. Even given its size, it was able to fill my living room with the pumping sounds of “Golden” from “K-Pop: Demon Hunters.” Audrey Nuna’s soaring vocals rang out, while the bass line thumped cleanly, yet powerfully.

In a side-by-side test with the HomePod mini, the Echo Dot Max was louder overall and delivered more bass, which is not surprising given that Apple’s device has a smaller, single driver.

However, when listening to Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City” from the Electric Nebraska album, the Boss’ vocals sounded more compressed and less forward than on the HomePod mini.

The difference was even more pronounced when I spun up “Defying Gravity.” Cynthia Erivo’s voice was much sharper and clearer on the HomePod mini than on the Max, which made her, and the underlying music, sound much flatter.

While not available at launch — Amazon said it would come in November — the Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio can be used as an output device if you have a Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen), Fire TV Stick 4K (2nd Gen), or Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen). It’s similar to what Apple offers with the HomePod and HomePod mini with Apple TV, as well as existing Echo smart speakers with older Fire TV devices (here’s a full list of what pairs with what).

Amazon Echo Dot Max: Alexa+

At the time of the Echo Dot Max’s launch, Amazon’s AI-enhanced Alexa+ was still in its early access phase, as the company is still working out the kinks and building out its next-gen assistant. To make sure Alexa+ gets into more homes, the Echo Dot Max gets you, well, early access to the service (then again, so does almost all Echo smart speakers). Alexa+ is free for Amazon Prime customers, but will cost $19.99/month for those who aren’t subscribers once it leaves its early access phase.

Using Alexa+ on an audio-only product like the Echo Dot Max is a bit different than using it on an Echo Show.

When I interviewed Daniel Rausch, Amazon's vice president of Alexa+ and Echo, he explained that answers on a speaker-first device would be shorter than those on a smart display.

Alexa+ is indeed much better than Classic Alexa. I’ll give you two examples.

I asked for pizza places near me, and Alexa+ accurately told me the three top places near me. However, while it was able to tell me the address, it couldn’t give me turn-by-turn directions. Cheekily, it responded “It’s so close, you can probably find it by following the pizza aroma.”

Creating smart home routines is worlds easier with Alexa+. For instance, I asked it to “Create a routine that turns on Family room lights if the Echo Dot Max detects motion.” Alexa+ responded that the Max couldn’t yet be used for this (it was before the device was officially launched), but it could use the living room motion sensor instead. Later, when I was sitting in my living room, I could simply say “Alexa, turn off all lights in this room,” and it automatically knew I was referring to the living room.

The real trick will be in getting consumers to use it more than they did the old Alexa, which I think will be a hard habit to break.

Amazon Echo Dot Max: Smart home

Similar to the last generation Echo smart speakers, the Echo Dot Max has a bunch of smart home goodies packed inside. For starters, it can act as a satellite for eero Wi-Fi routers; Amazon says it can provide up to 1,000 square feet of additional coverage, and speeds of up to 100 Mbps for 10 or fewer connected devices in the 5GHz band. So, it’s not going to replace a bona fide satellite for one of the best mesh Wi-Fi systems, but it could help to clear up a dead zone in your house.

Additionally, the Echo Dot Max has an ambient light and temperature sensor, as well as presence detection, and you can create smart home routines using these sensors. It’s a great way to add more functionality to, say, the Amazon Smart Thermostat. If you have an Echo Dot Max in a room of your house that doesn’t get warm enough, you could tell the thermostat to keep the heat on until the temperature hits where you want it.

However, the Echo Dot Max has a new OmniPresence feature which, when paired with its newer processor, enables faster reaction times. So, it should turn your lights on faster when you enter the room, for instance.

Amazon Echo Dot Max: Bottom line

The Echo Dot Max (and the larger Echo Studio) both look and sound nicer than the previous generation of Amazon’s smart speakers — though not their competition. Thanks to an upgraded processor, the Echo Dot Max has some interesting new features like OmniPresence, which makes for more powerful smart home routines. And, Alexa+ is a marked improvement over Alexa — though not so essential that I’d fork over $20 a month.

However, it doesn’t do anything radically different from the previous generation. On top of that, Alexa+ will work on most legacy Echo smart speakers (though you won’t get the OmniPresence detection), so unless you have a first-generation Echo, there’s no real need to upgrade to use the newest version of Amazon’s assistant.

Smart home devices should have a longer shelf life than other consumer electronics — I’d be miffed if I had to swap out my light bulbs every other year — so in some ways, Amazon is a victim of its own success. Its last generation of smart speakers already does a pretty great job, so what’s the point in switching if you don’t have to?

Six years is a long time to wait. Of all its smart speakers, Amazon’s premium device, the Echo Studio, has gone the longest without an update. First released in 2019, the Echo Studio was designed to compete with the Sonos One, Apple HomePod, and Google Home Max. Since that time, the first two of those devices have been updated, and the latter has been discontinued.

So what does half a dozen years of development get you? For starters, a new design: The 2025 Echo Studio has adopted the same orb-like shape as Amazon’s other smart speakers. And, it has a slew of smart home features, like the ability to act as an eero Wi-Fi satellite, as well as temperature and presence sensors.

Most significantly, it’s also designed to work with Alexa+, Amazon’s AI-boosted smart assistant. While not exclusive — Alexa+ will also work on the original Echo Studio — the 2025 model has an upgraded processor to deliver faster performance.

So how does the 2025 Echo Studio compare to the best smart speakers? I’ve been testing it to find out.

Amazon Echo Studio (2025): Price & availability

The Echo Studio will be available for sale on Nov, 2025, for $219. You’ll be able to get it in white or black.

The Echo Studio’s price is the same as the Sonos Era 100, another one of our favorite smart speakers, so you’ll be seeing a lot of comparisons between the two throughout my review.

Amazon Echo Studio (2025) review: Design

Where the original Echo Studio had a canister-like design similar to the Apple HomePod, the 2025 version of the Echo Studio looks like a larger version of the Echo Dot Max. It’s a spherical device, with a large circular indentation in the front for the volume controls. Ringing these controls is an array of LEDs that change to blue when Alexa+ is engaged. Measuring 6.1 x 5.6 x 5.8 inches, the Echo Studio feels like an oversized Magic 8 Ball, and is a substantial 3.6 pounds.

Wrapping the Echo Studio is an acoustic fabric that’s remarkably similar to that on the Apple HomePod mini. Unlike the original Echo Studio and the Sonos Era 100, the latest Echo Studio lacks an optical audio-in port, so you can’t hook it up directly to one of the best record players, for instance. It does have a screw mount in the bottom, though, so you can hook it up to wall mounts.

Amazon Echo Studio (2025) review: Audio quality

While I generally liked the original Echo Studio, which launched in 2019, it ultimately didn’t sound nearly as good as the Sonos One nor the Apple HomePod; it got plenty loud, but mids tended to get lost in the shuffle.

The same holds true for the 2025 version. While it delivers plenty of chest-thumping bass and quality audio, it falls short of the Sonos Era 100, specifically when it comes to vocals.

The original Echo Studio featured a 5.25-inch woofer, three 2-inch midrange speakers and one 1-inch tweeter. By comparison, the 2025 version has a single 3.75-inch high excursion woofer and three 1.5-inch full-range drivers.

Even with the smaller woofer, the Echo Studio was able to drive an impressive amount of bass, enough so that I felt it from across my living room. Everything from Rihanna’s “SOS” to Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” was able to send small tremors through the floor to my feet. If you want to get the party started, this is the speaker for you.

However, when listening more closely to a variety of tracks, I found that the Echo Studio didn’t fare as well when it came to vocals. Norah Jones’ “Don’t know why” sounded great on the Studio, with lots of space around the instruments, but on the Era 100, everything felt a bit warmer, and her vocals were a bit more forward and captured more of that ephemeral quality to her voice.

Similarly, while the Echo Studio was able to make K-Pop Demon Hunters' “Golden” really bump with its driving bass, the Sonos Era 100 did a better job at bringing out EJAE’s soaring voice.

While not available at launch — Amazon said it would come in November — the Echo Dot Max can be used as an output device if you have a Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen), Fire TV Stick 4K (2nd Gen), or Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen).

It’s similar to what Apple offers with the HomePod and HomePod mini with Apple TV, and what you can do with older Echo smart speakers and Fire TV devices. However, unlike the older Echo devices, where you were limited to pairing two, you’ll be able to link up to five Echo Dot Max and Echo Studios to create an ad hoc home theater with true surround sound.

Finally, the Echo Studio has spatial audio (something the Era 100 lacks), so it can play Dolby Atmos tracks, making it even more suited for your home theater setup.

Amazon Echo Studio (2025) review: Alexa+

While I cover this in greater detail in my Echo Dot Max review, Amazon’s voice assistant is much improved over the original. It speaks to you in a much more natural, conversational tone, and is better at interpreting your commands, especially when it comes to the smart home.

As someone who has way too many smart home devices in his house, I’m frequently naming things too similarly — I have a lot of things that are either called “living room lights or “family room lights,” for instance. In the past, getting Alexa to turn on the appropriate device would sometimes be a cause for frustration as it struggled to identify just what I wanted it to do.

Now, it’s much smarter at figuring out my intentions, to the point where it was a cinch to tell it to create a routine based on a variety of factors — such as turning on the lights if someone was in a room, but only after 9 p.m. — or simply by saying “turn the lights on in this room.”

Amazon Echo Studio (2025) review: Smart home

Of course, a smart speaker is about more than just cranking out music. Like the Echo Dot Max, the Echo Studio has an eero satellite, so if you have an eero mesh router, this can be a good way to fill gaps in your coverage. It’s not overly powerful (you only get speeds of up to 100 Mbps), but can help in a pinch.

In addition, the Echo Studio has an ambient temperature sensor, an ambient light sensor and presence Detection, which can all be used as triggers for smart home routines. So, you could tell Alexa+ to create a routine where it turns on the Echo Studio and your lights if you happen to walk into the room.

Amazon Echo Studio (2025) review: Bottom line

If you’re looking for the best smart speaker around $200, and audio is your primary focus, then the Sonos Era 100 is still your best bet. Not only did it edge out the Studio in my listening test, but it also has an optical audio port, so you can use it with older audio devices like turntables that don’t have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. And, while Sonos did not do itself any favors with its app redesign last year, things have improved.

However, the Amazon Echo Studio is a far more capable smart home device. Its suite of temperature and presence sensors let you better integrate it into smart home routines, and, if you have a newish Fire TV device, you can use the Studio as an ad hoc soundbar — something you can’t really do with the Era 100.

Then there’s Alexa+, which is currently only available on Amazon’s smart speakers. From my testing, Amazon’s AI-powered voice assistant is far better than the original; while I don’t think it’s worth upgrading to the Echo Studio just for this feature, it is a nice benefit.

We recently picked up a Ring Doorbell in Casa del Rogers. We wanted something easy to use that would avoid missed packages and send alerts to everyone who lives within the walls of our home when there's someone at the door.

But it raised an issue — our mish-mash of smart speakers around the house that have traditionally just been about music streaming no longer feel as high-tech. Or, indeed, as useful.

So now we're looking for a solution. We want something that will truly enrich our home, so that we can control our lighting, listen out for the doorbell, and look after the thermostat. Where does that leave us? Thankfully, we've got options. Lots of them.

The parameters

I've got a couple of different things that I need our new smart speakers to do. First up, we need them to be inexpensive. After all, we're going to be filling our home with them, so we can't go spending hundreds and hundreds of dollars on each speaker for each room. There's space for a more premium option in a couple of rooms in the house, but for the most part, we need affordable. Parameter one.

We need wide compatibility with smart devices as a second parameter. We've got an assortment of different smart lights and other devices around the house, and there's our brand-new Ring doorbell that needs to work. A smart speaker, and indeed, a voice assistant, that works with all of them, is paramount.

Thirdly, we need something easy to use. I am relatively technologically competent, so setting up and using devices is fairly easy. My parents are older, so they need something that's easy to use.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly to me, I want something that's going to sound good. I want something more than just a simple smart speaker, given that it's likely to be the only way to listen to music in certain rooms around the house.

So, with our criteria set out, let's go through our options — and whether I'll be adding them to our house.

Option 1: Amazon Echo and Alexa

We've all heard of the best Alexa speakers (and now Alexa+), and the Echo speakers that power it. They're a well-known system of smart devices that works with, as far as I can tell at least, just about every lightbulb, thermostat, blind opener and smart doormat under the sun. They're a popular choice for many users, whether they wield an iPhone or Android.

It's all thanks to Alexa at the core of the experience, which has only been improved by Alexa+ and all of its AI updates that have recently dropped. As for how useful it'll be in the Rogers household, there are a couple of different points that might make us choose Amazon's smart system.

It's effortless to use. We've loved using our Ring Doorbell, our first introduction to Amazon's smart environment, and it was simple enough to set up that it took less than half an hour from drilling holes in the wall to fully working. Echo devices are similarly simple, so they'd be perfect for my less-technologically-minded parents.

The wide device support would work wonders for our disparate system, and their lower price and sheer range of available devices would be a massive boon.

Where do they fall down? The sound quality. From my experience, they sound fine, but no more than that. Still, that's 3/4 different parameters filled — making them a very viable option for our villainous lair.

Even better, Amazon has just launched the new Amazon Echo Dot Max and a new Echo Studio — our choice just got a bit wider.

• Final Rogers Home Score: 3/4

Option 2: Google Nest and Google Home

Google Home is one that I'm also familiar with after my year with a Pixel device in my pocket. It's helped me play around with different speaker systems and projectors as I build a home movie center, and it worked pretty seamlessly with the Android device that lived with me.

That said, I wasn't a massive fan of the Gemini settings, which served to irritate more than actually help. It was responsive, but I'm not sure I could see myself using it all that much to control the various devices around the house.

I also found setting devices up more annoying than it perhaps should have been. Compatibility would also be an issue, with some of our devices around the house not working with the best Google Home speakers or needing an extra hub to get working.

At least the cost would be kept down, always a bonus — and one criterion fulfilled.

Finally, the sound. Like the Echo speakers, the Nest speakers sound fine, but not exemplary. I'm not entirely sure that, given our household's reliance on iPhones, Google Home is going to be all that useful — so no Nest speakers for us.

• Final Rogers Home Speaker Score: 1/4

Option 3: HomePod and Siri

The HomePod line is one that I'm more familiar with than any of the options on the list. I've had a (now broken) HomePod, and there's an aging HomePod mini that lives in the kitchen for timing duties and the odd musical accompaniment. That means that my parents would find it easier to use than some of the other options — after all, they've been asking Siri questions for years now.

Setup would be relatively straightforward as well, although compatibility with devices around the house wouldn't be quite as widespread. There are devices that wouldn't work as seamlessly with Siri as they might with, say, Alexa.

Price would be a consideration as well. While the HomePod mini isn't expensive, it's more than some of the cheaper options out there — adding one to each room would very quickly become rather expensive indeed.

The advantage here , though, is that we'd get some lovely sound quality in return, thanks to Apple's well-judged sonic engineering. Compatibility with the iPhones around the house would be a bonus as well.

• Final Rogers Home Speaker Score: 2/4

Option 4: Sonos and... Sonos?

This is one we'd get a leg up on — we've already got plenty of Sonos devices around the house. None of them are connected to a voice assistant, however, with the Sonos option only really used to change the volume on the Sonos Arc Ultra that lives in the lounge.

One of the big boons here is that we could easily link our Sonos speakers to Alexa, so we could use them along with some Echo speakers for a whole-home setup. Setup would still be easy (beyond the irritating application), and we've had them around for so long they're part of the furniture already. Unfortunately, there's no Alexa+ support, which is a shame, but no great loss.

Price would hold us back from adding more, though. They're very expensive devices, with the cheapest costing $200. Still, sound would be more than enough for me — Sonos speakers always sound excellent.

• Final Rogers Home Speaker Score: 3/4

What are we going to add to the house?

It sounds like there are two that we're going to avoid — Google and Apple. Neither are bad smart home systems, but they're not going to work with our specific use case. Still, if you want Gemini or Siri in your home, the corresponding smart system is going to work best for you.

For us, though, it's looking like a blend between Echo speakers and Sonos devices running Alexa. We've got plenty of the latter already, and buying a few of the former won't set us back very much, especially if we buy them during the upcoming Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales.

Check back to see how I get on with our new smart home — and whether it was the right choice after all.

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Spooky season is about to reach its apex with Halloween on Friday (Oct. 31), and Google Home may be getting in on the action. Reportedly, Google's smart home devices have started inventing fake people and events.

A couple of Reddit users claim that their devices started acting up this week. The initial post on the r/googlehome subreddit concerned the poster's Nest camera, giving an active summary that said "Michael was seen taking out trash," even though they say that no one by that name lives there.

The user, jpro1001, asked about it and Google's assistant reportedly said that the camera “can identify faces even if you haven’t explicitly named them." It was supposed to add that it spotted the mysterious "Michael" between October 26 and 27.

The user went on to say they'd never put Michael into their system and that Google Home was describing actions he had done. "That was pretty creepy who the heck is Michael!?"

Several commenters joked that horror slashers like Michael Myers and Jason Vorhees were stalking the user's house.

Another commenter had a similar story about Google Home lying about trash day. They said it prompted them about trash day. They told the assistant it wasn't trash day and it apparently denied it.

"When I said that it told me that just a minute ago, it doubled down on the denial and said that I must be mistaken," Wordyplayer said. "Because there is no record of it, and it never said that to me."

A third person reported that their device claimed that their friend David had come over and vacuumed the living room. Which, again, was not true.

A sudden trend?

Last week, a different Redditor posted about Google Home providing a summary of their day but identifying them as a woman named Sarah. The problem, as they wrote is "I am a man, live alone, and don’t even have a friend named Sarah."

Apparently, Google Home got sassy when asked about it. "You told me that Sarah is actually {my name} today, but that I invented the name Sarah yesterday. How can both of these things be true?" their device was supposed to have responded.

He added that the assistant also claimed there were two dogs in the house, when he owns only one. A couple of other people responded in that thread with similar experiences.

It's not clear if this is a widespread trend. Though multiple reports in the last week is concerning. There is a common thread though.

Gemini to blame?

Starting on October 1, Google Assistant began phasing out in favor of Google's AI chatbot, Gemini. The AI assistant is supposed to enable more natural language prompting thanks to Gemini Live.

Outside of language, Google Gemini is supposed to provide better automation for Home devices. Gemini brings a lot to the table as it replaces Google Assistant.

Google tends to rollout updates like this meaning that not everyone had access on October 1. Instead, Gemini would slowly appear over the coming weeks.

It's possible that more people are starting to see Gemini on their Home devices as we get closer to the end of the month. User jpro1001 confirmed in a response that they were using Gemini in their device. The user from last week also said they were suing Gemini.

AI bots are known to hallucinate. Google's own AI was caught making up idioms earlier this year, and a recent study found that OpenAI's chatbot is wrong one in four times.

Silence from Google

Tom's Guide has reached out to Google for comment on possible Gemini hallucinations. Otherwise, we haven't seen any official response from Google about this issue.

Though, it's possible that Google is aware of it. Under the post from last week a GoogleNest moderator responded saying that the "team would like to look into this." They asked the poster to send a clip of the "Sarah" incident in. The user said responded saying they sent information in.

If Google responds, we'll update this story.

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Last week, Amazon's 2025 devices event debuted two new Echo smart speakers with Amazon's latest Alexa Plus (Alexa+) voice assistant. Now, Echo Show owners are reporting that its AI-powered updates brought with them a tidal wave of ads that make the device practically unusable.

Previously, Amazon's Echo Show smart displays showed ads mostly through the Shopping Lists feature or Alexa's "By the way" features. It also occasionally played audio ads when using Alexa to listen to Amazon Music. However, several reports on the Alexa subreddit and from The Verge’s Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, who owns more than one Echo Show, found that the number of ads has skyrocketed in recent months.

Full-screen ads marked "sponsored" now pop up between photos in the Photo Frame mode slideshow as well as between content cards for music, recipes, and news. Some Reddit users reported ads showing up alongside the alarm clock and other basic functions as well. To add insult to injury, the displays have also started showing ads for Alexa Plus itself, even though it's still in early access.

The ads are so pervasive that many users said their smart display feels more like a billboard for Amazon these days, and some are considering returning the product outright. It really shouldn't come as a shocker, though. CEO Andy Jassy has promoted the revamped AI-powered voice assistant Alexa Plus, as a new revenue driver for the company's hardware division.

"We have over 600 million Alexa devices out there today, and expect Alexa+ to play an even more vital role in the lives of these hundreds of millions of customers in the future," Jassy said in his annual shareholder letter back in April.

Amazon’s Devices division has long struggled to turn a profit, so it's no surprise that Amazon's pushing ads, one area where it is making money, so hard on them. According to Amazon, the Echo Show is designed to show home screen ads if someone even so much as gets close to the device.

Unlike with the best Kindles, there's no option to buy an ad-free version of the Echo Show. But there are some settings you can tweak to make the ads on your Echo Show a little less obnoxious.

How to limit ads on your Echo Show

To make the Echo Show's ads less obnoxious, users on Reddit have shared two workarounds. For the first, you'll need to set a routine in the Alexa app. Tap the More option at the bottom (the icon with the three stacked lines), select Routines, and tap the plus icon. Select Add an event to choose when your trigger will start, tap Add action, select Custom, and type in: Alexa, start Photo Frame.

Alternatively, changing the language on your Echo Show device to English/Canada also seems to do the trick. Just swipe down from the top of the device, select Settings, scroll down, tap Device Options, then Device Language.

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At Amazon’s Devices & Services event yesterday (September 30), the company introduced the first generation of products designed to take full advantage of Alexa+’s capabilities. From new Echo smart speakers and displays to new Fire TV devices and Ring cameras, the increased processing power in these gadgets allow for deeper integration with Amazon’s AI-powered voice assistant.

To learn more about what these devices could do, as well as where Amazon is heading with other Alexa+ enabled devices — such as the next generation of smart glasses and how ordering a pizza is about to become a lot easier — we sat down with Daniel Rausch, Amazon's vice president of Alexa+ and Echo.

The following interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

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Amazon's 2025 devices event has now drawn to a close, and we've got a clear picture of what 2026 is going to look like in terms of upcoming equipment. Most importantly, I've seen the future of Amazon's speaker line — and it's coming in the form of the Amazon Echo Dot Max, Echo Studio, Echo Show 8 and the Echo Show 11.

We're looking at smart speakers powered by Amazon's latest Alexa+ AI voice assistant, so they're going to be more responsive and helpful than ever. So what's new with Amazon's latest speakers, and are they shoe-ins for the best smart speakers?

Amazon Echo Dot Max

Let's start with the smallest speaker that Amazon announced at the launch event. It's called the Echo Dot Max, and it's a larger and improved version of the popular Echo Dot line. First on the list — bass response. Amazon says that there's now 3x the bass of the 5th-gen Echo Dot, with "room-filling sound" that's going to adapt to your space.

The Dot speakers have never been sonic heroes, so it's nice to hear that this one is putting more emphasis on sound quality. There are two speakers inside — a high excursion woofer and a tweeter. That should mean more rounded sound than before, as each is able to focus on its own part of the frequency range.

It'll support Amazon's Alexa+ (like all the other speakers here), and it's going to cost $99. That's not a bad price at all — as long as it sounds good. Otherwise, you may well be better off picking up the non-Max Echo Dot speaker.

Echo Studio

This larger speaker packs in some serious specs for audio fans, while being, apparently, 40% smaller than the outgoing studio model. I think it looks pretty smart with its spherical shell and flat controls across the front, which also hides the Alexa light ring.

Amazon says that "you can’t find any smart speaker that sounds this amazing at this size." Strong words, but the audio specs might just back it up. It's going up against the likes of the Sonos Era 100 at its price, although the Dolby Atmos inclusion does give the Sonos speaker a run for its money.

Inside you'll find a woofer and three "optimally placed" full-range drivers. That's how you're going to get that Dolby Atmos spatial audio for a more immersive listening experience.

It's not a cheap speaker, but compared to the competition, it's pretty well priced. It's $219.

Something I'm looking forward to with both speakers is that you can connect up to five Studio or Dot Max speakers to your Fire TV sticks to create a Dolby Atmos setup without the need for one of the best soundbars. Now that's very cool — and I can't wait to test it out.

Echo Show 9 and Show 11

The Amazon Echo Show speakers are slightly different again. For one, you've got those screens on the front to tell you what's going on in your world. Then, around the back, you've got some audio spheres to give you solid sound quality for listening to music.

Let's start with the audio stuff built into the speakers. They've got completely redesigned internals, including front-facing drivers and a "custom woofer." They'll also support spatial audio, which is something that I wasn't expecting, given how much space the front screen takes up. It's because Amazon has made the displays float over the speaker portion, giving more space for audio bits and bobs. I'll reserve judgment until I've tested them thoroughly.

As for the smart bits and the screens, you're looking at 8 and 11-inch HD screens for super crisp information and readouts. You'll be able to control your Alexa-powered smart home too, just like the slightly older models.

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Want to listen to your music wherever you are in your home? There are a couple of solutions. You could have one, big speaker in one room and pump the volume as loud as you possibly can. That's a bad idea. Or, you could hang one of the best Bluetooth speakers from your belt, and wander around the house listening to tinny tunes. This is also a bad idea.

So what is a good idea? One of the best smart speakers is a start. You'll get better sound thanks to the Wi-Fi connection and generally higher quality audio internals. You'll also get voice control and other smart features, like simple audio streaming from your phone to the speakers. One of the most common manufacturers of smart speakers is Sonos — and they're very good.

But I don't use Sonos — or at least, not Sonos's whole home solution. Mine is a mad Frankenstein that's made up of a couple of different systems, built around some of my favorite devices. Here's how it works.

If you have a large, multi-room house, you need a different audio device in each to be able to hear your music wherever you might find yourself.

If you're like me, you'll want to use different speakers in each room that serve a slightly different purpose but can, should I need them to, all play the same music simultaneously. Or, if I'm sharing my space with someone, each speaker can play something different, but still be controlled by a single app.

That's where Roon comes in.

I've written about Roon before. It's a kind of all-in-one music streaming service, bringing together all your smart speakers and streaming devices so that you can stream music from both a home music server and services like Tidal and Qobuz. I've now been using it for the better part of six months, and it's completely changed the way my music listening at home works.

Say, for example, that I want to listen to Cannibal Corpse in the living room, while someone else listens to some garbage some pop music in the kitchen, I can use the Roon app to choose one of the living room speakers. Their music won't get stopped, and we can even listen to the same source service.

Even better, I have a music server built into Roon. See, I have a device called a Roon Nucleus One, which has a hard drive filled with my music collection so that I can listen to music at a much higher quality than you'd find on a streaming service. It also means I can listen to tunes you simply won't find on anything, be that Spotify, Tidal, or Qobuz. The music of Wendy Carlos is simply impossible to find, for example, unless you have her full CD back catalog ripped onto your hard drive. Like me.

It's easy enough to use. Plug in the Roon Nucleus One server, create an account, and log in with the Roon app. Then you can add all your streaming services, connect your devices (which are listed the moment you connect Roon to the WiFi — chef's kiss,) and you're off.

Any drawbacks?

So Roon itself doesn't have any kind of voice control support, which for some is going to be a contentious problem. I'm not bothered at all, given I only use voice controls to create timers in the kitchen (which still works with our kitchen HomePod), but some potential users aren't going to like that they can't ask the system to play music without pulling out their iPad or phone.

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As the Autumn semester of college gets into the swing of things, you may be looking to add the final touches to your dorm room. When I moved into my college dorm, I forgot to bring my Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen) Alexa speaker from home, so I ended up ordering a Google Nest Mini.

My Amazon speaker eventually made it to college with me too, but after using them both for years, I know which one to recommend to everyone else.

Both of the speakers are pretty tiny, and won’t take up much space in your small dorm. Like most smart devices, they can both help with daily tasks like making lists, setting alarms and provide help from a smart assistant.

I’m going to go through what I love about both speakers and let you know which one is best to get the most out of your college dorm setup.

Amazon Echo Dot

The Amazon Echo Dot gives all of the perks of larger Echo models at a fraction of the size and price. As I mentioned, Alexa has always been my go-to device at home. This is because of the simple access to third-party apps such as Spotify.

The speaker is also great for keeping on top of your Amazon orders and deliveries. This really came in handy when I was at college, as I could re-order essentials simply by asking Alexa.

Amazon now only sells the new version of the Echo Dot speaker, and while its functions and performance are pretty much the same, the design is very different. The new version of the speaker is shaped like a sphere and is therefore quite a bit bigger than the 3rd generation I was using at the time. This redesign also makes the speaker a lot bigger than the Google Nest Mini.

The speaker is still bound in cloth over the speaker with tactile buttons on the top to control the volume, voice commands, and to mute the speaker. Of course, you don’t need to use the buttons, as you can simply ask Alexa.

The sound of the Echo Dot packs quite the punch if you need it to, but to make sure you get on with your roommate and neighbours, the speaker can also be used at very low volumes. I often used the low volumes to just have some background noise while catching up on work, and found the Echo very easy to control when doing this.

Google Nest Mini

The Google Next Mini added a lovely textured look to my dorm room, but it’s also small and discreet enough that it’s not going to get in the way if you are short on space. It is far more compact than the Echo Dot.

Since the smart speaker is so small, it can sound tinny at higher volumes and won’t give much depth to songs. But when I was at college, I listened to music at low levels at all times because I was living in such close quarters with others.

I think the Google Nest Mini is a great option for anyone who uses Google organization apps like Google Calendar, as you are able to access the information on these instantly with the Google Voice Assistant. By just saying “Hey Google”, I was able to stay completely organised with all of my plans.

The controls of the Nest Mini are touch sensitive and are only the cloth over the speaker. They light up to guide you to the controls. I sometimes missed the controls as I much prefer a tactile button like the Echo Dot has, but the ultrasound sensing built into the Nest Mini made it easier to locate the buttons each time.

In my opinion, the design of the Nest Mini is more convenient for saving desktop space. It is pretty flat, and I never felt it got in the way.

Which one is my winner?

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Last week, at Apple's 'Awe Dropping' event, we were treated to the latest products joining the Apple family, such as the iPhone Air and the new AirPods Pro 3. While everyone was awed at the thinnest iPhone ever being revealed, I noticed the omission of a certain smart home product — one we all thought would be unveiled but wasn't. You guessed it: I'm talking about the HomePod 3.

The HomePod 3 — the natural successor to the HomePod 2 — was a no-show at the iPhone 17 event, but the current model will be getting new features.

So, what do you do now, if you've been meaning to upgrade from the second-gen model and the third-gen isn't even close to being launched? Why not get the Denon Home 150 instead?

Okay, it isn't a first-party product, so Apple purists are going to wonder why I'm recommending a third-party speaker — but the tradeoff is super sound quality, excellent smart home and multi-room integration, and for a lower price. In fact, I created a multi-room system in less than 10 minutes using two Denon speakers, and it sounded phenomenal. So forget the HomePod 3 — here's why you need the Denon Home 150 instead.

All the right connectivity smarts

What are the best smart speakers good at? Reminding you of daily tasks, fuelling your productivity, and everything in between. The Denon Home 150 excels at all of it, thanks to voice assistant support, which includes Siri (as long as you have a HomePod in the vicinity) and Alexa. It's really the only smart speaker you need if you use both Apple's and Amazon's voice assistants.

But that's not all. The best music streaming services are also integrated, including Spotify, Apple Music, Qobuz, etc. There's Bluetooth connectivity too, and you can stream music wirelessly (hi-res streaming at that). If you're old school, there's a 3.5mm aux port as well as a USB-A port to play music stored on a thumb drive.

Still with me? Good, because we ain't done yet. The Home 150 can also be paired with another HEOS-compatible speaker — like the Denon Home 350 — to create a multi-room system. You can then use the Home 150 synchronized with the Home 350 (as an example) or create a left and right channel for stereo sound. Extremely cool and very easy to do!

Small speaker, big sound

Now that we've covered the connectivity side of things, let's talk about sound quality. Smart speakers can, of course, be used to listen to music, like regular speakers. While the Apple HomePod 2 sounds good and I have no doubt the HomePod 3 will do too (when it eventually comes out), I believe the Denon Home 150 is in a league of its own.

There's really no second-guessing whether you should buy it if you really want hi-res wireless streaming. As someone who reviews audio gear for a living, I was blown away by the Home 150's sound — I wasn't expecting much from such a small speaker. It's fitted with one 1-inch tweeter and one 3.5-inch woofer as well as two class D amplifiers. It also features a DTS Neural:X upmixer, which helps produce immersive, lifelike, three-dimensional sound — stand anywhere in the room and you'll hear the same sound.

Regardless of what I listened to, the Home 150 left me with a pain in my neck because I was headbanging so much. Lows, mids and highs are extremely well-tuned to provide a balanced sound, but I could still appreciate the rich, deep (and funky) bassline in Twenty One Pilots' 'Center Mass' and 'Tally.'

I don't say this lightly, but the Home 150's sound profile is very close to the pricier Home 350. You can read all about the audio quality in our in-depth Home 150 review and Home 350 review.

You NEED a multi-room system

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Apple's iPhone 17 event came and went with no mention of the rumored HomePod 3 or even a HomePod mini 2. Instead, the company is pushing out a software update next week (as per 9to5Mac) that'll bring some new features to its existing smart speakers.

The HomePod 26 software update will land alongside Apple's other OS updates on September 26 for both the regular HomePod 2 and the HomePod mini. We should see some expansion to voice controls for multi-room audio and the ability to use Crossfade.

Crossfade can already be found within Apple Music and lets you add a smooth transition from one song to the next. You can set your preferred fade duration to between one and 12 seconds. Once the update has been installed, you'll find the option to add Crossfade within the Home app. Just go to Home Settings > People > [You] > Apple Music > Crossfade to toggle on the feature and alter the duration.

When it comes to multi-room audio, Apple is expanding voice controls for multi-room audio beyond just Apple Music. You can already ask Siri to do things like "play music in the living room" or "play music everywhere", but now you'll be able to request that with any AirPlay stream on the HomePod. If you prefer one of the other best music streaming services to Apple's own service, you can ask Siri to play it in whichever room you want. Handy if you're planning to start using Spotify now that lossless audio is coming down the pipe.

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I listen to music a lot. Like, a lot. I listen to music on my commute to work, in the shower, while cooking, while working on my laptop, sometimes while playing video games — whenever I can, really. As does my partner, who plays her favorite tunes as and when she can, helping me discover new music.

And sometimes, we work in different rooms of our apartment, but we still want to listen to the same songs. Sure, we can use two of the same Bluetooth speakers and sync them up, but the music isn't always hi-res. Thankfully, I get to test some outstanding audio gear as part of my job, and I discovered a simple solution while testing the Denon Home 350 smart speaker: create a multi-room, whole-home audio system.

As a complete beginner to the whole-home scene, creating a multi-room system couldn't have been easier. If you want to do the same but are overwhelmed by the number of smart speakers out there, fret not. Let me take you through how I did it, and how you can do it too.

All you want for Christmas is these two speakers

To get started, you'll need to buy a couple of things. To create a multi-room system, you'll need at least two speakers, and there's no better choice than Denon's Home lineup. There are four speakers to choose from, ranging in price, so I chose the Denon Home 150 and the Denon Home 350.

The Home 150 is Denon's entry-level smart speaker, and its compact size means you can place it on your TV stand or coffee table without sacrificing too much space. For such a small speaker, it's extremely powerful and it reproduces basslines accurately, so much so that I can feel my coffee table shake when the Home 150 is playing.

Then there's the Home 350, which costs a pretty penny. It's Denon's most expensive smart speaker but it's so worth the premium. Its versatility is unmatched with plenty of options for wired and wireless connectivity, as well as 10/10 sound across genres. Both the Home 150 and Home 350 are easy to setup and control, and you can set up a multi-room system via the HEOS app (Android or iOS).

The app enables you to customize the speakers and assign them to different rooms. You can create either a left and right channel for stereo sound or have the same sound play through both (or multiple) speakers. You can also synchronize any and all HEOS-compatible speakers together; they don't necessarily need to be Denon-branded.

Earth-shattering sound

But why is it that I'm recommending the Denon Home 150 and the Denon Home 350 when there are so many other smart speakers out there, and some that are cheaper? The answer is simple: hi-res streaming over Wi-Fi. If you're an audiophile or someone who thoroughly enjoys listening to music, you'll know that you can't put a price on the best sound quality — and the Home 150 and Home 350 will have you appreciating music in new ways.

The Home 150 is fitted with one 1-inch tweeter and one 3.5-inch woofer as well as two class D amplifiers. Meanwhile, the Home 350 is fitted with two 1-inch tweeters, two 2-inch mid-range drivers, two 6-inch woofers, and six class D amps.

Both speakers also feature a DTS Neural:X upmixer each, which helps produce immersive, lifelike, three-dimensional sound — stand anywhere in the room and you'll hear the same sound.

The upmixer works in conjunction with each speaker's amplifiers and drivers. The result? Powerful bass, crystal clear vocals, outstanding mids, and earth-shattering sound. Regardless of what I listened to, it sounded phenomenal. I'm a tough critic, so praise doesn't come lightly.

Whether I was jamming to the heavy 'Holy Mountains' by System of a Down or the mellow 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood' by Lana Del Rey, the Home 350 and Home 150 didn't let me down. I was even surprised that in 'Love Love Love' by Of Monsters and Men, which doesn't have a strong bassline. The bass still made the floor vibrate!

Forever holding on

I test a lot of products as a reviews writer, and I don't usually get attached to the them... but I'd be lying if I said the Denon Home 150 and the Denon Home 350 hadn't weaseled their way into my heart. They just sound. Too. Darn. Good. Regardless of where you're standing in the room, the sound quality is mindblowing through either speaker.

I never knew I needed a multi-room setup until I tried Denon's Home lineup. I now love having whole-home audio because it means my partner and I can listen to the same songs even though we're dong our own thing. It's also nice having Alexa around as I can just ask her to remind me of menial tasks.

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There’s a lot to love about the best smart speakers; nifty devices that can not only let you jam to your favorite tunes, but also help you with everyday tasks. There’s a whole range of smart speakers beyond Alexa, Google and Siri, and some that enable you to stream high fidelity audio, such as the Denon Home 350.

This premium-looking speaker produces three-dimensional audio, which sounds ridiculously good. Bass response is powerful while vocals are clear and detailed. The responsive touch controls and user-friendly app make controlling the Home 350 extremely easy. You can also pair it with any other HEOS-compatible speaker to create a multi-room setup.

But the speaker costs an arm and a leg, so should you pay the premium? Read my full Denon Room 350 review to find out.

Denon Home 350 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A smart speaker for multi-room streaming
• Who is it for? Anyone who wants whole-home audio and outstanding sound quality
• How much does it cost? It’s not the cheapest — the Denon Home 350 retails for $749 / £599
• What do we like? The premium design, easy setup, responsive touch controls, powerful sound across genres, and voice assistant support
• What don’t we like? It costs an arm and a leg!

Denon Home 350 review: Specs

Denon Home 350 review: Price & availability

The Denon Home 350 is part of the Japanese brand’s lineup of hi-fi smart speakers powered by HEOS, a proprietary wireless ecosystem. Retailing for $749 / £599, the Home 350 is the most expensive speaker in the Home family. It’s also pricier than the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin ($559) and the Sonos Era 300 ($449), two of its closest competitors.

While the Home 350 costs a premium, I think it’s well worth it. It sounds great, it looks lovely, it’s easy to control, and there are plenty of connectivity options.

Denon Home 350 review: Design & controls

• Premium, minimalist design
• Responsive touch controls

The Denon Home 350 shares design traits with other speakers in the Home lineup. Just like the Denon Home 150 ($249) and the Denon Home 250, the Home 350 is covered in soft fabric which wraps around its entire body, covering the front, rear and side speakers. The Home 350 looks smart and like you’ve paid big bucks for it, and it adds a premium touch to any space.

This is not a portable speaker at all, though, and it’s meant to stay put in one place (near a power socket). It measures 14.96 x 8.85 x 7.08 inches and weighs 13.88lbs, making it heavier than the Sonos Era 300 (9.9lbs) but lighter than the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin (14.33lbs).

Keeping with its minimalist design, the Home 350 doesn’t feature any fancy or reactive lighting, but you get a small LED light at the bottom, which changes colors depending on connection status.

As for controlling the speaker, there’s a touch panel that illuminates when you hover your finger nearby. There are six numbered buttons that you can customize via the app. By default, for example, 1 switches input to aux. Next to these numbers are the play/pause and volume up/down buttons, all of which are extremely responsive.

You’ll find a pair of Bluetooth and power buttons around the back, located between the input ports. Again, easy to reach and responsive. No notes, really. This is a well-designed speaker with an intuitive control scheme.

Denon Home 350 review: Features

• Easy to create a HEOS multi-room system
• Fantastic synchronization between speakers
• Compatible with Alexa and Siri

Unlike the best Bluetooth speakers I’ve tested, the Denon Home 350 is a smart speaker that can’t be used wirelessly, so you need to plug it into a wall outlet. This also means that it’s designed to stay put in one place, whether that’s a corner in your bedroom or on your living room’s coffee table. Denon doesn’t specify any IP rating so I’d recommend being careful with any liquids.

But similar to other Bluetooth speakers, you can pair the Home 350 with another HEOS-compatible speaker to create left and right channels of a stereo pair. What’s even better is that it works with another speaker that isn’t a Home 350 — so I did it with a Denon Home 150 and it worked like a charm.

It’s also extremely easy to set up a multi-room system, but you’ll need to download the companion app for that (more on that in a minute). Once finished, there’s fantastic synchronization between speakers with zero lag. Controlling the playback was seamless and instantaneous too — I’d press pause on the Home 350 and it would pause music on the Home 150 too.

If you use a voice assistant around the house, you’ll be pleased to know that the Home 350 supports Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri via AirPlay 2. I own an Amazon Echo Dot Gen 3 but I don’t use it a lot. However, I loved being able to ask the Home 350 for simple tasks, like checking the time and setting reminders. It also meant that I could go hands-free and not rely on my Google Pixel 7 Pro every time, especially if I was playing video games or cooking.

Denon Home 350 review: Connectivity & app

• Extremely user-friendly app
• Bluetooth and 3.5mm aux input
• USB-A port for thumb stick playback

One of the best things about the Denon Home 350 is its versatility when it comes to connectivity. Whether you want to listen wirelessly or you want to go old school with some good ol’ fashioned aux input, you can do so easily. The Home 350 utilizes Bluetooth to seamlessly connect to your smart devices, including Bluetooth-enabled turntables. As I mentioned in the previous section, there’s built-in 2.4/5GHz Wi-Fi support for creating a multi-room system.

For wired playback, you get a 3.5mm aux input as well as a USB-A port if you want to plug in a thumb drive to listen to music stored on it. See? Old school, and I love it. Also located around the back is an RJ-45 Ethernet port. All of these are missing from the Sonos Era 300 and the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin, neither of which feature as many physical ports.

Accompanying the Room 350 — and other speakers in the lineup — is the HEOS smartphone app, available for free on Android and iOS. The app is extremely user-friendly and sports a clean interface, and you’ll need it to create a multi-room system with other HEOS-compatible devices (such as the Denon Home 150). You can use the app to adjust the speaker’s equalizer too.

The best music streaming services are also embedded within the app, including Qobuz, Spotify, Tidal, Amazon, Pandora, Tune-In, and SoundCloud. Your Bluetooth device doesn’t need to be constantly connected to the Home 350 either, so you can listen to music without having your smartphone in range.

Denon Home 350 review: Sound quality

• Powerful bass response
• 10/10 performance across the board
• Sound fills rooms very well

Having tested many, many Bluetooth speakers and other kinds of audio gear, I don’t say this lightly, but the Denon Home 350 is, hands down, one of the best-sounding speakers out there. It features a well-balanced, full sound that fills rooms very well. Having used the Home 350 in my living room and our testing lab, I was highly impressed by the speaker’s loud volume and ability to flood the rooms with powerful sound, even when it was playing at just 45% volume.

In terms of its specs, the Home 350 is fitted with two 1-inch tweeters, two 2-inch mid-range drivers and two 6-inch woofers. It’s also equipped with six class D digital amplifiers that power the drivers, making the Home 350 a well-endowed speaker — and it shows when you listen to literally any tune.

To test the Home 350’s sound quality, I listened to songs I’m familiar with on Qobuz over Wi-Fi — as is the speaker’s intended use. The Home 350 offers gapless high-resolution playback up to 192KHz/24-bit using files in FLAC, WAV, ALAC, and DSD 2.8/5.6MHz formats. What’s even better is that regardless of where in the rooms I stood, I heard the same sound. That’s thanks to the DTS Neural:X upmixer which helps produce immersive, lifelike, three-dimensional sound.

The first song I listened to was ‘The Chain’ by Fleetwood Mac, and I was immediately impressed by how expressive each guitar note sounded. Each note plucked was clear and sharp, and the kick drum at the beginning sounded warm. As soon as the bassline kicked in during the chorus, it added plenty of depth to the song, and I felt fully immersed in the track. Also, that solo bassline in the instrumental bridge? I felt like I could feel it deep within my soul.

To test how the Home 350 handled high-pitched notes, or falsetto, I listened to ‘Cradled in Love’ by Poets of the Fall (a very underrated band, by the way). Marko Saaresto’s notes in the verse and especially the chorus never sounded piercing, and the transition from a low to high pitch and vice versa didn’t sound unpleasant either.

I then listened to heavier tracks. First up, ‘Holy Mountains’ by System of a Down. The switch-up from Serj Tankian’s soft vocals to powerful belting was seamless and the speaker handled it very well, and the song sounded downright amazing. Similarly, in 070 Shake’s ‘Elephant,’ the bass sounded powerful and her vocals were just as scratchy as she intended (in the best way possible), as there was enough room for me to appreciate their distortedness.

Finally, I thought I’d listen to some nice, relaxing music, the kind I turn to when I want to be transported to another world, so I listened to ‘Lumiére’ from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and ‘Main Theme Pt. 3’ from Baldur’s Gate 3. In the first track, Alice Duport-Percier’s vocals sounded absolutely magical, and I loved the soft yet detailed acoustic guitar. In ‘Main Theme Pt. 3,’ I was able to fully appreciate just how well the flute, oboe, French horn and other instruments harmonized, making an already stunning track sound even better.

Denon Home 350 review: Verdict

If you’re after top-notch sound quality over Wi-Fi and need a voice assistant at the same time, I can’t recommend the Denon Home 350 enough. It’s a very capable and well-endowed smart speaker with six drivers, including two large woofers, and every song sounds highly detailed through it. The speaker also creates three-dimensional, immersive sound that fills most rooms.

The Home 350 is easy to control too, either via touch controls or the app… or your voice! It also synchronizes well with other HEOS-compatible devices, or any other Denon Home smart speaker. You can use it as a left or right channel when using stereo sound.

Without a shadow of a doubt, the Home 350 is one of the finest-sounding speakers I’ve had the pleasure of testing. It’s my new favorite way to enjoy my playlists.

One of the best smart speakers is getting a glow up, just in time for football season. Amazon has a new limited edition version of its Echo Pop smart home speakers that features the logos of NFL teams. The new version of the compact smart speakers has designs for all 32 teams in the league.

Amazon describes the design as "retro-inspired" with the full name of the teams and their logos on the front of the speaker. The speaker comes with a faceplate and a related colorful sleeve.

Picking up one will cost you $59.99, which is a bit more expensive than the normal $39.99 for the standard Echo Pop.

Amazon's Echo Pop speakers feature the company's Alexa, which enables you to control music or some smart home devices like turning on compatible smart homes. You can also ask Alexa for updates on your team to get things like scores, news or schedules.

The new Echo Pop is also getting early access to Alexa+, an advanced iteration of the voice assistant. It's been upgraded to offer more natural and intuitive interactions.

If you're already signed up for Alex+ early access you can use the new features. If you're curious about the upgraded Alexa you can request early access here.

According to Amazon, you can use this version of Alexa to do things like find and book game tickets, shop for team gear or get post-game analysis and more.

Amazon released a similar version last fall which featured only the logo for the various NFL teams. It looks like that version has been replaced by this new design with the name and logo.

That's not all...

If that isn't enough team gear from Amazon, the company has two other devices featuring logos from your favorite squad.

For those who have an Echo Dot, you can pick up a new NFL helmet stand. The helmet goes over the speaker and Amazon claims it won't affect how the speaker functions. The helmet stand will set you back $59.99 on Amazon.

Lastly, you can spruce up your Ring Doorbell with a new NFL-themed faceplate. Like the Dot and Pop, the faceplate is available for all 32 teams.

The faceplate goes over the bottom half of the doorbell with repeating tiny versions of the team's logo. You can pick one up for $24.99 on Amazon.

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If you were watching closely during the Made by Google event earlier this week, you may have noticed something totally new that Google didn't announce. In all the hubbub surrounding the launch of the Pixel 10 series and the Pixel Watch 4, Google snuck in a brief look at what seems to be a new Google Home speaker without adding any other details.

Now, more information about the speaker has leaked, courtesy of Android Headlines. That includes details on what this speaker can apparently do, colors that will be on option and how Gemini will operate.

While Google didn't tell us anything about this new speaker, we did get a good look at it during the event. The speaker looks like a cross between an Echo Dot and an Apple HomePod Mini, with a large bulb sitting atop a thin LED light ring.

It's very mushroom-esque, and it's almost like the old Google Home Mini speakers decided to do some growing into the speaker we see before us. Hopefully, it doesn't suffer nearly as many problems.

What will this new Home speaker do?

More from Tom's Guide

• Google might have (partially) solved the Google Nest camera 'no video' fault — here’s what we know
• Apple’s new ‘Charismatic’ smart home OS is getting set to take on Alexa and Google
• Google apologizes and promises 'major improvements' in response to Home speaker debacle

Amazon's Echo speakers are among the best smart speakers we've tested. The same can be said for Echo Show devices, which we consider the best smart displays on the market. Fortunately, Amazon is discounting these smart home must-haves ahead of the Amazon Big Spring Sale.

Right now, Amazon's sale is knocking up to 30% off tons of Echo devices. The cheapest of the bunch is the Echo Pop on sale for $29 at Amazon, and we love its compact design and solid audio quality. If you want a bit more functionality, you can grab the Echo Dot for $39 at Amazon. This one has even better sound and comes with a built-in temperature sensor and Eero Wi-Fi extender.

Below, I've rounded up all the best deals on Echo Dots, Echo Shows and other Amazon devices. Plus, see our Amazon promo codes coverage, as well as my favorite Apple deals on Amazon.

Quick Links

• Shop all Amazon device deals
• Echo Pop: was $39 now $29
• Echo Pop Kids: was $49 now $34
• Echo Buds: was $49 now $34
• Echo Auto: was $54 now $34
• Echo Dot (5th Gen): was $49 now $39
• Echo Dot Kids (5th Gen): was $59 now $44
• Echo Spot: was $79 now $64
• Echo Show 5: was $89 now $69
• Echo Show 5 Bundle: was $100 now $71
• Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen): was $99 now $74
• Echo Hub: was $180 now $129

Best Amazon Echo Deals

Amazon is removing a key privacy feature from its Echo smart speakers — and Alexa+ is to blame.

On March 28, Amazon will remove the ability to have Alexa process your voice requests locally, and will start sending all of your recordings to the cloud to be processed there, rather on your Echo device itself.

The update, first reported by Ars Technica, comes from an email Amazon sent to Echo owners who had local processing enabled. In the email, Amazon states that the increased processing power required of the generative AI tools of Alexa+ necessitates the change.

What Alexa devices are impacted?

This change only affects those who have an Echo Dot (4th Gen), Echo Show 10, or Echo Show 15, as those were the only devices that supported local Alexa, and was only available to customers in the U.S. with devices set to English.

"Starting on March 28th, your voice recordings will be sent to and processed in the cloud, and they will be deleted after Alexa processes your requests," reads the email from Amazon. "Any previously saved voice recordings will also be deleted. If your voice recordings setting is updated to ‘Don’t save recordings,’ voice ID will not work and you will not be able to create a voice ID for individual users to access more personalized features."

Amazon's email also stated that it will delete every recording after it's processed, and that "Alexa voice requests are always encrypted in transit to Amazon’s secure cloud, which was designed with layers of security protections to keep customer information safe."

Currently, you can opt for Amazon to delete any voice recording immediately, but doing so also removes Alexa's ability to create voice profiles for your account, which means you won't be able to get personalized recommendations for such things as music and calendar events.

Amazon sounds off on the change

Though it's not alone among tech companies, Amazon has had issues surrounding data privacy. In 2023, it was fined $25 million for not deleting recordings of children and location data, even after it was requested to do so.

Ring, which is owned by Amazon, was also fined $5.8 million for allowing third-party contractors access to customers' videos.

"The Alexa experience is designed to protect our customers’ privacy and keep their data secure, and that’s not changing," said an Amazon spokesperson in a statement to Tom's Guide. "We’re focusing on the privacy tools and controls that our customers use most and work well with generative AI experiences that rely on the processing power of Amazon’s secure cloud.

"Customers can continue to choose from a robust set of tools and controls, including the option to not save their voice recordings at all. We’ll continue learning from customer feedback, and building privacy features on their behalf."

What about Google and Apple?

While their smart speaker offerings are much more limited than Amazon's, both Apple and Google have stated that at least some of the processing that's done for their AIs happens on-device, rather than in the cloud.

Apple in particular is taking a privacy-first approach to Apple Intelligence, though it is lagging far behind its competitors. To be sure, this is done not just for privacy, but also to speed up the responses delivered by AI.

However, the latest iPhones as well as Pixel devices have much more powerful chips than your typical Echo Dot, so it's a lot easier for Apple and Google to enable on-device processing for AI than it is for Amazon to do so on its smart speakers, all of which cost hundreds less.

If you do not want to set your voice recordings setting to ‘Don’t save recordings,’ please follow these steps before March 28th:

• Open the Alexa App on your Mobile Phone
• Go to Settings > Device Settings and select the device where this feature is enabled
• Select 'Do Not Send Voice Recordings' from the menu
• Disable the setting

More from Tom's Guide

• Best Alexa compatible devices
• Alexa+ devices — here's the gadgets it will work with
• Alexa+ — I have 4 big questions about Amazon's new AI assistant

Amazon has finally unveiled its upgraded Alexa Plus virtual assistant which features a more conversational tone, better personalization and AI smarts to help you get even more done.

While we initially thought all of this extra functionality might be locked behind yet another subscription service, Alexa Plus will be available for free for everyone with an Amazon Prime membership. Alternatively, if you don’t have Prime, Alexa Plus will cost $19.99 per month.

Amazon also revealed that you won’t have to wait too long to try out Alexa Plus for yourself as it will be released in the coming weeks. The initial rollout will be U.S. only and in order to get access, you’ll need to own or purchase an Echo Show 8, Echo Show 10, Echo Show 15 or an Echo Show 21. But what about the rest of your existing Echo devices and the best Alexa compatible devices?

If you’re wondering which of your Alexa-powered smart speakers, smart displays and other smart home gadgets will work with Alexa Plus, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s everything you need to know about which Amazon devices are compatible with Alexa Plus and which ones won’t support this new AI-powered virtual assistant.

Alexa Plus supported devices

Although you’ll need an Echo Show 8, 10, 15 or 21 to get access to Alexa Plus as part of the initial rollout, it will be available on all Echo devices with a few exceptions I’ll cover below.

These are the Echo devices you already own that will support Alexa Plus with a voice-only experience:

• Echo (second gen and later)
• Echo Dot (and Echo Dot Kids) second-gen and later
• Echo Pop
• Echo Spot (second gen)
• Echo Show 5 (and Echo Show 5 Kids)
• Echo Hub
• Echo Studio
• Echo Auto
• Echo Buds

At the same time, you will also be able to access Alexa Plus through your web browser, using the Alexa app and on compatible Fire TVs and Fire tablets.

Alexa Plus unsupported devices

With over 600 million Alexa-enabled devices sold so far, it’s understandable that the new Alexa Plus experience won’t be available on all of them. Many of them are close to a decade old or even older, so chances are, you might not even be using them anymore.

Here are all of the Echo devices that won’t support Alexa Plus:

• Echo Dot (1st Gen)
• Echo (1st Gen)
• Echo Plus (1st Gen)
• Echo Tap
• Echo Show (1st and 2nd Gen)
• Echo Spot (1st Gen)

What about Alexa Built-in devices?

At its Devices event today unveiling Alexa Plus, an Amazon spokesperson explained to Tom’s Guide that its upgraded virtual assistant isn’t currently supported on Alexa Built-in devices.

These include products like the Sonos Era 100 smart speaker and the Ecobee Smart Thermostat as well as the company’s own Amazon Astro home robot. The good news though is that Amazon is looking to bring Alexa Plus to these devices in the future.

Standard Alexa still works (for now)

Another great thing about Alexa Plus is that at least for now, it will be an optional upgrade and if you don’t want to use it, you don’t have to. In addition to those unsupported Echo devices, in the Alexa Plus FAQ on its site, Amazon explains that “if you prefer using the original Alexa, it will remain available on your devices.”

There are plenty of exciting new smart home features to try out in Alexa Plus but not everyone uses Amazon’s virtual assistant this way. For instance, you might have an elderly relative that you bought an Echo Dot or an Echo Show to check up on that’s using Alexa Emergency Assist for help in case of emergencies. Adding an AI-powered virtual assistant to the mix might overcomplicate things for them.

Amazon also hasn’t said when or even if the original Alexa will be discontinued in favor of Alexa Plus. Likewise, we don’t know yet if you’ll be able to easily switch back and forth between the two if you end up favoring one experience over the other.

Alexa Plus has been in the works for years and now that it’s finally here, we can’t wait to test it out for ourselves so stay tuned to Tom’s Guide for everything you need to know about this brand new Alexa experience along with when it will arrive on your Echo devices.

More from Tom's Guide

• I bought an Echo Dot to help cool down my garage — here's how
• How to use an Echo Dot as a mesh Wi-Fi extender
• Your Amazon Echo is also a motion detection security device — here’s how to set it up

Need a last-minute gift for the holidays? An Echo Dot is the perfect solution. These smart speakers are compact, affordable and a great present for just about anybody. If you order fast, they'll arrive before the big day!

Right now, Amazon has a sale on Echo Dots starting from $17. The cheapest of the bunch is the Echo Pop on sale for $17 at Amazon, and we love its compact design and solid audio quality. If you want a bit more functionality, you can grab the Echo Dot for $22 at Amazon. This one has even better sound and comes with a built-in temperature sensor and Eero Wi-Fi extender.

Check out the best deals on Echo Dots below. Plus, see our Amazon promo codes coverage, and the deals I'd buy from $15 in Walmart's holiday sale.

Quick Links

• Shop all Amazon device deals
• Echo Pop: was $37 now $17
• Echo Dot (5th Gen): was $49 now $22
• Echo Dot Kids (5th Gen): was $59 now $27
• Echo Spot: was $79 now $44
• Echo (4th Gen): was $99 now $49

Best Amazon Echo Deals

The next HomePod is believed to be the biggest redesign of the smart speaker since its inception in 2018. That's because all the rumors suggest Apple will be adding a display to the device that'll allow it to compete with the likes of the Amazon Echo Show 15 or the Google Nest Hub.

Unfortunately, it seems like the development process has suffered a setback and we won't see the new product until at least after WWDC next year. That means it could be late June or early July at the earliest.

This comes from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via MacObserver) who claims Apple has postponed the device until the third quarter of 2025. Kuo puts this down to ongoing software development challenges related to the device. That could be to do with how it interacts with other smart home devices since Apple will surely want this to function as a smart home control center.

The next generation HomePod is believed to feature an A18 processor with a 6.7-inch display. Back in October, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claimed it will be priced around $1,000 and the screen will be “positioned atop a swivelling robotic limb” with the speaker at its base.

He added the HomePod will shift away from being a music player to “focus on home security monitoring, advanced videoconferencing and media playback with high-quality audio.”

Based on tvOS

This pivot into home security is likely where some of the aforementioned software struggles have come from. Gurman also claimed Apple is “building a new Home Ecosystem team” with some of the engineers left over from the closed Apple Car project.

The software plan for this will also expand to include a new operating system called homeOS, which will apparently be built on the tvOS software which powers Apple TV (itself based on iOS).

If that's the case, then it makes sense for Apple to lay the groundwork for the device at next year's WWDC and follow up with a hardware release soon afterwards.

Apple certainly has a lot of catching up to do in the smart home space against the likes of Google and Amazon, but the company is famous for disrupting the status quo when it does finally decide to jump into a new market category.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple's mysterious 'HomeAccessory' device could have an A18 chip with a square display
• New report spills everything about Apple smart display — price, features and more
• iPhone 17 Pro display tipped for better durability and power consumption

Traditionally, my living room has been loaded from top to bottom with different audio equipment. There’s a Sonos Era 300 in the corner for Spatial Audio duties; a soundbar nestled under my TV for movies; and a pair of floor-standing speakers for dedicated music-listening duties. I have more speakers in my living room than most people have in their whole house.

Until now.

In an attempt to replace everything, I set up the Cambridge Audio Evo One, a singular speaker system finished with walnut wood and equipped with a 7-inch touchscreen. It’s a music streaming all-in-one, connecting to your Wi-Fi and playing your music from Spotify, Tidal, or Apple Music. It doubles up as a Bluetooth speaker as well thanks to a Bluetooth 5.3 connection, and it connects with the Cambridge Audio Streammagic app for easy customization and use.

How did the Evo One do in its attempt to dethrone an entire home audio armada? It fared a lot better than you might think.

Clearing up the audio clutter 

Beyond the wireless connectivity options, the Evo One has a massive number of ports on the back: There’s an HDMI-eArc connector on the back so that it can do the job of my soundbar. It has a built-in Phono pre-amp so that you can hook up your turntable without a separate device. There’s an optical input so that you can connect digital devices, alongside an Ethernet port for rock-solid internet, and an RCA port for legacy devices like CD players or tape decks. Finally, there’s a USB port in case you’ve got an HDD filled with hi-res music files and want to listen locally rather than over the Wi-Fi.

Controlling it is easy. The app is simple and it lets you turn the speaker on and off, change different settings like EQ, power modes, and more. It’s AirPlay-compliant so you can play directly from your streaming app of choice, but it also works with Tidal Connect for a higher-resolution connection. There are controls on the front of the Evo One to control it as well, including play/pause, forward and backward skip buttons, and buttons to turn the volume up and down.

It’s a very simple device to use, and the fact that it brings everything together is a big bonus of the fragmented controls I had to use with my multiple solutions.

So it’s replaced my soundbar, and my Sonos Era 300 streaming speaker thanks to its incredible amount of ports and connections. But how has it managed to replace my dedicated listening, floor-standing speakers? By sounding really, really good.

Unbeatable sound 

My previous speakers were no slouch. While they’re not quite as potent as the Kef LS50 Metas that hold court in my listening room, they are still some excellent-sounding powered speakers.

The Cambridge Audio Evo One absolutely blows them out of the water.

Upon first connection to Tidal and playing Arch Enemy’s Nemesis, the hit of the kick drum reverberated around my body. Taken aback, I sat down to get really engaged. The twin guitar solos soared like I hadn’t heard from similar devices. The distorted rhythm guitar was perfectly crunchy, yet effortlessly defined. Cymbals crashed, snares biting in their ferocity. Angela Gossow’s signature, terrifying growl dominated the room for the whole listening session.

Aghast, I took a moment. Surely not. It’s not that big, how could it fill the room so well? It’s thanks to the sheer number of drivers that Cambridge Audio has packed in, along with its excellent sound profile tuning. There are 14 drivers behind its fabric grille, with 700W of power driving the show. To put it in perspective my (still excellent) Sonos Era 300 is 200W, and your average Bluetooth speaker is generally around 15-30W. The Evo One oozes power from its walnut-coated pores.

“There’s no way it can do that again”, I thought to myself. Chet Baker’s Always You will trip it up. I couldn’t have been more wrong. There were elements to the drum line that you’d only hear in more expensive setups. A surprising restraint made the piano smooth and pleasant. You could almost hear the breath going into the trumpet, each not clear and well-defined. The double bass bounced with buoyancy, all the while Chet crooning over the top with signature swagger. I closed my eyes, and I was there. I was with Chet in the recording studio.

The rest of my initial listening session decided the fate of the rest of the speakers in my living room. The Sonos Era has taken pride of place in my bedroom, the soundbar has gone in a box, and my floor standers await final judgment. There’s a new speaker in town, and it takes up no more than a small cabinet

Is there anything wrong with it?  

The Evo One isn’t perfect, of course. It’s heavy, so you won’t want to move it around too much. My advice is to find its home, put it there, and leave it there. Its sound profile is weighted to be slightly warmer than some might like, although I found it made for a more engaging and energetic listen.

The biggest drawback is the price — at $1,499 (£1,299 in the UK) it is extremely expensive, and while it reduces the overall price of audio equipment in my living room, it might not do the same in yours. It’s well worth the price if you’ve got the dollars to afford it, but it’s still a lot of money to ask for a speaker unit.

That being said, I genuinely feel like this one of the few all-in-one speaker systems worth buying, as it provides the sound quality I’d expect from a multi-channel bespoke system with easy-to-use controls that are often not provided.

It has earned a spot in my living room for years to come and while I might need to occasionally take it offline to test another speaker or soundbar — that is part of my job, after all — it’s the system I’ll return to time and time again.

More from Tom's Guide

• Best over-ear headphones
• Sonos Arc Ultra design may have just leaked — here's what's new
• Prime Video top 10 movies — here’s the 3 worth watching

This year's Amazon Prime Day deals make it easier than ever to build out the smart home of your dreams. Many of the best smart home devices we've tested, from the best smart speakers to security cameras, can be had for nearly half off their normal price. These gadgets will help make your everyday tasks more convenient.

If you haven't decided on a smart home platform, be sure to check out my guide on Alexa vs. Google vs. Siri to decide which is best for your home. Many of these newer devices also support Matter so they work across Alexa, Google, and HomeKit as well as any other smart home system that supports it like SmartThings.

Smart Home Prime Day deals — Quick links

Quick links

• Blink Outdoor 4 with Amazon Echo Show 5: was $190 now $59 @ Amazon
• Echo Dot (5th Gen) w/ TP-Link Bulb: was $74 now $22 @ Amazon
• Kasa 4-Pack of Smart Light Bulbs: was $39 now $20 @ Amazon
• Echo Spot (2024) w/ TP-Link Color Smart Bulb: was $104 now $44 @ Amazon
• Google Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd Gen): was $249 now $189 @ Amazon
• Echo (4th Gen) with TP-Link Smart Color Bulb: was $125 now $54 @ Amazon
• Eufy Dual Video Doorbell E340: was $179 now $119 @ Amazon
• August Wi-Fi Smart Lock: was $229 now $110 @ Amazon
• Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights (100 feet): was $279 now $179 @ Amazon
• Roku Streaming Stick 4K: was $49 now $34 @ Amazon
• Kasa Smart Plug Power Strip: was $80 now $39 @ Amazon
• Ring Battery Doorbell with Ring Indoor Cam 2nd Gen: was $140 now $79 @ Amazon
• Blink Whole Home Bundle: was $199 now $89 @ Amazon
• Google Nest Cam (Battery): was $180 now $119 @ Amazon
• Amazon Echo Hub: was $179 now $124 @ Amazon
• Ring Stick Up Cam Pro (Battery): was $180 now $89 @ Amazon
• Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor: was $69 now $44 @ Amazon
• Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen): was $174 now $84 @ Amazon
• Sonos Era 100: was $249 now $199 @ Amazon
• Schlage Encode Plus: was $330 now $259 @ Amazon

Smart home Prime Day deals

Amazon's Echo speakers are among the best smart speakers we've tested. The same can be said for Echo Show devices, which we consider the best smart displays on the market. Not only is Amazon deeply discounting these smart home must-haves ahead of Prime Big Deal Days, they're bundling them. 

For a limited time, Amazon is pairing Echo devices with a free Smart Bulb from $17. Right now, you can save a whopping 69% on the Echo Dot with TP-Link Tapo Smart Color Bulb. You can also snag great deals on kids' Echo devices, like the Echo Pop Kids for just $22. 

There's no telling how long these deals will last — and it's unlikely that the prices will drop any lower for actual Prime Day. That's why you should keep scrolling and jump on these Amazon Echo deals ASAP. (For more ways to save, check out our guide to the best Amazon promo codes).

Quick Links

• shop all Amazon device deals
• Echo Pop w/ TP-Link Bulb: was $64 now $17
• Echo Pop Kids: was $49 now $22
• Echo Dot (5th Gen) w/ TP-Link Bulb: was $74 now $22
• Echo Dot Kids (5th Gen): was $59 now $27
• Echo Spot 2024: was $104 now $44
• Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen): was $99 now $54
• Blink Video Doorbell System + Echo Pop bundle: was $109 now $57
• Echo Dot Bundle Jack Skellington Shell preorder: was $89 now $62
• Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen): was $174 now $84
• Ring Video Doorbell w/ Echo Show 5: was $189 now $109
• Amazon Echo Hub: was $179 now $124

Amazon Echo Bundles

Amazon Echo Kids Deals

Amazon's Echo speakers are among the best smart speakers we've tested. If you're looking to build out your smart home without breaking the bank, we've spotted a great bundle going on at Amazon.

Right now, you can get the Echo Pop for $30 at Amazon. That's $10 off the normal price of the cheapest Alexa speaker, plus Amazon's throwing in a free Sengled Smart Color Bulb with it as a bonus. But stock can sell out fast, so make sure to jump on this deal while you can. 

While it lacks the features of its more expensive cousin, the Echo Dot, you really can't go wrong with the Echo Pop, especially at this price point. In our Echo Pop review, we praised Amazon's cheapest Alexa speaker as a well-rounded device that offers a compact design, solid sound quality, and great value for your money. 

The Echo Pop isn't loud enough for a party and it won't be replacing larger smart speakers you may already have any time soon, but its tiny size makes it perfect to tuck away into your home office or bedroom for listening to music and podcasts. And despite being smaller than the Echo Dot, the two offer comparable sound quality. Using Alexa routines, you can schedule your lights to turn on at specific times or create a sunrise simulation to gently wake you up in the morning. Just note that this smart bulb is not compatible with the Sengled app. 

At this price, this bundle is a great value and a terrific first step toward automating your smart home's capabilities. If you're looking for even more ways to save, be sure to check out Amazon's huge sale on Ninja kitchen appliances and early Prime Day sales on Amazon products. 

Amazon's Echo speakers are among the best smart speakers we've tested. Their  usefulness shines when paired with another device, such as a smart plug or smart bulb. That's why I'm a fan of Amazon's latest Echo speaker sale. 

For a limited time, Amazon is pairing Echo devices with a free Smart Bulb from $39. It's the kind of sale I'm used to seeing on Prime Day with discounts on the Echo Dot, Echo Show, and more. Below I've rounded up the best combo deals you can get right now. (For more ways to save, check out our guide to the best Amazon promo codes). 

Quick Links

• shop all Alexa devices on sale from $39 at Amazon
• Echo Pop: was $59 now $39
• Echo Dot (5th Gen): was $69 now $49
• Echo (4th Gen): was $119 now $64
• Echo Spot 2024: was $99 now $79
• Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen): was $109 now $89
• Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen): was $169 now $149
• Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen): was $269 now $249

Best Echo deals

I've tested dozens of the best smart home devices since joining the Tom's Guide home section a few months back. Amazon's Echo Dot with Clock has proven to be the most useful of the bunch. This all-in-one gadget sounds phenomenal, can trigger my automated smart home routines, and adds calling capabilities to any room. That's not just my opinion, my colleague Kate Kozuch gave the compact round speaker a full five-star rating in her review.

Overall, the Echo Dot with Clock's sound-centric shape and built-in sensors offers the best performance for the price. So it's a real shame when you can't even buy it on Amazon. There hasn't been an official statement as to why it's currently unavailable whether it's production issues or if Amazon is phasing it out in favor of the Echo Spot. One thing is for certain—Amazon not stocking the Dot, especially so during Prime Day, is a big mistake. Here's why.

The Dot has the best sound of any smart speaker under $100

I've only recently discovered that the Echo Spot is currently unavailable after spending the past week reviewing Amazon's new Echo Spot alarm clock. I'd argue that the Spot is the best-looking Echo smart speaker yet. The Spot has a similar design to Amazon's most affordable smart speaker, the Echo Pop, but with a sleek glass touchscreen. Aside from the three vibrant body colors it comes in, you can customize both the clock face and color theme to make it match a room's aesthetic on the fly. 

So the Echo Spot has a better design, offers improved visual info compared to the limited pixel text displayed on the Dot, and can control smart home devices with a tap. However, when I compared the Echo Spot against the Echo Dot with Clock in a faceoff, I preferred the richer sound and advanced smart sensors found on the cheaper Echo Dot. The Dot's rounded design fills the entire room with immersive audio whereas the Spot's front-facing speaker needs you to sit in front of it.

The Dot has sensors the Echo Pop and Spot lack

While it's nice to see album artwork, I use a smart speaker for the listening experience, not the eye candy. The richer vocals and deeper bass on the Dot give it a leg up over the new Echo Spot. But beyond sound, the Dot has two other features I use regularly that the pricier Spot lacks. The first is the built-in temperature sensor which detects the exact climate of the room it's placed in. This has been a game-changer in my bedroom routines because it kicks on my air conditioner or electric fireplace when a room is too hot or too cold.

If you own an Eero Wi-Fi system then the Dot also acts as a beacon for your network to expand and strengthen the Wi-Fi signal around your home or yard. At $60 it costs less than adding a standard beacon, plus you're getting smart speaker and temperature sensor functionality. If Amazon was going to phase out the clock in favor of the Spot then the extensive feature set should've remained.

The Dot is affordable

At $59, the Dot is half the price of the HomePod Mini or the larger Amazon Echo. It makes for a great gift and can be used in any room, sounding better than most smart displays. Its focus on maximizing sound in every space and less distracting text display has a place, especially for those who aren't crazy about the Spot's always-on screen. During last year's Prime Day you could grab one for only $30, which is an absolute steal. 

If the Echo Spot is expected to replace the value that the Dot with Clock offers it really needs to incorporate the sensors and antennas it had. As it stands, the Echo Dot remains the best way to easily and cheaply add core smart home functionality to your space. Let's hope they go back on sale.

More from Tom's Guide

• Amazon Echo Spot review: Smart speaker leveled up
• This $40 accessory turned my Amazon Echo Dot into a budget
• Echo Spot vs Echo Dot: Which Amazon smart speaker wins?

Whether you're a parent or expecting, the likelihood is you've put some thought into what your little one's nursery (or bedroom) will be like.

Modern technology has made strides in making put-down time as streamlined as possible, with smart bulbs that can be put on timers, smart speakers that can read your kids their bedtime stories, and a whole host of baby monitoring software that will put your mind at ease while they sleep.

Unfortunately, as with any Wi-Fi enabled technology, this technology can be hacked into and used to access your home network – or even spy on you. With a predicted 29 billion Internet of Things (IoT) devices across the globe by 2027, this presents 29 billion opportunities for hackers to get on various different networks.

Thankfully, there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your home, like using the best VPNs to encrypt your data. Read on to learn more about the potential risks these smart devices pose and what you can do to lower these risks.

Protect your smart speakers

Smart speakers and home assistants undoubtedly make our lives easier. Whether it's putting on your favourite song without lifting a finger, setting reminders or even ordering urgent groceries or things for the home, these handy helpers can really make your life a little less stressful. For parents in particular, these time-saving, stress-reducing methods all work together to make their lives a little easier.

In nurseries and children's bedrooms, these speakers can help soothe your little one(s) to sleep by reading them bedtime stories, or enhancing playtime with nursery rhymes and other songs for kids. 

However, whether you have a home assistant and multiple speakers, or just use one speaker around your home, they do still present a cyber security risk. 

In fact, in December 2022, a cyber security researcher called Matt Kunze managed to exploit a software vulnerability that turned a Google Home Mini speaker into a wiretap. Another smart speaker software vulnerability discovered in March 2022 enabled hackers to instruct Amazon Alexa speakers to essentially hack themselves by taking control of an Amazon Echo's speaker and commanding it to make malicious instructions to itself.

While these hacks may sound scary, it is important to recognise that they are not super common. However, it is always a good idea to protect yourself from these potential hacks. To do this, we recommend updating your speaker/home assistant's software regularly, to make sure any important patches are on your device.

Protect your smart bulbs

Having lightbulbs that turn on when you want to wake up and off when you want to go to sleep used to be the stuff of sci-fi fantasy, but now with smart technology, it's a (very convenient!) reality for a lot of people.

Smart bulbs can lend a hand with childrens' bedtimes, offering them a slowly-darkening, warm-toned space to snuggle up and drift off quietly in.

Unfortunately as a smart device, smart bulbs can also be another avenue into your home network that hackers can use. Researchers from University of Catania in Italy and the University of London in August 2023 discovered that TP-Link smart bulbs could be hacked in order to steal the owners' Wi-Fi passwords.

Multiple security flaws in the smart bulbs meant that hackers could gain access to the user’s account details from within the Tapo app used to operate the smart bulbs. After gaining access to the app, they could then extract the SSID and Wi-Fi password from a user’s home network, meaning they could gain access to all of the devices connected to it.

This is why it's important to update your smart device's software regularly, so patches for any security flaws can be implemented and you can be kept safe.

Protect your baby monitor

Baby monitors are an almost crucial bit of tech for parents who are ready to have their children sleep in another room, but still want to keep an eye on them. Many smart baby monitors come with cameras, speakers and microphones enabled so you can see and communicate with your child.

Unfortunately, all this useful tech can be taken advantage of by unscrupulous hackers. In a chilling TikTok, Adele Kurin explained that her son had told her he didn't want the camera for her Owlet baby monitor switched on at night, claiming that someone was using the monitor's speakers to wake up, talk to and scare him.

When Adele went to secure the account, she found that the login information for her account had been exposed in a data leak, meaning the device could have been logged into by anyone who had access to the leaked details.

With this being said, the maker of the baby monitor said that it "reviewed all available data" regarding Kurin's baby monitor, "including firmware, mobile, and server logs" and were "very confident" no suspicious activity had been logged. Owlet also noted that there had been "zero confirmed cases of [its] cameras being compromised" and it had not identified any failures in its security protocols.

Regardless, this underlines the importance of using unique, strong credentials for each account login you create, as well as enabling two-factor authentication as this will alert you if anyone is trying to gain access to your accounts.

How to protect your smart devices from hackers

While the risks outlined above can seem scary, there are simple and easy steps to take to protect yourself. Read on to discover how to keep yourself and your devices safe.

Use a VPN

Installing a virtual private network, or VPN, is another simple yet effective way to secure your Wi-Fi enabled devices. VPNs work by encrypting your internet traffic and connection, giving you an extra layer of security on your Wi-Fi. 

If you use multiple smart speakers, it's a good idea to use a router VPN. The best router VPNs will encrypt all connections to and from your router, meaning all devices connected to your home network benefit.

Keep your smart devices on a separate network

If you're worried about hackers gaining access to your home devices via your home network, then one solution is to simply take them off said home network.

This may sound complicated, but it's actually relatively simple. The best Wi-Fi routers and best mesh Wi-Fi systems will give you the option to set up a Wi-Fi network for your smart devices, but if this isn't available to you, you can always just set up a guest network.

Once all your devices have been connected to the separate network, they won't be able to be used to access your home network.

Use 2FA on your smart devices' apps

Another way to make sure you and your devices stay secure is to enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on any apps you use to operate your smart devices. 

This will not only add an extra layer of security, but it will alert you if anyone is attempting to login to your account, allowing you to change the impacted account's passwords and keep intruders from logging in.

Apple’s tipped to introduce a slew of things at next week’s WWDC 2024 keynote, including a revamped Siri 2.0 experience powered by artificial intelligence. While most Apple users lean on Siri on their iPhones, you can’t forget about how the HomePod is just as good to access the voice assistant at home. And for a limited time, it’s getting an irresistible 42% off discount.

Normally priced at $299.99, Verizon Wireless is offering the 2nd generation smart speaker for $174.99. That’s a discount of 42%, which is very rare to see on any Apple product. Apple’s smart speakers don’t typically get generous discounts like its iPhones and AirPods. Best of all, you don’t need to be a Verizon customer to snag this deal — plus you get free shipping with the purchase.

I’ve been using the 2nd generation HomePod as a stereo pair with my Apple TV in my bedroom. Since the sound quality is superior thanks to its deep bass, I ditched the soundbar I was previously using with my Fire TV Omni series. For action packed movies, the HomePod speakers definitely amplify the experience beyond what the built-in speakers produce with my smart TV.

But there’s still more that I love about the 2nd generation HomePod. The hand off audio feature lets me start a song on my iPhone and then share it easily with the HomePod by simply placing my iPhone near the speaker. It’s one of the most intuitive features that shows how Apple’s products can easily interact with one another.

There’s also all the HomeKit integrations I’ve set up with some of my smart home devices, like how I can turn on the lights in the room by asking Siri or getting a preview screen of my security camera. I’m interested in what Apple will introduce with the next version of Siri, mainly because the smart assistant is rumored to handle more complex tasks with the help of AI. Obviously, the HomePod is the perfect smart hub in the home for any Apple user — so I really hope these new Siri features come to all of Apple’s smart speakers, including the HomePod Mini.

Looking to start or expand your smart home? Amazon's Echo Dot speakers are pretty much the perfect way to do so. This series of compact smart speakers deliver great sound, solid Alexa functionality and plenty more besides. Even better, right now there's an Echo Dot sale at Amazon that takes up to 50% off some of our favorite models.

So, which deals would I recommend buying? First up, there's the Echo Pop on sale for $19 at Amazon. This is the cheapest Alexa speaker made by Amazon and it's a steal after this $20 discount. You can also get the Echo Dot with Clock (5th Gen) for $39 at Amazon. It's the best smart speaker we've tested at Tom's Guide, due to its Eero WiFi extender and useful LED display.

Keep scrolling to see more Echo deals at Amazon. Plus, check out the deals I'd buy in Amazon's latest Adidas sale.

Echo Dot deals — Quick links

• shop Echo Dot deals at Amazon
• Echo Device Accessories: deals from $9
• Echo Pop: was $40 now $19
• Echo Pop Kids: was $49 now $24
• Echo Dot (5th Gen): was $50 now $27
• Echo Dot Kids (5th Gen): was $59 now $32
• Echo Dot with Clock (5th Gen): was $60 now $39
• Echo Dot Kids Owl w/ Echo Glow: was $89 now $62

Echo Dot deals — Best sales now

Looking to start your smart home on a budget? Amazon's latest sale has just provided a perfect opportunity. The cheapest Alexa speaker just got a price cut, and you get a free smart bulb with it as a bonus.

For a limited time, the Echo Pop is $22 at Amazon. This is $17 off its normal price. Plus, you get a free TP-Link Kasa Smart Color Bulb with it. Make sure to snag this deal while you can, as stock could sell out fast.

• shop all Alexa devices on sale from $22 at Amazon

The Echo Pop is the cheapest Alexa speaker made by Amazon, but it's still a well-rounded device. Our Echo Pop review praised its compact design, great sound quality and value for money.

We compared the Echo Pop's against the more expensive Echo Dot, and found that the differences between the speakers weren't huge. Despite being smaller, the Echo Pop still delivered sound quality roughly on par with the Echo Dot. We heard lively sound with adequate bass. The Echo Pop isn't loud enough for a party, but it's perfect for listening to music or podcasts in a home office or bedroom.

As you'd expect, the TP-Link Kasa Smart Color Bulb pairs with the Echo Pop, meaning you can control your lights using just your voice. With Alexa routines, you can set the lights on a timed schedule or set up a sunrise-style light show to wake you up in the morning. Plus, you can keep an eye on your lights' energy usage in the Kasa app.

This bundle is a steal at this price, so make sure to snag it before it's gone. If you're looking for more sales, check out the sneakers and apparel I'd buy in Amazon's Under Armour sale. And see the Intel Core Ultra laptop deals I'd buy at Best Buy.

Sales events like Amazon's Big Spring Sale are the best time of year to shop Amazon hardware. However, don't worry if you missed out on getting one of the best smart speakers — this huge Echo Dot sale has dropped the prices on some of our favorite models.

Right now you can get the Echo Pop for $22 at Amazon. It's on sale for 43% off its normal price, making it the cheapest Alexa speaker you can get from Amazon right now. Or, the Echo Dot with Clock (5th Gen) is $49 at Amazon. This is our choice for the best smart speaker on the market. It has great sound quality for its size, it works as an Eero WiFi extender and the LED display adds extra functionality you don't get in any other Echo Dot.

Keep scrolling for more of my favorite Echo deals. Plus, check out the 17 deals I'd get at Best Buy this week.

Echo Dot deals — Quick links

• shop all Echo Dot deals at Amazon
• Echo Pop: was $40 now $22
• Echo Pop Kids: was $49 now $27
• Echo Dot (5th Gen): was $50 now $34
• Echo Dot with Clock (5th Gen): was $60 now $49
• Echo (4th Gen): was $99 now $64

Echo Dot deals — Best sales now