The Best Alexa Smart Speakers in 2022

Introduction

A smart speaker compatible with a dependable voice assistant is a fantastic and practical purchase for anyone and everyone. Conventionally, voice assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri are embedded into smart speakers, which are Wi-Fi-enabled.

Many of these convenient speakers also double as remote controls for other home automation equipment, such as thermostats and light bulbs, making them even more useful. You can use them to accept or reject calls, set alarms, and timers, and even ask random questions.

Nonetheless, there are still several choices on the market. After carefully evaluating almost 80 models, we’ve compiled a list of our Best Alexa Smart Speakers. Check out our picks for the top-rated house speakers, Alexa speaker system, and Bluetooth speakers for even more alternatives. Without further ado, let’s begin!

What are the Best Alexa Speakers to Buy Right Now?

Generally speaking, the best Alexa speakers are sold by Amazon. The Echo family of devices has the most comprehensive assistant compatibility, so you shouldn’t encounter any situations where Alexa is unable to help.

The third-generation Echo Dot is now available alongside the fourth-generation Echo Dot model on Amazon and can sometimes be bought for a discount of $10 to $15. The Echo dot 3^rd gen vs 4^th gen is fun comparison!

For a whole sense of sight, the Bose Home Speaker 500 is the best smart display for Alexa ever. You can move about the room while on a video conference or cooking without worrying about the screen losing its focus. The Bose Portable Smart Speaker is even bigger — and you can place it on a wall — however, its sound isn’t all that fantastic.

Look into the New Bose Smart Soundbar 900 if you’re serious about home audio. The New Bose Smart Soundbar 900 is compatible with the company’s extensive catalog of dozens of streaming services. The UE Megablast is Wi-Fi and water-resistant, allowing you to take Alexa everywhere.

Our Top 10 Alexa Speakers

1. Amazon Echo Dot 4th Generation – Best Alexa Speaker for Amazon Fans

Overview The Echo Dot is preconfigured to use your Wi-Fi network. The Alexa app can be downloaded on Fire OS, Android, iOS devices, and the web.  Subscriptions or other costs might be associated with using certain features and services.

Speaker Specifications

Brand	Amazon
Connectivity Technology	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Audio Output Mode	Stereo
Mounting Type	Wall Mount, Table Mount

Alexa Speaker Review

The most popular smart speaker on Amazon is sleek and tiny, making it ideal for tight quarters. It has clear voices and a well-balanced bass, much better than the Echo-Dot 3^rd Gen’s, so you can listen to it in any room of your house. Use your voice to control your home automation gadgets.

If you want to read in the dark, watch a movie, or keep warm, you can do it by turning on a light before you get out of bed, dimming the lights while sitting on the sofa, or increasing the temperature before leaving the house. You can even ask, “how does Alexa work?”

You can instantly visit different rooms or send a message to all the Echo devices in your house. Whether announcing that supper is ready or sending the kids to bed, it’s important to keep everyone informed. Hands-free calling makes it even easier to keep in contact with loved ones.

If your Echo device hears anything, like a smoke alarm going off or glass shattering, when you’re traveling, you can set up Guard in the Alexa app for free to receive smartphone notifications. Additionally, Guard Plus subscribers get access to a voice-activated Emergency Hotline during home emergencies.

Certain Alexa features, such as Occupancy Routines, take advantage of ultrasonic motion sensing. Unless a functionality that requires motion detection is activated, your device will not produce ultrasound. Whenever you choose, you can disable the motion sensor.

Pros

• Privacy protection
• Excellent sound quality
• Alexa dot setup is easy

Cons

• Not user intuitive

2. Bose Home Speaker 500 – Best Bose Alexa Speaker in Sub-Budget

Overview The Bose Home Speaker 500 is one member of the company’s new line of wireless audio components. With the built-in Alexa voice control, you can access millions of tunes with only a word or two. The Bose Music app can also be used to control the system. Let your favorite music, films, and shows play in whatever room you want.

Speaker Specifications

Brand	Bose
Connectivity Technology	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Audio Output Mode	Stereo
Mounting Type	Wall Mount

Alexa Speaker Review

The Bose 500 home speaker produces a loud, clear sound that can be heard throughout the room. Two unique drivers in opposing directions within the speaker provide a larger soundscape than any other voice assistant by reflecting sound off the surroundings.

Access millions of music, Internet radio channels, menus, and much more hands-free with built-in voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. All that’s needed is a few words, and the tune will begin to play. The Bose home speaker 500 can still pick up your voice, even if the band is cranking up the volume, which is an improvement over Bose Portable Home Speaker.

A custom-made eight-microphone array sits just below the top for excellent speech pickup. And it’s not just limited to voice commands: Music can be played or paused via the top controls, or the Bose Music app can be used for this purpose.

The device allows for up to six user-defined presets, which can be used for Internet radio channels, slideshows, and more. The current track, radio station, playlist details, album cover, and more can all be seen in vivid color on the LCD screen.

Pros

• Simple to use
• Good connectivity
• Decent compatibility options

Cons

• Doesn’t have too much bass

3. Amazon Echo Dot 3rd Generation – Best Alexa Speakers for Audiophiles

Overview You can use your voice to control compatible smart home appliances when you have this Echo Dot 3rd Gen. in your house. Turn on the lamp before you climb out of bed, lower the lighting from the sofa so you can enjoy a movie, or raise the temperature on the thermostat when you leave the house.

Speaker Specifications

Brand	Amazon
Connectivity Technology	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Audio Output Mode	Stereo
Mounting Type	Wall Mounting

Amazon Alexa Speaker Review

The third-generation Amazon Echo Dot is another little smart speaker ideal for tight quarters. Increased volume and deeper bass than the second-generation Echo Dot speakers.

Use two Echo Dots to create a surround sound effect. Songs can be streamed from services like Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, Sirius XM, and more. Ask Alexa to play songs, monitor the weather, read the news, set alarms, and operate your smart home gadgets.

Use the same network to control your home’s lighting, temperature, and security. Form morning and evening rituals into your daily schedule. Communicate with anyone you know who also has an Echo or the Alexa app by calling them.

With an Echo device, you can instantly access other rooms in your house or broadcast a message to all of them. Alexa has many skills and constantly learns new ones, such as health monitoring, game playing, and more.

Amazon will not share your information with other parties. Integrated with several different privacy settings, including a toggle to turn the microphone off.

Pros

• Works as a personal assistant
• Excellent for daily use
• Easy to use around the house

Cons

• Bad notification timings on occasions

4. New Bose Smart Soundbar 900 – Best Alexa Smart Display Overall

Overview The Bose Music app makes it simple to set up the smart soundbar, enabling you to combine your Bose Smart Soundbar 900 with any other Bose voice assistants via Wi-Fi to play more music in more locations. You can listen to the same music wherever you go or enjoy new material in each location.

Speaker Specifications

Brand	Bose
Connectivity Technology	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Audio Output Mode	Stereo, Surround
Mounting Type	Bar Mount

Alexa Speaker Review

Dolby Atmos and Alexa integration debut in the new Bose Soundbar 900. Bluetooth connection is already embedded. The strength of sound should not be underestimated. That’s why you can enjoy the same level of immersion you’d get in a theater from the convenience of your residence with the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 with Dolby Atmos. This one if amongst the cheapest beside tables.

Bose technology and custom-designed upward-firing dipole loudspeakers create the illusion that music is coming from all directions. Bose TrueSpace proprietary spatial processing takes 2- or 5-channel audio sources and upmixes them to 7-channel surround sound with height, unlike the Bose Smart Speaker 500. This means convincingly realistic, enveloping sound from a single, cordless Bluetooth soundbar.

To top it all off, the best part is: that this wireless Bluetooth soundbar speaker is more than just a pretty face; it will also improve the quality of your next movie marathon. The wireless Bluetooth soundbar incorporates both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, allowing you to manage your media, schedule your day, and access your most essential data with only your voice.

When paired with Bose Voice4Video, your favorite assistant turns your voice into the only controller you need for your TV, cable box, and more, in addition to the Dolby Atmos soundbar. And suppose if you ever run out of power and still need a smart speaker’s assistance, we recommend buying these power stations!

Pros

• Sleek design
• Excellent for movie and TV use
• Compatible with other devices

Cons

• It can take a while to set up this one

5. Bose Portable Smart Speaker – Best New Alexa Speaker for Your Home

Overview This portable speaker can withstand the inevitable spills, bumps, showers, and splashing of daily life thanks to its sturdy construction, long battery life (up to 12 hours), and water-resistant IPX4 classification. Use it as a Bluetooth speaker from outside the Wi-Fi range and listen to music from your smartphone or tablet by simply connecting them to the speaker via Bluetooth.

Speaker Specifications

Brand	Bose
Connectivity Technology	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Audio Output Mode	Surround
Mounting Type	Freestanding

Alexa Speaker Review

Among these smart speakers, the Bose portable is the most flexible option. It can function as a speaker for use around the house, as a portable speaker, or as a voice-control narrator. You can easily transport it from one room to another in the home or outside the house.

You can use the speakers as a voice-controlled Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant device wherever your Wi-Fi network reaches. Also, getting the Best Bluetooth Speakers for your home is a good idea!

You’ll be able to listen to podcasts and stream songs from services like Spotify, Pandora, and Amazon Music. Even when you’re not in the Wi-Fi range, you can use your tablet or smartphone to operate the device and play audio from any source.

The sound from the transportable household speaker would emanate from all directions at once, regardless of whether you position it in the center of the party or the far corner of the room. And every voice component consistently produces high-quality audio regardless of playback conditions or source material.

Bose’s portable smart speaker can be used in many rooms. So if you already have a Bose smart speaker or sound bar, like the Bose House speaker 500, you can sync them all together for a unified listening experience across your home.

Pros

• Excellent for portability
• Sleek and smooth design
• Offers good value for money

Cons

• Takes a while to set up this one for beginners

6. Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Generation) – Best Alexa Device

Overview Using a brand-new camera with 13 megapixels and an auto-pan, zoom, and frame function is the easiest way to ensure that everyone in the frame is captured during a video conversation. Ask Alexa to contact friends and relatives who have the Alexa application, a suitable Alexa-enabled device, or applications like Zoom so that you can connect with them as fast as possible.

Speaker Specifications

Brand	Amazon
Connectivity Technology	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Audio Output Mode	Stereo, Surround
Mounting Type	Wall Mount, Table Mount

Alexa Speaker Review

With the ambition of Prime Video, Netflix, and other services, the Echo Shadow 8 lets you watch TV and movies in high definition and surround sound. You can also tell Alexa to play music from Amazon, Apple, or Spotify. Subscriptions for certain services are needed.

Have a look at what’s going on inside with the built-in camera even while you’re not there. Use your voice, gestures, or the display to operate compatible devices like cameras, lighting, and more.

The 8-inch high-definition touchscreen, adaptable color, and stereo system bring movies and shows to life. Use the 13-megapixel auto-framing camera to make crystal-clear video calls, which is a major improvement over Echo Shadow 7 version.

During video chats, the new camera will handle framing and centering tasks mechanically. Just tell Alexa to call someone. Check your planners and alarms.

Get new ideas for what to make every day and follow along with the hands-free cooking instructions provided. Talk to your device to access features like voice-activated timers, list updates, and live feeds of things like traffic and news.

Pros

• High-quality sound
• Decent enough camera
• Good connectivity options

Cons

• Problems with installing the latest updates

7. Echo (4th Gen) Spherical Speaker – Best Alexa Echo Amazon Speaker

Overview When you connect your Echo to a Fire TV player, you can enjoy true theater-quality sound at home. Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, and more all support voice commands that let you ask for a specific song, musician, or category to be played. By strategically placing compatible Echo devices around your household, you can fill it with entertainment, radio channels, podcasts, and Audible across the whole house with multi-room music.

Speaker Specifications

Brand	Amazon
Connectivity Technology	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Audio Output Mode	Stereo
Mounting Type	Table, Wall

Alexa Speaker Review

The sound is full of nuances and automatically adjusts to the acoustics of the space in which it is played. It is compatible with the lossless high-definition audio provided by some streaming providers, including Amazon Music HD. Stream songs from various services, including Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, and SiriusXM. HD needs the use of a music streaming service that is compatible.

Make phone calls to loved ones and friends who own either the Alexa application or an Echo device. Immediately go into the other home areas or announce to everyone that supper is ready.

When you step into the room, the suitable lights should turn on, your Flash Briefing should begin playing, and the coffee machine should be started. Through the use of multi-room music, you can play the music that is synced among Echo devices located in several rooms. You can also link your Echo with devices compatible with Fire TV to experience scenes brought to life with high-quality home cinema audio.

Integrated hub for controlling lights, locks, and detectors compatible with voice commands. It is simple to set up devices compatible with ZigBee, or you can choose Ring Smart Lighting solar energy system and lamps, something that the Echo (2^nd Gen) lacked. Please use timers, reminders, and alarms by setting them up. Alexa responds to queries such as “Alexa, what time could it be?”

Pros

• Premium sound quality
• Hands-free connection on offer
• Privacy control options are good

Cons

• Voice commands not working at times

8. Echo Studio – Best Beside Table Argos

Overview For those with a slew of smart gadgets, the Studio is one of the few Alexa speakers that can handle the older ZigBee smart protocol, which can be useful for managing some devices in your house. This is also a good moment to emphasize that Alexa lets you pick your preferred music provider, which includes Apple Music, Spotify, and others.

Speaker Specifications

Brand	Amazon
Connectivity Technology	Bluetooth
Audio Output Mode	Surround
Mounting Type	Freestanding

Alexa Speaker Review

Those who are particularly interested in sound can have already purchased a high-quality audio system or begun listening to more spatial audio songs: With an emphasis on music and a bigger design that includes five internal speakers to cover bass, middling, and highs more thoroughly, the Echo Studio is an excellent partner to this arrangement. The speaker also features sensors that adjust the music to the surrounding acoustics regardless of where you position it.

Alexa and Echo devices have numerous levels of privacy protection built in. Echo Studio, for example, offers a microphone off button that electrically disconnects the microphones. You can also control your voice recordings. Scenes come to life when you wirelessly link Echo Studio to a Fire TV Cube (1st or 2nd Gen) or Fire TV Stick 4K.

You can now play and control music across numerous Echo devices with multi-room music. Furthermore, Echo Studio automatically analyses your area’s acoustics automatically, fine-tuning playback for excellent sound no matter where it’s set.

It has 5 speakers that provide strong bass, dramatic middle, and precise highs. Furthermore, Dolby Atmos technology offers space, clarity, and depth that Amazon Echo did not have (4th Gen).

Pros

• Dolby Atmos
• Bluetooth Connectivity
• Speaker sensors

Cons

• Limited 3D music

9. Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) – Kids Edition Alexa Speaker

Overview Get a head start on your day with the Echo Show 5 with Alexa by your side. Customize your morning ritual to include sunrise-themed lighting and an alarm that plays your favorite music. You can use the Alexa app to conduct hands-free video chats with family members and friends who have an Echo Show or the Alexa app and make public statements to other compatible devices in your house.

Speaker Specifications

Brand	Amazon
Connectivity Technology	Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Audio Output Mode	Stereo and Surround
Mounting Type	Wall Mount

Alexa Speaker Review

On its 5-inch screen, the Amazon Echo Show 5 is a tiny smart display that can be used to make calls and video conference, browse recipes, view movies using NBC and Prime Video visual talents, check the feeds from your security camera, adjust your lights, and more.

However, owing to its modest size, it resembles a clock rather than a full-sized smart display. It’s also not much of an improvement over the original. However, if you fall in love with the Echo Show 5’s adorable tiny shape and the thought of being able to call loved ones before going to bed, the smart display is worth considering.

Not to add, the Kids Edition is a popular seller, offering a stationary Amazon Fire tablet option that does not need constant charging. Furthermore, the Echo Show is designed with numerous levels of privacy protection. You have access to and control over your Alexa service, from the mic/camera off switch and built-in camera flash to the option to erase your voice recordings.

The design of the second-generation Echo Show 5 is similar to the first-generation model. Still, it has a more sustainable construction, a new color, and a better-quality front camera – but no 3.5mm jack.

Pros

• Kids Edition
• Front Camera
• Sustainable construction

Cons

• No audio jack

10. Echo Dot (4th Gen) – Best Smart Speaker

Overview This Echo speaker from Amazon is a tiny ball of sound that delivers the same forceful bass and broad soundstage as the previous edition but with more room-filling sound than ever. It can be placed everywhere, including kitchens, restrooms, and even tiny living rooms, and it readily fills the area with 360-degree sound

Speaker Specifications

Brand	Amazon
Connectivity Technology	Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Audio Output Mode	Surround
Mounting Type	Wall mount

Alexa Speaker Review

If you value smart functionality from a small and economical speaker above superior quality, the Echo Dot is the speaker for you. Though the audio quality isn’t bad and is more than enough for the ordinary user who simply wants to listen to music, it can’t compete with the other models on our list.

That said, it’s an excellent option for a bedroom nightstand or as a kitchen speaker. It includes an illuminated digital clock on the front that can be adjusted to fade and brighten automatically, dependent on ambient light. It can also be turned off completely when it’s time to sleep.

Both Echo Dot models include a single 1.6-inch speaker. In our testing, we didn’t notice much difference; the 4th-generation model had somewhat more bass due to the greater size of the gadget.

The microphone picks up spoken instructions well, so Alexa should have no difficulty understanding you. When Alexa responds, she also talks clearly, making it simple for you to understand her. Overall, it’s a wise purchase for anybody seeking a low-cost Alexa-enabled speaker to add some smart functionality to their house.

Pros

• 6-inch speaker
• Illuminated digital clock
• 360-degree sound

Cons

• No default LED clock

Buyer’s Guide – What You Need to Look for When Buying the Best Alexa Speakers on the Market

The following are some of the key elements that will help you finally decide on the one smart speaker you’re most desperately looking for:

• Go for an AI Assistant

You’re not looking for the best possible sound quality alone. Your choice of speaker will be influenced not just by its sound quality but also by the quality of the built-in artificial intelligence assistant.

The fact that Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant are all very competent is beside the point. More crucial is whether or not you’re already invested in the ecosystem of a certain firm.

• Check for Compatibility

Size, sound quality, and cost are all important factors, but there are more features to think about when choosing a speaker. The primary concern here is whether or not your new acquisition is compatible with the things you currently possess.

Check the technical specifications to ensure the connection would be compatible with other hi-fi equipment if you want to link up your loudspeaker to other devices, as is practically required for small versions like the Echo Dot and the Nest Mini.

Unlike the Nest Mini, which can only connect through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, the Echo Dot offers Bluetooth and a 3.5 mm line-out connector for extra connectivity options.

• Price

You should consider the size, sound quality, and pricing of a smart speaker and the machine learning it contains (more on that below).

Smaller, more inexpensive speakers often provide lower-quality sound than their larger, more expensive counterparts. Comparisons in these areas between potential speakers will help you narrow down your choices.

• Consider Bonus Features

When deciding what features are most important to you in a smart speaker, it might be helpful to look at the extra features that certain models provide. Multi-user support, which allows speakers to distinguish between users, is a feature that can interest families.

Whereas Google Home devices recognize different voices and switch users accordingly, Echo devices need you to explicitly instruct Alexa to switch users before you can issue a command.

Multi-room broadcasting allows the listener to walk from one room to another while the music continues to play, making it ideal for those who need continuous ambient noise.

If multi-room downloading is a must, verify the technical specifications to ensure your preferred speaker brand supports it. In addition to audible responses, smart displays can also show you the temperature or your forthcoming schedule based on the information you provide.

Conclusion

There are various methods to bring Alexa into your house, ranging from the circular Echo to the 360-degree swivel Bose Speakers. These gadgets can provide you with answers to your inquiries, assist you in placing orders, allow you to set schedules, play a wide variety of music material, and even serve as the control center for your increasingly smart house.

Some of our favorite speakers are compatible with the Echo and Alexa and suitable for various homes and price points. So, what are you waiting for? Get yourself one now!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the Difference Between an Echo and Alexa?

Alexa is the voice recognition software, whereas Echo is the physical speaker. As a cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI) virtual assistant, Alexa is hosted by Amazon. Amazon’s Echo line of smart speakers features Alexa, an artificial intelligence system.

2. Can Alexa Work Without Internet Connection?

Alexa, from Amazon, is a Wi-Fi-only gadget that can be used to access Google and various music-streaming providers. Without wireless internet, you can’t use any of these services or access these features.

3. Is There Anything Better Than Alexa?

When comparing the two major voice assistants on the market, Google Assistant is the clear winner because of its widespread availability (pre-installed on most Android smartphones) and superior accuracy. The market share for standalone voice speakers is dominated by Amazon, which also offers a wider variety of other electronic devices.