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This guide is for you if you're buying your first smart speaker, adding one to another room, or wrapping one up as a Christmas present for the whole house. The big choice is simple. Pick Amazon Echo for Alexa and smart home control, or pick Sonos for music first. Then match the speaker to the room. Do you want a small one for the shelf, big sound for the lounge, an alarm clock for the bedside or a screen for the kitchen?
Amazon Echo Dot Max (newest gen, Graphite)
Best for most people
A small Alexa speaker with room-filling sound that tunes itself to your room automatically. It also runs your smart home from one spot.
Who it's for: Perfect for almost anyone, and an easy gift for a family who wants Alexa in the living room.
The facts that matter
- Room-filling sound that automatically adapts to your space, with 3x more bass than Echo Dot (2022 release).
- A built-in smart home hub (Zigbee, Matter and Thread Border Router) to pair and control lights, locks and thousands of devices that work with Alexa.
- Pair a second Echo Dot Max for richer sound, or pair it with compatible Fire TV devices.
Why it made the list: You get 3x more bass than Echo Dot (2022 release), so music hits harder from the same small shape. The built-in hub speaks Zigbee, Matter and Thread, the standards that let it pair and control lights, locks and thousands of devices that work with Alexa. Want more? Pair a second Echo Dot Max for richer sound, or pair it with a compatible Fire TV device.
Worth knowing: No screen; for a display choose Echo Show 8 or the Echo Spot alarm clock.
Check price on Amazon(paid link)Amazon Echo Dot (newest gen, Charcoal)
Best for a first smart speaker or a small room
A compact Alexa speaker that plays music, audiobooks and podcasts, and controls your smart home with your voice.
Who it's for: Buy it for someone getting their first smart speaker, or for a bedroom, study or kids' room.
The facts that matter
- Music, audiobooks and podcasts from Amazon Music, Audible, Apple Music, Spotify and more, over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
- Control compatible smart home devices with your voice, or set routines for temperature-based actions.
- A Microphone Off button that electronically disconnects the microphones.
Why it made the list: It plays Amazon Music, Audible, Apple Music, Spotify and more, over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. You can control compatible smart home devices with your voice, or set routines for temperature-based actions. A Microphone Off button electronically disconnects the microphones whenever you want.
Worth knowing: No built-in smart home hub; Echo Dot Max adds one, with 3x more bass than Echo Dot (2022 release).
Check price on Amazon(paid link)Amazon Echo Studio (newest gen, Graphite)
Best for the best Alexa sound
Amazon's big-sound Alexa speaker, with spatial audio and Dolby Atmos for sound that fills the room.
Who it's for: Made for the Alexa fan who wants the best sound in the lounge.
The facts that matter
- Spatial audio and Dolby Atmos, redesigned 40% smaller than the original Echo Studio.
- Room adaptation technology analyses the acoustics of your room and fine-tunes playback.
- Pair a second Echo Studio for more powerful sound, or pair it with compatible Fire TV devices; it is also a smart home hub (Zigbee, Matter and Thread).
Why it made the list: It's redesigned 40% smaller than the original Echo Studio, so big sound takes up less space. Room adaptation technology studies how your room sounds and fine-tunes playback to suit it. It's also a smart home hub (Zigbee, Matter and Thread), and you can pair a second Echo Studio for more powerful sound, or pair it with a compatible Fire TV device.
Worth knowing: No screen; it is a speaker first, so pick Echo Show 8 if you want video.
Check price on Amazon(paid link)Sonos Era 100 (Black)
Best for music lovers
A compact Sonos speaker built to make your music sound great, and Alexa enabled.
Who it's for: Buy it for the music lover who plays something in every spare moment.
The facts that matter
- Two tweeters for stereo separation and a 25% larger midwoofer for deeper bass, powered by a 47% faster processor.
- A compact design for a bookshelf, kitchen counter, desk or nightstand, and Alexa enabled.
- Streams from your services over Wi-Fi, pairs a Bluetooth device at the press of a button, and set-up takes a few minutes in the Sonos app.
Why it made the list: Two tweeters give you stereo separation, and a 25% larger midwoofer brings deeper bass, all run by a 47% faster processor. It fits on a bookshelf, kitchen counter, desk or nightstand. It streams from your services over Wi-Fi, pairs a Bluetooth device at the press of a button, and set-up takes a few minutes in the Sonos app.
Worth knowing: A turntable connects with an auxiliary cable and the Sonos Line-In Adapter.
Check price on Amazon(paid link)Sonos Era 300 (Black)
Best for Dolby Atmos music
A Sonos speaker that plays Dolby Atmos Music, sound that comes at you from the sides and above as well as the front.
Who it's for: Made for the music fan who wants sound that surrounds them, not just faces them.
The facts that matter
- Six drivers around the front, sides and top support Dolby Atmos Music.
- Custom waveguides send sound right, left, forward and above, so the whole room is the sweet spot.
- Streams over Wi-Fi, pairs Bluetooth at the press of a button, and takes a turntable with an auxiliary cable and the Sonos Line-In Adapter.
Why it made the list: Six drivers around the front, sides and top power the Dolby Atmos Music effect. Custom waveguides send sound right, left, forward and above, so the whole room is the sweet spot, not just one chair. It streams over Wi-Fi, pairs Bluetooth at the press of a button, and even takes a turntable with an auxiliary cable and the Sonos Line-In Adapter.
Worth knowing: Surround sound needs two Era 300 speakers paired with a Sonos Arc Ultra, Arc or Beam (Gen 2).
Check price on Amazon(paid link)Sonos Era 100 SL (Black)
Best for a first Sonos speaker
A Sonos speaker with stereo sound and deep bass, controlled by app, AirPlay 2 or touch.
Who it's for: Buy it for someone starting their first Sonos set-up, especially an iPhone or iPad user.
The facts that matter
- Two angled tweeters with custom waveguides for stereo separation, and a midwoofer for deep bass.
- Play with the Sonos app, Apple AirPlay 2 or the touch controls, and pair Bluetooth in seconds.
- Trueplay uses the mics in your iPhone or iPad to tune the sound to your room.
Why it made the list: Two angled tweeters with custom waveguides give stereo separation, and a midwoofer adds deep bass. You can play with the Sonos app, Apple AirPlay 2 or the touch controls, and pair Bluetooth in seconds. Trueplay uses the mics in your iPhone or iPad to tune the sound to your room.
Worth knowing: No built-in voice control, so no Alexa from the speaker itself.
Check price on Amazon(paid link)Amazon Echo Spot (newest gen, Black)
Best for the bedside
An Alexa alarm clock with a small screen that shows the time, weather and song titles at a glance.
Who it's for: Perfect for the bedside, and a lovely gift for anyone who hates harsh alarms.
The facts that matter
- A smart alarm clock that shows the time, weather and song titles at a glance, with your choice of clock face and colours.
- An Alexa routine can wake you gently with music and gradual light.
- Rich sound with clear vocals and deep bass, and a Microphone Off button that electronically disconnects the microphones.
Why it made the list: You choose the clock face and colours, so it suits your room. An Alexa routine can wake you gently with music and gradual light. It still gives you rich sound with clear vocals and deep bass, and a Microphone Off button electronically disconnects the microphones.
Worth knowing: The screen is for the time, weather and song titles; for video calls choose Echo Show 8.
Check price on Amazon(paid link)Amazon Echo Show 8 (newest gen, Graphite)
Best for the kitchen
An Alexa smart display with an 8.7-inch HD touchscreen, so you can see recipes, calendars and calls as well as hear them.
Who it's for: Buy it for the family kitchen, or for a mum or dad who loves a video call.
The facts that matter
- An 8.7-inch HD touchscreen with 15% more viewing area than Echo Show 8 (2023 release), and spatial audio.
- Video calls with a centred, auto-framing camera, 3.3x zoom and noise reduction.
- Recipes, calendars and shopping lists at a glance, a built-in smart home hub, and a photo frame when not in use.
Why it made the list: The screen gives you 15% more viewing area than Echo Show 8 (2023 release), with spatial audio too. Video calls look better with a centred, auto-framing camera, 3.3x zoom and noise reduction. It shows recipes, calendars and shopping lists at a glance, has a built-in smart home hub, and turns into a photo frame when not in use.
Worth knowing: A screen to stand on a counter or desk, not a portable speaker.
Check price on Amazon(paid link)