Whether you need a smart speaker, a smart alarm clock, or a hub for all of your smart devices, there's an Echo to help you out. Amazon's list of devices is ever-growing, and we've tested as many as we could to find the best Echo devices for your smart home.
Amazon might have some new competition this year, as Apple announced a collection of smart home products, a new venture for the tech giant. The Apple HomeView is like an Echo Show for Apple enthusiasts, while the HomePod mini 2 acts as an Echo or Echo Dot counterpart.
If you're ready to invest in an Echo, you don't need to buy these devices at full price. They always go on sale during events like Prime Day and Black Friday, so it's worth holding out until the next big sale, which happens to be Black Friday on Nov. 27, 2026.
Echo device price increases
Thanks to the global memory crisis, widespread price increases are plaguing tech. As of August 2026, major price increases came to Amazon devices. This included Kindles and, unfortunately, Echos, too. Here are all of the Echo devices affected:
Echo Dot — was $49.99, now $79.99 (+$30)
Echo Dot Max — was $99.99, now $119.99 (+$20)
Echo Spot — was $79.99, now $109.99 (+$30)
Echo Show 5 — was $89.99, now $99.99 (+$10)
Echo Show 8 — was $149.99, now $199.99 (+$50)
Echo Show 11 — was $219.99, now $249.99 (+$30)
Echo Show 15 — was $299.99, now $349.99 (+$50)
Echo Show 21 — was $399.99, now $499.99 (+$100)
What can an Echo smart speaker do?
All Echo devices utilize Amazon Alexa's AI superpowers — it's just a matter of which form you want your Echo to take. The Echo and Echo Dot are smart speakers that you can use for music, phone calls, calendar reminders, or news alerts. Amazon Echo Show devices, on the other hand, can do all of the aforementioned audio stuff, but they also boast colorful displays for making video calls, streaming entertainment, or managing your day. Think of Echo Shows as stationary, more affordable tablets, essentially.
Most Echo devices are designed to act as smart hubs within your home, but some Echo devices can also be taken on the road. Echo Auto brings hands-free Alexa functionality to the car, while Echo Buds and Echo Frames can travel with you anywhere.
What can Alexa+ do?
Alexa is to Amazon as Siri is to Apple, and is the driving force behind every Echo. But Alexa just got a big upgrade. Now there's Alexa+, an AI-powered version of Alexa introduced to Echo devices in March 2025. For Prime subscribers, Alexa+ will be included in membership, and non-subscribers will have to pay $19.99 per month for the service.
Alexa has an answer to almost anything you ask. Just by shouting out, you can play music, adjust the volume, and set an alarm or timer. And that's just naming a few options. On devices like the Echo Show, you can also ask Alexa to pull up recipes or answer questions that come up while cooking. With Alexa+, the AI agent doesn't just respond to commands but can actually engage in conversation.
Here's a short list of what Alexa+ can do:
Provide a highlight reel of the day's security footage
Read stories to kids
Plan a date night
Book restaurant reservations
Control your smart home technology from one central hub
Access your calendars and set reminders
Get answers to any question you can think of
Make phone calls (and video calls with an Echo Show)
Get the latest weather and news
Follow recipes
Shop on Amazon
Stream music (and video on an Amazon Echo Show)
Play games
There are more than 100,000 Alexa skills that you can utilize via an Echo device, and Amazon is always adding more.
Alexa gets supercharged when other smart home tech comes into the picture. If you have a smart thermostat or smart light bulbs, as long as they're compatible with the Alexa system, you can create routines through your Echo. That can be as simple as telling Alexa to turn on the lights in one room or programming Alexa to turn the thermostat down before you come home.