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The best Alexa smart speakers don’t just do a good job of playing your favorite music. They give you a microphone with which you can interact with Amazon’s smart assistant and control your smart home. Amazon’s Echo line is the most recognizable line of speakers, packing in Alexa, and it's also the only line that acts as a smart home hub for an Alexa-based smart home.
There are Alexa speakers from other brands, most from Sonos or Bose. You’re really spoilt for choice if you’re looking for something that listens to voice commands for Alexa, with a whole host of different shapes and sizes for different rooms and uses. You’ll even find some with smart displays that can show you what your day looks like, display recipes, or offer extra control options in your smart home.
At the moment, it's worth considering whether you’re going all in on Amazon’s AI-powered Alexa+. All of the Amazon-produced speakers on this list support the latest version of Alexa, but Sonos and other third-party manufacturers haven’t yet been given access to the more powerful assistant. Thankfully its now available in the UK, so you won’t be waiting for it to drop.
We’ve added the latest Alexa speakers, including Amazon’s Echo Dot Max and the Echo Studio. There’s also been some swapping of models as old models have left shelves. We’ve got a new portable option in the Sonos Play, a new option for best sound in the Sonos Era 300, and Amazon’s Echo Show has taken the place for best with a screen. We’re still in the process of testing Dot Gen 5, but that will join the list the moment it's tested.
Meet the experts
An award-winning journalist, Josephine oversees TechRadar's coverage of smart home tech and is a huge advocate for internet safety, making her the perfect person to recommend smart speakers that you can rely on to put you in control while maintaining your privacy.
Becky is an expert in all things audio and hi-fi, and has put her knowledge and experience to good use testing the sound quality of these smart speakers. She spent three years testing products for our sister publication What Hi-Fi? so you can trust her experienced ear.
The best Alexa speaker overall
✅ Higher volume: There’s been a volume increase over the previous model for louder audio and more easily discernible Alexa responses.
✅ Alexa+ support: Now that Amazon’s fancy new AI is available in the UK, the Dot Max has support straight out of the box.
❌ Annoying controls: Amazon’s new control method for the Echo speakers is irritating to use — press the button and you’ll push the device across the surface it's sitting on.
❌ You don't have Amazon Prime: You'll need it to unlock the Echo's full features.
Replacing the venerable Echo, the Dot Max takes the design cues of the Echo Dot and well… maximises them. It continues the previous model's legacy of being most things to most people, bringing a solid balance between helpful smart home features, solid sound quality, and price. It’s an attractive speaker that won’t look out of place anywhere in the house, and supports a range of different smart platforms to boot.
It’s by no means perfect. The sound-conscious amongst us will want something with more audio fidelity and the sudden lack of the 3.5mm jack is a shame. It would be nice if the controls were easier to manipulate as well, although you’re likely to be using your voice most of the time anyway. The Echo Dot Max is the best Alexa speaker for most people, although not quite worth upgrading to if you’re using an older 4th-gen Echo speaker.
- Read our full Amazon Echo Dot Max review
The best affordable Alexa speaker
✅ Compact size: The diminutive little speaker will fit anywhere and bring some surprisingly solid sound with it.
✅ Easily affordable price: It costs less than a trip to a London coffee shop for three people, and you can often find it on sale during Amazon’s many (many) deals events.
❌ The sound isn’t the best: As you might expect for something so small and inexpensive, the Echo Dot doesn’t sound as good as some of its larger stablemates.
❌ It’s not very loud: There aren’t many speaker units in here, so the volume doesn’t quite go loud enough for some larger rooms.
Sometimes, you don’t want the most impressive version of something. You don’t need all the bells and whistles, just a good, solid smart speaker that does everything you want without breaking the bank. The Echo Dot exemplifies this usecase, keeping the price low while still packing in everything you could want from an Alexa speaker.
It sounds fine, and you’ll have no problem hearing Alexa from across the room. It's super easy to set up, and the voice controls are incredibly simple. It has a simple style, so it won’t stick out like a sore thumb shouting to everyone who visits, “HEY, I HAVE AN ALEXA SPEAKER HERE!”
There are a couple of drawbacks. It doesn’t get particularly loud, and neither will its sound quality for music blow you away. But then you remember that it costs less than a brand new copy of the freshest Call of Duty game, and suddenly it doesn’t matter anymore. Because it just works.
- Read our full Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) review
Best Amazon Alexa speaker for sound
✅ Super slick design: It’s like a Death Star that plays music. Or an audio-sphere. Either way, looks cool to us.
✅ Solid sound: While it doesn’t quite reach the same heady heights of the first model, the Echo Studio still sounds good to our ears.
❌ More expensive than the old model: There’s been a price hike, and it makes the audio downgrade from the first model sting just a little more.
❌ Inflexible lack of ports: No more ports on the back to physically attach devices for audio playback.
The original Echo Studio is a fabulous piece of kit. Thanks to some sophisticated sound engineering, it made for a great addition to an Echo-based home cinema setup. It was large, yes, but the sound was rich, warm, and immediately rewarding. It’s a shame, then, that the new version of the Echo Studio trades that lovely sound in for a snazzy new design so that it can fit in more easily with the rest of the redesigned Echo line.
And look, it’s a successful redesign. If the other two speakers look like sonic Death Stars, this looks like the Empire's (failed) second attempt in Return of the Jedi, if they’d had a chance to complete it. It’s larger than the other two speakers, but it looks very clean and robust sitting on a side table. The extra power for quicker Alexa activation is nice too — if you’re looking for a new Alexa speaker from Amazon itself and want something that sounds pretty good, then this is the way to go. Because, unfortunately, you can’t get the old one anymore.
If you’re rocking the first Studio, though, you won’t find many audio upgrades here. It’s easier to use, yes, and more compact, but all that lovely bass is gone. I’d say seek out a second-hand one if sound is important to you. If not, and you want a louder Echo Dot Max, then you’d do a lot worse than the Echo Studio.
- Read our full Amazon Echo Studio (2025) review
The best Alexa speaker as an alarm clock
✅ The screen is fun: Want a new alarm clock that can turn your smart lights on? This is the ticket.
✅ Compact design: It’s not going to take up much room on your bedside table.
❌ Lackluster sound: Look, it's only wee. But if you’re expecting excellent sound, you’ll want to look elsewhere.
❌ Restrictive screen: Viewing angles are a problem, and it's too small to show you anything beyond an album cover or the time.
When you’re going to sleep, you don’t want something big and brash on your bedside table that keeps you up with loud ticking throughout the night. The Echo Spot is the perfect sleep time companion, then, with a screen that can be awakened with a word and a small speaker that can play you a variety of different alarms to rouse you from your slumber. Just as long as you don’t plan on listening to much music.
As that tiny front grille might suggest, the sound quality that the Echo spot spits out isn’t great. It’s fine for a quick morning routine or waking you up with Indiana Jones’ theme song, but any real listening isn’t going to be much fun. Neither is the screen that useful for anything other than the time, with iffy viewing angles and a small size that won’t show you much.
But that’s not what the Echo Spot is about. This is a small smart speaker that makes getting up easier, and so that you can set your smart home up for its daily tasks before you’ve made it to the shower. And at that, it is an absolute success.
- Read our full Amazon Echo Spot (2024) review
The best sounding Alexa speaker
✅ Incredible Dolby Atmos sound: It sounds incredible, bringing hifi sound to a surprisingly compact package.
✅ Plenty of input options: You’re not limited to just the wireless connection, thanks to more physical options.
❌ Expensive: The Sonos Era 300 is one of the most expensive speakers on the list.
❌ In your face design: While it looks good to many, some may find it a little too “much.”
If you want something that you can 1. Control with Alexa and that 2. Sounds good, then you’re going to want to grab something from Sonos. My pick for the best of the bunch right now is the Sonos Era 300, the brand's Dolby Atmos-equipped sonic powerhouse, which offers not only some great smart features but also stunning sound.
If we were to be extremely critical of the Sonos Era 300, we’d say it’s a little light on bass, but not by much. This is otherwise a very complete audio experience that outshines every other speaker on the list with a massive sound stage. Buy two and you’re in for an even better time, with some of the most impressive Dolby Atmos sound this side of a full home cinema set up.
The main problem? The price. The £449 monster demands an awful lot from your wallet, especially if you’re thinking of adding two to your living room. Still, if you take the plunge, you’re in for a treat. If not one that means you’re eating pot noodles every night for a couple of months. I’d make that deal.
- Read our full Sonos Era 300 review
The best portable Alexa speaker
✅ Great battery life: There are 24 hours of use on board, so you won’t have to worry about forgetting to charge it up in a pinch.
✅ Excellent sound: For something portable and compact, the sound here is excellent.
❌ It’s not cheap: While not as expensive as the Sonos speaker above, this is still a costly little thing.
❌ No Alexa on the go: This should go without saying, but just in case you were expecting some black magic — you’re out of luck.
Taking a smart speaker on the go might not seem like the best idea, and nor is it particularly common. Sonos is about the only company that has made the idea even remotely possible, and its portable WiFi Speakers remain a very flexible way to take your tunes on the go. The Sonos Play is my current favorite Alexa speaker that can also be taken out of the house, and it's down to a few key reasons.
First is the sound. It’s a relatively compact speaker, but it sounds great and delivers some surprisingly punchy bass. Second is the effortless transition from listening at home to on the go — as long as you use the Sonos app. That’ll avoid the need to keep jumping into those accursed Bluetooth settings and pairing menus.
Of course, there are a couple of caveats. Alexa remains a voice control method that’s only going to work when you’re connected to the home network. This we know and have to expect. Sonos is only capable of so much wizardry. The second is the price. This is a pricy portable, and if you’re willing to forgo Alexa and a Wifi connection, some cheaper models sound a little better. Still, if you want a WiFi speaker that can come to the beach, you’re not going to find anything better than the Sonos Play.
- Read our full Sonos Play review
The best Alexa speaker with a screen
✅ Lovely screen: This little HD gem shows you everything you need to know about the day at hand.
✅ Solid sound: Even though the speaker is on the back, it sounds surprisingly good.
❌ Inflexible screen: Older screens could move — this one cannot. Shame.
❌ Fewer privacy options: There are no physical buttons or camera shutters to make sure that Amazon can’t see into your home.
If you want a speaker that doubles as a futuristic information readout to put somewhere in your home, then the Echo Show 11 is a great option. The previous 10-inch screen has grown in size by an inch, and the resolution is higher, so that more information can be displayed with crisper, more readable quality. It’s a nice display too, lovely and bright and clear.
If only there were a way to turn the camera off physically. Older models let you slide a little piece over it for some extra peace of mind — not so with the Show 11. Still, the sound is a nice upgrade over previous Show speakers, with better dimension and more bass. It’s a strong performer too, with zippy animations and easy-to-use menus. Streaming media could be better, but then I’m nitpicking.
It’s not cheap considering the price of the other Echo speakers, but the screen of 11 inches is the perfect median between too small and too big. This is the perfect speaker for the kitchen, for example, so that you can finally nail that blondie recipe. While listening to Blondie.
- Read our full Echo Show 11 review
How we test Alexa speakers
Look, not all of our testing is fun and games. It’s actually very serious, containing lots of very important measurements to judge sound and plenty of tests to see if Alexa works as she should. There is also, as you might imagine, plenty of music to be listened to. Which isn’t fun at all. Its very serious. So we sit down for a few hours and listen to our favorite tunes to evaluate the sound of the speaker at hand. For science, you understand.
There’s more to it than just the sound, of course. We want to make sure that Alexa is responsive and listens to your commands no matter where you are in the room, or how loud your music or environment might be. So we test Alexa with a range of different accents, and stand in different places around the room to check how good those mics are.
We also want to check the privacy features. How easy it to turn the always-listening mics off, and are there ways to physically cover the cameras for an extra layer of privacy? We go through everything with a fine-tooth comb.
For speakers with batteries, we max them out at a wall outlet, and then use them all day to see how long they last. About the only thing we don’t do is drop the speakers down the stairs. Stairs are expensive, and we’d rather not break them with a particularly sturdy Alexa speaker. That’s not likely to be on the stairs in the first place.
How to choose an Alexa speaker
What to consider when buying an Alexa speaker
There are a number of considerations when it comes to choosing the best Alexa speaker for you.
Do you want an Alexa speaker that just offers audible responses from Amazon’s voice assistant, or do you want a device with a screen, known as a smart display, that lets you see as well as hear Alexa’s responses? And if so, do you want a larger screen that can be easily seen in a quick glance when ou’re on the other side of the room, or do you want a smaller , more compact device?
Next, consider where you intend to locate the Alexa speaker. Large devices are best suited to rooms with bigger footprints such as a lounge or dining room, while for bedrooms, you may want a smaller Alexa speaker so it fits neatly on your bedside table.
If you intend to use the smart speaker as your main listening device, make sure you consider the number of speakers, and the sound output and quality it offers. Those with smaller speakers are best suited to background music, while larger smart speakers will offer a louder, more room-filling sound. Also look for models that can be paired together to create stereo sound if you’re planning to use a smart speaker as part of your home cinema set-up.
What do Alexa speakers do?
As we’ve already mentioned, Alexa speakers can be used to listen to music but there’s also a host of other things they can do thanks to Amazon’s built-in voice assistant. To start with, they can control the playback of music for you, rather than needing to reach for your smartphone. Just ask Alexa to pause the music, skip tracks, adjust the volume or even play a specific album, track, or playlist.
Alexa speakers can also offer up a range of information such as a weather report, the latest news headlines, or even sports scores, if you ask for them. The voice assistant can also provide trivia and answer your burning questions such as ‘who is the Queen of England’ or ‘what is the tallest mountain in the world’.
Alexa speakers can be a great way to stay in touch with family and friends by letting you make audio calls, and if you have an Alexa smart display, video calls. It can even be a source of fun by telling jokes and playing games. .
Finally, Alexa speakers can also be used to control compatible smart home devices; for example, it can dim or brighten any smart lights you have in your home, turn the temperature up or down if you have a smart thermostat, and let you converse with anyone at your doorstep by connecting to your video doorbell.
