Houseplants have been a staple feature in our homes for decades, and these days, smart speakers are, too. While your Alexa and Aloe Vera serve very different functions, the two sideboard inhabitants actually have a closer link than you'd think, and that's because your Amazon Alexa device doubles up as a helpful houseplant assistant.

After teaming up with leading botanist James Wong, Amazon has upskilled Alexa's plant knowledge and launched new featured routines to help us care for our favorite foliage. Even the most experienced green-thumbs need a helping hand with their plant care from time to time, and there are myriad reasons for bad plant health, whether it's an inconsistent watering regime (that one's on you) or signs of a damaging leaf disease (for which you're probably not to blame).

Sometimes a little encyclopedic plant knowledge is all that's needed to remedy the problem and that's where your Alexa is here to help, all thanks to the introduction of some nifty new features. Here are four of the best Alexa skills to turn your Amazon device into a personalized houseplant care assistant.

1. Schedule watering regimes

We're all guilty of neglecting our watering regime every now and then, but if you're the type who needs a gentle reminder, why not ask your Alexa to give you a helping hand? Not only will your smart speaker inform you how often to water your houseplants, but it will schedule reminders too, so you never forget to feed your thirsty plants again.

As part of the new 'Plant Whisperer' routine introduced by the Amazon team, you can set up the feature in the Alexa app. If you want to take your plant parenting even further, you can also set up reminders to check on your houseplants - an especially pertinent task now that warmer weather is upon us.

'Alexa’s knowledge meets our love for plant care,' says Meryem Tom of Amazon Alexa. 'With the summer coming up, it’s the perfect time for our customers to have a play around with the new Alexa routine and level-up their plant care skills in the process.'

2. Whisper to your plants

While it might sound absurd, word within the botany community is that talking to your houseplants can actually boost their growth, and research shows that sound can have a positive effect on your plants. If you're a dedicated houseplant owner you might be doing this already (consciously or not), but if you don't have the time to chat to your greenery, you can ask Alexa to whisper positive affirmations to your plants instead.

To use the new feature, simply say, 'Alexa, be my plant whisperer' to hear your speaker whisper positive affirmations to your houseplants such as: 'Hi little plants, you're looking really green and groovy - I'm sending you good vibes to grow strong and healthy.'

It might sound unnerving, but psychologist Dr Sophie Mort says your indoor garden is bound to love it, plus the mindful action can have great benefits for us, too. 'Plant care is an incredible way to practice mindfulness,' she says. 'It creates feelings of comfort and relaxation as well as a sense of pride when we see the plants we tend to flourish.'

3. Answer your plant-care questions

We already know that Alexa has a wealth of encyclopedic knowledge that makes everyday tasks so much easier, but the Amazon team has recently improved the breadth of your smart speaker's houseplant expertise, too.

Alexa users can now ask over 35 new questions about their favorite house plants, including 'How much light does my Aloe Vera need?', 'How often should I water my cheese plant?' and 'How often do I repot my peace lily?'.

Depending on the answer, Alexa can also prompt you to activate a new featured routine that will create the optimum growing conditions for your potted pals. Next time you're wondering how to propagate your spider plant or which houseplants are best to clean the air, let your Alexa do the research on your behalf.

4. Activate smart grow lights

Many don't realize that Alexa devices are so much more than just a smart speaker. These clever little gadgets are compatible with innovative plugs, bulbs, and thermostats to make your space work smoothly and allow you to set up a smart home. One of the key ways that can benefit your houseplants is with an LED grow light, a piece of kit that can be especially important to your plants during the dark winter months.

With the help of a smart bulb (like this one from Amazon) or smart plug (like this one from Walmart), you can set your grow light to provide optimum light and temperature settings to keep plants alive and well when they need an extra helping hand. Simply ask your Alexa device to turn your grow light off or on, or set a timer routine so your light automatically turns on and off when you need it to.

FAQs

How do you turn on the new Alexa 'Plant Whisperer' routine?

Itching to set up your Alexa devices as a personalized plant care assistant? All you have to do is open the Alexa mobile app and select ‘more’ from the bottom navigation menu. From there, select ‘routines’ from the options then tap ‘featured’ from the sliding top menu. Next, select 'Plant Whisperer’ and choose the devices you wish to feature in the routine before hitting save. To get going with the routine, just say ‘Alexa, mind my plants' and she'll initiate your custom plan. Caring for your houseplants has never been easier, and it's all thanks to one of the best smart speakers on the market.

Our favorite houseplants

There’s still something magical about smart assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri. Being able to turn off the lights and change the temperature of your house with the power of your voice really doesn’t get old — especially if your bedroom light switch is far away from your bed, like mine.

But while smart assistants once lived in smart speakers and phones, Google and Amazon are increasingly pitching their smart screens — the Echo Show and Nest Hub — as the best way to enjoy them. 

So, should you upgrade to a smart assistant with a screen? Here’s what to consider before taking the plunge.

The reasons against

The first reason you may want to opt out is one of compatibility. If you’re an Apple household with a HomePod, you simply can’t upgrade to one with a screen at the moment — though the company is rumored to have plans to change that in the future. 

The second is that, bluntly, companies still don’t seem to have that many ideas of how to use the screen part of the smart speaker. Aside from being able to watch videos on them (more on that in a moment) integration tends to be companion graphics, like a week’s worth of weather forecast icons appearing when you ask if it’s raining. 

You also get things like the text of your voice commands appearing on screen, a digital clock, a list of upcoming diary appointments and a digital picture frame cycling through your snaps or other appealing vistas. This is all doubtless nice to have, but far from essential.

The problem with that is the money you’re spending on a largely superfluous screen is cash that isn’t being spent on the speaker part, which means weaker audio. To put it another way, if you have two smart speakers costing $100, one with a screen and one without, you can bet your bottom dollar that the latter will sound better than the former.

The reasons for

Despite these criticisms, I’ve reviewed a few smart screens over the years and eventually decided to permanently install a Nest Hub for my kitchen — a location where sound quality isn’t the be all and end all.

The reasons are twofold, but they both come down to video. A smart screen in the kitchen is incredibly valuable if you like to cook. Not only can you quickly get measurement conversions without washing your hands (“Alexa, how many grams in a cup?”) but you can ask for recipes directly, and the smart screen will bring up step-by-step guides or videos. No getting your cookery books dirty.

The second reason is that if I’m cooking something familiar, washing up or generally tidying the kitchen on autopilot — something that I spend several cumulative hours per week doing — it’s nice to be able to have a show on in the background. The Nest Hub’s tiny seven-inch screen might not match the IMAX, but it’s perfectly good for reruns of Modern Family and Frasier.

If that sounds appealing, my advice is to go Nest Hub over Echo Show here. While the latter is limited to Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Prime Video, the Nest Hub has Chromecast built in, letting you stream a lot more via your phone, from Disney Plus to Plex.

So, should I upgrade to a smart assistant with a screen? 

The long and short of it: it really depends on how you intend to use it. While I personally find the visual integration a bit lacklustre, you may really like it — especially if you have a packed digital diary and plenty of photos to cycle through. And if you want to watch videos or follow recipes in the kitchen, a smart screen is a great investment.

But if you really just want smart home voice controls and music playback then you’re better off buying a more expensive smart speaker, like the Apple HomePod or Echo Studio. 

If you have the budget for both, of course, then that’s the way to go to enjoy the best of both worlds. 

What Black Friday deals are there on smart assistants? 

When it comes to smart speakers, it's sometimes too easy to limit your thinking to Alexa and Google without looking at the bigger picture. While the smart speakers and displays from these brands are fantastic for most people, devices like the HomePod mini, from direct rival Apple, and the Sonos One, which features both of the aforementioned assistants, certainly give them a run for their money.

Both adding heaps of style and functionality to the conversation, we wanted to look at the key differences between what Apple and Sonos are offering, whether that's in their product line-up, audio quality, or pricing. If you want to know how they compare to other options available, check out our comprehensive guide on the best smart speakers.

Read on to find out which speaker has the most to offer and which one would suit your home the most.

HomePod mini vs Sonos One: Pricing

The original Sonos One (Gen 2) with voice control comes in at $220, which is admittedly steep for a smart speaker. If you don't care about having Alexa or Google Assistant built-in, you can save a few bucks with the Sonos One SL, which is priced at $199.99. You can read more about how the two speakers compared in our Sonos One vs Sonos One SL head-to-head.

Meanwhile, the HomePod mini is cheap in comparison at $99.99, with in-build Siri but no compatibility with Alexa or Google. The new, larger HomePod, which replaces the discontinued original, starts at $299.99 - significantly more than Sonos' most expensive smart speaker.

• Winner: HomePod mini

HomePod mini vs Sonos One: Design

Both Sonos and Apple are brands known for their sleek and modern design styles, and the HomePod mini and Sonos One speaker are great examples of that.

While Apple's HomePod 2 is much more similar to the Sonos One in appearance, The HomePod mini is - well - more mini. Smaller, shorter, and with a spherical design, it looks closer to an Echo Dot but with an LED screen on top. This doesn't display anything, as such, but it lights up when you alert Siri with a question or command.

The Sonos One is much larger and more square, but this, in theory, lends itself to clearer audio (we'll go into that next). It also comes in just black or white, whereas the HomePod mini is currently available in black, white, blue, orange, or yellow.

• Winner: HomePod mini

HomePod mini vs Sonos One: Smart Assistants

When comparing the Sonos One and HomePod mini on smart home compatibility, it's hard to discount the convenience of Sonos' offering having more than one assistant on board. The HomePod range is tied directly to HomeKit and Siri - Apple's smart home platforms, but Sonos has the benefit of being a third party to the smart home wars.

Though Apple recognizes how the widespread use of its other products, such as the iPhone, encourages customers to remain within the brand's product ecosystem. In order to fully utilize the potential of one product, it is often recommended to purchase additional ones. This is where HomeKit speakers, such as the HomePod and HomePod mini, are beneficial. 

As a user of iPhone, our experience with HomePod mini testing revealed that employing HomeKit was a seamless process that effectively unified our technology.

We generally conclude that HomeKit is the most suitable option for Apple users, particularly for those who have Apple Music subscriptions and Apple TV. However, it is important to note that HomeKit has a more limited range of products available. Additionally, currently, it has less third-party product compatibility, but this may change with the introduction of Matter.

The upside to Sonos, meanwhile, is the choice you have. Both Google Assistant and Alexa have a much more third-party-friendly ethos and work with most (if not quite all) smart home devices you may have around the home. The fact that you can choose makes the Sonos One even more appealing. 

• Winner: Sonos One

HomePod mini vs Sonos One: Audio quality

Typically, the sound quality of a smart speaker improves with a higher price tag. However, Apple has defied this norm with two impressive smart speakers that could be your home's primary listening device. Despite its compact size, the HomePod mini exceeded our expectations, and the latest HomePod (2nd Gen) produces even better results.

Meanwhile, the Sonos One benefits from its parent company being focused on outstanding sound quality above all else. The fact that the One SL can be sold without in-built smart assistant capabilities shows that it's a great audio device in its own right.

Both support Apple AirPlay, and can be paired with another speaker of the same type to create a bookshelf speaker-type stereo experience. Neither has an AUX input, but you can adjust EQ settings for both speakers.

• Winner: Sonos One

HomePod mini vs Sonos One: Our verdict

If you're looking for a solid high-end smart speaker, then the Sonos One and HomePod mini are both excellent choices. The speakers combine smart home control with impressive audio and a sleek design that looks great anywhere in the home. However, the HomePod mini wins out for affordability.

If you don't mind sacrificing Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility, and being limited to a much smaller pool of HomeKit-enabled devices, then we would highly recommend Apple's smaller speaker. However, if you'd rather have a little more freedom and don't mind paying a premium for it, then the Sonos One comes out top.

Streaming devices are one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to add convenience to your TV watching, adding dozens of streaming apps to any television for the price of takeout. But, as these streaming sticks have grown in popularity, so too has the choice on offer, and it can be hard to decide where your money's best spent.

We've spent years trying out these devices as they evolved from screen mirroring tools like the original Chromecast to the all-in-one entertainment enablers they are today. We're also intimately familiar with all of the different homepages and recommendation algorithms, and we definitely have our favorites.

Keep reading to see where the strengths and weaknesses of the big four - Apple, Roku, Google, and Fire TV - lie, and which one would be more suitable for you. If you want more, you can head to our guide to the best streaming devices.

What are the main streaming devices?

For the purposes of this article, we will include the biggest offerings from the four main streaming device brands - Google, Amazon, Roku, and Apple, which each have a range of products with different features and limitations.

Smart home compatibility

Google TV

Because of brand integration, the Chromecast with Google TV works well with Nest and Google Home products and even has the company's smart assistant built into the remote. This means you can use voice commands to control certain parts of your smart home, and if you have a Nest Doorbell, you can use your TV as an extra chime. Generally speaking, there is also good third-party compatibility with Google Home.

Amazon Firestick

The Firestick is similar to Chromecast in that it plays remarkably well with other Amazon and Alexa products, including Ring doorbells and Echo smart speakers. The remote also has Alexa built-in so that you can easily use voice controls, and you're able to pair the streaming device with any Echo speakers you have at home.

Roku

Roku is a slightly different proposition than the other three big streaming devices, as it doesn't have its own smart assistant to push. And so the Roku Streaming Stick 4K works with Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, and Alexa, making it perfect for any smart home setup you may already have. Note, however, that you may not get as smooth of an experience as you would with two devices belonging to the same brand.

Apple TV

Apple TV, of course, supports Siri and is generally speaking more limited in its smart home compatibility than the other big three. If you're already an Apple user and are familiar with Siri on your iPhone, then the streaming device is a great extension of this, but many third-party devices such as doorbells, security cameras, or even the best smart light bulbs aren't so friendly with Apple's ecosystem. 

Audio and visuals

Google TV

Google has the most limited range of products, with just the Chromecast 4K and Chromecast HD to choose from. The difference here is in the name, with the former offering a maximum of 2160p (4K) resolution and the latter going up to 1080p (Full HD). As for audio, it offers Dolby Atmos support.

Amazon Firestick

Amazon offers a much wider range of products than Google currently does, with the equivalent streaming stick (The Fire TV Stick 4K), offering 2160p (4K) resolution with Dolby Vision and HDR 10+ and support for Dolby Atmos surround sound.

Roku

Roku's mid-range option, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, offers similarly great visuals with 2160p (4K) resolution, available for $49.99. It does, however, lack Dolby Atmos support, offering DTS Digital Surround instead.

Apple TV

Apple TV 4K matches up to its competitors for audio and visuals, with the company's advanced tech also boosting the smoothness of app launches and navigation. It is, however, much more expensive than the other three options, with its cheapest product currently priced at $129.99.

Apps and navigation

Google TV

Google TVs interface is our favorite of the big four, as its aesthetic appeal is only boosted by the amount of information its algorithm is able to process about us. Unfortunately for those who are wary of an impending dystopian universe, Google has a lot of insight into all of us based on search preferences and what we've asked our Google Assistant, and it uses this to create a top-notch streaming experience.

Amazon Firestick

Amazon is similar to Google in the way it makes it easy for users to find the content they want to watch across various different apps. It does, however, have more of a bias toward Amazon Prime Video, pushing you to watch exclusives and rent or buy movies from the service. If you don't mind this, Prime TV add-on channels are a neat extra and good if you want these smaller services folded into one subscription.

Roku

Roku is the one streaming company that doesn't have a huge library of content to push, though the Roku channel is free and growing all of the time. The bigger difference in how content is displayed - or not displayed. Roku's home screen is made up of large tiles for your installed apps, and you will either have to enter each one individually or use the search function to find your fave TV show or film.

Apple TV

Apple TV's user experience is most similar to Fire TV's (read a thorough comparison in our Apple TV vs Firestick guide), with recommendations from across all of your apps, a bias towards Apple TV+, and the availability of add-on channels that can be paid for in one single payment. Apple TV+ is a smaller yet growing and well-regarded streaming service, but the presence of Apple Music and iTunes content makes for a huge potential library.

Our verdict

• If you want the best 4K visuals - the cheapest way to get 4K from your streaming stick is the Roku Express 4K+, priced at $39.99. Google and Amazon offer the same at $49.99.
• If you don't want to commit to one smart home - if you, like us, have a lot of different smart home devices and don't want your TV to be tied to just one hub, Roku offers a choice. Meanwhile, if you're already all-in on Google, Alexa, or Siri, we would recommend going for their corresponding streaming device.
• If you're a habitual scroller - if you find it hard to find something to watch in the evening, Google and Apple offer the best navigation experience, followed closely by Amazon. Roku is best for those who know what they want to watch (and where to find it).

Amazon currently has the widest array of smart speaker displays available to buy, so you'd be forgiven for wondering what something like the Echo Show 15 has to offer that's so different. Well, the biggest thing is its size - the picture-frame-shaped display is a whopping 15.6 inches, opening up many possibilities for its use in the home. Want an Alexa speaker? Check. Want to listen to a playlist while cooking? Check. Fancy watching something on Netflix? It can do that too.

We had the chance to test out the Echo Show 15 to see if it could live up to the promise of being a one-stop home management hub, alongside being able to answer our inane questions about transport and the weather. Take a look at our guide to find out more about how we rank the best Alexa speakers around right now, and read on to see if the biggest Echo Show gets our seal of approval.

Echo Show 15: Key info

• Voice assistant: Alexa
• Power: Plug-in
• Screen size: 15.6"
• Camera? Yes
• Dimensions: H15.8 x W9.9"
• Weight: 4.8lbs

Echo Show 15: Design

There's no denying that the Echo Show 15 looks great, with a hefty frame that makes it look more like a picture frame than an Amazon device. The modern look, 15.6-inch screen, and option to wall mount the display all make it one of the most design-friendly smart displays from the big players.

As said, the Echo Show 15 is designed to be wall-mounted, and a kit to do just that is included in the box. We were also provided with a stand, which was very easy to attach and allowed us to place it on a shelf in our kitchen (see the image above). We were surprised by how heavy the device was, however, so we advise you to consider carefully before picking the right spot.

All of this makes it less portable than many other smart displays, even when moving it from room to room. Don't let the tablet-like build fool you - the screen must be plugged in at all times and is a pain to move from room to room.

The display itself is a mixed bag. While it's lovely to have widgets that show you to-do lists, weather information, calendar events, and even post-it notes left for family members, this is more or less the limit of what you can include on the home screen. It's relatively attractive once you've played around with placement, but we expected slightly more.

Echo Show 15: Set-up and performance

Like other Amazon smart displays, the Echo Show 15 is designed to be a simple extension of Alexa's capabilities. Setting it up, then, was very simple, with only a few steps between unboxing and exploring the various menus and settings. We already had an Amazon account, and the Alexa app loaded on our iPhone, which made things very quick and easy.

After you connect the Echo Show to your home's WiFi network, it will walk you through a series of steps. Our device had to undergo a few updates before it was ready to use, but this took less than ten minutes overall.

There are as many customization options for the display as there are for any other Alexa-enabled device, so you can alter the display, the wake word (something to have fun with!), default music and video services, and alerts. We would recommend connecting as many apps as you're comfortable with to access calendar events (via Google Calendar) or playlists from your preferred service accessible.

You can use the Echo Show 15 in several ways. The first and most obvious one is as a handy at-a-glance home hub, where key reminders, upcoming events, smart home devices, and the outside temperature are easy to see. But others will want their smart display to be a secondary Fire TV, and that's also possible with access to streaming apps from Netflix, Hulu, and others.

This is where we grumble, however, as there is a definite bias from the speaker towards Amazon-branded services such as Amazon Music, Prime Video, and Amazon Podcasts, even if you've set default apps differently. For example, requesting a playlist while we cooked dinner just as often served us something from Amazon Music as it did from Spotify.

Once it got it right, though, the audio exceeded our expectations. Those who are fussy about their music will want to take advantage of the 2.5mm audio jack, but anyone else will be more than satisfied with the onboard speakers.

Echo Show 15 vs Echo Show 10

As the two most recent - and most expensive - Amazon devices, the Echo Show 10 and Show 15 have much in common. They also, however, differ significantly.

The biggest thing separating them is screen size, with the Show 15 boasting a 15.6-inch display compared to the Show 10's 10.1-inch screen. This isn't necessarily a positive or negative thing on its own, as some simply don't have the space to house a larger smart display.

The Show 15 is also much sleeker with a tablet-shaped design, while the Show 10 comes with a bulky speaker as its base. And while the Show 15 is designed to be wall-mounted, the Show 10 boasts rotating and following you around the room while on video calls.

Echo Show 15: Our verdict

The Echo Show 15 has the potential to be a game-changer for smart displays, catering to families who need a visual display to see what's going on in their busy lives. Combining this clever calendar aesthetic with the personal assistance that's always been available from Alexa makes for a very handy gadget, but some will want it to do more.

Still, this is an excellent showcase for Amazon's smart home efforts, and its ability to make controlling the home from one central location could save a lot of stress for a lot of households.

Poor quality audio is the bane of cheaper TVs, but short of investing in a new sound system (in which case, a new TV might serve you better), there are a few hacks for improving what your TV sounds like. 

For example, did you know that you can use your Alexa-packed Amazon Echo speaker with your TV? Assuming your TV is new enough to support Bluetooth, it’s possible and with the best Alexa speakers, the results can be a big improvement on the built-in speakers.

Here’s how to use your Amazon Echo as a speaker for your TV, but first… should you?

Should you use your Amazon Echo as a speaker for your TV?

The first thing to highlight is that not all Echo devices are created equal. While our  Echo Studio review found that the the $200 speaker will sound better than most TVs’ built-in sound (especially if paired with the optional $130 Echo Sub for deeper bass), the sound produced the $50 Echo Dot won’t offer much of an upgrade — if any at all.

Secondly, while you could connect older Echo devices with a wire (newer ones have ditched the 3.5mm audio jack), we’re going to be using the Echo’s Bluetooth connection here. This wireless solution can create problems with latency, where the audio is a bit behind the action on screen. Not ideal, though this can be mitigated if you use Fire TV for your streaming (more on that later). 

With these caveats in place, the good news is that the process of pairing your TV with an Echo is so quick and easy that it’s pretty trivial to try it out and see if it works for you. If it doesn’t, just disconnect it and look into the best soundbars you can buy instead.

How to use your Amazon Echo as a speaker for your TV

1. If not enabled by default, turn on Bluetooth on your TV. This will be somewhere in the settings menu, if it has it (most TVs made in the last few years support Bluetooth, but not all.)

2. Locate an option to connect Bluetooth devices on your TV. This will vary by manufacturer, but will likely also be in the settings.

3. Once you’ve found the option to connect Bluetooth devices, make sure your Echo speaker is near your TV and use the Alexa skill to connect to Bluetooth. Say “Alexa, connect Bluetooth”. It will say “searching”. 

4. At this point, the Echo should appear in the list of devices available to connect to. Select it on your TV.

5. Test to see if it’s working! Some TVs will play through both the built-in speakers and the Echo, while others will exclusively play via the Echo.

When your TV turns off, the Echo will disconnect, but it’ll automatically reconnect when you switch it back on. If you want to disconnect it and go back to your old setup or try something else, simply say “Alexa, disconnect”, and normality will be restored. Don't forget, you can also control your TV with Alexa, too, completing the circle. 

How to connect your Echo to Fire TV

Connecting your Echo to your TV should work reasonably well, but for optimal results you can also sync it to your Amazon Fire TV device, as both are made by Amazon. 

Assuming Fire TV is your preferred way of streaming shows, this is actually a better solution, because it connects via Wi-Fi to (theoretically) sidestep the latency issues we mentioned earlier. Here’s how to do it.

Alternatives to the Echo

Try it and see what you think, but as mentioned earlier, the Echo likely won’t be anywhere near as good as a wired, dedicated solution for your TV.

If you want something compact, then a soundbar offers a good trade-off between sound quality and space, but if you really want your home theater to sing, then you’re looking at a true surround sound setup. 

Whether it’s 5.1 or 7.1 (or even more complex), it’s a bit more work to get right, but for audiophiles, there’s simply no substitute.

When it comes to smart speakers, it's hard to deny that there are only a few key players. While Alexa and Google can easily be found either in Amazon and Google's own speakers and displays or within third-party products from the likes of Sonos, Apple's rival HomeKit has been available in just one speaker for more than a year. But the HomePod (2nd Gen) is coming, and it could make a splash. 

We thought this was a brilliant opportunity to dig into the differences between what HomePod and Alexa are offering, whether that's in their product line-up, audio quality, or pricing. If you're interested in how they stack up against all of the competition out there, take a look at our guide to the best smart speakers.

Read on to find out which brand has the most to offer, and which one would suit your home the most.

HomePod vs Alexa: Pricing

The cheapest Echo speaker is the Echo Dot (3rd Gen) at $39.99, but you can grab the 4th Gen and 5th Gen models for marginally more. If you want something that will pack more of an audio punch, the Echo Studio, for around $200, and Echo Dot variations for Kids and with Clock will set you back $59.99 at full price.

Meanwhile, the HomePod mini is relatively cheap at $99.99 but still costs more than even the latest Echo Dot at $49.99. The new HomePod, which replaces the discontinued original, starts at $299.99 - significantly more than Amazon's most expensive audio-only speaker.

One thing Amazon does offer over Apple's product line-up is smart displays, with four models currently available in various sizes. The smallest - the Echo Show 5 - costs just under $85, while the Echo Show 10 and Echo Show 15 both cost $250.

• Verdict: Amazon has much more affordable options, and more choice in each price bracket.

HomePod vs Alexa: Smart assistants

When looking at how Amazon's Alexa and Apple's HomeKit compare, it's hard not to come to a conclusion based simply on how ubiquitous one is over the other. The best Alexa speakers have become synonymous with the smart home, while HomeKit has languished behind with true embrace from Apple enthusiasts only.

But that crowd shouldn't be discounted, and Apple is aware that the popularity of its other products, like the iPhone, leads people to stay within the brand's product ecosystem. To use one to its full potential, it's often wise to buy more. That's where HomeKit speakers like the HomePod and HomePod mini come in. 

As an iPhone user, when testing the HomePod mini, we found that using HomeKit was a smooth experience that brought our technology together.

In our comparison of Alexa, HomeKit, and Google Assistant, we concluded that, for Apple users, including those with Apple Music subscriptions and Apple TVs, HomeKit is the best way to go. You just need to know you're being locked into a smaller product pool. HomeKit is also compatible with fewer third-party products right now (though Matter may change this).

The upside to Alexa, meanwhile, is the choice you have. As the leading smart home assistant, almost every third-party smart product will be compatible, including the best smart light bulbs, smart plugs, and more. Amazon also has its own suite of products such as Fire TVs, Ring doorbells and security cameras, and a greater selection of affordable speakers to link together across the home.

• Verdict: While Apple prioritizes quality over quantity in its products and ensures a smooth experience for users, Alexa gives customers much more choice and flexibility.

HomePod vs Alexa: Audio quality

The sound quality you'll get from a smart speaker often depends on how much you're willing to pay. While Sonos has been able to couple Alexa (and Google Assistant) integration with brilliant sound quality, most smart speakers aren't known for their high-quality audio.

That said, Apple has bucked against this assumption with two smart speakers that are good enough to be your home's main listening device. We were very impressed with the HomePod mini's abilities despite its size, and the newest HomePod (2nd Gen) promises to give even better results.

Alexa, meanwhile, is a smart assistant, first and foremost. Though the Echo and Echo Dot are improving all the time, audiophiles will want to go for the Echo Studio, which has adaptive spatial audio and an AUX input to connect other devices.

• Verdict: Apple's HomePod mini might be the cheapest smart speaker with high-quality audio, and for those willing to spend a bit more, the HomePod (2nd Gen) may be even better.

HomePod vs Alexa: Our verdict

The release of Apple's newest smart speaker has certainly put it in more direct competition with Amazon's Alexa, and it can't be denied that the tech giant is really, really great at certain things. Audio quality is superior for both its budget and premium speaker, and less compatibility has the side-effect of everything integrating in a seamless, user-friendly way.

However, as the differences between HomeKit and Alexa as smart assistants are trivial, it's really about the package they come in. Amazon simply gives the end user more choices, whether that's with its speakers or with the list of smart home products they can be used with. Smart displays are also a big bonus, and those looking to spend less than $100 will go for Alexa every time.

So, you want to set up a smart home, but don’t know where to start – we've all been there, and you have to start somewhere. We’re here to help, with some easy-to-follow steps to convert your house into a smart home.

Don’t feel you need to do everything in this list, or that you need to do it all in one go. You might not want a smart thermostat or smart locks, and that’s perfectly fine. The beauty of the smart home is that you can build it up at your own pace, and all but the foundational pieces of the smart home are entirely optional.

With that in mind, here are the ten steps to set up a smart home.

1. Fix WiFi notspots with mesh WiFi

It’s a bit boring when you’re itching to get your smart home off the ground, but the very first step is making sure your WiFi is up to scratch. Solid WiFi is the backbone of a smart home, and if you have WiFi not-spots in your home, you’ll want to fix them so every product can sync in harmony.

Note that WiFi doesn’t necessarily need to be super fast, but it does need to be reliable and reach every corner of your home. Consider investing in the best Wi-Fi extenders if that’s not the case.

2. Get voice controls

The thing that really makes a smart home sing (figuratively or literally) is by adding in one of the best smart speakers, like the Nest Audio or Amazon Echo. 

These brilliant devices not only function as radios and music players, but have built-in virtual assistants that can follow your voice commands, and control your smart home. Think “Alexa, turn off the living room lights” or “Okay Google, set the temperature to 68 degrees”.

As for which virtual assistant you should get, that really depends on you. Google Assistant is widely seen as the smartest and good if you use Google Calendar, but Alexa has the widest support and Amazon Echo products are usually the cheapest smart speakers thanks to Amazon’s big discounting power. If you’re all in on Apple devices, meanwhile, then the Siri-powered HomePod also makes some sense, even if it has the least support overall.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter too much, but it’s worth thinking about what you might connect next, because Ring is owned by Amazon, and Nest by Google. If you’re dead set on one specific product, it’s worth checking compatibility with the various assistants before you begin.

3. Add smart plugs everywhere!

It can be tempting to replace your old dumb tech with new smart versions, but that’s not completely necessary. Smart plugs — plugs with built-in WiFi or Bluetooth — can make any device seem smart, by only supplying power when you ask via app or voice, or even when scheduled for certain times of day.

The possibilities are endless, but here are a few uses for smart plugs to get you started. 

4. Sort your lighting

My favorite, most used smart home feature is my bedroom smart light. Being able to turn the light on or off from bed is not only neat in its own right, but has saved me from countless stubbed toes, given the light switch is all the way across the room.

The best smart light bulbs are not only controllable via Alexa/Google Assistant/Siri (it always pays to check), but can be set to millions of different colors too. Perfect for setting the mood for the kids’ story time, or movie night. 

5. Get a video doorbell and smart screen

Video doorbells are a big smart home favorite, letting you not only see who’s at the door (or loitering nearby) at any time via an app, but speak to guests when you’re not around. That’s useful both for deterring thieves and telling the delivery guy where to leave a parcel.

The best wireless doorbells really come into their own if you have a smart screen, which will show a live feed of the door whenever anyone presses the doorbell. 

(Note: This is one area where it pays to be brand loyal: if you’ve gone the Google Assistant route, you probably want a Nest Hello doorbell and a Nest Hub to monitor it. If you went with Alexa, you’ll want a Ring doorbell and Echo Show.) 

6. Up your security

Video doorbells only cover the front of your house, of course, but you don’t have to stop there. There are various indoor and outdoor smart cameras that will keep an eye on your property when you’re away, day or night thanks to built-in night vision.

The best wireless security cameras automatically respond to movement (and are smart enough to ignore pets) or sound, springing into life and uploading footage to the cloud, meaning intruders can’t easily cover their tracks. Most have a two-way mic, so you can even give a would-be burglar a piece of your mind, if you like!

7. Control the temperature

A smart thermostat is a very handy addition to your smart home. Not only can you set the temperature from your phone from anywhere in the world (neatly letting you warm up the house just in time for your arrival), but the best smart thermostats learn your behavior and predict when you might like things a bit toastier.

While initially a pricey addition to your smart home (you’ll want to get a professional to fit one, unless you’re handy with home electrics), smart thermostats can prove to be money savers in the long run — especially with energy prices at an all-time high.

8. Lock it up

Want to go key-free in 2023? Smart locks let you do just that, giving you access to your front door with an app, PIN or even a fingerprint. 

The advantages are clear: you never need worry about forgetting your key again, and the best smart locks also let you provide access to others, letting you grant temporary access to pet minders, guests and tenants without having to cut a new key.

There are pros and cons to smart locks, and they certainly aren’t for everyone. But if you find carrying keys everywhere an inconvenience… well, there’s a smart solution available.

9. Going more niche

Speakers, lights, cameras, locks and thermostats are the most popular smart home staples, but you don’t have to stop there, as manufacturers are constantly on the lookout for the next Internet-of-Things frontier.

That could be in the field of robotics: robot vacuum cleaners are getting better and better at staying on top of dust, and there are even robot lawn mowers too.

Or it could be in smart appliances. For the bathroom, how about a set of smart scales that automatically send your daily weigh-in to your phone? Or a smart mirror that will show your notifications so you never miss a beat?

Alternatively there are plenty of smart kitchen ideas, from dishwashers that’ll automatically push out the right level of detergent to fridges that’ll suggest meals based on the ingredients inside, while also keeping an eye on approaching expiry dates.

10. Get fancy with IFTTT

Once you have a number of connected devices in the same home, you can really begin to automate your life. While some devices will automate by themselves via learned behavior, connected sister devices or geofencing (i.e: detecting when you’re home via the presence of your smartphone), this can be just the beginning if you’re prepared to get into the weeds of automation.

IFTTT — or “If This Then That”, to use its full title — lets you programme certain smart home functions to automatically kick in when certain requirements are met. For example, you could make it so that your smartlights automatically turn on at sunset in your area, or make them flash when it starts to rain, when you get a text or even if someone messages you on Facebook.   

And that’s just smart lights! How about an IFTTT applet that automatically warms up your bed if things get too cold? Or one that turns on dry mode on an air conditioner if the humidity is too high?

You can make your own, and the only limit is your imagination and the sensors available. How about you create an applet where a smart plug only enables on sunny days when your solar panels are generating their own electricity?

How to set up a smart home: Conclusions

Again, you don’t have to do all of this. The real beauty of a smart home is that it can be as simple or as complicated as you like. But once the foundations are in place, you can build on it to your heart's content. 

And with all the big players like Apple, Google, Amazon and Samsung all putting their weight behind the Matter standard, it’s only going to get easier to build the smart home of your dreams in the years to come. Start today, and you’ll be ready for the next big smart home thing.

The responsibility of looking after ageing relatives is just a part of life, yet it's one that, arguably, hasn't kept up with advances in technology across the board. 

Amazon's idea, Alexa Together, is looking to change this, applying technical solutions to an age-old problem using existing Alexa compatible devices. Alexa Together can help to share care responsibilities for older and vulnerable people, and keep everyone in the picture, without infringing on your loved-ones privacy. Here's how it works. 

What is Alexa Together?

As the name suggests, Amazon’s virtual AI assistant Alexa is a key part of the company’s solution. It’s a subscription service that allows you and up to nine others to share a vulnerable friend or relative’s Alexa account, letting you keep tabs on what's happening in their homes, even if separated by hundreds of miles.

As well as introducing new Alexa skills alerting you to their general movements and routine so you can spot anything out of the ordinary, Alexa Together includes a dedicated 24/7 Urgent Response team, who can call emergency services if necessary.

Currently, it’s only available in the United States.

How much does it cost?

Alexa Together is a subscription service which costs $19.99 per month or $199 per year, plus any applicable taxes.

But that’s just the service cost. You’ll need at least one Echo, the cheapest of which available new is the third-generation Echo Dot (MSRP $40) but to get the full benefit of dropping in for video calls, you’ll need an Echo Show for both you and your loved one (between $85 and $250 depending on size). Note that Amazon is constantly discounting its products, especially around the holiday season, so it shouldn’t cost anywhere near this much if you’re savvy.

If you want fall detection alerts, you’ll need a compatible device. These include the $170 ATS SkyAngelCare pendant and a couple of $250 wall-mounted sensors.

How does Alexa Together work?

The main way Alexa Together works is by letting you and up to nine other people have access to a vulnerable person’s Alexa account. 

There are a few advantages to this. The first is that you can get a (very generalized) view of how they’re interacting with Alexa over the course of a day. This won’t tell you exactly what they’re up to for privacy reasons, but it will reassure you that they’re up and about, whether they’re using their Echo to listen to music, check the weather or turning on issuing smart home commands.

Cleverly, you can also make the absence of activity something to look out for, with the Alexa app letting you receive a notification with the opportunity to drop in on their Echo for a check-in chat if no activity is detected at expected hours. 

Those are the passive peace-of-mind perks, but you can also use Alexa Together to make a proactive difference in the lives of the owner. With Remote Assist, you or another helper can assist from your own home, setting reminders to take pills, or adding items to shopping lists, for example.

The thing that really commands the premium price is the 24/7 Urgent Response team. If the owner is in trouble at any point, they can simply say “Alexa, call for help” and a nearby Echo will instantly connect them to trained agents who can offer assistance, no matter what the emergency. 

They could call 911, of course, but Alexa can’t do that, and this offers a hands-free way of getting instant assistance. It will also send helpers a notification and let them know when the call is complete so they can drop in on their Echo to find out what’s happened.

Finally, there’s fall detection. Unlike the other features, this needs something else — one of a handful of supported devices from Vayyar, SkyAngelCare or AltumView. If these connected devices detect trouble, they will call the aforementioned Urgent Response team without further intervention, getting help for more serious accidents where the owner can’t call for help with their voice.

Any drawbacks?

The main issue with Alexa Together is that it needs the person being monitored’s willingness to engage with the virtual assistant — something that is by no means guaranteed. If the friend or relative can’t or won’t engage with Alexa, then much of the peace of mind is lost, as you can’t see that they’re up and about. 

Fortunately, the month’s free trial should give you enough time to figure out whether it is for you, though that does of course require at least one Echo device. Plus, to get the most out of it, you need extra smart home devices to get a full picture of the person’s life — something that is rather handy to Amazon’s overall aim of selling products. Indeed, you probably want an Echo in most rooms, just so they can always be heard if they need to say “Alexa, call for help.”

On the note of extras, for fall detection to work, you’ll need to buy a compatible wearable and these can be pricey, ranging from $170 for a pendant to $250 for a camera sensor. The latter is only useful for one room, so the cost can easily spiral.

It’s also worth remembering that these fall alerts require the owner to be in range of the Echo — if they’re in the garden, at the shops or otherwise away then Alexa won’t be letting you know anything’s wrong. Equally, because Echos don’t have a cellular connection, if the WiFi goes down, then you’ll also be left out of the loop.

Still, the thing to remember with these negatives is that Alexa Together, at $19.99 per month or $199 per year (plus tax), is far cheaper than true dedicated medical alert systems. And a flawed solution is arguably better than nothing. 

Final thoughts

Alexa Together is certainly an interesting proposition, and a (relatively) cheap way for families to stay in touch with distant relatives, even if geography separates them.

But despite Amazon’s efforts to make Alexa intuitive, it’s still not for everyone, and Alexa Together relies on the vulnerable individual embracing the slightly odd 21st century world of an always-listening device in their home. Not everyone will be.

Still, if you have ageing relatives who are open to the idea of smart-home life, and you can afford the monthly cost, then at the very least it’s worth signing up for the free trial. Worst case scenario: you’ll be taking advantage of Amazon’s 30-day return policy on the Echo.

Should you upgrade to an Alexa Voice Remote Pro? It’s not the most glamorous of the products Amazon unveiled at its September event — that would be the stylus-toting Kindle Scribe or the Halo Rise sleep tracker — but it may be the most useful if you’re a self-confessed TV addict with a Fire TV device at your beck and call.

But given that Amazon's Fire TV devices, like the Fire Stick, come with a remote control, do you really need to replace it at extra expense? 

This guide will outline the differences, so you can decide whether or not it’s worth upgrading to an Alexa Voice Remote Pro or not.

What is the Alexa Voice Remote Pro?

The Alexa Voice Remote Pro adds a handful of new features to the familiar, functional Alexa Voice Remote, which we’ll get on to in a moment. 

It does this without adding too much to the price: the Alexa Voice Remote Pro will set you back $35 — just $5 more than a replacement Alexa Voice Remote or Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote, should you misplace yours or have it stop working suddenly. 

Yet despite this small price discrepancy, no Amazon devices currently come with the Alexa Voice Remote Pro in the box. For whatever reason, Amazon sees this is an upgrade, which is a bit of a pain as it means you’ll have a spare remote after you’ve made the switch.

So, with that in mind, is it worth upgrading to the Alexa Voice Remote Pro?

How is the Alexa Voice Remote Pro, pro?

Like the regular Alexa Voice Remote, the Pro version lets you control your Fire TV device via your voice with a press of the Alexa button. It also has the same dedicated power, volume and mute buttons, and even includes the Channel buttons for live TV found on the Fire TV Alexa Remote.

Alongside this shared, core functionality, it adds four very welcome upgrades that more than justify the extra $5 price.

1. Remote finder 

Firstly, forget about losing it behind the couch. The Alexa Voice Remote Pro comes with a built-in finder. Just make sure your Fire TV device is on, and say “Alexa, find my remote” to an Alexa-compatible device (an Echo, your phone or maybe your TV) and a built-in speaker will emit a loud ring so you can track it down (as long as it’s within 30 feet of the Fire TV).

2. 1 and 2 buttons 

Secondly, as well as dedicated buttons for four main streaming services (Prime Video, Netflix, Disney Plus and Hulu in the US), Amazon has left two buttons that you can programme yourself, labelled ‘1’ and ‘2’. 

You could just attach these to another streaming service like HBO Max, but nothing is stopping you from getting a bit creative as these can be programmed to map any Alexa skill or command, saving your voice. 

If you have a smarthome routine set up to dim the lights for movie night, you could have that. Or you could bring up a feed from your Ring doorbell if you have one. Whatever you want the buttons to do, it’s your choice.

3. Backlit buttons

If you do watch movies in the dark, or in your very own home theater set up, you’ll also appreciate that the Alexa Voice Remote Pro introduces backlighting to the buttons. No more awkwardly squinting to make out what you’re pressing — the lights kick in as soon as you pick up the remote in a dark room.

4. Headphone output

Finally, there’s a button in the top-right-hand corner with a picture of some headphones on it. Pressing this brings up an on-screen Bluetooth menu, so you can quickly output to your headphones.

What’s it compatible with?

The Alexa Voice Remote Pro works with recent Fire TV products — pretty much anything released in the last eight years. But here’s a full list of products to compare against.

• Fire TV Cube (3rd Generation)
• Fire TV Cube (2nd Generation)
• Fire TV Stick 4K Max
• Fire TV Stick 4K
• Fire TV Stick (3rd Generation)
• Fire TV Stick (2nd Generation)
• Fire TV Stick Lite
• Fire TV (3rd Generation, Pendant Design)

Outside of Fire TV, it also works with a smattering of Smart TVs which happen to have Fire TV built-in, namely:

• Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED Series
• Amazon Fire TV Omni Series
• Amazon Fire TV 4-Series
• Toshiba Smart 4K UHD TV - Fire TV
• Toshiba Smart HD 1080p TV - Fire TV
• Toshiba Smart 4K UHD with Dolby Vision - Fire TV
• Insignia Smart 4K UHD TV - Fire TV
• Insignia Class F20 Series Smart HD 720p - Fire TV

Note, however, that Amazon’s product doesn’t have the four colored buttons that are commonplace on smart TV remotes. If you use these to control certain apps, then it likely won’t be a full-time replacement for your television’s bundled remote.

Final thoughts

The Alexa Voice Remote Pro offers a solid set of upgrades that are well worth the money if you’re looking to replace your busted or lost Voice Remote. But while the improvements are undoubtedly nice, there’s no must-have features to make it an essential upgrade for everyone.

Hopefully Amazon will start bundling it with its higher-end Fire TV products in future because it makes streaming a lot more comfortable. But for now, it’s simply a nice upgrade for the TV obsessive.

Amazon Alexa speakers are now a staple in many households, and for good reason. From making shopping lists to controlling your lighting, we all know how useful smart speakers can be, but did you know that there are some clever Christmas-related skills that you can ask your Alexa to help you get in the festive spirit? 

Be it the Echo Dot or the Show, the best Alexa speakers are all about making daily tasks a little bit simpler, but they can also help to introduce some fun to the home. Never was that more true than during the run-up to Christmas. Besides Alexa's regular skills, there are a whole host of festive hacks that you can ask your speaker in preparation for the big day. To learn more, we asked some tech experts to reveal the best Christmas-related skills that you should be asking your Alexa right now. 

What are the best Christmas-related Alexa skills?

1. Control your Christmas lights

We're kicking off with one of the most clever festive skills you can ask your Alexa to help you with: controlling your Christmas lighting. Named the Holiday Home Decorations feature, it allows users to turn their lights on and off in sync with classic Christmas songs such as ‘Jingle Bells’ or ‘Silent Night’. 'The feature also includes fun animations that light up during certain words in each song and will even react when you clap or shout "Ho ho ho",' explains tech expert, Dylan Kaplan, blogger at Enjoy Machine Learning. 

In order to use this feature, you'll need to have smart light bulbs installed in your home, or a wi-fi plug that's compatible with Alexa. 'I just set up my own Alexa-enabled Christmas lights using a TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug with Alexa,' explains  John Lemley, Owner and Founder of Ofzen and Computing. 'To set up your own, simply plug in the smart plug and connect it to the same Wi-Fi network as your Alexa device. Once connected, enable the “Kasa Smart” skill on your Alexa app, and you’re ready to go.'

2. Get a Christmas countdown 

We'd be lying if we still don't get excited about the countdown to Christmas. To keep the enthusiasm for Christmas alive throughout a long, cold December, one of the best Alexa skills for the festive season involves using your device as an advent calendar with a daily Christmas countdown.  

'To get started, simply say: “Alexa, how many days until Christmas?” and you’ll get the answer right away,' says Michael Xavier, a smart home automation expert and founder of tech blog, Insider Techie. The best part of Alexa's Christmas countdown? Every day, your device will play you a new message from Santa Claus! 

3. Send Christmas greetings to loved ones

In most cases, nothing compares to a Christmas card - unless, perhaps, a personalized voice message played through your Alexa device.  

'If you’re looking for an easy way to send holiday greetings, consider using the Alexa Drop-In feature,' says John. 'With this, you can quickly and easily send audio messages directly to your family members and friends via their Echo devices or even through the Alexa app. To set up Drop-In, simply open the Alexa app and select “Drop-In” from the left navigation menu.' 

The Drop-In feature not only works with devices within the same household, but devices outside your home too, just as long as the contact on the other end has given you permission from their Alexa app.

4. Play Christmas trivia 

Christmas is all about coming together as a family. While this may traditionally mean gathering around the dining table to play a board game, you can use your Alexa to play some fun Christmas-themed games (perfect for when you can't find the dice!)

A game that all the family can enjoy is Holiday trivia, a game where Alexa asks you a list of challenging questions about the festive season. To set up the skill, visit your Alexa app and select “Trivia” from the left navigation menu. From there, you can create your own questions and answers and start playing.

'You can find a variety of other fun and interactive Christmas-themed games in the Alexa Skill store such as “Name that Carol” or “Christmas Spelling Bee",' says John. 'To access these skills, simply open the Alexa app and select “Games & Trivia” from the left navigation menu.'

5. Track your Amazon gift purchases

Keeping track of all the Christmas gifts you ordered online can be tricky, especially if you splurged in the Black Friday sales! Luckily, your Alexa speaker will have a built in function to let you know when your parcels from Amazon are arriving, with regular updates too. If you're wondering why your Alexa is flashing yellow, this might be why.

'This is a great way to keep track of all the gifts you’ve purchased for the holidays,' says John. 'With the Amazon Shopping List, you can easily add new items to your list with voice commands like “Alexa, add a gift for Uncle Bob to my shopping list”. You can also view and manage your list through your Alexa app or even on the web.' 

Those familiar with an Alexa device will know that this feature is actually available all year round. There is a clever Christmas skill this time of year though. During the holiday season, your Alexa won't read out the contents of your packages so the presents you've ordered stay a surprise for inquisitive kids (and grown-ups!). 

6. Ask Alexa to read your a festive story 

Who doesn't love a good heart-warming tale at Christmas time? Well, Alexa can help you out with some light family entertainment. 

'One of Alexa’s best festive features, and one of my personal favorites, is she has a plethora of seasonal stories that she can share with you and your family, as well as fun facts about Santa Claus and his helpers,' explains Dylan. Each story only lasts a few minutes, and many of them are told by Santa himself! Just use the command: "Alexa, tell me a Christmas story". 

7. Get inspired with Christmas recipe suggestions

If you're turkeyed-out after Thanksgiving, you might want to try something a little different for Christmas day. Let Alexa be your sous-chef by asking her to inspire you with delicious festive dishes. Simply ask Alexa for some Christmas recipes. She'll even offer to put the groceries on your shopping list, too!

Alexa, show me an Amazon smart speaker that looks and sounds a bit like a Sonos one.

That’s pretty much what you get with the Echo Studio, the new smart speaker that Amazon is describing as its “best-sounding smart speaker.”

All your favorite Echo features are still here – not least combining Alexa and that telltale LED ring. But it's the Echo Studio’s premium audio features, including room adaptation and Dolby Atmos compatibility, that promise to power Amazon right to the canopy of the best smart speaker market. We got hands-on with the Echo Studio to find out whether the speaker lives up to its stellar potential.

Read on to learn what we thought about the speaker – and if you’d be interested in a simpler, sleeker Amazon smart speaker with a beautiful LED display, check out our review of the new Amazon Echo Dot with Clock smart speaker too. As always, shop the Amazon sale for deals!

Echo Studio: Key info

• Smart platform: Alexa
• Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth connectivity with some Bluetooth speakers, 3.5mm input, optical input (used for Dolby Atmos)
• Power: Mains
• Dimensions: 20.6 x 17.5 x 17.5cm
• Weight: 3.5kg

Echo Studio: Design

In our view, the Echo Studio has an inoffensive – and ultimately, uninspiring – aesthetic. It’s a smooth, mesh-covered cylinder with just a handful of manual buttons on the top of the device: volume up and down, mic on/off, and an action button. The most interesting design elements at play are the multi-colored LED status ring at the top of the speaker and the gap between the bass driver and the base of the device.

Despite its unassuming style, the Echo Studio is pretty in-your-face. It requires quite a lot of space – above and beyond its 17.5 cm-diameter footprint.

With four speaker cones positioned around its cylindrical form (as well as a downward-facing bass driver), the Echo Studio requires at least 15 cm of clearance around its circumference in order to sound its best.

So, the size and speaker layout of the Echo Studio demand space and prominence wherever you place it. If you’re happy for the speaker to be a focal point, you could keep it on a coffee table or kitchen island. Or, for a more low-key presence, you could place the Echo Studio on a suitably deep shelf – perhaps within a spacious alcove, if you have one.

On a more positive note, the Echo Studio should almost always sound at its best wherever you find a space for it. This is thanks to the speaker’s automatic room adaptation, which uses the Echo Studio’s microphones to assess the acoustics of the room, and then tweak the speaker’s audio filters to achieve its ideal sound quality.

The Echo Studio comes in two colorways – Charcoal and Glacier White – which gives you a little extra sway over how the speaker plays into your interior.

Echo Studio: Set-up

Considering its generous connectivity and rich array of features, the Echo Studio is remarkably easy to set up.

We had our review unit up and running within a few minutes of removing it from its packaging. In order to use the speaker as intended, you’ll need to connect it to your WiFi and the Amazon Alexa app on your smartphone. It’ll take a little while to set up the different aspects of the Alexa smart assistant – including your location, linkage with any music accounts or smart home products you’d like to use with the speaker, and permissions for other members of your household to use the account. Every step of setup is clearly orchestrated by the Alexa voice assistant via the speaker.

The Echo Studio doesn’t need to be used in isolation. For an even more immersive sound, one of these speakers can be grouped with other Echo devices or third-party Bluetooth speakers connected to your Amazon Alexa app.

Echo Studio: Performance

What sets the Echo Studio apart from other Amazon Echo models is the power and quality of its audio output. When listening to music from Spotify and TuneIn radio, we were impressed with the speaker’s dynamics – the contrast between loud and quiet moments – and the separation of frequencies, which helped the different instruments in songs to stand out from each other.

One of the Echo Studio’s headline innovations is its use of ‘3D spatial audio’, which basically means that it assesses the acoustic character of the room and refines its output to create a surround-sound effect. In our testing, this effect was clearly evident. The speaker consummately filled any room we placed it in with its distinctive, ear-enveloping sound.

Those who like plenty of choice over how they listen to their music, podcasts, audiobooks, TV audio, or whatever else will be pleased with the Echo Studio’s inclusion of a wired AUX input, where you can plug in a 3.5mm cable to play music from any compatible source you like. There’s also an optical input, which will come in handy if you’re going to use the Echo Studio with a TV that features Dolby Atmos surround sound.

Another facet of the Echo Studio is that it’s really quite loud, with up to 330W of power behind its speakers. The upper reaches of the speaker’s volume settings would be ideal for house parties or listening to music really loud if that’s your jam. We thought that the speaker sounded its best around the middle of its volume range, with superb detail and clarity at moderate levels.

In terms of smart assistant functionality, the Echo Studio did an amazing job of picking up our voice commands from around the house – and it was effective at answering those queries, too. If we were going to be hyper-critical, we’d say that Alexa’s responses arrived just a smidgeon slower than they do from some of the brand’s other Echo speakers.

Echo Studio: Our verdict

If you admire the best Alexa speakers for their smart assistant capabilities but just wish that they sounded richer and more powerful, the Echo Studio could be a good choice for your home. It really is a step up from any other Amazon speaker in terms of audio quality. And if you want a smart speaker that you can use with a TV featuring Dolby Atmos, this speaker is one of the best options out there – at least if we don’t include soundbars.

With that said, we have some reservations about the Echo Studio. Its powerful bass can sound over the top, and the style and size of the speaker will give some buyers an interior design headache. These factors kept the Echo Studio from getting a very high Livingetc rating – but that doesn’t mean to say it won’t suit your taste perfectly.

For those of you who want a smart speaker that’ll be an ideal houseguest and life organizer, we’d like to introduce you to the fifth generation of Amazon’s affordable option, the Echo Dot with Clock. 

The speaker is about the size of a grapefruit – and it looks suitably sharp, with a stylish digital display and a pleasing spherical silhouette. You can use it to control smart home appliances, listen to music, read the time, and tap into thousands of other Alexa capabilities. 

Keep reading to find out how the speaker stood up to our detailed testing, or see our guide to the best Alexa speakers to scope out our favorite alternative products at a range of price points.

Echo Dot (5th Gen) with Clock: Key specs 

Smart platform: Alexa

Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth connectivity with some Bluetooth speakers

Power: mains-powered (15W) 

Dimensions: 100 x 100 x 89mm

Weight: 349g 

How does the Echo Dot (5th Gen) with Clock fit in around the home?  

The Amazon Echo Dot with Clock looks superb and takes up very little space while it’s at it. Whether you place it on a bedside table, kitchen counter, shelf, or pretty much any other surface around the home, the speaker is a neat, unobtrusive addition that plays audio, responds to voice queries, and links up effectively to other smart home devices.

There’s a friendliness to this smart speaker – a cheekiness and a charm that might make you believe the device really is animated by a certain intelligence.

We were particularly impressed with the speaker’s cyber-chic LED clock display, which dynamically spells out characters in 24 bright, blocky pixels. As well as telling the time, the display also scrolls through songs and artist names while the speaker plays music and shows a weather symbol to save you the trouble of glancing out the window. It feels a bit like having a little Times Square in your home.

Also worthy of a lingering glance is the funky LED strip around the base of the speaker, which flits between various colors – blue, red, orange, purple, yellow, and green – to indicate the Echo Dot’s status. If you’re anything like our reviewer, you’ll never commit the meanings of these colors to memory, but it’s an eye-catching touch nonetheless. If you’d rather not see the light strip at night, you can turn it off using the speaker’s Do Not Disturb mode, which can be configured in-app. 

As the Echo Dot with Clock is mains-powered, you’ll probably want to find a neat solution for stowing the power cable. Placing the speaker on a surface that has countertop plug sockets could help, or you could feed the wire through a hole and plug it into a concealed socket. 

Echo Dot (5th Gen) with Clock: Set-up

In order to use this smart speaker, you’ll need to set up the Amazon Alexa app on your smartphone and connect both devices to your WiFi. 

As tends to be the case with smart speakers, there’s a fair bit of configuration to do here – things like adding family members to your user account, linking up your chosen music service(s), and teaching the Alexa smart assistant how you tend to pronounce certain phrases. It’s all worthwhile in order to get the full benefit of the speaker’s excellent capabilities.

If you want to expand the range of Alexa’s listening capabilities or a bigger sound, you can sync up the Echo Dot with Clock with other Amazon smart speakers.

Echo Dot (5th Gen) with Clock: Performance

In terms of smart assistant functionality, the Echo Dot with Clock is one of the best smart speakers in the biz. 

The speaker’s onboard Alexa smart assistant answers query remarkably quickly, and the responses are often impressively on-the-money. In our testing,  Alexa proved to be a good listener, rarely unable to understand our commands and a good orator with extremely clear diction. 

We were impressed with the Echo Dot with Clock’s ability to hear voice commands at a distance, sometimes when competing with background noise. It was possible to complete commands from separate rooms of the house, several meters away from the speaker. 

If you’re not keen on Alexa’s default voice, you can choose from several other voices in the app. Some male options are included, which is good news for users who feel uncomfortable about telling a representation of a woman what to do all day. 

There are just four buttons on the Echo Dot with Clock itself: a multi-purpose ‘Action’ button, volume up; volume down; and a microphone mute button. These controls are placed slightly towards the rear of the sphere – a good design choice that leaves a pleasing space around the LED clock display. If you’re going to keep the speaker on a high shelf, just be aware that you may need to lift it down when you want to use the on-device controls. In our experience, the speaker’s voice commands worked so well that we never needed to use these old-fashioned buttons, anyway. 

As an alarm clock, the Echo Dot is perhaps dangerously simple-to-use. It only takes a light tap on the top of the speaker to snooze your alarm. A dot to the bottom-right of the clock display lets you know when you have an alarm set for some time in the next 24 hours.

Echo Dot (5th Gen) with Clock: Audio performance

Taking its price into consideration, the Echo Dot with Clock has no business sounding as good as it does. What it does particularly well are separate higher and lower frequencies. The bass is punchy, the treble is luxuriantly clear. We found that the speaker is particularly good at representing the human voice: fine for music, great for podcasts, radio, and smart assistant answers. 

The Echo Dot with Clock’s audio quality compares favorably to other affordable smart speakers. It’s a cut above other options we’ve tested from Amazon and key rival Google, but understandably below the level of higher-end options like the Marshall Stanmore II Voice. The character of the sound is reminiscent of Ultimate Ears’ more compact models, such as the Wonderboom series.

On the whole, the Echo Dot with Clock performed reliably during our testing. The only exception was when it crashed, just once, during setup. Even then, it was back up and running within a minute.

Echo Dot (5th Gen) with Clock: Our verdict

Smart speaker tech has always promised a lot. Through the 5th-gen Echo Dot with Clock, Amazon has finally delivered on the technology’s potential with a great-sounding, character-rich smart speaker that works nearly flawlessly and doesn’t break the bank. If you’re looking for an audiophile listening experience, you’ll need to look higher upmarket – but in all other regards, we can hardly imagine a better gadget to help around the home than the Amazon Echo Dot with Clock (5th gen.). We don’t hand out five-star reviews like confetti, but this speaker sparkles.  

Should you invest in an Amazon Echo Show 15? Deciding which home assist device is best for you isn't always easy. With so many options on the market, it's hard to know which one is best suited to you and your family's needs. And, with our money being stretched further than it has in a long time, we want to be sure our purchases are worth the investment. 

The Amazon Echo has proven to be one of the best smart speakers on the market, but its cousin, the Echo Show, may have even more to offer. More than just a speaker, this line of clever gadgets has a touchscreen display that can also be controlled by the voice assist function (known as Alexa), making it perfect for conducting video calls and meetings.

Released in December 2021, the Amazon Echo Show 15 is the most recent smart display from the tech giant, following the Echo Show 10. It has a 15.6-inch HD screen and a 5-megapixel camera and is compatible with all your favorite streaming services. But is it worth its $249.99 price tag? With the help of some tech experts, we investigated. 

What is the Amazon Echo Show 15 and how much does it cost? 

Part of the Amazon Echo smart speaker family, the Echo Show 15 is a home assistant that, as the name suggests, features a display screen. This allows you to browse the web, stream video content, and make video calls, all of which can be done using the voice activation feature, Alexa. 

The Amazon Show 15 is the company's largest screen display compared to the earlier Show models (the original, the 5, the 8, and the 10). It's shaped like a picture frame and hangs on the wall or is supported on a stand, making it a great household hub in the living room or kitchen. 

The Echo Show 15 is available on Amazon for $249.99, and we think it's one of the best Alexa speakers for modern family life. The screen display is perfect for watching TV while preparing a meal in the kitchen or making video calls to distant relatives from your living room sofa. 

How does the Echo Show 15 differ to the Echo Show 10?

When it comes to specifications, the Amazon Show 15 has all the regular features of previous Show models and is compatible with the best Alexa skills, as well as some handy new ones. 

'The smart speaker is designed to be used hands-free, and it can be controlled with voice commands or via the touchscreen and activated through facial recognition,' explains Jeroen van Gils, tech expert and CEO of LiFi. 'Built-in speakers and a microphone make it useful for making calls or playing music, and the device comes with Amazon's Alexa assistant pre-installed, which can be used to access information, control smart home devices, and more.'

The main difference compared to its predecessor, the Show 10, is its screen size. The Show 15 has a 15.6-inch HD screen compared to the Show 10's 10.1-inch screen, which gives it the advantage of being seen from a further distance. 

There are other additional features, too. As Jeroen points out, the Show 15 can be used as a digital photo frame as this model is the only version that can be mounted to the wall. 'The Echo show 15 also comes with more widgets than other echo show devices, giving you more options for customizing your home screen,' explains Daniel Neale, founder of Gadget FAQs.

But it's not without its downsides. For starters, the camera in the Echo Show 15 is less advanced than the one used in both the Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 10. It uses a 5-megapixel sensor compared to the 13 mega pixel cameras on the other two devices. The Echo Show 10 also had motorized tracking, allowing the camera to follow you around the room while on a video call, something the Show 15 lacks. Compared to the regular Amazon Echo and Echo Dot speakers - and the Show 10 - the sound quality is poorer, too. 

Should I invest?

So, should you invest in the Amazon Echo Show 15? Due to its size, we think this device is perfect for those who want a home assist hub but have a larger home. Whether you're watching your favorite cooking program while preparing dinner or on a conference call from your home office, the large display allows you to see a much clearer picture, even from across the room. 

If you lack space, the wall-mounted design, which works both horizontally and vertically, also offers you the advantage of having more space on your surfaces. That said, if camera resolution and sound quality are your priorities, you might be better off with the Echo Show 10, available on Amazon.

The Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd generation)  isn't my first Alexa speaker, but it is my favorite that I've tried so far. Fair enough, I'm probably the exact buyer that Amazon had in mind when designing its kitchen-friendly display because I'm the Small Appliance and Cookware Editor on the LivingEtc team. That means I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, but my hands are often too sticky from handling bread dough to skip forward on my playlist or scroll to see the next step of my recipe. Enter the Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd generation), which has in-built connectivity to a selection of cooking sites and can suggest and walk you through recipes hands-free. 

Other perks include the high-quality in-built speaker, which paired beautifully with my Spotify account to bring me all my favorite playlists and podcasts on rotation, and the screen that follows you around the room. This won't be a feature for everyone, because it's a little unnerving to know that your Echo can not only see you but follow you as you go from the stove to the sink. However, there is a shutter that can cover the camera if you are put off by this, and if you leave the camera on while you're out of the house you can even check in to make sure that you didn't leave the stove on. Not only is it a real contender for the top spot in our guide to the best Alexa speakers, but it can also double as a security system.

Amazon Echo Show 10: specs

• Screen: 10.1” with 1280 x 800 resolution
• Camera: 13 MP with auto-framing
• Dimensions: 9.9”W x 9”H x 6.7”D
• Wireless: No
• Orientation: Landscape
• Color: White or Charcoal
• RRP: List Price: $249.99 / £239.99

Getting set up 

As with all Amazon brand products (I've tried my fair share) the Amazon Echo Show 10 comes efficiently packaged and with minimal single-use plastic. The box was lightweight and the speaker was very easy to get started. I simply plugged it in on my kitchen island and got to work setting up the camera. It needs to be in a permanent spot in your kitchen so it knows exactly where it can and can't follow you, and if it bumps into any fruit bowls or toaster ovens the screen will refuse to move until you reset it, so keep that in mind. 

It's a good thing to know if you're nervous about your speaker knocking over a bottle of oil or bowl of salt but if, like me, you spend a lot of time moving appliances around your kitchen it could get annoying. I suspect that the speaker is designed with larger (or, admittedly, less cluttered) kitchens in mind, but because I use my kitchen island to test appliances as well as to prepare food I had a few clashes when making the Amazon Echo Show 10 work in my space. 

The screen can be used to watch Prime Video, Netflix, or Hulu, and while it still has an emphasis on voice control I found that the touch controls were very useful for scrolling through to select a playlist or TV show to have on in the background. Although there is a fair amount of glare, the screen itself is very good quality and works well as an alternative to having a TV in the kitchen or streaming video on your smartphone. 

My main gripe is that there's no YouTube app, meaning I couldn't fully take my phone out of the rotation when I wanted to stream some of my favorite creators. 

Main features

The main selling point of the Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd generation) is the HD screen that moves with you. It won't be for everyone, but I think it's a great feature. If you're on a video call or if you're moving around your space while trying to watch a show or read a recipe, it will instantly respond to your movements with a silent motor that will travel up to 360 degrees. 

Another key selling point is the in-built connectivity to recipe sites. Because I tested in the UK I was working largely with BBC Good Food, but users in the US will find that asking Alexa for a pancake recipe will bring up suggestions from the Food Network, Tasty, Allrecipes, and more. And if you're not in the mood for cooking, it can order you food from Amazon Fresh or even a takeout from Domino's. 

The recipe function made a massive difference in my life. I no longer had to keep going back to my phone to see the next step of my recipe, I could just ask Alexa to read it to me. It was also useful to be able to check on quantities, ingredient lists, or set timers while I was cooking. 

In my view, the major downside of this was that I couldn't seem to stream music and follow a recipe simultaneously, which meant that I often had to choose between following a recipe for risotto or listening to my cooking playlist. Ideally, I'd have liked to toggle between the two, but I couldn't seem to control my music settings without having to lose the recipe from my screen and start over.

Speaker quality

When I was able to stream my favorite playlists, the sound quality on the Amazon Echo Show 10 was excellent. As other reviews have also said, it's very bass-heavy, and the dual one-inch tweeters and three-inch subwoofer resulted in a clear and defined sound. Because the speaker has a 360-degree design you're also less likely to experience distortion from different parts of the room. 

If you choose to listen on Amazon Music, the screen shows lyrics as your music plays. This is a treat for those who love a bit of baking karaoke (me) and less of a treat for those who have to put up with renditions of various Broadway tunes on loop (my partner, and possibly my neighbors...) 

Should you buy the Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd gen)?

The Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd generation) is an excellent quality smart speaker that combines voice controls with a large and tactile screen. It's possibly the most capable smart speaker you could choose for your kitchen, but it could also work well in open-plan spaces which could benefit from its 360-degree screen and high-quality speakers. 

You can also use the Amazon Echo Show 10 with Zigbee to monitor your space remotely, which is an excellent feature if you've got a decked-out smart home but want all the controls in one place. 

The speaker controls could use some refinement: I'm used to using a laptop or phone which can toggle between tabs or apps, so only being able to use one function at a time did prove troublesome when I was spending prolonged periods using the speaker. Despite these issues though, the Amazon Echo Show 10 is the perfect smart speaker if you're keen to add a smart hub to your kitchen. 

About this review, and the reviewer

Millie Fender is the Small Appliance and Cookware Editor for LivingEtc. She works across a variety of sites, including Real Homes and Homes & Gardens, to bring readers her kitchen recommendations. Unsurprisingly, Millie spends a lot of time in her kitchen, so the Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd generation) was tested constantly for over a month in preparation for this review. 

Millie was sent the speaker by Amazon and has been allowed to keep it, meaning she can keep this review updated with her thoughts as she continues to use it in recipe planning and kitchen karaoke. 

When you think you've gotten your head around which smart devices are available, brands like Amazon bring out a slew of new options that promise to be better, faster, and more attractive than the previous ones.

This recently occurred with Amazon's 5th Generation smart speaker reveal and left us wondering just why the company's 3rd Generation Echo Dot is still being sold alongside now two significant updates. Is the Echo Dot (3rd Gen) completely outdated, or is it worth investing in even in 2022?

The speaker was released back in 2018, which seems like a century ago, but we dug into the offering to determine whether it could still hold its own against the best Alexa speakers on offer today. Keep reading to see our thoughts.

Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen): cost & availability

As said, the Echo Dot (3rd Gen) remains available to buy from Amazon and other retailers despite the fact that the brand has now released its 5th generation models of the Echo Dot, Echo Dot with Clock and Echo Dot Kids.

As you might imagine, the price of the 3rd Generation Echo Dot has fallen with every new release and now sits at $39.99 at full price (at the time of writing, the speaker is discounted and being sold for $19.99). In comparison, the 4th generation Echo Dot is $49.99 and the 5th generation has been released at the same price. If you want the newest Clock or Kids versions, it will cost $59.99.

Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen): design

Amazon decided to completely revamp its smart speaker range, starting with the 4th Gen models, so the 3rd Gen Echo Dot looks a little bit like a relic in comparison to the spherical designs of today. The speaker is a flatter, puck-shaped device that looks more like the Google Nest Mini.

This difference in size and shape isn't necessarily a negative, as many would prefer their smart devices to be as small and unnoticeable as possible. The physical controls are also clear and obvious on top of the speaker, with a ring of blue light to indicate when Alexa has been activated. The 3rd Gen Echo Dot also has the same plastic and fabric combination as later models.

One plus of the older version is how much easier it is to change the cover or mount it to the wall. On Amazon, you can actually choose to buy the Dot with a wall mount or Mandalorian The Child stand. With multiple third-party options to choose from as well, the ability to customize the speaker perhaps makes it more appealing.

Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen): audio & connectivity

The audio capabilities of the Echo Dot (3rd Gen) and Echo Dot (4th Gen) are close to identical, with a 1.6-inch speaker present in both. The only differences in output would be down to the size of the devices overall, so the 4th Gen model may be able to give a bit more oomph.

You can pair more than one Echo Dot (all generations) to create a stereo system, but if listening to music is important to you, you may want to opt for one of the best smart speakers that prioritize audio quality. The 4th Gen Echo (the larger, slightly more expensive flagship model) also has Dolby audio on board, and the much pricier Echo Studio sports Dolby Atmos.

Outside of this, the Alexa capabilities of all other Amazon smart speakers are present and correct for the 3rd Gen model. You will get the same updates, which means your other smart devices will also remain compatible. We'll note that this may not be the case forever, though, so you might want to opt for a newer model if you want to future-proof your home.

Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen): our verdict

The Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen) may not be new and flashy, but it's still a very capable smart speaker that happens to be quite a lot cheaper than the alternatives. With the Google Nest Mini (2nd Gen) costing $49.99 at full price, the older Echo Dot is the most cost-effective option right now - especially when it's on sale.

If you're currently looking for your home's first smart speaker, we might recommend going for the 4th or 5th Gen models, but to those who want to expand their system or are wondering whether they need to update their 3rd Gen speaker, we would say that there's no need to go for the newest kid on the block. 

Amazon recently announced its next slate of smart speakers, promising even more features, better audio, and other improvements across its Echo Dot range. If you haven't been keeping track, that speaker collection now includes the Echo Dot (5th Gen), Echo Dot (5th Gen) with Clock, and Echo Dot (5th Gen) Kids.

Keep reading to see our breakdown of exactly what's new for the new generation of Echo Dot speakers. There's something for almost everyone, including the youngest members of your household, but for more, take a look at our guide to the best Alexa speakers available right now. Search the Amazon sale for great deals as always!

Echo Dot (5th Gen)

RRP: $49.99

Audio quality

One of the main criticisms of Amazon's own Alexa speakers is the lack of attention paid to overall audio quality, meaning that their use as a standalone speakers for music has been limited. The company went some way to address this with the Echo Studio and has also improved the sound quality for its 5th Gen Echo Dot.

Temperature sensor

Perhaps the biggest change for this 5th Gen Echo Dot is the new in-built motion and temperature sensors, which allow you to create more intuitive routines based on your home's indoor temperature or whether someone is home. For example, you can program Alexa to switch on a fan if the temperature goes above a certain level or to turn on smart bulbs when you enter a room.

Tap the top

The new Echo Dots have a touch-sensitive point added to the top, so you can do things like snooze an alarm by just tapping it.

Wi-Fi extender

A lot of people would like to do more with their smart devices but struggle to connect their homes with patchy Wi-Fi and dead spots. The best Wi-Fi extenders can help here, and the new Echo Dot helpfully comes with built-in eero. This means that providing you have a compatible eero router, you can get up to 1,000 sqft of extra coverage and speeds up to 100Mbps. This feature is only available in the US and Canada right now.

Echo Dot (5th Gen) with Clock

RRP: $59.99

Audio quality

Like the standard 5th Gen Echo Dot (above), the Echo Dot (5th Gen) with Clock has improved audio onboard, meaning it will work better as a Bluetooth speaker for listening to music and podcasts. That's good news for anyone who doesn't want to splash out on an extra speaker just to enjoy some tunes.

Refreshed LED display

The big selling point of the Clock model is the LED screen, which does a whole lot more than tell you the time. The new and improved screen can now display things like alarms, the current weather outside, or the title of the song you're listening to. It's a handy feature for those less able to hear or if you primarily tend to use your Alexa device as a morning alarm.

Sensors & Wi-Fi

Again, the Echo Dot with Clock has all of the same improvements as the standard version, meaning it also has a new temperature sensor that can help you control external devices and keep your home as comfortable as possible across the entire year. Want your heater to switch on only if the temperature drops below a certain point? That's now an in-built feature (providing your heater is compatible).

In-built eero is also here, so if you have a compatible eero router, you can enjoy more connectivity for your smart home. At the time of writing, this feature is only available for US and Canadian users.

Click here to read our review of the Echo Dot (5th Gen) with Clock.

Echo Dot (5th Gen) Kids

RRP: $59.99

Fun new designs

The tiger and panda are no more - say hello to the Alexa owl and dragon. The Echo Dot (5th Gen) Kids has had a bold makeover with two new designs that are perfect for any children in your family. The original designs were launched in 2020, so it was time for a makeover.

1-year free Amazon Kids+

This is not a new feature, but it's worth pointing out that Amazon is still giving away a year's free access to Amazon Kids+ with a purchase of the speaker. The service costs $4.99/month, so that's a pretty good deal.

Kid controls

There's quite a lot that kids themselves can control with the Echo Dot, all within the parameters set by parents via the dashboard, of course. For example, young users can set their own alarms, call approved friends and control smart devices like light bulbs in their space. They also get the same improved audio as the other 5th Gen Echo Dots, so they can listen to tunes while they play or study.

The HomePod Mini began life as Apple's smaller, less expensive smart speaker but has since become its flagship smart home product since the original HomePod was discontinued. This is a lot of responsibility, competing with the much more expansive - and perhaps more well-known - product line-up of Amazon and Google.

The HomePod Mini is surprisingly affordable for an Apple product, but sadly no more versatile and cross-compatible than the company's other products. While among the best smart speakers, there is a small selection that support Siri, if you want full use of HomeKit, the Mini is your best option. You also might want to sign up for services like Apple Music.

But is the HomePod Mini any good? We tried out the speaker to see how it competes with offerings from other brands. As an iPhone user, we had the set-up for the Mini, so we expected a relatively smooth experience. Read on to see what we thought.

Apple HomePod Mini: Key info

• Multi-room audio: via AirPlay 2
• Works with: Apple HomeKit
• Colors: Orange, yellow, black, white, blue
• Dimensions: H3.3 x W3.9in
• Weight: 0.76lbs

• Update Jan 2023: Apple has now announced the release of an updated HomePod, and you can read about how the smart speaker differs from the HomePod mini in our comparison.

Apple HomePod Mini: Set-up

If you happen to have an iPhone, the set-up process for the HomePod Mini is simpler than simple. Just power on the speaker using the cable and plug provided and wave your phone close to it. You will be greeted by a setup message, and you just need to follow the instructions from there.

We were temporarily roadblocked by the fact we had not connected our iCloud account with HomeKit, but this was soon resolved. From there, the whole process took less than five minutes. Unfortunately, Android users won't be able to enjoy the HomePod mini, so make sure you have access to an iOS device before committing.

Apple HomePod Mini: Design

At first glance, the HomePod Mini has a similar aesthetic to other smart speakers from the likes of Google and especially Amazon. But, though it is spherical like the Echo and Echo Dot speakers, that's where the comparisons end. 

The speaker is smaller and lighter than you might expect, fitting in the palm of your hand or, more likely, easily on a shelf or side table. The top of the speaker is a backlit touch surface that indicates when Siri is active and listening. The main body is covered in mesh material, and the speaker is available in five different colors.

Our unit for testing was dark blue, but you can also get it in yellow, orange, black, or white. It's nice to have options, rather than the colder white and black that sometimes makes Apple's products stand out in a warmer home environment.

Apple HomePod Mini: Performance

Despite its size, the HomePod Mini's audio power is really quite impressive. Apple attributes this success to the circular design and mesh material, as these design touches offer the opportunity for 360-degree output. The difference is palpable when compared to other smart speakers at the low end of the range, such as (but not restricted to) the Google Home Mini.

A decent level of bass and clear vocals all come through, and you'd be forgiven for looking around for a much larger speaker than the 3.3 x 3.9-inch device in front of you. We tested the speaker with both Apple Music and Spotify accounts. The former was linked automatically during setup, but for Spotify, you will have to use AirPlay 2.

This is easy enough to get around, but it does mean that you will need to use Apple Music if you want to be able to play tunes via voice command. You can also use the Music Handoff feature, which switches the song you're playing from your phone to the speaker and back again when the two devices get near each other.

Multi-room listening is possible with more than one HomePod Mini, and with a price tag of less than $100, Apple is probably hoping that you'll do just that. The in-built microphone performed well during our tests, picking up our voice even while the TV was playing in the same room.

You can use the multi-room feature for playing music across the home or as a fancy intercom to call the kids downstairs for dinner.

While we happened to have a few Siri-compatible smart devices at home, the options are, unfortunately, a little more limited for third-party security cameras, video doorbells, or other smart home devices. Keep this in mind to avoid purchasing a device that won't work with your new smart speaker.

For a lot more about the tips and tricks to use with the device, take a look at the 18 best Apple HomePod Mini tricks.

Apple HomePod Mini: Our verdict

The Apple HomePod Mini has its pros and cons, and we would only really recommend it to those who are already fully committed to the Apple ecosystem. Use of Apple Music, Apple Maps, and your iPhone's calendar are pretty much required for full use of the speaker - Google Calendar or Amazon Music users will find things a little (or a lot) more tricky. That said, this is still a great little smart speaker with audio quality that's a cut above other options, and it's an affordable way to get started with your smart home.

Smart home technology can make simple tasks a lot easier, but with seven different colored display lights on all the Alexa models, it can be hard to know what your smart speaker is trying to tell you. 

If you own an Alexa, you'll know that there's a lot this clever piece of tech can do. From simple tasks like setting alarms, playing music and making calls, to more high tech features like Alexa Guard which turns the gadget into a security device that recognises burglaries, it makes day-to-day life easier for many of us. 

However, those familiar with Amazon's popular piece of kit will also know it can often light up to signal that the device is trying to tell you something. Which ever model you have, the screen or display at the bottom of your device can light up or flash, and it can be frustrating when you don't know why (especially when it wakes you up in your bedroom in the dead of night). 

Being a smart speaker, you can simply ask your Alexa why it's displaying a light and it should explain. However, if you're not up for a chat with a piece of AI, these real life tech experts are on hand to help you decode the colors so you can understand the best Alexa speakers.

Blue 

The most common color you're likely to see on your Alexa is blue. A solid blue light simply indicates that your device is listening for voice commands after hearing your wake word (in most cases, 'Alexa'). 

'Solid blue color with a rotating icon after speaking a command means Alexa is processing your request,' explains Awais Mahmood, blogger at Wise of Tech.  'You'll also see a blue swirl every time you plug a device back in, if only for a few seconds.'

Green

A bright green light is usually associated with calls. This display can either appear as a flashing or spinning light. 

The flashing light indicates an incoming call. You can ask your Alexa to answer or ignore the call to respond to this notification. 'The spinning light, on the other hand, is used for Alexa's drop-in feature which allows Amazon devices in the same household (or consenting contacts) to have intercom-style conversations,' says Awais. 

White 

Usually, a white light on your device corresponds to your volume settings. 'The only variation with the white light is a rotating pattern which suggests that Alexa Guard is in Away mode,' Awais continues.

According to Robert Whatley from gadget blog, Den of Laptops, the light ring that wraps around your device reflect your volume setting. 'The louder the volume, the more white light will be emitted from the ring or wraps around the ring. Conversely, if you decrease the volume, the light ring will show less white and more yellow or red,' he says. 

Purple

If you make a voice command and a purple light shows up, this acts a reminder that Do Not Disturb mode is on. In other cases during setup, a pulsing purple light can indicate that there are Wi-Fi connectivity issues.

'This setting is useful if you're trying to sleep or if you're in a meeting and you don't want to be disturbed,' Robert explains. 'You can enable or disable Do Not Disturb by saying "Alexa, turn on/off Do Not Disturb" or by going into the settings menu in the Alexa app.'

Yellow

A blinking yellow light represents a waiting message, reminder, or notification. As Robert notes: 'it lets you know there's something coming up, but it doesn't necessarily mean you need to act right now.'

To resolve this, you can simply ask Alexa to tell you your notifications, asking the device to delete them if necessary. You can also check these notifications in the Alexa app or on the Echo Show's touch interface. 

One the best Alexa skills that the yellow light corresponds to relates to Amazon orders. If you've recently made purchased something from Amazon's website, the yellow light is likely an update on your delivery. 

Orange

If you're wondering how to set up Alexa, the orange light is the first color you're met with as it appears on any new Alexa device. 'A rotating orange light usually means the speaker is in pairing mode and ready for setup,' Awais explains. 'After pairing is complete, however, the same light indicates that your speaker is trying to connect to the Internet.'

If the orange light shows unexpectantly, it's a good idea to check your Wi-Fi settings and look at how to reset your Alexa if necessary. 

Red

As universally recognised, red usually has a negative meaning when displayed on your Alexa. 'At best, solid red means the microphone is muted, or in the case of the Echo Show, the camera is disabled,' explains Awais. 'If you see flashing red however, it may mean your Echo isn't connected to the Internet. Your speaker will often tell you as much if you try to ask for something.'

As a sleep editor, I'm often toying with all things sleep. So when Google reached out to me about their Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) display and speaker with built-in sleep tracking, I had to try this smart sleep gadget that uses motion sensors as opposed to having to be bothered to actually wear something, plus the robust functionalities of a smart speaker to streamline your routine. 

Of course, if you're looking to automate your bedroom into a smart home space, the best smart speaker is one of the first places to start, and at first glance, the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) is made for your bedroom, but also your kitchen... or your home office, or wherever you find yourself wanting a Google Assistant with a display. 

Now, let me get into my casual experience with smart home speakers. I'm guilty of using my existing Alexa Echo Dot as my personal weather woman and DJ, and well, nothing else. At one point, I did incorporate a smart plug to help control a floor lamp across the room, but that was many apartments ago, and that little smart plug has literally taken to the abyss.  Sometimes, she alerts me of my Amazon deliveries, but for the most part, she takes up a tiny corner of my nightstand, where I honestly find myself teetering a tissue box on top. 

Then, I purchased an Amazon Echo Show 5 on mega-sale during Black Friday for my kitchen, with the anticipation of connecting it to a Ring Video Doorbell, and having an easy assistant for converting measurements, keeping time, and also playing tunes. But, the  5.5" display of the Echo Show 5 was just too small to really get into the details or its full functionalities, let alone even think about video chatting or watching videos. 

So, that brings me back to my first interaction with the Google Nest Hub, where I've taken it through the paces to give you a full picture of all the things this smart speaker can accomplish, and how it quite quickly became a fixture on my nightstand. 

Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen): specs

• Screen: 7” (1024 x 600)
• Speaker: Full-range speaker with 1.7 in (43.5 mm) driver
• Microphones: 3
• Dimensions: 7”W x 4.7”H x 2.7”D
• Wireless: No
• Orientation: Landscape
• Color: Chalk, Charcoal, Sand, Mist
• RRP: List Price: $99.99 / £89.99

Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen): design

The Google Nest Hub The Speaker consists of a display screen and speaker system.  The enclosure is made from 54% recycled plastic.  It will stay plugged in at all times to work.  

Display
The 7" touchscreen display is perfectly sizeable to watch video clips, Youtube, or full-length Netflix episodes if that's what you'd prefer. I found the visuals vibrant and crisp, with no lag. When on standby, the screen can cycle through a slideshow of your own photos from Google Photo or default to a slideshow of curated images such as landscapes, paintings, and abstract photos. 

The display utilizes what it calls Ambient EQ, which uses a sensor to adjust to ambient room light, so it’s not too bright or too dim.  It detects and matches over 16 million combinations of light and color to blend in. At night, once you shut off the light, you can set the display to completely darken. You can also turn off the Ambient EQ setting. 

Audio Quality
The device uses a full-range speaker with a 1.7 in (43.5 mm) driver, and has three built-in far-field microphones. I think the sound is good, but it didn't blow me away. The device also learns who it is talking to, to personalize results to that person, and the microphone had no issue picking up my queries from across the room.

I immediately noticed a difference in bass between my existing Amazon Echo and the new Google Hub. The sound does not quite fill the space of my room like my Echo had the ability to. It's definitely suitable for personal use but not powerful enough to serve as the primary speaker for a party or large gathering.

The sound volume can be adjusted with a button in the rear, the Google Home app, or through voice commands.

Privacy
The one thing that Google Nest Hub does not have is a built-in camera, for privacy reasons. Seeing that this is a device designed with the intent of being added to your bedroom, it doesn't leave any room for any privacy breaches of the video recording sort. The mic can also very easily be turned at any time by a switch behind the machine, and it can not be turned off or on remotely. A small orange indicator light appears if the mic is off. 

The Sleep Sensing feature does utilize the microphone, but any information collected at night is never shared with Googled, or used for ad personalization. If you do not want cough or snore tracking, it can also very easily be turned off. 

If you do require video functionality, you'll want the Google Hub Max, with a built-in camera, larger display, and has a beefed-up sound system too, but you do lose the sleep sensing technology. 

Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen): setting it up

The Google Nest Hub comes in a sturdy, appropriately sized box. The display is wrapped in protective plastic but stays in place with recyclable cardboard inserts. 

Accompanying papers are minimal with a brief warranty and registration guide and a slip about privacy, as well a notecard on how to get started. It is as simple as plugging in, though you will want to make sure you have the Google Home App on your phone. Once in the app, you will select set up a new device, and it automatically detects the new device. The app is one of the easiest places to get into the back end of settings and data history. 

A quick start tour gives an introduction about where to find apps, settings, go back, and more, and takes mere minutes. The Sleep Sensing, however, is not automatically set up and requires that you create permissions for motion sensing and must be activated via the Home app on your phone. 

Once you opt-in to Sleep Sensing in the Google Home app, it uses what it calls Soli to detect movement and breathing without a camera or having to wear. It knows when you go to bed, when you wake up and how long and well you've slept. But before you can begin, you have to calibrate the machine, which is essential to get accurate sleep results.

Calibrating was not hard, I had to lie down and keep my pet off the bed for a few minutes, but you have to place care that nothing is in the way of the hub and you, like a water bottle. It should also be angled toward you, and not straight on, and if it's moved, well, you'll need to recalibrate. 

By the time I went to sleep, there was nothing I needed to do to start tracking my sleep, I just shut off the light and went to bed. In the morning, I was able to get a detailed look at my sleep report. 

Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen): features

Sleep Sensing

Ok, I got into a bit on the Sleep Sensing above, but now I'll discuss how it looks and what it tracks. The unique Soli Sensor is a miniature radar sensor developed by Google that can detect your motion patterns and breathing, and works in conjunction with sound, light, and temperature sensors to understand the many factors that can impact your sleep.

In the morning, the Hub provides an in-depth dashboard with details and insights about your sleep and sleep quality, as well as advice and personalized suggestions like waking up at a consistent time or exercising earlier in the day to sleep better. Unfortunately, Google will only be offering Sleep Sensing for free until the end of 2022, as they have plans to incorporate the technology with their Fitbit and Fitbit Premium experiences (currently $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year). Sleep Sensing can also only track one person’s sleep, but Google maintains that you can add a second device if you wish to track another person.

Google Assistant
Use Google Nest Hub to set reminders, asks questions, control your compatible smart devices, monitor home security, leave notes for family members, get the latest in news, listen to music, or whatever you'd like to use this smart speaker for. 

Quick Gestures
As opposed to commanding with your voice or reaching for the touchscreen, the Quick Gesture option uses Motion Sense to detect hand movement and can play or pause a song or video, snooze an alarm, and stop a timer. It's convenient if you're close by, and just quickly want to stop an alarm without having to go through commands.

Wellness
Adding on to this emphasis on wellbeing is attention to wellness features, such as a Sunrise Alarm, which reduces your need to have a wake-up light too, and access to Calm app meditations.

Entertainment
Connect your Spotify, Hulu, Disney+, Netflix, and other subscriptions to listen and watch directly on the Google Nest Hub, or get engaged with the news with video clips.  I'll be sticking to watching long-form shows on my TV, but for short videos and keeping up with the news, I felt very engaged. My favorite revelation was being able to turn my Roku on straight to Hulu, with just my voice... no more need to search for the remote. 

Google Photo Livestream
The gorgeous display can rotate through photos from your Google Photos account.  You can even select the people (or subjects) it shows. 

Recipes
When I asked my Nest Hub to show me a recipe, it automatically put it in an easy to view and follow, even if it was from a third-party site like Delish or Food Network.  And if I wasn't going to make the recipe right that moment, it was incredibly easy to file away into recipes I want to save to try later or cook again.  Now I need a Nest Hub for my kitchen and my bedroom. 

Should you buy the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)?

After about of month of use, the Google Nest Hub has knocked my Echo off the nightstand. Have I converted to the Google side? Well, for one, it has been nice not being asked to purchase anything... Though, it has  taken time to get used to saying the mouthful that is "Hey Google." 

The Google Nest Hub is a sleek addition to my bedroom or kitchen. The speaker and visual displays are well-made, and the content opportunities feel endless: from prompts to watch videos, listen to music and podcasts, play games, set reminders, lists, to-dos, routines, make restaurant reservations... and shall I go on.

The Sleep Sensing is a unique addition I haven't seen in other smart speakers, and I like that I don't have to do anything to activate it each night. I'm not too keen on knowing that this key selling point, the Sleep Sensing, will only stay free through the end of the year. I believe Google is offering it now as an incentive, but I hope they will reconsider leaving this valuable tool as part of the basic purchase of the Nest Hub. 

I also want to point out, my skepticism about the true accuracy of these sleep trackers.  I've been testing a bunch of sleep trackers from wearables to phone apps, and even a smart base, with some nights overlapping with each other. Each one seems to offer slightly different results as to how much time I spent in REM to whether I actually do snore.

Because of these overarching findings,  I can't say whether the sleep sensing offered a precise data point that I trust on how long I spent in exactly each sleep cycle. Taking all these results with a grain of salt, I use the results to look at the big picture view: Was I restless? Did light, sound, or my breathing cause me to wake up? 

I'm really quite please with how easy the Google Nest Hub is to use, and the visual display only amplifies the experience. The $99.99 / £89.99 price tag is right inline with similar products, and if you're looking to control your home with Google Assistant, well this is our pick. 

If you require a camera, you'll likely want to look elsewhere, but be prepared to shell out more. While I've used the later model Echo Show 5, which is also in the under $100 margin, I found my user experience with the Nest Hub far superior.  

Meanwhile, the Amazon Echo Show 8 and Amazon Echo Show 10 will have supped-up specs that contribute to the higher price tag. If you find yourself captive to team Google, the Nest Max, which is comparable in price to the Show 10, has the highest-end features with a 10" display and better speakers but does not have the Sleep Sensor. And if you're really just after a basic speaker, you can do no wrong with the wallet-friendly Google Home Mini as well. 

About this review, and the reviewer

Jaclyn is the Sleep Ecommerce Editor for LivingEtc. She works across a variety of sites, including Real Homes and Homes & Gardens, to help you sleep better with high-quality sleep products. 

Jaclyn was sent the speaker by Google and has been allowed to keep it, meaning she can keep this review updated with her thoughts as she continues to use it to expand her smart home and explore its seemingly endless uses (restaurant reservations, anyone?), or just keep up with the weather and watch YouTube. 

Knowing how to control your smart lighting with Alexa is extremely useful if you're going for the full 'I live in the future' experience.

For users of various smart speaker brands — or the other devices with Alexa built in — controlling your smart lights with your voice not only has a certain wow factor, but it can be extremely convenient too. As someone whose bedroom light switch is comically far away from the bed, being able to turn off the lights while lying down has saved me an awful lot of stubbed toes over the years.

But there’s more to controlling your smart lighting with Alexa than just turning lights on and off. With the power of Alexa’s AI, you are on the path to having an automated home. Yes, you can adjust the brightness, change the colors, and even set lights to turn on and off at set times automatically. Here’s how to control your smart lighting with Alexa.

How to control smart lighting with Alexa

Do I need Alexa to use smart lighting? 

No, it’s distinctly optional — but I would say the convenience makes it essential in real terms.

Without the best Alexa speaker, you’ll be using the automated lighting maker’s own app to control things. That means every time you want to adjust the lights, you have to pull your phone out of your pocket, unlock it, track down the app and find the right control — objectively less convenient than just saying “Alexa, turn on the light.”

Smart bulb, smart switch or smart plug? 

There are a few ways to get Alexa controlled smart lighting in your home, and you don’t actually need a smart light bulb.

It’s all about where the smart component actually sits, but essentially something needs to be connected to WiFi for it to function. That could be the smart bulb itself, but it could equally be a smart light switch or a smart plug with a regular old lamp attached.

The latter two options are, of course, less flexible — you can’t make a regular lightbulb change colors, and controls are a binary choice of ‘on’ or ‘off’ (unless your smart switch has a built-in dimmer) — but they’re a relatively inexpensive option to make ‘dumb’ bulbs smart.

There’s nothing stopping you mixing and matching smart bulbs, smart light switches and smart plugs throughout your home if you like. Just don’t connect a smart bulb to a smart lightswitch — you won’t gain any functionality, and it’ll just confuse things.

How to add a smart light to Alexa 

This depends on the exact solution you’re adding to your smart home. The bulb in my bedroom is a Xiaomi smart bulb from a few years back, and it required a specific Alexa skill to be activated.

But as Alexa has grown in popularity, companies have better integrated with Amazon’s API and generally smart bulbs are much more streamlined nowadays. The vast majority can be added directly via the Amazon Alexa app:

• Install your light bulb, switch or plug. Sometimes, this will also require you to install the manufacturer’s own app.
• Open the Alexa app on your smartphone.
• If you have an especially intelligent smart device, Alexa may have automatically added it, so check under the ‘Devices’ button in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen.
• If your device hasn’t appeared by itself, tap the ‘plus’ icon in the top right-hand corner.
• Tap ‘Add Device’.
• Select the kind of device you’re trying to add, whether it’s a bulb, a plug or a switch.
• Choose the brand you’ve bought from the list that pops up.
• Follow the on-screen instructions. Typically, this will involve linking your account for your smart device (GE, Philips, Wyze, Belkin, etc.) with your Amazon one, and then authorizing Alexa to access said account.

If you plan on having multiple smart lights throughout the house, it makes sense to give each one a sensible, easy-to-remember name. That means you can just say “Alexa, turn on the bedroom light” and the Echo won’t get confused and illuminate the wrong room.

How to control your smart lights 

Now you know how to use smart light bulbs, you should now be good to go, with your smart light fully controllable by Alexa. What that means in practice is that you can sidestep the manufacturer’s own app and use your voice instead.

The exact supported voice commands will depend on what solution you’ve opted for, and what its limitations are. As mentioned previously, smart light switches and plugs tend to be a binary on/off choice, but smart bulbs can also have adjustable brightness and as many as 16 million colors to choose from.

Adding to the ever-growing list of the best Alexa skills, here are some voice commands to try. The specific phrasing will depend on any names you’ve applied.

• Alexa, turn on [light name]
• Alexa, turn off the light
• Alexa, make the [light name] turn green
• Alexa, make [room name] warmer/cooler
• Alexa, dim the lights
• Alexa, set [light name] brightness to 10%

Making the lighting smarter 

In the last section, some commands mentioned room names, and others mentioned the light name. That’s in part to do with how you've set up Alexa, but if you’re a multi-Echo household, you can also make your smart lights a bit smarter with context-aware lighting.

That means that you can simply say “turn off the lights” to the Echo in your living room, say, and only the lights near the smart speaker will go dark. You could still tell the living room Echo to turn off the bedroom lights, if you like, but you’d have to be more specific. It’s a slightly more natural way of communicating with Alexa.

To do this, you have to assign your lighting to a specific Echo group. Here’s how to do that.

• Open the Alexa app, and switch to the Devices tab.
• Tap the plus sign in the top right-hand corner and then select ‘Add Group’.
• Name the group to your liking, and then add lights to it.
• Choose which Amazon Echo is assigned to your lighting group, and then tap ‘Save’.

Beyond this, there are other neat things you can do to automate your smart home lighting. With Alexa’s routines, you can set your lights to come on at a set time of day like clockwork, or make the lighting work as part of a wider instruction.

You could, for example, make saying “Alexa, good morning” trigger the smart lights to come on in your bedroom, and for the Echo to give you a daily news briefing. The limit really is your imagination — to get started, tap the three lines at the top left-hand corner of the app, select “Routines” and play around with the options.

Smart kitchen ideas are here to make the way you cook, eat, shop and live simpler, more efficient, and just generally more nice. 

Whether you’re already well on the way to building a smart home or are just starting out, if you’re looking at new kitchen appliances, it makes sense to choose ones augmented with apps. Smart kitchen devices can — amongst other things — improve your cooking, help you track your calorie intake and offer a huge amount of convenience along the way. 

Of course, all of these kitchen ideas are supervised via your smartphone and most are programmable via voice controls too. The future really is here.

15 smart kitchen ideas 

1. Recipes on tap with a smart screen

If you’re already well on the way to designing your automated home, you’ll have already decided which virtual assistant you want to control everything from your lights to your thermostat. At the time of writing, the two serious contenders are Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa — two cloud-based virtual assistants that power Nest Home and Echo devices respectively.

Adding a virtual assistant to your kitchen is important for getting the most out of all the smart kitchen ideas below, but we’d recommend a smart screen over a smart speaker for one big reason: recipes. They respond to requests for recipe ideas, putting instructions or videos right up on the screen in front of you, making it easy to try something different in the kitchen.

Thankfully, there are great options for fans of both Google Assistant and Alexa. For the former, you’ll want to buy a Nest Hub (7-inch for $100 or 10-inch for $230), and for the latter you’ll want Amazon’s Echo Show (8-inch for $150 , 10-inch for $250or 15-inch also for $250.)

2. A big-screen smart home center

If a 10-inch smart screen doesn’t sound quite imposing enough for you, General Electric has something bigger and better. The $1,200 GE Kitchen Hub is a 27-inch touch screen that sits above your cooking range and doubles up as a smart hub and ventilation combo.

It has Google Assistant built in, and can do everything the Nest Hub can alongside its ventilation duties. It contains over 5,000 recipes with the built-in Flavourly app, includes a camera to make video calls and even has Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video apps pre installed in case you want to binge watch your favorite shows while you make dinner. And don't worry, we've got plenty of kitchen TV ideas to make sure this isn't too obtrusive.

3. Keep track of ingredients with a WiFi fridge

Samsung has its own idea of what should be the hub of your smart home life: the fridge. The company’s family of Family Hub branded smart fridges naturally do the main job of keeping your food cold, but add in a large 21.5-inch touchscreen for managing your smart home and leaving notes and doodles for family members to keep track of.  

So far, so smart screen, but the Samsung Family Hub fridges have another key feature: a camera on the inside, so you can see what’s in your fridge when you’re at the shops to ensure you don’t overbuy. What’s more, the Meal Planner feature will suggest meals based on the ingredients sat in your fridge, and you can even intelligently track expiration dates to reduce your food wastage.  Yet another thing to add to our list of surprising uses for wifi.

4. Start cooking dinner remotely

A smart electric range may sound like overkill, but it’s actually one of the big perks of a smart kitchen. Imagine being able to preheat the oven ten minutes before you get home from work — or better still, putting your meal in before you leave in the morning and turning it on just in time for it to be ready as you walk through the door.

That’s all possible with the $1,250 GE Profile electric range and other similar products from Samsung and LG. This particular model is a strong contender, however, thanks to its numerous settings, airfrying mode, self-cleaning functionality and, of course, the accompanying app.

5. An AI powered oven to cook just about anything

If you’re perfectly happy with your main electric range and want a smaller tabletop oven, then the June Oven aims to take your smart kitchen up a notch. Ambitiously, it promises to take on the role of 12 different appliances including air fryer, dehydrator, slow cooker, toaster, pizza oven and dough proofer. 

But it doesn’t stop there. Thanks to the built-in camera, not only can you monitor your meal from anywhere, but the June Oven will use AI to assess what’s been placed inside and recommend appropriate cooking methods and timings. 

6. A microwave designed with Alexa in mind

It’s clear that Amazon sees Alexa as the future of the smart kitchen, and that’s why it’s released its own $75 microwave designed from the ground up to work with the smart assistant. 

While you’ll need an external Echo device to connect to it (Amazon sells cut-price bundles with the microwave and an Echo Dot if you don’t already have one), once set up you can operate the device purely via your voice. And while you can just say something specific like “Alexa, microwave for two minutes,” you can also let the virtual assistant figure out timings for you by saying something like “Alexa, microwave 1.5 ounces of popcorn.” 

7. Monitor meat the smart way

The $100 Meater Plus is a wireless thermometer to help perfect your meat cooking, and thanks to its 165ft range, it’ll work with your BBQ too. It comes complete with two sensors on a single probe, measuring meat up to 212°F and ambient temperatures of up to 527°F.

But the connected app won’t just tell you the temperature: it’ll also estimate cooking times for the perfect bite, too. When not in use, it sits in a handsome bamboo dock which also charges it up to 100 times with a single AAA battery, ensuring it’s ready for use whenever you need it.

8. An all-in-one smart appliance

At $1,499, the Thermomix TM6 certainly isn’t cheap, but it does offer 24 different cooking functions for the (admittedly expensive) price of one. It can boil an egg, thicken sauces, cook rice, blend soups or even ferment yogurt. All of this is taken care of via a 500W motor and scales that can measure the weight of ingredients to an accuracy of 0.1g.

While boiling an egg isn’t the most intimidating task, doing something like sous vide with it may appear a bit daunting, and that's where the smarts come in. Attached is a 6.8-inch touchscreen which is your gateway to over 60,000 recipes to get the most of it. 

9. A smarter multicooker

For a budget friendly but still impressively smart option, the $150 Instant Pot Smart WiFi 6 Quart ticks a whole lot of boxes as well. An electric pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, yogurt maker, bread maker and more in one compact device, the smart Instant Pot has 48 pre-sets to make food prep and cooking a doddle.

While it’s all easy to follow via the large LCD panel and accompanying buttons,  you can also use Alexa to program the Instant Pot hands free.

10. Diet-friendly smart scales

Home cooking is typically more healthy than ready meals or eating out, but it can be tricky to track the nutritional content of whatever you’re cooking. That’s where the Etekcity Smart Food Nutrition Scale comes in. With Bluetooth built in, the scales sync with the accompanying iOS and Android apps to get USDA nutritional data for nearly 8,000 food items, making sticking to your plan a breeze. 

And while the prospect of another app to keep track of may seem unappealing, the company has recently updated the app so that calories, vitamins and minerals can be synced with both Apple Health and Fitbit.

11. A smart garden in your kitchen

Nothing quite beats the taste of fresh vegetables and herbs, and the $350 AeroGarden Bounty allows even those not blessed with green thumbs to maintain a small but thriving indoor garden.

The 40 watt LED lamp allows plants to grow beautifully indoors, and the built-in touchscreen provides vital information and reminders to top up food and water as appropriate. The indoor garden’s status can be checked on remotely via the accompanying smartphone app, allowing you to tinker with the lights from anywhere in the world, and you can also connect it with Alexa for voice-controlled smart gardening.

12. A brew just how you like it

If you’re a coffee connoisseur, you’ll be pleased to hear that your caffeine habit can also be improved with smart kitchen tech. Yes, smart coffee machines are a thing.

The $250 Atomi Smart Coffee Maker is a good example of how this can work in practice. With the accompanying Atomi smartphone app, you can start grinding your beans at any time from anywhere, and ensure that your coffee is ready and waiting for you when you head down to your smart kitchen to collect. 

While the grinding and brewing process can be started with a simple Google Assistant or Alexa voice command, the app lets you go deeper with specific schedules, water level monitoring and coffee strength customization. 

13. Hot drinks that stay hot

If you really want to take your coffee game to the next level, you’ll want to pair that smart coffee maker with the $100 Ember smart mug — a cup that does away with the problem of hot drinks going cold. 

The app will recommend the ideal drinking temperature for your hot beverage of choice, and then the cup will keep it at that level. And if you happen to prefer tea, the app will even recommend how long to leave the bag in for. Best of all, you don’t need to worry about keeping it charged: the plate it comes with wirelessly tops up the battery of the cup when it’s not in use.

14. Exact water measurements and temperature

Yes, even your water faucet can benefit from tech built in. And, thanks to the design pedigree of Moen, you needn’t know it’s smart under the surface with a classy, minimalist look.

It’s Alexa connected, and that not only means you don’t need to worry about getting the handle dirty while trying to wash your hands, but you can get specific quantities and temperatures of water on demand. Asking for water for the baby bottle, for example, might deliver 6oz at 98 degrees Fahrenheit, while requesting a tablespoon of water will deliver that amount without the need to raid the cutlery drawer.

15. Smarter cleaning

A smart dishwasher may seem like overkill, but the Miele G7000 makes a good case as to why it should be part of your smart kitchen. 

As well as having an accompanying app to start wash cycles, order detergent and check up on how your dishwasher cycle is going, the smarts of the Miele G7000 really come from how it uses detergent. When you load the dishwasher, it’ll assess the quantity of dirty dishes and cups needing washing, and allocate the appropriate amount of detergent, with no guesswork on the part of the owner. 

With our pick of top kitchen TV ideas for 2022, it's easy to catch up on shows, access recipes and stream 'Lives' on Instagram on the big screen while you're busy cooking meals. Whether it's a big TV on the wall of your open-plan kitchen and dining area, or a smaller Amazon Echo Show nestled on your worktop, it's easy to get your screen fix in the kitchen. 

If you've bought into one of the best TV brands, you'll want to display it chicly, and where you can see it most. But there are practicalities to consider in the way of wiring, size and ergonomics. This may get you thinking about positioning and type of TV size you choose, so before you click to buy one of the best 40 inch TVs it's important to check the technical details. 

We've covered ways to hide your TV here at Livingetc, but for displaying your kitchen TV things get a little more technical. If you're planning on housing a TV near the kitchen worktop it needs to be far enough away from all the water and food ingredients flying around the surface when you get chef-creative, for example. That's why we asked the experts for advice on what to think about when you install a kitchen TV. We've also sourced our favorite kitchen TV set ups for inspiration. And once you're all set, you can continue as we do and lust over all the beautiful homes on Selling Sunset while you're preparing meals or Friday night cocktails. 

Top kitchen TV ideas for 2022 

1. Hide the TV behind pocket doors 

Planning a new kitchen from scratch gives you lots of scope to conveniently hide and reveal your kitchen TV as you see fit. In this kitchen designed by Mowlem & Co, for example, the kitchen is a working space and offers carefully arranged zones, hi-tech appliances and ample storage. 

There are hidden study areas, a hidden TV, cloakroom and pantry all tucked away behind sleek handle-less finishes and pocket doors. An elevated approach to modern kitchen ideas. Created from stained-oak veneers and white lacquer, these slide back and away when not needed.

2. Consider TV positioning 

If you have an open-plan kitchen and the space to play around with the TV location, make sure you have a good view of your TV from the kitchen area. James Ratcliffe, technology expert at Homeplay.tv, shares his top tips on what to consider:  

'Think about your TV position carefully and how viewable the TV is when you’re preparing food,' says James Ratcliffe, technology expert at Homeplay.tv. 'If you want to be able to watch TV when you’re cooking or access recipes to follow on YouTube, you’ll need to have a good line of sight from your worksurface prep area to the TV screen.'

James also suggests that the it's important to consider the logistics. 'A TV popping up out of a counter can look great and work well, but it can pose its problems such as food and drink spilling into the gaps,' he says, making it a good job we know how to clean a TV screen. 'To combat this you could put the TV in a location that’s far away from your food prep surface.'

And when it comes to kitchens, consider how you will hide cabling when wall mounting a TV. 'You’ll either need an electrician to channel the wall out, or you might be able to use one of the new ‘picture frame’ TVs that have super thin fibre-optic cables, which are barely visible,' James says.

3. Mount your TV on the countertop 

Forget how to mount your TV to a wall, why not hide it in the countertop? With expert help you can install your TV on the worktop so that it swivels around to accommodate you when you're standing in either the kitchen area or in the dining area opposite. This is illustrated in the image above, where a Future Automation LSM-S TV Lift and Swivel 32" - 65" mechanism has been used. 

'As long as you have enough room to accommodate the mechanism in the workspace, it’s a relatively straightforward job but you will need an expert to pull it together,' says James Ratcliffe. 'Other than that, the main thing is to just be aware of any food and drink that might fall between the gaps in the worksurface - so choose a position away from main food prep.'

4. Choose a TV that complements your interior

You may have already come across Samsung’s QLED 4K HDR The Frame TV, which turns your TV into a work of art by displaying photos and artworks when it’s in standby mode. The TV comes in a choice of seven sizes from 32 inches up to a stunning 85 inches, so you can go as discreet or large as you like to suit the kitchen area.

Samsung's latest addition to The Frame also gives you a choice of over 40 bezel color options that you can match to your interior scheme. Pictured above, for example, you can see the Rich Ocra finish of The Frame TV's bezel subtly matches the colourway of the kitchen units. Wooden kitchen cabinet ideas have never looked so refined. You can see this adds harmony and balance to this sober and sophisticated kitchen palette. We also think the Vision Blue bezel works particularly well in the open-plan kitchen and dining area, shown below, as it echos the fresh blue of the dining chairs. 

5. Opt for an iPad or Amazon Echo Show screen

If you have a particularly small kitchen you may want to use a tablet or smart speaker in your kitchen instead of a full TV screen - the opposite of what we'd suggest for living room TV ideas.

'Lots of people tend to use Apple iPads when cooking as they can be conveniently positioned on the worksurface,' says James Ratcliffe. 'You can also link your Airpods to them so you can get away with watching your favorite content without disturbing those around you. An Alexa Echo Show can work well too as it conveniently sits on the worktop or can be wall mounted. You can use it to access apps such as Netflix as well as recipes, timers and daily news info.'  

Amazon sells a range of excellent Echo Show smart speakers that feature a screen and work well in the kitchen. You can use Alexa for control when you have your hands full prepping meals and you can ask Alexa to instantly display recipes or content from your favorite apps such as Netflix or Amazon Prime. The Echo Show 15, pictured above, is a particularly good option as it can be conveniently mounted on the wall. You can also opt for the Echo Show 10  that has a screen that follows you as you walk around the kitchen so you always have a great view.

What should I consider when installing a kitchen TV?

‘One of the key considerations for installing a TV in the kitchen is to think about the layout of the room,’ says Matt Renaut, of Euronics agent Dacombes of Wimborne. ‘For instance, you do not want the TV to be affected by steam coming from the hob or near the water supply. You also want to maximize the size of the TV so you can see it wherever you are in the kitchen while still keeping it away from the cooking area.

‘It is not just whether you can view the TV either as it’s important to hear it too. Think about how would you like the sound to travel around the room? Having speakers installed in the ceiling or in the cabinets can offer a great audio experience, for example, and help you when you’re watching TV, listening to the radio or running a recipe from a tablet.’

Knowing how to control your TV with Alexa feels a little like living in the future. Yes, remote controls have been commonly bundled with TVs since the 1970s, but being able to control your TV purely by the power of your voice is not only a neat party trick but something that can add a whole layer of extra convenience to your smart home.

You may be used to interacting with Amazon's voice assistant because you have one of the best Alexa speakers. Day-to-day tasks like checking the weather, playing music, and setting timers might already be fully automated for you But adding voice commands to your TV is certainly worth doing, especially if you frequently misplace the remote. 

We’ll outline six ways you can control your TV with Alexa in a moment, but first, a few words on compatibility and how to add voice controls to aging television sets.

How to control your TV with Alexa

Is my TV compatible with Alexa? 

Whether you can control your TV with Alexa depends on more than just your knowledge of the best Alexa skills. For Alexa voice controls, in most cases, you need two things: a device with Alexa built-in (most likely an Amazon Echo) and a smart TV that supports Amazon’s virtual assistant.

With so many television models out there, it would be impossible to list every one with Alexa support, but here are a few pointers. 

LG TVs with Web OS 4.0 and higher are supported, as are all TCL Roku TVs. Panasonic, meanwhile, has been helpful enough to include a full list of models from 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 with Alexa support. HiSense also has a list, as does Samsung, where the functionality was introduced to high-end 2020 sets before being rolled out to all new TVs in 2021. 

Some companies suggest you check for the presence of a built-in app to confirm support either way. Compatible Sony sets can be identified by the presence of the “TV Control with Smart Speakers” or “TV Control Setup with Amazon Alexa” apps. At the same time, Philips owners should look for the Amazon Alexa client app on their home screen.   

How to add Alexa to a non-compatible TV 

But even if your TV isn’t compatible with Alexa out of the box, all isn’t lost. And if you know how to set up Alexa, you can easily do this too. 

The Amazon Fire Stick can turn even old ‘dumb’ TVs into smart ones, as long as they have an available HDMI port. And if you buy one of the more recent Fire TV Sticks with Alexa built-in — or even better, the $120 Fire TV Cube — then you’ll be able to control your TV with Alexa even if you don’t have one of the best smart speakers within earshot.

How can I control my TV with Alexa? 

The specific supported voice commands and phrasing may depend on your setup, so consult relevant Alexa skills for more details. But below are some of the things that you might be able to do if you can control your TV with Alexa. 

Just remember that Alexa can only respond to what it hears, and that means you’ll probably want to move your smart speaker away from the TV, so it can pick up your voice commands over the top of whatever show you’re trying to enjoy.

Can Alexa turn on my TV?

This is a basic function that seems to be in pretty much every integration on the best TV brands. It’s delivered by saying something like “Alexa, turn the TV on” or “Alexa, turn on [TV name]” if you have more than one connected.

Naturally, this also works in reverse, and you can turn off the TV by subbing in the word “off.” 

Can Alexa change TV channels?

As long as you’re using the TV’s built-in tuner, you can use Alexa to change TV channels. Just say something like “Alexa, channel 7 on TV” or “Alexa, change channel to [channel name] on [TV name].”

If you’re using a cable/set-top box for your TV, this is a little different, but more on that later.

Can Alexa adjust the TV volume?

As long as your TV is controlling the volume (either through internal speakers or a synced soundbar), then you should be able to control it with Alexa. This could be done via “Alexa, turn up the volume on TV” or “Alexa, set the volume to 10 on [TV name]” commands. 

This also works for muting and unmuting. Try “Alexa, mute TV” or “Alexa, unmute [TV name].”

Can Alexa find TV shows to watch?

Getting into more complex operations now, some Alexa integrations work with connected apps. Not just starting them up (“Alexa, open Netflix”) but the ability to search for genres, actors, or specific shows too.

A few examples of this include “Alexa, play The Man in the High Castle,” “Alexa, search for cooking videos on YouTube,” and “Alexa, show me action movies on Hulu.” You may even be able to say something as specific as, “Alexa, show me Tom Hanks movies on Prime Video.” 

Can Alexa control TV playback?

Once you’re viewing a show or movie with playback controls, you should be able to get Alexa to perform the most common functions. Try saying “Alexa, play/pause” to stop and start playback, or even “Alexa, go back 30 seconds” if you missed something important.

If you’re watching a series on a streaming platform, you may be able to skip entire shows by saying, “Alexa, play the next episode.” Unfortunately, you can’t pick out a specific episode by name or ask Alexa to play the previous installment, but it’s still some decent functionality.

Can Alexa tell you about the show you’re watching?

Only indirectly, as far as we can tell, and it isn’t supported in every Alexa integration. The LG Alexa support page has specific instructions for its TVs where you can ask a slightly convoluted question like “Alexa, ask LG what is the soundtrack of this program on TV” or “Alexa, ask LG to give me a summary of this program on TV.” 

Sadly, this functionality doesn’t yet appear to be replicated by other brands — not even via Amazon’s own Fire TV Stick.

What can’t I do with Alexa on my TV?

While that’s quite a comprehensive list, the main thing to remember is that it’s working with your TV (or Fire TV input) and not with any device connected via HDMI. That’s great if you watch shows via the aerial and the set’s own interface, but it means that if you use a cable box (or set-top box if you’re not in America), then Alexa won’t have direct control over it.

It is possible that your connected device will have its own Alexa integration. Devices including Fios, Frontier, and Xbox are all compatible. Still, they each require a separate setup, so check to see if the product you want to control is supported and enable it through the Alexa app.

Sometimes, you need to know how to reset Alexa. For if you ask it something and it doesn't answer you back, don't take it personally. That's just the way it occasionally goes. 

After you’ve turned it on and off a few times, naturally, factory resetting your Amazon Echo should be your last resort. With all of the best Alexa speakers, it is straightforward to do however, and resetting your Amazon Echo is also good practise if you're reselling it or handing it on to someone else. Here we run through how to reset your Amazon Echo (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th generations) on both the devices and the Alexa app. 

Check the health of your smart home gadgets regularly 

Finding time to give smart-home gadgets a little TLC can be satisfying. And now's a great time to back up computer files and camera photos. Make sure the best Alexa compatible devices such as the Echo smart speaker and alike are responding to your every request.

Being organized at home goes beyond sorting out the kitchen cupboards and sorting your shoe wardrobe (although we do love a good shoe wardrobe). That's why we've also included details on how you can use Alexa to set reminders, build routines and organise your day. 

How to reset Alexa - Factory resetting an Amazon Echo 

1. Check the light status on your Echo device 

Before you go about resetting your device it's important to understand what the lights mean on your Amazon Echo speaker. The different lights on the speaker are how it communicates its status to you. This is not always covered when you're thinking about how to set up Alexa, so you may be a little misty on it.

Yellow: If it’s pulsing a short burst of yellow that means you have notifications. You can say ‘Alexa, what are my notifications?’ to get things moving again.

Cyan on blue: A cyan spotlight rotating around a darker blue light ring means that Alexa is listening. You can find out how to stop Alexa from listening, but it's good to know that as Alexa processes your request the light ring glimmers briefly.

Red: This color shows when the microphone on/off button is pressed to disconnect it and means Alexa is not listening. If you press if again you can enable your microphone.

Spinning Cyan on blue: A continuous slowly spinning light that shows cyan on blue means that the speaker is stating up. If you haven’t already set up the device before it will then turn orange, ready for set up.

Orange: The Echo is in set up mode and attempting to connect to WiFi.

Purple: When setting up your Echo, purple will show if there are WiFi issues. If that is the case it's worth reading out feature on How to Make WiFi Faster before you go about resetting Alexa. 

White: When you adjust the device’s volume, white lights will appear to show the volume levels.

2. Reset your Amazon Echo (1st and 2nd Generation)

Before you reset your Amazon Echo, remember that it will go back to Factory Settings and wipe all your personalised settings. So check and double check again before you make any bold moves. 

To reset your Amazon Echo (1st Generation) speaker you need to use something as small and pointy as a paper clip or similar tool to press and hold the Reset button. You will then have to wait for the light ring to turn on and off again.

To reset your Echo (2nd Generation) speaker you’ll need to press and hold the Microphone Off and Volume down buttons. Then wait for the light ring to turn orange, which will take around 20 seconds.

3. Reset your Amazon Echo (3rd or 4th Generation)

To reset an Amazon Echo (3rd or 4th Generation) to its factory settings simply press and hold the Action button for 25 seconds. Once the light ring starts to pulse orange it should then turn off.

You will need to wait for the light ring to turn back on and turn blue. Then it will turn orange for the set up mode.  

4. How to factory reset your Echo device using the Alexa app

Alternatively, you can factory reset your Echo device using the Alexa app. To do this you need to open the app and select Devices. Choose Echo & Alexa and pick which speaker you want to reset. Scroll to Factory Reset and confirm your choice.

Get organized with Alexa 

1. Get reminders from your daily calendar with Alexa  

Aside from the best Alexa skills, there are many handy things you can do. Link your calendar to the Alexa app and you can ask Alexa to update you on your schedule. Just say ‘Alexa, what’s on my calendar for today?’  

You can also ask Alexa to send you reminders, such as sending a birthday card on a certain day or remembering the time you booked the dentist.  

2. Set up a Routine in the Alexa app. 

You can set up your Echo device so that when you say ‘Alexa, start my workday’ a series of actions happen. This could be a certain radio station playing at a certain time, a news bulletin starting and your office lights turning on (provided you have linked up to a compatible smart plug). 

This comes in particularly useful if you’re working from home as you can set alerts as to when you want to take a break and relax on the sofa. And we definitely recommend doing that. 

Panasonic has entered the smart kitchen space with a multi-purpose microwave oven that can be used alongside a home's existing Alexa speaker.

Revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show taking place in Las Vegas this week, the company's first smart microwave - the NN-SV79MS - can be controlled using voice commands directed at an Alexa-equipped speaker, which it's estimated that 69.7% of US smart speaker users already have at home.

Perhaps the most convenient new launch to enter the automated home sector in a while, this bit of kit means you can create meals while having your hands full, or by barking orders from another room. 

'We understand from our own cooking experiences that there are moments in the kitchen when you need to move quickly or have your hands full meal prepping,' says Hiroko Watanabe, Appliance Group Manager at Panasonic. 'Partnering with Alexa was a natural choice knowing their devices are already in the homes of many consumers - including our own. We are thrilled to partner with Alexa to help make consumers' cooking experience easier.'

Immediately, this launch is going onto our list of best Alexa-compatible devices.

What commands can the Panasonic NN-SV79MS understand?

There are a total of 100 commands that the Panasonic NN-SV79MS smart microwave is able to understand, including "Alexa, reheat for 30 seconds", and "Alexa, make popcorn in the microwave".

The Panasonic NN-SV79MS does not come with in-built Alexa smarts, so you will need to already have something like the Amazon Echo or an Alexa speaker from a brand like Sonos (for more, read our guide to the best smart speakers), but these range from very affordable to luxury so it doesn't need to be a big added cost.

And this, unsurprisingly, is a high-end kitchen appliance all on its own. The NN-SV79MS boasts 1,200W inverter technology, ten power levels for everything from defrosting to keeping the dinner warm while you get to other things. There are also specific controls for things like achieving perfectly popped popcorn. You can even delay the start of cooking - who needs to know the best Alexa skills when it can now do this?!

Will the Panasonic NN-SV79MS work without Alexa?

While the device is being touted as the ultimate microwave for smart homes, you don't actually need Alexa to be able to use it. This means that, should your Alexa be unplugged for any reason (such as an occasional need for privacy), the microwave won't suddenly be unusable. The NN-SV79MS operates just like any other Panasonic microwave, with or without the added smarts.

Does the Panasonic NN-SV79MS have any other features?

The appliance is smart in more ways than one, with Panasonic's Genius technology also on board to help out. This feature uses built-in sensors to measure the humidity levels of food and so is able to more accurately thaw or reheat. There are 20 pre-programmed options, so you can wave goodbye to frozen middles and soggy leftovers.

How much will the Panasonic NN-SV79MS with Alexa cost?

As you can imagine, this isn't a cheap appliance you'll need to replace after a couple of years, and so will be more of an investment than your average. However, you will be able to pick up the microwave for a very reasonable $299.99 from Best Buy and Amazon US starting in March. Not bad for such a handy kitchen device.

Knowing how to set up Alexa properly is key if you’ve invested in one of the latest Amazon smart speakers.  Once you’ve figured out how to connect Alexa to Wi-Fi and secure the privacy settings, you can start making the most of your smart assistant. You can use it to gain instant access to podcasts, music, travel information, Alexa skills, and more. For example, this week Amazon's newsletter spotlight suggests asking "Alexa, play Christmas music" as well as "Alexa, play the +44 playlist on Amazon Music". But that's just the tip of the iceberg. 

You can also use Alexa to create a stylish automated home by pairing up to other smart gadgets such as lighting, a video doorbell, blinds, coffee machine, and robot vacuum and using your voice to control them.

The good news is that it’s relatively easy to get going with any of the best Alexa speakers, and we’ve outlined the basic setup steps below for your Echo or Echo Show, with advice from Dennis Stansbury - the Alexa UK & Ireland country manager. 

Once you've set up Alexa, you can review your privacy features and make the most of our round-up of the best Alexa skills you need to try. 

How to set up Alexa 

‘Echo devices are easy to set up,’ says Dennis Stansbury, Alexa UK & Ireland country manager. ‘You just have to plug the device into a power source and follow the instructions in the Alexa app.' And just like that, the key to being able to fill your home with the best Alexa compatible devices is unlocked for you. 

'Alexa can help you with day-to-day tasks such as setting timers when cooking, telling you the weather and reading the daily news - or watching if you have an Echo device with a screen.’

1. How to set up Alexa on an Amazon Echo 

You can set up your Amazon Echo smart speaker in 5 easy steps:

1. Have your Wi-Fi password to hand so you can pair it up to your smart speaker. Alternatively, you can link to your smart speaker using Bluetooth on your phone.

2. You’ll need to download the Alexa app on your smartphone or tablet so you can make use of Alexa Skills and adjust features on your Amazon Echo smart speaker.

3. Plug in your Echo speaker. After a minute Alexa will tell you that you need to complete setup in the Alexa app.

4. Follow the instructions on your Alexa app to complete the setup. If this doesn’t come up automatically you can tap the More icon on your Alexa app to ‘Add a device' and follow the instructions manually.

5. Alexa is ready for your commands when you say 'Alexa’ and the blue light appears on the device to indicate that Alexa is recording or processing a request. If you want to change your Alexa ‘wake’ word you can do this in the app under Settings and then Device Settings. Then hit the wheel at the top of the screen and edit the Wake Word. You can choose from Amazon, Computer or Echo should Alexa not suffice. You can even switch to a 'celebrity wake word' here and, for example, opt to wake Alexa with 'Hey Santa'. 

2. How to set up Alexa on an Echo Show 

With an Echo Show, you can set it up without having to log into your phone or tablet.

You can set up your Echo Show with these 5 simple steps: 

1.    Make sure you have the relevant information to hand including your Wi-Fi password or any passwords for video or music services such as Amazon Music if you plan to access them.

2.    Plug in your Echo Show and wait for the device to greet you.   

3.    Follow the setup instructions on the screen, which will ask you to connect to Wi-Fi.

4.    Say ‘Alexa' to wake up your Echo Show and start using the voice service.

5.    You can make the most of shortcuts by swiping the screen - down from the top of the screen will access Settings, left from the right will give you access to music, Alexa tips, smart home features, and more.   

• Read next: the best smart speakers with Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri

3. What’s the best thing to try once Alexa is set up?

‘There are so many fantastic features to try when you first set up your Echo device,’ says Dennis Stansbury, Alexa UK & Ireland Country Manager. ‘To get you started try these:

1. The first thing I’d recommend doing is going into the Alexa app and looking at the suggestions on your homepage. You’ll see lots of helpful features, as well as Alexa Skills that you can enable, and as you use Alexa more these become more personalized.

2. Say “Alexa, tell me about yourself” for something fun.

3. Say “Alexa, what can you do?” to find out some of the ways Alexa can help.

4. You can also set up your privacy setting within the Alexa app and visit our Privacy Hub for more information.” This is quite useful for if you want to know how to stop Alexa from listening, too. 

5. 'I really enjoy the Alexa Routines I have set up, as they streamline my day. I have a morning routine that switches on my lights with a smart plug, plays the radio, and reads me the morning news. There are so many different Routines that you can set up in the Alexa app, as well as linking your smart home devices to make controlling them easier with voice.'

4. Know how to check your privacy settings on Alexa

When you go to set up Alexa, there are easy steps you can take to secure your settings which include: 

1.    Being aware that the device is recording when the blue light indicator comes on.

2.    Using the mute button to disable the microphone when you aren’t using it

3.    Disabling the camera on an Echo Show, by closing the camera shutter. 

4.    Erasing your Alexa voice history in the Alexa app, or manage how long to save voice recordings - from never to 18 months. 

5.    Reviewing how your data including voice recordings and smart home device history are managed in the Alexa app

5. Make the most of Alexa Skills 

Once you have set up your smart speaker, you can use the Alexa app to make the most of Alexa Skills. Just as you would go to an app store to find the best apps for your smartphone, Alexa Skills can be ‘enabled’ on the Alexa app. Not all Skills need to be enabled, however.

You can then make use of them on your smart speaker. The best Alexa skills include those that work with the latest smart home gadgets so you can control your lawnmower or access your Ring doorbell using your voice. There are however plenty more Alexa Skills to make use of across food, garden, music, exercise, kids, and more.

6. Top 5 Amazon devices to try with Alexa 

Dennis Stansbury, Alexa UK & Ireland Country Manager, highlights five of the latest Amazon devices for helping you create a fully automated home: 

1. The Echo Show 10 is ideal for the kitchen. Its 10-inch screen that moves with you is great for video calls when you’re doing kitchen tasks such as washing up and you can also use it to follow recipes.  

2. In the living room you may want to add Fire TV Stick 4K Max. This powerful streaming stick with Alexa voice control ditches the need for remote control when watching movies and TV shows.

3. If you install a Ring Video Doorbell 4 you can get a live view and notifications on the Ring app when someone is at your front door. Link up to your Echo Show or Fire TV device and you can ask Alexa to display your front door and with two-way talk, you can even speak to people at your door. 

4. If you want a device with alarm-like features, the Echo Dot with Clock will come in handy as it displays the weather, timers, and clock on its compact LED display. 

5. To turn lightbulbs off using your voice or via the Smart Home dashboard on your Echo Show, it's worth getting yourself an Amazon Smart Plug. It's simple to install and is ideal if you want to know how to make it look like you're home when you're not. 

Wondering how to stop Alexa from listening is a preoccupation of the modern world. While Amazon’s voice assistant can be fun and informative and it will only listen when you use the Alexa 'wake' word, knowing how to stop it listening can give you peace of mind. It's important to review your privacy settings regularly when using the Amazon smart-home assistant – or any smart-home gadget for that matter – especially if you're using a few Alexa-compatible devices around your home. Keeping on top of the finer details will keep you in control and help to maintain a 'healthy' smart home. 

Having any of the best Alexa speakers on hand to answer your queries or play your favorite song instantly is convenient, but you wouldn’t be the first person to ask if it is always listening in. You may have even taken the thought one step further and wondered if there is a spy camera in the device watching you as intently as a dog eyeing up your Sunday roast. Fortunately – according to Amazon - the answer to that one is no, there isn’t a ‘spy’ camera in your Alexa device, so there's no need to dart behind the sofa and hide, but you may want to rethink eating your roast in front of the dog.

However, it's a truth that yes, Alexa is always listening. Don't fear however as Alexa is only ‘passively listening’ and on-call for the Alexa 'wake' word so it can respond to your requests.

With a few small changes to the settings, however, you can stop Alexa listening when you don't want it to, delete any Alexa voice recordings, and generally step up on your smart home security.  

How to stop Alexa from listening in 5 easy steps 

Please note - this feature provides information that is correct at the time of publishing. Livingetc and the author of this article cannot be held responsible for any changes you make to your personal accounts. 

It is essential that you review your privacy and security information carefully and read the small print before you make any changes to your account.

1. Know when Alexa is recording 

According to Alexa, no audio is stored or sent to the cloud unless you use the ‘wake word’. This could simply be Alexa, or Amazon, Computer, Echo, and so on. You can tell when Alexa is sending your recording to the 'secure cloud' as a blue light indicator will appear or an audio tone will sound on your Alexa device. This is something to be aware of if you want complete privacy. 

You can also configure Echo devices to alert you when it records by playing a short audible tone any time audio is sent to the cloud. You can do this within Settings in the Alexa app.

2. Use the mute button to disable the microphone

If you want to stop Alexa from listening temporarily, you can use the mute button to disable the microphone and stop audio to and from the device. This does indeed defeat the purpose of actually having an Alexa device on hand to respond to your every request, or be able to control your other Alexa-compatible devices, but it can be useful if you want complete privacy. It also comes in handy when you want to stop young kids asking Alexa to play their favorite song every two minutes - and we know how annoying that can become if everyone in the household has a different song request!

To mute your Echo device, press the button that is illustrated with a circle and a line through it. The button will go red when muted. Saying 'Alexa' will not unmute the device and you'll have to press it again to unmute and use Alexa as normal.

• Related: the best smart speakers to help automate your home

3. Disable the camera when not needed 

You don't need the camera on your Echo Show enabled to be able to use Alexa, so unless you're using it for a video call or to drop in on another device you may as well switch the camera off too. To do this you simply switch the slider button on the top of the device to off. Switch it back again when you want to use it as normal.

4. Delete your Alexa voice history 

When you speak to Alexa, a recording of what you say is sent to Amazon's servers. Things such as "Alexa, open YouTube" or "Alexa, play The Night Begins to Shine by BER" (try it, it's great!) will be listed in date order. To review what has been recorded via your Alexa device, you can go to your Alexa app or look at the Privacy settings on your Amazon account. You can even playback the recordings from your history timeline and we must admit we found this rather unsettling. 

If you want to delete this voice history, you need to go to 'Privacy Settings', 'Review Voice History' and filter by day and which Alexa device you want to delete from. There is an option to delete all devices from all time - which is helpful if you use multiple Echo devices around your home. You can also delete what you said by asking the Alexa device yourself, but you will have to go into Manage Your Alexa Data in your settings account to enable this feature first. 

In the Manage Your Alexa Data section, there is also an option to choose how long you save your recordings and also an option called 'Don't save recordings' at all. 

If you've got a fully automated home then you'll know that, like many smart home devices such as smart heating or smart alarms, Amazon is designed to get to know you and your lifestyle to 'enhance your user experience'. The more you use Alexa, the more it will adapt to your speech patterns, vocabulary, and personal preferences - that's the idea anyhow, but some may find this a little intrusive.

When you ask Alexa a question it will record what you say and send a recording to Amazon's servers. These requests are associated with your Amazon account so you can access other Amazon services easily - such as Kindle or Audible - and Amazon can keep track of what songs you like and make recommendations. 

With this in mind when you delete your voice history Amazon warns you that this 'may degrade your experience'. While this is something worth bearing in mind before you delete your voice history, if you want a fresh start - much as you get when clearing your cache or browser history online - then this is the way to do it. While it won't stop Alexa from listening, it will delete traces of your voice and recordings, which can be reassuring. 

5. Review your Alexa privacy settings and manage how your voice data is handled 

It's worth taking a moment to explore the privacy settings on your Amazon account and have a good read. To secure your account it is possible to set up voice PINs for certain features such as Alexa shopping, for sensitive smart-home requests such as unlocking doors, and having a go at the best Alexa Skills that sometimes require sensitive banking information. 

One thing we think is worth highlighting is how Amazon handles your Alexa voice recordings. If you read the small print in the Alexa Privacy settings section of your account you'll find the part that says 'Help Improve Alexa'. You'll find it in' Privacy Settings' and then 'Manage your Alexa Data'. 

Here Amazon tells us that 'Training Alexa with recordings from a diverse range of customers helps ensure that Alexa works well for everyone.' This informs you that a 'small fraction of voice recordings are manually reviewed' - by humans. These voice recordings are anonymized, however, and the Amazon annotation process does not associate voice recordings with any customer identifiable information. 

If you want to opt out of this feature, however, you need to untick the box that says 'Use of voice recordings'. As previously stated, Amazon will tell you that doing so will mean 'voice recognition and new features may not work well for you', but we think it's worth considering if you want to reign in the privacy features. 

What happens when you drop in on Echo show?

This feature is specifically designed for Amazon Echo Show devices and works as an audio and visual intercom. This means two Alexa-enabled devices can connect instantly so you can see and hear someone in another room and have a two-way conversation, for example. The Echo will pulse green when you're connecting.

Some people may not be comfortable with this feature, but there is a way to turn it off. 

To turn off the Drop-in feature on an Echo Show you need to: 

1. Open the Alexa app and open devices. 

2. Select Echo & Alexa and then choose your device

3. Select Communications and Drop-In and choose which permissions to disable/enable.

What are the best things to ask Alexa this Christmas?

Once you've tweaked your settings and you know how to stop Alexa listening, it's definitely time for a little silliness. Here are 5 of our favorite festive questions to ask Alexa this month:

1.    Alexa, tell me a Christmas joke

2.    Alexa, am I on the nice list?

3.    Alexa, where is Santa?

4.    Alexa, where does Santa live?

5.    Alexa, what is the best Christmas movie?

Alexa Skills are a whole world in their own right. When we logged into our Alexa app this morning to try and find the best Alexa skills for you to try, it randomly told us to enable the ‘Is Santa Watching’ Skill. Once we’d activated this and asked our Echo Show if Santa was indeed watching, the voice assistant told us: ‘Santa is watching, so you better do your chores’. So after fearfully getting side-tracked washing up and cleaning the Cat-in-the-Hat-stained bath, we managed to get back to the business of searching for the best Alexa Skills for the home and garden, which we've outlined here. The moral there is - it's easy to get sidetracked on Alexa Skills, but if you are looking for tools to enhance your home life there is a lot to be found. 

The Alexa Skills Store is jam-packed with useful skills and -  aside from the jokey Santa-type Skills - there are those that can actually make your home life more convenient and time-saving, as well as fun. If you already own one of the best Alexa speakers - such as Echo Show 15, Echo Dot, or Echo Studio, for example - you’re probably already using lots of useful skills weekly. You can find tens of thousands of Alexa Skills in the Skills Store across all categories from exercise, food, and drink, kids, lifestyle, smart home, and more and these are being added to daily.

But what are Alexa Skills? 

Alexa Skills are apps for your Amazon speaker that let the Alexa voice assistant access lots of useful Internet information, play games, find recipes, listen to podcasts or even meditate! While an Alexa 'feature' is something you can do instantly when you turn on your Alexa-enabled device – such as get a weather update or ask Alexa for a joke - an Alexa Skill is something you have to actively select from the Skills Store. You need to 'enable' or 'launch' the skill on your device just as you would add an app to your smartphone or tablet.

Some Alexa Skills are designed to work in harmony with other smart devices in your home too, and this will help you create a seamlessly connected home. If you link your Ring doorbell to your Echo Show using Alexa Skills, for example, you can see who is knocking at your door on your smart speaker. With Alexa Skills you can gain so much more control of your best Alexa-compatible devices.

Best Alexa Skills you need to try 

1. Control your Ring Doorbell and smart security camera

You will need to own a Ring gadget such as a Ring Video Doorbell or Ring security camera to be able to use the Ring Alexa Skill. Once you’ve enabled the Skill and linked your Ring and Alexa accounts you’ll be able to see or hear who’s at your front door or backyard on your Amazon device such as your Fire TV, Echo Show or Echo Spot. This comes in very useful if you’ve got your hands full and can’t find your smartphone, for example. To view live video you'll also need to be signed up for the Ring Protect Plan.   

Try: “Alexa, answer the front door.”

2. Set a reminder for which garden tasks need doing

Keen to get going on the new garden trends? If you can't wait for Gardeners' Question Time on BBC Radio 4 or don't have time to read Monty Don's latest tome, then enable Gardening Jobs For the Weekend on the Skills Store. Each week it will give you gardening jobs to do throughout the year such as 'put out bird food to encourage winter birds' and 'cut down faded perennials' or 'mulch soil with compost'. The advice is short and sweet but may just give you the nudge you need to actually get out the garden tools and take a look around at what needs doing. 

Try: "Alexa, open gardening jobs." 

If you're particularly green-fingered, you may also like to launch the Planting Time Skill. You can use it to ask Alexa when to plant specific items such as broccoli or beans. 

Try: "Alexa, ask planting time when to plant tomatoes?"

3. Ask Alexa to cut the grass 

How's this for a low maintenance garden idea? Provided you have a robot lawnmower, you can use Alexa Skills to work with your voice and stop, start and give the garden a once over as and when you need. You'll need to find a robotic lawn mower that works with Amazon Alexa such as the Bosch Robotic Lawn mower.  or the Stihl RMI 422PC. Once you've switched to a robotic lawn mower you'll no doubt wonder how you ever lived without. You can also set up routines in the Alexa app so the mower comes on and off at your preferred times. 

Try: "Alexa, cut the grass."

4. Ask Alexa to vacuum the house 

Continuing on from the automated home slash "we can't be bothered to get off the sofa" theme, comes our next Alexa Skill. With a robotic vacuum cleaner such as EufyHome RoboVac or iRobot Home Roomba - both of which are two of the best vacuum cleaners - you can use Alexa voice control to make your floors spotless without having to lift a finger. 

EufyHome and iRobot are just two companies that are Alexa-compatible, but there are more, so when you come to choose your robotic vacuum just check that it's compatible with your chosen smart assistant to make use of voice control. 

Once you have set up your robotic cleaner, you can enable the relevant Skill and nurture your inner control freak by demanding the floors be spotless. Add in: 'Or no-one is going to the ball' just for fun, but take a look around first to check no one is watching you.   

Try: "Alexa, ask RoboVac to start cleaning" or "Alexa, ask Roomba to start vacuuming."

5. Control your lighting remotely 

There is a wide range of smart lighting companies that have Alexa-compatible features. If you're wondering how do smart bulbs work and should I buy one? then we can tell you that yes, you should if you have an Alexa.  Philips Hue and Wiz are just a couple of the smart lighting companies that work nicely with Alexa voice control, but you will find others. 

To make the most of voice control, you will need to download the smart lighting's specific app, set it up correctly, and link accounts via the Alexa app. 

Try: "Alexa, brighten kitchen to 60%". 

What are the best Alexa skills to try? 

‘Alexa has many features and functions outside of the ones we tend to use as default, like timers when cooking or listening to the radio,’ says Dennis Stansbury, Alexa UK & Ireland Country Manager.

‘There are thousands of Alexa Skills that can help you manage your home, and you can even discover how often to water your plants. I use Alexa to make weekday cooking easier – I’ve set my food preferences to vegetarian so that I can ask Alexa for relevant recipes from BBC Good Food. It’s then simple to add items I need to my shopping list and checkout with the new Sainsbury's Skill.'

What fun things can you ask Alexa?

Try asking Alexa: 

1. Alexa, what color should I paint my wall?

2. Alexa, what happens if you step on a Lego? 

3. Alexa, how was your day?

4. Alexa, what is the value of pi?

5. Alexa, what do you want to be when you grow up? 

6. Alexa, what's the meaning of life? 

Even once you've decided to get a smart speaker and maybe even build out a wider smart home with additional accessories and products, the question of which assistant to go for remains. Do you want an Alexa speaker, Google Assistant or Apple HomeKit?

Considering that smart assistants can essentially become part of your household, helping you do everything from setting morning routines and controlling your heating to answering the kids' many questions and playing the tunes, you should consider carefully before making any commitments.

To make things even more complicated, these assistants don't just reside on smart speakers produced by the company behind them. Instead, there are dozens of third-party products from the likes of Lenovo, Bose, Sonos, Bang & Olufsen, and more that also offer full functionality from Google, Alexa, and Apple.

The battle between the big three, though, is constantly evolving with new releases and features. Apple will always have its die-hard fans, but its compatibility compared to Alexa and Google is limited. Likewise, Alexa's reliable and sleek devices have made it a household name, but Google's efforts measure up and, in some areas, surpass Amazon's.

To help make choosing the right speaker a little easier, we have assembled our favorites in our guide to the best smart speakers. Before that, keep reading to see which smart assistant suits you best.

1. Amazon Alexa

Amazon's range of smart speakers and displays may be the most well-known, with the command 'Alexa' becoming synonymous with the smart home phenomenon overall. However, it also has the widest selection of devices. Moreover, it is most regular with its new releases - knocking the price of older models down for those who aren't necessarily interested in the latest tech.

Smart home compatibility

A big perk of Alexa is that it is part of the wider Amazon suite of technology, including Fire TVs. This allows you to control your viewing with just your voice, so whether you have a Fire TV or Fire streaming stick, it's a great bonus.

Then there's the range of Ring security products, such as Ring doorbells and security cameras. Alexa smart displays, such as the Echo Show range, come in handy here, giving you a video feed direct to your device. You can also use your speaker to communicate with someone at your front door when you're too busy to answer the door. For more on this, take a look at our guide to the best video doorbells.

Alexa Guard offers another layer of more low-tech security, with the ability to train your speaker to alert you with a push notification to your phone when it hears something like a smoke alarm. 

The updated Echo features an in-built temperature sensor and Zigbee hub, increasing its usefulness as a standalone smart home hub. Zigbee-equipped smart locks, lights, and plugs will all connect seamlessly for a completely automated home.

Music & podcasts

For obvious reasons of friendly competition, the only major audio streaming services not supported by Alexa are Google Play and YouTube Music, making it the best option for those with multiple subscriptions or memberships to Apple Music, Tidal, or Amazon Music.

There's also multi-room listening, which allows you to network multiple speakers around the home together for parties or to listen to podcasts while cleaning different rooms of the house. No pausing required. This is, of course, useful for broadcasting messages to another room, like calling the kids for dinner.

Audio quality

The Echo Dot houses a 1.6" speaker, while the larger Echo has a 3.0 woofer and dual front-firing 0.8" tweeters. The Echo Studio blows both out of the water with a 1.0" tweeter, three 2.0" mid-range speakers, and a 5.3" woofer. The latter two also feature Dolby Atmos surround sound.

Overall, even the best Alexa speakers aren't well-regarded for audio power in traditional terms, but they are more than adequate for everyday use.

Privacy & personalization

For an extra subscription, you can activate Alexa's kid-friendly options, including filters for answers to kids' questions, filter explicit songs and stop the little ones from doing some secret shopping. You can also review what might have been happening while you weren't supervising.

Echo devices (and most Alexa-equipped voice speakers) have a switch for the microphone so you can protect your privacy whenever you want. You can also hear back any interactions you've had, deleting them at your leisure. You'll also be able to set up multiple voice profiles for a more personal touch.

Amazon Alexa: who will it suit?

Amazon's Alexa smart assistant is a fantastic all-rounder, with the company putting as much effort into the design as it has the features in recent years. The spherical Echo and Echo Dot won't be to everyone's taste, but they're sleek and modern-looking enough to blend into their surroundings.

When it comes to functionality, it's impressive. Compatibility with things like Ring, Amazon shopping, and Zigbee smart home products is a massive bonus for anyone interested in building a wider system, and kid-friendly features will please parents.

Amazon offers the widest range of smart displays to suit those looking for something small for the kitchen counter or a 10-inch video-calling recipe-guiding machine.

2. Google Assistant

The biggest tool in Google's arsenal is its vast bank of data, having completely cornered the market on internet searches and knowing way more about us all than we'd probably like. This doesn't necessarily help it when it comes to the smart speaker wars, but it can't hurt its ability to answer obscure queries.

Smart home compatibility

Google Nest speakers hold their own as smart hubs, working with compatible Philips Hue light bulbs, smart plugs, and Nest thermostats (and more) to automate your home exactly how you like it. 

And, though the original Chromecast was once not as impressive as what you can do with Alexa and Fire TVs, the new Chromecast with Google TV has brought the brand into the streaming wars in a big way. The dongle comes out on top in our ranking of the best streaming devices.

And, while there are still alternative email and calendar services to Google's own, it's true that many of us rely on Gmail and its attached services for both work and personal organization. Google knows this, of course, and makes it incredibly simple to hook your email and calendar up to your smart home routines. If you use Google Meet to keep in touch with family and colleagues, even better.

You also can't ignore the benefits of having Google-owned YouTube at your fingertips, either, with video tutorials and recipe guides all easily accessible on your smart display.

Music & podcasts

Google's branded music service is YouTube Music, which combines tunes with the millions of corresponding videos on YouTube. This makes Google devices a great match for those who enjoy live music and hard-to-find songs, though YouTube Music hasn't (rightfully or wrongfully) taken the world by storm the way that third-party Spotify or Apple Music has.

Audio quality

The budget option from Google - the Nest Mini - much like Amazon's own, has just one speaker. But, like Amazon, Google has released a more audio-focused option in the Nest Audio, which hosts a 0.7" tweeter and 2.9" woofer for more impact. Still, there's a large gap between what Google speakers (or Alexa) can offer and what audiophiles might expect.

Privacy & personalization

Like Alexa, Google speakers feature a microphone mute switch that protects your privacy when you don't want to be overheard. Also, like Alexa, each member of the family can set up their own voice profile.

Google Assistant: who will it suit?

We'd recommend a Google Assistant speaker for those who want to use their smart device as a productivity tool. Whether it's having reminders of calendar events and email alerts, or tracking their sleep and setting routines, it's all slightly more connected than Alexa can claim, and without locking you in like Apple. Smart displays are where Google Assistant really comes into its own, with the latest Google Nest Hub prioritizing something we're all interested in pursuing - better sleep. 

Apple HomeKit: the details

iPhone or Mac users will already be familiar with Apple's resident smart assistant - Siri - and the company's HomeKit range could be the best choice for those who want their smart home to work seamlessly with their other Apple products.

Smart home compatibility

HomeKit is by far the most restrictive of the three options, tying you to Apple-branded services for pretty much everything. So, if you don't fancy kitting your house out with Apple TV, subscribing to Apple Music, and tying yourself to the iPhone for the foreseeable future, think carefully before going for a HomePod.

There aren't any third-party speaker brands that have Siri on board, and your only options are the HomePod mini and the newly-released HomePod 2. Still, two excellent speakers aren't to be sniffed at, and quality could make up for a lack of quantity in this instance.

Music & podcasts

The name 'podcasts' literally comes from Apple's iPods and the new listening freedom they came people, so you would expect the tech giants to be pretty good in this area. And they are, with easy access to everything you'd want to listen to, along with Apple Music and its exclusive and lossless/Dolby Atmos tunes. Second only to Spotify, Apple Music has a lot to offer, especially while we all wait for Spotify's long-awaited Hi-Fi tier.

Audio quality

The spherical design of the HomePod mini offers a 360-degree sound that is the best on offer amongst the smallest speakers in each range. Pair it with another Apple speaker, and you'll have a sturdy surround sound system on top of everything else Siri has to offer. Apple is hands-down the winner for audio quality.

Privacy & personalization

Like Alexa and Google, HomePod speakers feature a microphone mute switch that protects your privacy when you don't want to be overheard.

Apple HomeKit: who will it suit?

There are no two ways about it - the Apple HomePod mini (and its larger sibling, the HomePod) is only really recommended for those who have already sworn allegiance to the Apple brand. Those who don't use Apple Music, have an Apple TV, or already use an iPhone will find a lot of roadblocks in their way.

That said, Apple Music is doing its best to rival Spotify for music fans with HQ audio, and podcasts, of course, actually originate with the fruit-inspired brand. If you're happy with what Apple has to offer, as well as the design of the HomePod mini, then this is still a solid - though more restrictive - option. 

Verdict: which smart assistant is best?

All three of the major smart speaker providers have their positives and negatives, from wide compatibility with other smart home devices to enhanced audio quality and user-friendly speakers or privacy options.

Those who value an open ecosystem for their tech may want to steer clear of HomeKit speakers, but anyone else would be rewarded for committing to Apple with excellent audio and seamless integration with Apple TV, Apple Music, iPhones, and iPads. 

Google wins out for acting most like a personal assistant, owing mostly to its wealth of knowledge on all of us. If you use Google software like Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Chat, as well as being a frequent YouTube user, then Nest speakers will suit you and your lifestyle the best.

Perhaps because they've got the most eyes on them, Amazon might have the edge for households with children or those who are concerned about their privacy. Child-specific smart speakers are unique to Alexa, and work great with the rest of your smart home while limiting what your kids can do.

We all struggle with our sleep from time to time, whether it's a bout of insomnia, hot weather, or a less than ideal bedroom set-up. But, while some of our interactions with technology (such as staring at our phone screens late at night) can wreak havoc on our circadian rhythms, other smart devices can become vital parts of our bedtime routine.

The best smart speakers, for example, can be loaded with apps and tools that track your sleep so you can better understand what's going on in the wee hours of the morning. Or you can use them to set up routines that allow smart lighting to automatically switch on and off when you want.

And that's before you go even further to things like smart bedding, air purifiers, and cooling fans, that can all be programmed to make your bedroom the perfect place to nod off peacefully.

Below we've listed some of our favorite ways that smart technology can help make sleep as forthcoming, refreshing, and comfortable as possible.

Enlist a smart alarm clock

The idea behind smart speakers is to make our lives easier, taking over a huge range of tasks from setting timers when cooking to broadcasting messages to family members across the house. But did you know that smart speakers like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are also excellent bedtime companions?

Smart alarm clocks aren't just limited to sounding a siren and/or playing a generic radio station to get you out of bed - you can customize pretty much everything about how you wake up. As with the best wake up lights, you can set routines that include turning on your lights at the level you prefer, playing your favorite playlist, and hearing useful information like weather and traffic for your commute to work.

A lot of companies have zeroed in on this idea, such as the Alexa with Clock and the Lenovo alarm clock with Google Assistant built-in. The latest edition of the Google Nest Hub has also put sleep tools front and center.

You can read how we set up our own routines on the Google Nest Mini in our review.

Use smart lighting

Working perfectly with smart speakers is smart lighting, which you can use in a number of ways to both streamline your night and morning routines and maybe save on your electric bill while you're at it. One of the most popular options is the Philips Hue range, but there are dozens of great alternatives.

You can set smart lighting up in a couple of ways - with smart bulbs or with smart plugs. The former means that the lightbulbs themselves are able to connect with your phone or smart speaker, where you can control the brightness, color, schedules, and more.

For example, you can have your overhead light switch off in the evening and mood lighting turned on instead, or you can program your bedroom lights to turn on at a certain level when you have set your alarm.

Improve air quality

Allergies, dust and anything else lingering in the air around you can seriously impact your sleep quality. Ever been woken up by a stuffy nose caused by hay fever, or had a coughing fit in the middle of the night despite not being sick?

The best air purifiers can significantly reduce these annoyances, removing everything from pollution from outside to pet dander to ensure you can enjoy a peaceful night. They also often double as fans or heaters, so you can control the temperature at the same time as you're helping to clean the environment.

And, of course, many air purifiers have their own apps and can be connected to your smart home for setting automation, timers, and more.

Let the sunshine in

Believe it or not, you no longer have to be ultra-rich or even really fancy to have automated curtains that open at a time of your choosing. Products like SwitchBot Curtain (the company also sells other products like a button pusher) are allowing everyone to add a bit of luxury to their morning routines.

It basically works as an add-on for your existing curtains, hooking over the rail to make your regular set-up immediately smart. Then, when you want to open or close your curtains, you can just use the app (or use voice control via Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and more!).

Lazy Sunday mornings will never be the same again. 

Keep cool

We all know that there's nothing worse than tossing and turning all night when the weather is hot and sticky, and nothing you do seems to offer relief.

Air conditioning may be one solution, but if your home isn't fitted or you just don't want to waste energy on cooling the entire house, then a well-placed fan in the bedroom can be a true savior. A smart fan, of course, is even better.

Like with smart curtains or smart lighting, integrating your fan into your smart home set-up makes life infinitely more convenient. For some fans, you can set a time for it to switch on and off (giving you a window of comfort in which to drift off), include it in a larger morning or evening routine, and so much more.

It also saves on energy costs, cooling just the space you need, when you need it.