Which Amazon Echo should you buy?

By Tyler Lacoma October 12, 2022

If you’re a fan of Alexa’s gentle tones and like using voice commands around your home — including setting up smart routines or enabling Alexa Guard for some extra safety while you’re away — then you may be thinking about getting an Amazon Echo smart speaker. Or maybe you want to give an Amazon Show to a family member or friend to make it easier to communicate with them. But what should you get?

Contents

Echo 4th-generation
Echo Dot 5th-gen
Echo Dot with Clock 5th-gen
Echo Dot Kids 5th-gen
Echo Studio
Echo Dot 3rd-gen

There are quite a few Amazon Echo models available, with more arriving all the time, so we know it can be confusing to figure out the latest models and which may be the right pick. Don’t worry, our guide is here to help with the best and newest Echos available, along with who they’re suited for.

Echo 4th-generation

Amazon Echo (4th Gen) on a kitchen counter.

This larger Echo speaker is the flagship model for the Amazon Echo line and an excellent place to start if you aren’t sure which one to get. For the fourth generation, Amazon reinvented the Echo’s design into an orb-like speaker with 360-degree audio and an indicator ring around the base.

The sound on this Echo is better than ever, capable of filling an entire room with sound, and it’s available in three different shades to match your home. That makes it a great pick for a central location where it can play music for the house or control a variety of smart gadgets with a few well-directed voice commands. It also supports Zigbee devices in addition to newer protocols, so it’s one of the better speakers for those who still have those around.

If you are worried about privacy, the Amazon Echo 4th-gen (and every other Echo on our list) comes with the ability to manually turn on the mic at any time, and you can always customize how Alexa listens to and saves your voice commands.

Finally, the Echo 4th-gen is reasonably priced compared to other smart speakers, which may make it a great entry device for someone who knows they like music while also wanting to get comfortable with Alexa.

Echo Dot 5th-gen

The Echo Dot was already in a good spot, carefully mimicking the Echo 4th-gen with its smaller orb design, but the 5th-gen remake took it to another level, especially when it comes to better bass and improved sound overall. This little speaker can put out a surprising amount of music and makes a great companion for a desktop computer, etc.

But the sound wasn’t the only thing that Amazon updated with this model. It now has temperature and motion sensors, which you can link to specific smart devices, like automatically turning up a thermostat if a particular room is getting too cold or turning on smart lights when someone walks into a room. And if you use an Eero mesh router, this little speaker can even act as a satellite router to help you expand your coverage in areas where it may be poor.

That makes the Dot 5th-gen a perfect pick for somehow who already has an Echo or wants one specifically for their workspace, from desks and crafting tables to workbenches in the garage. It’s also a good choice for people who like smart homes in general and are happy to link up their smart devices.

Echo Dot with Clock 5th-gen

The Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) with Clock.

There are a couple of different varieties of the Echo Dot 5th-gen, each with its own specialties. This one, for example, comes with an LED clock face on the front. That makes it a great pick to serve as a bedside radio and alarm (alarms, morning routines, and LED brightness are all adjustable via the Alexa app) or anywhere else that you may want a visible clock. All the other capabilities of the Echo Dot 5th-gen are still here too, which means it has plenty of audio power and can help manage your smart home (plus those privacy features we mentioned that come with all the latest Echos).

Echo Dot Kids 5th-gen

This kids’ model does a few different things, too. First, it’s available in fun alternative skins like a round lil’ owl or a happy dragon (hey, if you like those better than the other colors, we won’t judge you for getting one for yourself, either). You can also pair it with the Echo Glow, which is a small nightlight orb that’s fun for play or keeping a bedroom illuminated. Finally, it comes with a free year of Amazon Kids+, a subscription for kid-friendly content on a platform designed for safety. Parents can use a wide variety of controls over what their kids can access or do, and it comes with a two-year guarantee in case of accidents.

Echo Studio

Those who take their audio seriously will want to turn to the Echo Studio. It takes up more room than the other models but comes with unparalleled sound thanks to five internal speakers and automatic tuning to adjust the sound to the room you are in. The Studio also continues to get important updates, such as the recent firmware update adding support for Spatial Audio powered by Dolby Atmos, available with an Amazon Music Unlimited subscription. It’s the best option for pairing with a home theater setup or for serious audiophiles.

Echo Dot 3rd-gen

Yes, this puck-shaped Echo Dot is a few years out of date. But it’s also really, really affordable at around $18 the last time it went on discount, and it’s still widely available at places like Target and Best Buy. That makes this Echo a good choice for those on a tight budget, especially if you’re just dipping your foot into the voice assistant world and want to start small. Amazon also sells it as a bundle with a smart bulb, so you can use it to get started creating a smart home!

Of course, there is another option for Echo fans: Echo Show devices, which add a touchscreen to the mix and enable a variety of streaming options, including shows, face chats, and slideshows. We are already big fans of models like the Echo Show 15, which is large enough to serve as a mini TV in places like your kitchen. For more information, you may want to take a look at our list of the best smart displays.