Amazon Echo Dot (1st gen. 2016)

Access to thousands of Alexa “Skills” ; Audio-out port and Bluetooth speaker support ; At $50, it's $150 cheaper than the full-size Echo

Alexa app can be buggy ; Two Alexa devices in adjoining rooms will both try to answer queries ; Anemic sound from the built-in speaker

Even with multiple wake words, the inability to stream to multiple devices and an app that sometimes fails, the Amazon Dot is an incredible value at $50 a pop. Dropping one in the kitchen and one in the living room seems like a no-brainer. I've used...

Brings Alexa to any speaker system ; Just as fast and accurate as the larger Alexa ; Easy to set up

You can only buy it through an Echo or Fire TV ; Needs intelligent speaker switching ; No optical audio output

Compact and unobtrusive ; Connects to any audio system ; Far-field voice recognition ; Constantly evolving functionality

On-board sound is weak

Powerful sound for the price ; You’ll no longer have to ask for the time ; Can also display weather info and timers

The clock adds $10 to the price ; Can’t be mounted without additional accessories like the Nest Mini ; Display could use a scheduling tool

Amazon’s new Echo Dot with clock changes almost nothing about 2018’s third-generation smart speaker, except it added a clock to the side. This saves you from having to ask Alexa for the time, temperature, or whether you set an alarm.

Adds Alexa to any room for only $50. Connects to Bluetooth and wired speakers.

Tinny sound quality.

Bottom Line: The second-generation Amazon Echo Dot brings Alexa voice assistance to your home for just $50, and you can connect it to your favorite home speaker.

Cheap and easy to use ; Good comprehension ; Lots of compatible devices ; 3.5mm output

Low quality speaker ; AI could be more advanced

A simple and effective entry into the world of voice assistants

Alexa voice assistant is genuinely useful ; Reliable voice control ; Decent selection of features ; Easy to use

Sound is nothing special ; Relies on other apps and devices to make the most of it

So-so sound but the Alexa assistant makes this a seriously clever speaker

Stellar music, to-do list and timer apps ; Handy news, weather, smart home and calendar stuff too ; Futuristic tech, old-fashioned price ; You can plug it in to any speaker with a line in

…So yes, you do need to already own a speaker to get the most out of it ; Same limitations as full-size Echo

Half the price of Echo ; Much smaller than Echo ; Same Alexa experience as Echo

Can only buy with another Alexa device ; Speaker output is weak