Best Black Friday Deals on Smart Speakers

Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site.

Do you know someone who can use a little helper for the holidays—one that answers to Alexa or OK, Google?

Well, smart speakers—think Amazon Echo—were among the most popular tech gifts a year ago. And that trend continues, with lots of new options hitting store shelves just in time for gift giving.

But why pay full price? We scanned the market to find the best Black Friday deals for you. If you're looking for Apple’s HomePod, you're out of luck because the manufacturer just delayed the release date until next year. But here's where to go for special offers on the top models made by Amazon and Google.

Amazon

Echo Dot, $30
That's a $20 discount on this mini version of the Echo. The deal is available at Amazon, Best Buy, Staples, and Target. Macy's will sell the Dot for $40.

Amazon Tap, $80
Amazon is offering what amounts to a $50 savings on this device. But music lovers be warned: Our testers weren't fans of its sound quality and gave it just a fair rating.

Echo (2nd generation), $80
Amazon, Best Buy, and Target are discounting this version of Amazon’s flagship smart speaker by $20. We haven’t tested the model yet, but its predecessor received okay marks for sound quality.

Echo Plus, $120
Starting on Thanksgiving Day, Amazon will give you $30 off this new device. It's the only Black Friday deal for the Plus announced so far.

Echo Show, $180
That's a $50 discount on this device, and it’s being offered at Best Buy, Staples, and Target. Our testers say the model, which adds an LCD display to a typical Echo device, is easy to use and offers decent overall sound quality.

Google

Google Home Mini, $29
The offers for these little doughnut-shaped smart speakers, which usually retail for about $50, don't vary by much. In theory, Walmart has the best deal so far with a $29 sale price coupled with a coupon good for up to $25 off a future Walmart order made through Google Express, the internet giant’s voice-controlled online shopping platform. Staples will sell the Home Mini for $29 and toss in a $10 Visa gift card. Best Buy, the Google Store, and Target will price the model about $30 and throw in $10 gift cards for their respective stores.

Google Home, $79
That's a $50 price drop, available at Walmart, which will sweeten the deal with a coupon for $25 off a Walmart order made through Google Express. Best Buy, the Google Store, and Staples will sell the device for $80.



More from Consumer Reports:
Top pick tires for 2016
Best used cars for $25,000 and less
7 best mattresses for couples

Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2017, Consumer Reports, Inc.