The 20 Best Alexa Devices for Turning Your House Into a Smart Home
It’s 2022. If you haven’t already, it’s time to upgrade your “normal home” into a “smart home,” and Alexa devices are one of the most cost-effective ways to accomplish this goal. Smart home devices allow you to control everyday electronics and appliances like your coffee maker, doorbell and air conditioner through a central smart speaker, digital voice assistant, a smart home hub, an app on your phone, or all of the above. Of course, creating a smart home has numerous benefits other than creating a futuristic space. With a digital assistant and the best Alexa devices, you’ll enjoy perks like:
A more energy-efficient home
Less time doing chores
Easier communication with others in your home
The ability to remotely control appliances and other smart devices
A home that’s better prepared for future technological advances
If you’ve decided now is the best time to create your smart home, you’ll have to decide on which digital assistant you’ll use. Although you could go with Google Assistant or Apple’s Siri, we recommend Amazon’s Alexa for ease of use and compatibility across most appliances. Alexa integrates seamlessly with both the best Amazon devices as well as countless third-party products.
Today's Top Deals
We Loved Testing Bowflex's Adjustable Kettlebells, and Now They Have a Perfect Rating on Amazon
This Best-Selling USB Outlet Extender Is On Sale at Amazon Today - Save 40%
This Citrus Juicer Has 35,000 Reviews and Is Now Under $15 for Prime Members
So with that in mind, we set out to review the best Alexa devices for the modern smart home. From smart plugs to smart lightbulbs that are controlled by the sound of your voice, you’ll feel like you’re living in The Jetsons. Get one or all of these Alexa devices and start making your home as smart as possible.
It is important to note that many of the products below are available in a variety of bundles, giving you more Alexa-enabled devices for a better price and bringing your home into the future as quickly as possible.
The Best Alexa Devices At a Glance
1. Best Overall: Amazon Echo Dot with Clock (4th Gen) — $59.99 at Amazon
2. Runner Up: Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max — $54.99 at Amazon
3. Best Bulbs: Philips Hue White and Color Smart Bulbs — $89.99 at Amazon
4. Best Smart Display: Amazon Echo Show 15 — $249.99 at Amazon
5. Best Alexa Doorbell: Ring Video Doorbell 4 — $219.99 at Amazon
6. Budget Buy: Amazon Smart Plug — $24.99 at Amazon
7. Also Great: Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen) — $49.99 at Amazon
8. Best Alexa Smart Hub: Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) — $84.99 at Amazon
9. Best Smart Speaker: Amazon Echo (4th Gen — $99.99 at Amazon
10. Great For Kids: Amazon Echo Glow — $29.99 at Amazon
11. Best Fire TV Smart Device: Amazon Fire TV Cube — $119.99 at Amazon
12. Best Alexa Thermostat: Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat — $142.99 at Amazon
13. Most Technologically Advanced: Amazon Echo Studio— $199.99 at Amazon
14. Most Useful: August Wi-Fi Smart Lock — $219.99 at Amazon
15. Best Splurge: Sonos Beam Gen 2 — $526.00 at Amazon
16. Best TV: Amazon Fire TV Omni Series — $499.99 at Amazon
17. Best Alexa Security Camera: Blink Mini — $34.99 at Amazon
18. Also Consider: Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) — $249.99 at Amazon
19. Best Air Quality Monitor: Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor — $69.99 at Amazon
20. Best Robot Vacuum: iRobot Roomba j7+ — $735.99 at Amazon
1. Echo Dot with Clock (4th Gen)
BEST OVERALL
Who’s It For: Anyone that needs a handy alarm clock by their bedside to tell the time. Stay at home parents and anyone working from home that needs background music.
Why We Chose It: It’s affordable, has surprisingly great audio, and you can instantly tell the time.
Read More: 9 Thinks You Didn’t Know Alexa Could Do
Buy: Echo Dot with Clock (4th Gen) $59.99
Buy: Amazon Echo Dot with Clock at Target $19.99 (orig. $49.99) 60% OFF
If you want a versatile device that can deliver solid audio quality and give you control over your smart home while remaining affordable, then the Echo Dot with Clock is the best Alexa accessory around. This Echo Dot with Clock does everything the standard Echo Dot can do, but can also display the time thanks to LEDs under the speaker fabric. So once you’ve used this speaker to lock the doors, set an alarm, and check your calendar before bed, you can still sneak a peek at the clock without having your Echo yell at you at 5 a.m.
2. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max
RUNNER UP
Who’s It For: Streaming junkies that need to watch their favorite streaming services in 4K glory.
Why We Chose It: You can transform any TV, including smart TVs, into an incredible command center with access to all the popular streaming services and your smart home devices.
Read More: What You Need To Know About Streaming Sticks
Buy: Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max $54.99
Buy: Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max at Staples $54.99
If you don’t like the smart TV software that comes with your TV or your old Amazon Fire TV streaming device is starting to show its age, that’s not a problem. For less than $55, you can get the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which gives you support for all the latest technologies, including 4K resolution, Dolby Vision HDR content and Dolby Atmos sound.
Plus, it supports virtually every streaming app you could ever want, including more recent services such as HBO Max, Disney+, Peacock and Paramount Plus. But what really makes this a must-have product is the fact that the interface is not only easy to use but is also designed to surface the content you want to watch without you having to surf through a countless number of menus.
3. Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance LED Smart Bulbs
BEST BULBS
Who’s It For: Families that want to keep a light on when they’re away. Artists that need mood lighting. Gamers looking to spruce up their streaming setup.
Why We Chose It: No other smart light bulb offers reliable connectivity and accurate colors like Philips Hue’s bulbs.
Read More: The 12 Best Smart Bulbs for Perfect Lighting at Home
Buy: Philips Hue White and Color Smart Bulbs $89.99
Buy: Philips Hue White and Color Smart Bulb at Best Buy $99.99
Forget lights that clap on and clap off. Join the 21st century by investing in a few smart bulbs, like these from Philips. The Philips Hue White LED Smart Bulbs can be controlled using the Philips Hue app or with your voice using Amazon Alexa. This means that you can constantly adjust the brightness of the bulbs, set timers for your lights and create triggers for your lighting system at the touch of a button. You’ll also be able to turn lights on and off while you’re away from home or whenever you just don’t want to get out of bed. Smart bulbs really are one of the best ways to take advantage of the power of a digital assistant.
4. Amazon Echo Show 15
BEST SMART DISPLAY
Who’s It For: Detail oriented users that need a centralized gadget to oversee their smart home. Friends that live together and need a way to quickly post messages and reminders. Forgetful kids that need reminders from parents.
Why We Chose It: Due to its massive size, you can’t miss the Echo Show 15 and its ability to take command of your smart home with its dynamic widgets.
Review: Amazon Echo Show 15 Review
Buy: Amazon Echo Show 15 $249.99
Buy: Amazon Echo Show 15 at Target $249.99
The newly updated Amazon Echo Show 15 is one of the best Alexa devices for controlling your new smart home. If you already have a ton of Amazon-enabled gadgets around the house (or if you’re looking to buy them in bulk and get your smart house all set up), you’ll definitely want the Echo Show 15 to act as your command center.
With a gorgeous screen, some very useful widgets and an easy setup, this one is a no-brainer for those looking to instantly upgrade their homes. We got our hands on this one to test it and loved it as a beautiful command center. While it isn’t perfect, it’s very much worth your consideration when building out a home full of Amazon Alexa products.
5. Ring Video Doorbell 4
BEST ALEXA DOORBELL
Who’s It For: Homeowners that want to deter potential porch pirate. Elderly folks that have limited mobility. Property owners looking to crack down on unauthorized parties.
Why We Chose It: With its pre-roll feature that captures several seconds before the start of an even trigger, the Ring Video Doorbell 4 ensures that nothing’s ever missed.
Review: Ring Video Doorbell 4 Review
Buy: Ring Video Doorbell 4 $219.99
Buy: Ring Video Doorbell 4 at Best Buy $219.99
The Ring Video Doorbell 4 is a smart device that allows you to monitor who comes to your front door. The doorbell includes a small camera with a motion detector and infrared night vision, so that any time someone is on your doorstep, you can see them through any phone, tablet or PC connected to your doorbell. You can also hear and speak to visitors using the included app.
Of course, the Ring Video Doorbell 4 also connects to Alexa. Anytime the doorbell is pressed or motion is detected, you can program Alexa to provide an announcement. You can also see, hear and talk to visitors through any Echo Show or Echo Spot device.
6. Amazon Smart Plug
BUDGET BUY
Who’s It For: Really, anyone that wants to convert their appliance, small electronics, and other popular household plug in and give them the ability to be remotely controlled by Alexa.
Why We Chose It: This is the cheapest, most cost effective way of upgrading your home into a smart home. Whether it’s the coffee maker, living room lamps, or that fan in the garage, you can make them all smart with this ingenious gadget.
Review: Amazon Smart Plug
Buy: Amazon Smart Plug $12.99 (orig. $24.99) 48% OFF
Adding one of these Amazon Smart Plugs into your home environment will make your life a little bit easier and maybe even save you some cash for that one appliance that sucks up power even when its off. But changing every plug will give you complete Alexa control over all of your devices over your wi-fi network.
The Alexa app allows you to control the plugs from anywhere using your smartphone, letting you schedule options for daily routines as you supply or cut power in your devices throughout your home, so you’ll never have to come home to a dark house ever again.
7. Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen)
ALSO GREAT
Who’s It For: Office workers that need a handy speaker for music listening. Kids that need to be told a story before bed in order to fall asleep. Anyone that’s on a tighter budget.
Why We Chose It: You can’t go wrong with Amazon’s most inexpensive smart speaker. It’s the gateway for bringing Alexa to your home through the help of voice commands.
Review: Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen) Review
Buy: Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen) $49.99
Buy: Amazon Echo Dot at Target $19.99 (orig. $49.99) 60% OFF
The is regularly Amazon’s most popular smart speaker option and with more than 247,000 five-star reviews on past models, it’s easy to see why. Where the bigger Amazon Echo is great as a main speaker in the living room or bedroom, the fourth-generation Amazon Echo Dot is perfect as a speaker to place in your kitchen, entryway, or home office. While this smaller Echo lacks an integrated Zigbee hub, you can still control any WiFi-connected devices, and if you have it placed in the kitchen, you easily add items to your Whole Foods or Amazon Fresh shopping cart as you take inventory of your pantry.
And even if this smaller speaker can’t offer the same audio quality as the flagship Echo, the redesigned speaker drivers still offer a sound that is great for a secondary speaker and is more than suitable for loading up a playlist or a podcast on Spotify. Plus it’s also possible to connect the Dot to other (better) speakers using Bluetooth or the 3.5mm jack.
8. Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen)
BEST ALEXA SMART HUB
Who’s It For: Light sleepers that don’t want a ginormous smart display nearby. People that prefer to video chat a lot. Anyone that craves utility with their gadgets.
Why We Chose It: While it offers all the features of an Alexa powered smart speaker, the Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) is an affordable upgrade for smart home users that want to go beyond just voice control.
Read more: How To Use Amazon Alexa Drop In Feature for Instant Communication
Buy: Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) $84.99
Buy: Amazon Echo Show 5 at Best Buy $34.99 (orig. $84.99) 59% OFF
If you already have the Dot and you want to take Alexa to the next level, the Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) is not only a wonderful introduction to smart assistants but also smart displays. This Alexa-enabled smart hub boasts a compact, 5-inch screen, which is designed to show you the weather at a glance, give you a visual representation of your calendar and even connect you to friends and family via video chat.
Just like other Echo devices, you can control the Echo Show 5 with your voice, along with all your Alexa-enabled devices from your TV to your smart plugs. And, because it has a screen, the Show is especially useful for showing you security camera footage and a real-time picture of what your smart doorbell is seeing.
9. Amazon Echo (4th Gen)
BEST SMART SPEAKER
Who’s It For: Music lovers looking to share their love of music. Home theater buffs that need more heart pounding sound than their TV’s internal speakers.
Why We Chose It: Combining its unique orb shape and exceptional audio performance, the Amazon Echo (4th Gen) not only looks good, but it sounds awesome as well.
Read more: Here’s How Alexa Can Help us Take Care of Our Aging Loved Ones
Buy: Amazon Echo (4th Gen) $99.99
Buy: Amazon Echo (4th Gen) at Target $59.99 (orig. $99.99) 40% OFF
If you want the Alexa speaker that strikes the best balance between features, performance and price, the new fourth-generation Amazon Echo can do it all. Like all Alexa speakers before it, the new Amazon Echo comes with Alexa integrated, which means that you can use your voice to add items to control smart home devices and accessories that are connected via WiFi. But Amazon has also added a new AI-powered NZ1 CPU to make interacting with Alexa more natural.
This speaker also has integrated Zigbee hardware, which expands the number of smart home devices that can connect to the Echo without the need for additional hubs, bridges or routers. Add to that a completely redesigned speaker that promises vastly improved audio quality and you’ve got yourself a winner, especially since you can pair it with a second Echo speaker for stereo sound.
10. Amazon Echo Glow
GREAT FOR KIDS
Who’s It For: Kids that need a better looking night light next to their bed.
Why We Chose It: Other Alexa devices may appear intimidating, but the Amazon Echo Glow’s inviting looks give it an approachable demeanor that children enjoy,
Read more: Amazon Alexa vs. Google Home
Buy: Amazon Glow at Best Buy $29.99
If you have kids, the Amazon Echo Glow is a great option for a night light, or a fun way to introduce various routines into your household buy using light-based cues. And while this technically might not be targeted towards adults, it could even double as an easy way to add some adjustable LED mood lighting to your home at a reasonable price.
11. Amazon Fire TV Cube
BEST FIRE TV SMART DEVICE
Who’s It For: Home theater enthusiasts that want to make a serious statement about their appreciation for streaming.
Why We Chose It: Just like Amazon’s Fire TV Sticks, the Fire TV Cube is a streaming box on steroids that gives power streamers all the services they crave — while still having instant access to Alexa.
Read more: The Best Streaming Services
Buy: Amazon Fire TV Cube $119.99
Buy: Amazon Fire TV Cube at Target $59.99 (orig. $119.99) 50% OFF
You might already be familiar with the that turns a non-smart TV into one that can stream from a variety of services. The Fire TV Cube improves upon those abilities by adding Alexa directly into your TV, meaning you can switch between services and channels (including cable channels) using the sound of your voice.
The cube also comes with the Alexa-enabled remote, giving you the ability to use your TV and any additional devices connected to your 75-inch TV with one device instead of multiple remotes. And, because the Fire TV Cube has Alexa built-in, it can also control all your smart home appliances, too.
12. Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat
BEST ALEXA THERMOSTAT
Who’s It For: Homeowners that want a more efficient way of heating and cooling their homes.
Why We Chose It: Stop wasting money with the air conditioner running when no one’s home. The Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat ensures your home is cooled efficiently.
Read more: 7 Things You Didn’t Know Your Smart Thermostat Could Do
Buy: Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat $148.16 (orig. $179.00) 17% OFF
Buy: Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat $149.00 (orig. $179.00) 17% OFF
It’s no surprise that Amazon makes the best Alexa devices, but you can also find some excellent Alexa-capable gadgets from other brands. Case in point: the Ecobee3 smart thermostat. These devices make the average house much more energy-efficient and help to uncomplicate your life, too.
The works with Amazon Alexa to regulate the temperature in each room of your house. Through a series of room sensors and knowledge of the outside temperature, the thermostat can determine how warm a room is and adjust the heat or air-conditioner output accordingly. The sensors can also tell if you aren’t home, triggering a series of events for your departure or arrival. The Ecobee3 Lite Thermostat can be controlled using voice commands with Alexa or through the Ecobee app on any smartphone.
13. Amazon Echo Studio
MOST TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED
Who’s It For: Music aficionados that want to impress friends with heart pounding audio.
Why We Chose It: There’s no other speaker on the market that can match its power output, clarity, and 3D sound performance.
Read more: The Best Alexa Speakers You Can Buy
Buy: Amazon Echo Studio at Target $199.99
The Echo Studio contains the most technologically advanced speaker of any device. Inside this bulky digital assistant live five individual speakers boasting Dolby Atmos technology, resulting in powerful bass, dynamic midrange sounds and crisp high notes. Perhaps the most impressive thing about the Echo Studio is that it can adapt to the acoustics of any room, straight out of the box, and will continue to adapt every time you use it. In addition to being great for a dance party, the Echo Studio can do the same thing every other Alexa-enabled Echo device can, including controlling your smart home devices, playing games and answering all your burning questions.
14. August Wi-Fi Smart Lock
MOST USEFUL
Who’s It For: Homeowners that wany an easier way of knowing who’s coming and going. Anyone that has a habit of losing or misplacing their keys. AirBnB property owners who want to give their guests some added convenience.
Why We Chose It: Ditch the keys, you can count on the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock to automatically lock/unlock itself. Plus, it’s so easy to install.
Read more: 7 Useful Things You Didn’t Know Smart Locks Could Actually Do
Buy: August Wi-Fi Smart Lock $199.99 (orig. $229.99) 13% OFF
Buy: August Wi-Fi Smart Lock at Best Buy $229.99
The is the best smart lock deadbolt on the market and one of the most useful things you can buy to pair with your other Amazon Alexa devices. The deadbolt simply attaches to your existing lock and can be controlled through the August Home app or by voice command through your Alexa-enabled speaker without needing any additional hardware. Thanks to these features, you’re able to lock and unlock your door from anywhere after you have this deadbolt installed. You can also set your door to unlock any time you’re nearby or to lock when you walk away from your house. Rest easy that your home is secure wherever you are by investing in the August WiFi Smart Lock.
15. Sonos Beam Gen 2
BEST SPLURGE
Who’s It For: Movie junkies that don’t like the messy look of wires everywhere. Music lovers that want to quickly play a sound through voice control
Why We Chose It: Aside from its superb audio, it’s the centerpiece for what could be the start of a solid surround sound system in your entertainment center.
Read more: 7 Useful Things You Didn’t Know Smart Locks Could Actually Do
Buy: Sonos Beam Gen 2 at Adorama $449.00
Although not produced by Amazon, the Sonos Beam Gen 2 has Alexa built-in. And with four full-range subwoofers, this smart speaker/soundbar produces impressive sound when paired with your TV via the HDMI ARC port. You’ll wonder how you ever survived with just your TV speakers after watching your first show using the Sonos Beam. The beam is only 25.6 inches long, so it will fit on most TV stands quite easily. It can also stream music from several different services through the Sonos app when you aren’t watching TV.
16. Amazon Fire TV Omni Series
BEST TV
Who’s It For: Budget TV shoppers that need to upgrade to 4K badly without draining their bank accounts. Anyone that wants a decent performing TV for the basic, as well as accessing few smart functions.
Why We Chose It: Apart from its affordable cost, the Amazon Fire TV Omni Series has everything you’ll need to get started with watching 4K HDR content — plus, instant access to Alexa even when it’s turned off.
Review: Amazon Fire TV Omni Series Review
Buy: Amazon Fire TV 65 $829.99
An Alexa-infused TV may feel a bit frivolous, but being able to control your TV with only your voice, and know that it’ll play nice with the rest of your home, is a huge boon. It’s not like it’s just the fact that this thing works with Alexa that makes it good either. With 4K Ultra HD visuals, support for things like Dolby Vision and Dolby Digital Plus, you’re also going to be getting a truly beautiful image from your new TV too.
17. Blink Mini Security Camera
BEST ALEXA SECURITY CAMERA
Who’s It For: Homeowners looking for a quick and easy way to place security cameras throughout their home without spending a fortune.
Why We Chose It: It’s a simple, easy to setup security camera that covers the basics when it comes to watching out for all sorts of motion.
Review: Blink Mini Review
Buy: Blink Mini at Best Buy $29.99 (orig. $34.99) 14% OFF
You have a smart home, now protect it with a smart security camera. The Blink Mini security camera works indoors so that you can keep track of what’s happening around your house from anywhere and at any time. Whenever the camera detects motion, it will send you an alert via Alexa. The camera also boasts a built-in speaker so you can hear what’s going on and talk to whoever you see in the live footage. And if you have an Echo Spot or an Echo Show, you’ll be able to monitor your home from the screen on those devices. As an added bonus, Blink cameras (both indoors and outdoors) can be linked together to provide you with a broader picture of your house.
18. Amazon Echo Show 10
ALSO CONSIDER
Who’s It For: Elderly individuals that need supervision when no one else is home to watch them. Users that want a solid speaker for music with the benefits of an interactive display.
Why We Chose It: On top of playing music and controlling other smart devices in the home, you can use it as a security camera to remotely inspect all corners of a room because it can pan 360-degrees.
Read more: Amazon Echo Show 15 vs Amazon Echo Show 10
Buy: Amazon Echo Show 10 $249.99
Buy: Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) at Target $249.99
In our head-to-head review of the Echo Show 10 and the Echo Show 15, we ultimately gave the Show 15 the W. That said, there are plenty of reasons to consider the Show 10, especially if you already have a command center like the 15 and simply want a bigger, badder display for the kitchen.
Thanks to its built-in speaker, this thing can really crank the tunes, which makes it useful for video chats or playing music while following recipes along in the kitchen. Though it’s certainly not cheap, it’s yet another example of how well Amazon’s Echo products can integrate into your daily life.
19. Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor
BEST AIR QUALITY MONITOR
Who’s It For: Homeowners and small businesses that want to make sure they’re breathing clean air. Allergy suffers that need up-to-date details about the air quality.
Why We Chose It: This discreet looking gadget may still innocently somewhere in the home, but it can possible save lives as well because it can monitor for carbon monoxide.
Review: Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor
Buy: Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor $69.99
Did you know that the Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor has the potential to save lives? Sure, this innocuous looking gadget might not seem to do a whole lot perched in a corner or somewhere, but it’s actively monitoring the air to make inform you about what pollutants are around.
From being able to monitor for VOCs (volatile organic compounds) from aerosols used to clean, to invisible gases like carbon monoxide that can be fatal, the Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor is there to smell if there’s something fish in the air that you should know about. We also love that Alexa can announce when the air quality changes.
20. iRobot Roomba j7+
BEST ROBOT VACUUM
Who’s It For: Anyone that doesn’t have the time to clean. Apartment dwellers that need a compact self-emptying robot vacuum.
Why We Chose It: Not only does it empty itself after each cleaning session, but the Roomba j7+ is also one of the most efficient and intelligent bots around. It can even avoid those pesky cable wires on the floor.
Review: iRobot Roomba j7+
Buy: iRobot Roomba j7+ $734.00 (orig. $799.99) 8% OFF
Buy: iRobot Roomba j7+ $735.99 (orig. $799.99) 8% OFF
Robot vacuums are so handy because they save us time. With the iRobot Roomba j7+, it makes things even more convenient because it can reliably clean and get around on its own. With its front-facing cameras, it’ll actively watched out for any potential obstacles in its way and go around them.
Through the iRobot app, you can even lay out the rooms of your home. That way, you can tell Alexa to clean up a specific room and the Roomba will go there to do its job.
Updates: This was last updated on August 2, 2022. After additional testing, we decided to add the Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor and iRobot Roomba j7+.
Looking for more deals? Follow SPY on Instagram…
More Top Deals from SPY
