The Best Alexa Speakers of 2023

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

Like many other modern devices these days, speakers can do so much more than they once did that they bear very little resemblance to the speakers of yore. They have advanced so much in recent years that it seems mind-boggling to consider there was a time they didn’t come with some sort of smart assistant, such as Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple’s Siri.

Forerunners of the smart speaker niche, Alexa speakers, in particular, have a range of skills. Not only can they tell you the time, the weather, or who the president was in 1965 (Lyndon B. Johnson), but they can also make phone calls, control your other smart home devices, and order a replacement for that near-empty tin of coffee on Amazon with just a voice command. Plus, Alexa’s multilingual mode supports English, Spanish, German, and five other languages.

Many of these devices also have unique features, such as additional internal speakers for high-fidelity audio, kid-friendly designs and programming for the little ones in your life, screen displays, and wireless chargers for multifunctional use.

With so many options available, we’ve narrowed the choices down to a concise list of speakers for different uses and budgets. Here’s what you need to know about Amazon Alexa speakers to find the best one for your household.

Best Alexa Speakers

What to Consider

Most Alexa speakers are fairly plug-and-play. Because most models have a power adapter, you’ll need to install your speaker near an outlet. After that, turn your speaker on, connect it to a Wi-Fi network or a specific device via Bluetooth, then download the Alexa app on a Fire OS, Android, or iOS device. Wi-Fi provides the stablest connection and access to smart assistant commands, but Bluetooth allows you to travel with your speaker for streaming music and media on the go.

Many Alexa speakers, especially Amazon’s own Echo branded speakers, come with a free trial of one of the company’s media services, such as Amazon Music Unlimited or Amazon Kids Plus. These trials last several months or up to one year and automatically renew. You should keep track of the duration, and if or when you want to cancel, visit the

How We Selected

I’ve been a tech reporter for the better part of a decade, reporting on product launches and reviewing products for outlets such as Newsweek Media Group, Business Insider, Tom’s Hardware, Lifewire.com, GearBrain.com, and Online-Tech-Tips.com, as well as at my own blog, TechieSupreme.com. To recommend the best Alexa speakers, I surveyed the Amazon Echo line and Alexa-enabled devices from trusted brands. I chose options across different price points and with unique features, backing up my choices with notes from Amazon customer reviews and my own testing experience over several years.

For more great speakers, check out our picks for best Bluetooth speakers, smart speakers, and computer speakers.

Echo Studio

The Amazon Echo Studio features a total of five speakers in its casing, including three 2-inch midrange speakers, one 1-inch tweeter, and one 5.25-inch woofer with bass aperture. The design mimics a surround-sound audio experience that’s ideal for playing music, listening to audiobooks, using as a TV speaker, or simply hearing Alexa’s responses from across the room.

Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen)

The Amazon Echo Show 10 features two 1-inch tweeters and a 3-inch woofer, but the real star of the show is the 10.1-inch HD touchscreen. The display automatically rotates as you move around the room thanks to onboard motion controls.

Use the 13MB camera for video calls or remote home monitoring when you’re away. Privacy controls include mic and camera on/off buttons, along with a camera shutter.

Echo (4th Gen)

The flagship Amazon Echo features a 3-inch neodymium woofer and two 0.8-inch front-firing tweeters. It’s also optimized with Dolby audio, which gives it excellent overall sound for the price and makes it a great option for hands-free calls. And it can be used as a smart home hub with compatible Zigbee devices and select Ring Smart Lighting solar lights and bulbs.

Like some others in the Echo line, this smart speaker comes with a one-year limited warranty.

Echo Dot (3rd gen)

Although it's not the current model, the third generation Amazon Echo Dot remains a good option if you want a low-profile smart speaker. Don’t be fooled by the small footprint, either. It houses a 1.6-inch speaker for decent audio output and has all the usual smart features, including answering questions, queuing up your favorite playlist, and helping with meal prep.

Echo Dot with Clock (5th Gen)

The Amazon Echo Dot with Clock is the perfect Alexa speaker for your nightstand. The subtle LED screen shows the time, along with any alarms and timers you set. But if you’re not quite ready to start the day, tap the top of the speaker to hit snooze. You can also create morning or bedtime routines in the Alexa app to hear the forecast or turn on white noise.

Portable Smart Speaker

The Bose Portable Smart Speaker features a 360-degree speaker and is the only Alexa speaker on this list with a built-in battery. That means you can use it at home and as a portable speaker everywhere else.

In Bluetooth mode, you won’t have access to Alexa (or Google Assistant, if that’s your preference), but you can still play music and other audio content. With a promised battery life of up to 12 hours and a water-resistant design, its ready to go where you do.

Uxbridge Smart Speaker

The well-known Marshall brand outfits its Uxbridge Smart Speaker with Amazon Alexa. Enable music-specific voice commands in the Marshall Voice app. The far-field microphone has a noise cancellation feature to enhance voice recognition. You can also tweak the volume, treble, and bass using the manual rocker buttons on the speaker’s top panel.

SoundForm Elite Smart Speaker and Wireless Charger

The Belkin SoundForm Elite Hi-Fi Smart Speaker blends the Alexa voice assistant with high-quality audio and a 10-watt wireless charger for a 3-in-1 device that also has a sleek design. The speaker features special acoustics and fidelity technology by the audio brand Devialet in addition to a unique dual woofer design for optimal bass. You can also get a 90-day free trial of Amazon Music Unlimited if you haven’t subscribed before.

Echo Dot Kids (5ht Gen)

Despite sharing the same dimensions and 1.6-inch front-firing speaker as the fifth generation Echo Dot, the Amazon Echo Dot Kids has some distinct kid-friendly features. The animal-themed device can be made to speak in a dragon or owl voice and comes with a one-year free trial to Amazon Kids Plus for access to age-appropriate books, games, and more. From the Parent Dashboard, you can set limits on kids’ usage time and filter out content. And should anything go wrong, it's covered by a two-year warranty.

You Might Also Like

• The Do’s and Don’ts of Using Painter’s Tape

• The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere

• Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?