The 5 Best Alexa Speakers - Spring 2023 Reviews

The best Alexa speaker that we've tested is the Sonos Era 300. This smart home speaker is one of the best of the best models on the market, and its built-in Alexa capabilities make it easy to control the device using only your voice. It boasts a sleek design, and it's available in both black and white, so you can choose the color scheme that best meets your style. Since it supports both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, it's really easy to stream audio from your mobile devices right to the speaker itself. Its great sound quality makes it suitable for listening to lots of different types of audio content.

This speaker comes with lots of premium sound enhancement features to make the most of your listening experience. For example, as with most premium models on the market, it comes with a room correction tool designed to optimize the sound based on the unique acoustics of your room. Since it's a Sonos speaker, it's also designed to integrate with other compatible speakers in the manufacturer's ecosystem, so you can spread audio throughout your room.

You can pair it with a compatible Sonos soundbar for enhanced surround sound. Since the bar supports Dolby Atmos, it's able to bring a more immersive feel to Dolby Atmos Music that's found on different streaming platforms like Apple Music. That said, if you don't need all these extra bells and whistles, you may prefer one of the more affordable models on our list.

The Sonos Move is a more affordable alternative that's also much more portable. Thanks to its battery-powered design, you can bring this speaker when you travel out of the house. It's lighter and easier to carry with a built-in handle for simple transport. Plus, since it's rated IP56 for dust and water resistance, it's protected against light exposure to the elements. Bring it outside for your next backyard party, and you won't be disappointed. It supports both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, too.

This speaker has two built-in voice assistants, meaning you can choose between Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. As with the Sonos Era 300, it performs well, so the speaker doesn't have any issue hearing your commands in noisy environments. It can even pick up your voice from far away, too. That said, it doesn't support Dolby Atmos like the Era 300, and it's also not a stereo speaker. As a result, you don't notice the same separation of instruments between the left and right channels in the soundstage. It's not a huge deal for more casual listeners, but more astute audiophiles will notice a difference. Still, if you want to save on your Alexa speaker, it's worth checking out.

If you're on a tighter budget, consider the Amazon Echo Studio, another excellent voice assistant speaker available at a more affordable price than the Sonos Move. This stylish home speaker has built-in Alexa support and performs well, so you don't have to worry about it understanding your commands clearly. Also, it serves as a Zigbee hub, so you can connect other smart home devices like light bulbs and thermostats to the speaker to control them with your voice. You can also use the microphone mute tool to stop it from listening to you when you're done, which is nice.

This speaker offers a clear and balanced sound right out of the box, so voices and instruments in your favorite tracks sound pleasant. With the Amazon Alexa app, you can adjust its bass and treble performance, too. However, it doesn't bring as much rumble as the more premium Sonos Move. Also, it's a wired speaker, so you can't use it outdoors, and it isn't rated for dust or water resistance, so it's not a good idea to use it in your kitchen or bathroom. That said, if you prefer a wired home speaker, it's still a great pick.

The Amazon Echo Gen 4 is the best Bluetooth speaker with Alexa built-in that we've tested for those on a budget. It's a rather unique-looking device with a spherical design that's available in several colors to match your home decor. Alexa lets you control the device right from the comfort of your couch, using only your voice to command its functions. There's a Zigbee hub built in, so you can access other compatible smart devices through the speaker. Alexa understands you with ease, too, so you can still use the voice assistant capabilities in the middle of a noisy environment like a party.

This speaker is compatible with the Amazon Alexa app, giving you access to some extra features. Its bass and treble adjustment tools let you customize its sound more to your liking, which is handy for audiophiles. Plus, you can pair multiple Echo devices to make a stereo pair or spread audio to different rooms in your home. Naturally, this smaller device doesn't get as loud as the larger Amazon Echo Studio, but if you just plan to use it in an average-sized room, it'll still get the job done.

The Amazon Echo Dot Gen 4 is a great wallet-friendly pick. It's the smaller and more affordable twin to the Amazon Echo Gen 4, and it has the same spherical design to blend in with your home accessories. Despite the price difference, both speakers offer a similar voice assistant performance, with built-in Alexa capabilities that do an excellent job picking up your commands, even if you're further away from the device. Unfortunately, you won't find a Zigbee hub built into this speaker, but if you don't have other smart home devices, you won't need this feature, so you may find it a better value overall.

Similar to its larger, more premium sibling, this speaker connects to the Amazon Alexa app, allowing you to adjust its bass and treble or connect it with other Echo devices to spread your favorite tunes throughout your home. Whether you're listening to music, podcasts, or audiobooks, the speaker does a good job reproducing voices and other instruments with clarity. That said, it's not quite as loud as the bigger Echo, which is especially disappointing if you want to fill larger and more open spaces with sound. Still, for the price, this small speaker is a solid addition to any home setup.