Amazon Alexa is the AI to beat right now. The super-smart helper is the leading voice assistant for smart products, baked into a wide array of speakers and devices extending far beyond the modest range built and designed by Amazon.
As Amazon's leading AI assistant, Alexa can be built into various speakers and products to give them these 'smart' capabilities. Those can be voice control for remotely dictating functions such as playback, volume and song selection, or they can go further to incorporate more intelligent tasks such as sifting through the day's news headlines, controlling any smart-controlled elements in your home or helping you plan your day. While we test for the responsiveness and how effective the integration of Alexa is within a speaker, our usual considerations of sound quality, build and other features remain paramount when testing Alexa speakers.
Alexa isn't just confined to Amazon speakers either. Various third-party manufacturers such as Sonos, JBL, Audio Pro integrate Alexa into their wireless speakers. So it isn't just Amazon devices you'll need to consider if you are after an Alexa-enabled smart speaker, and if you care about sound quality alongside smart abilities, it's sensible to cast your net wider when searching for your perfect speaker.
Here to help you pick the right option for your needs and budget, we've created this guide detailing the best-performing Alexa-equipped speakers to pass through our dedicated testing rooms. All of the models below have been reviewed by our in-house team, so you can read more about our testing process or scroll down for the recommended speakers.
The quick list
The Sonos Era 100 is the ideal fusion of smart capabilities and stellar sonics, making it our number-one choice overall.
The tiny Echo Dot is the very definition of a speaker that punches above its weight.
Classy and compact, the Beosound A1 is the best way to take Alexa on the road.
The addition of Alexa control makes this brilliant-sounding speaker even better.
The Era 300 is a seriously engaging performer with both stereo and spatial audio.
If you want to see your Alexa responses as well as hear them, the Echo Show 5 is the speaker to get.
Recent updates
October 1st 2024: We've made some tweaks to this list's copy to make it even more informative and added another question to our FAQ section.
I'm a staff writer who has listened to and reviewed dozens of products - be they smart speakers, over-ear headphones or portable MP3 players - during my time at What Hi-Fi?. Aside from testing the heavyweight hi-fi we perpetually have populating our test rooms, I've spent hours with more small-form one-box speakers, be they portable Bluetooth units, wireless speakers or smart Alexa speakers. I've had hands-on experience chatting with every entry on the list below, probing and pushing the limits of their sonic and AI capabilities to ensure you're getting the best that Alexa has to offer.
The best Alexa speaker overall
If you want Alexa but need more oomph and refinement than you'd receive from one of Amazon's own speakers, we'd direct you over to the Sonos Era 100. Released alongside the also excellent Era 300 (see below), the Era 100 is a versatile, beautifully made smart speaker that combines extensive streaming playback features with some classy, deeply musical audio. All told, it's one of the best wireless speakers you can buy.
If you’re also not ready to splash out £449 / $449 / AU$749 for the Era 300, the Era 100 is a perfect Alexa-enabled alternative. Like its brawnier counterpart, the 100 happily produces a big, open sound, a lovely sense of rhythmic drive and all the detail and precision you could hope for at this level. We're frustrated that you have to pay extra for a wired connection adapter, but that's probably our biggest niggle that doesn't serve as a complete dealbreaker.
The app is marvellous to use, while the number of streaming features means there's no shortage of platforms to get your music playing as you like it. AirPlay 2 is available, while dual voice controls are provided via Alexa or Sonos' own proprietary assistant.
As a way of getting Alexa into your life without a hint of sonic sacrifice, the Era 100 is a logical step up from most of the candidates in the Amazon-made stable. It's a terrific, eminently versatile smart speaker that outperforms many of its rivals, and while the HomePod 2 is just slightly better with voices, the Era 100's all-around credentials are undeniably impressive.
As we summarised in our original review: "Those already part of the Sonos ecosystem will find the new Era 100 speaker difficult to resist, while those new to Sonos will find it a charming entry to a capable and feature-rich wireless speaker experience with plenty of extra goodies to play with".
Read our full Sonos Era 100 review
The best budget Alexa speaker
There was a time when we weren't particularly bowled over by the way that Amazon's bespoke wireless speakers sounded, finding them a little thin and artificial for our rather exacting tastes. Those days, happily, seem to be long gone, with the dinky fifth-gen Echo Dot proving itself to be a startlingly refined performer for the price.
Amazon touted last year's edition as its “best-sounding Echo Dot yet” and, all told, we really can't bring ourselves to disagree. That single 44mm front-firing speaker delivers audio that feels weighty, listenable and mature given the size and cost of the Dot, filling most rooms with a reassuring sonic confidence. You'll hear just a little distortion at the very highest volumes, and there's naturally a limit as to how loud and proud such a small device can go, but considering the money you're paying and the Dot's diminutive dimensions, the performance on display remains remarkable.
Plus, it's a great unit even when no music is being played. Alexa has come on leaps and bounds with so much knowledge and so many skills that it's on the verge of becoming a little frightening. You can even use it to play a humorously clunky version of Skyrim if your old Xbox 360 is on the blink.
Often discounted but always good value even when at full price, the Echo Dot (5th gen) is the best-value way to get Alexa into your life. Our review from last year dubbed the Dot a "stylish, fantastically made and quietly excellent on the audio front" which provides "a peppy, robust and often genuinely musical sound from a small unit at an even smaller price". As true today as it was then.
Read our full Amazon Echo Dot (5th Generation) review
The best portable Alexa speaker
If what you want is Alexa integration alongside portability and audio quality, the Besound A1 (2nd gen) does tick a remarkable number of boxes.
The hugely impressive Beosound has built-in Alexa compatibility, although that'll obviously only work when it's hooked up to wi-fi. When it's time to go out and about, though, the A1 doubles as one of the best portable speakers we've tested, sidelining its smart capabilities and becoming a hardwearing, attractive and musical performer capable of rivalling the best that JBL has to offer at this price.
The real feather in the Beosound's cap, then, is its versatility. Sonically, it offers a comfortable yet authoritative performance that you should be happy listening to all day, treating your musical catalogue to a broad, full sound with plenty of tactile bass. When it's time to come back in from the cold, connect the A1 to the wi-fi and you'll get all of those Alexa benefits from the comfort of your home, plus a stereo pairing mode if you need to hook up multiple Beosounds together to really get the party started. That's a lot of cap feathers!
The Bang & Olufsen portable started its life as a rather expensive unit, but shop around and, with a little patience, you'll likely find a cracking deal, especially as it's just starting to get a little long in the tooth. If it's on sale, we'd heartily recommend this classy all-rounder without a moment's hesitation.
Read our full Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) review
The best Alexa speaker for audiophiles
The big addition brought in by the C5A over the original Addon C5 (our Product of the Year for 2017) was the integration of Amazon Alexa (hence the 'A'), a nifty little bonus that added some voice control-flavoured icing to what was already an Award-winning cake. Available for the cost of an Addon C5 plus the price of an Amazon Echo product bolt-on, the C5A draws together the whole package into one handsome, easy-to-use box. It's one of the oldest entries on the list, true, but the C5A still has the performance credentials to kick it with the best of them.
Sonically, the Addon C5A is essentially identical to the Addon C5, treating us to a bright, hugely likeable performance that still feels fresh and likeable after a good few years on the market. Better yet, Audio Pro loves to throw out a discount on its Addon range, meaning you often can pick up a C5A for half, sometimes more, of its original RRP. Bargain-hunting Alexa fans should definitely look here for a real steal.
The C5A's audio performance remains its biggest draw aside from Alexa, firing our test tracks with supreme confidence alongside impressive levels of musical understanding. Lovely to look at, great to listen to and a breeze to use, the C5A is the ideal combo for anyone wanting a five-star non-Amazon alternative.
Read our full Audio Pro Addon C5A review
The best premium Alexa speaker
Anyone seeking out the best Alexa speaker available has to have the Sonos Era 300 somewhere near the top of their list. Smart speakers - Alexa-enabled or otherwise - don't come much more impressive than the Era 300, a smart speaker whose revolutionary sound and slew of cutting-edge features made it a worthwhile Award-winner coming into 2024.
Smart features come courtesy of Sonos's branded voice control or Alexa, although the first of these can only be used to control music playback. As you'll have guessed, Sonos has ditched Google support and shacked up with Amazon's AI assistant instead, as is the case for the Era 100 above.
Sporting that unique but oddly alluring “cinched hourglass” shape, the Era 300 is perhaps a little more of an acquired taste than many of Sonos' more conservative designs. Blocks and monoliths are out, cinched hourglasses are very much in.
They are if they help to deliver the sort of sound the Era 300 is capable of producing. It's a profoundly excellent speaker, filling our test rooms with spacious, cohesive sound regardless of the genre or even its given particular location. Expansive choral offerings feel broad and immersive thanks to spatial audio, yet the Era 300 is as comfortable with hip-hop and classic rock as it is with film scores or funky jazz fusion. To quote our review, "it performs admirably with any format of music you throw at it, no matter what source or genre".
Note, however, that there is a minor caveat regarding the Era 300’s spatial audio capabilities. Dolby Atmos Music from Amazon Music Unlimited and spatial audio from Apple Music are on board, but there's still no support for Tidal’s catalogue of Dolby Atmos spatial audio tracks in sight. Sorry, Tidal users.
Tidal issues aside, the Era 300 is an outstanding premium choice, justifying its high asking price by being one of the finest Alexa speakers you could hope to find.
Read our full Sonos Era 300 review
This goes for practically any piece of hi-fi or audio equipment you're thinking of buying, but it's especially true for many of the entries on this list: be smart about your spending! What we've found from our extensive experience with deals periods and events like Black Friday and Prime Day is that many of the speakers we've listed - especially the Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen), the Beosound A1 and the Audio Pro Addon C5A - frequently enjoy spectacular discounts. If you're thinking of buying something on this list, check out our dedicated deals pages first, because you could save yourself an absolute packet.
The best Alexa speaker with screen
Audio and Alexa not quite enough for you? Need something to look at as well as someone (or something) to talk to? That's where the Echo Show 5 comes in.
If you want to get fully ensconced with Alexa's world – i.e. via audio and video – this is likely your best starting point. There are a few Echo Shows knocking around, such as the Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen), yet the Show 5 is our affordable screen-and-sound choice for Alexa lovers everywhere.
Whereas most Alexa-enabled tech is audio-focused, the Show 5 embraces sound and video to help you out around the house. As well as reading out information and playing music, you can access video content on the device's 5.5-inch (14cm) LCD touchscreen, while an HD camera lets you make Skype calls or view images from cameras in and around your house.
Sound quality is decent all things considered, even if the Echo Show 5 can be beaten by more audio-focused rivals. Still, given that this is an inexpensive box of tricks that opens up the world of Alexa to a whole new audience, sonic sacrifices feel somewhat inevitable. If you want a screen, sound and a very smart virtual companion all in one, this is as good as you’ll get for under £100 / $100.
Read our full Amazon Echo Show 5 review
Also consider
JBL Authentics 300: Large, handsome and versatile, the Authentics 300 is an outstanding choice for anyone seeking a semi-portable wireless speaker that can fire out a robust, enthusiastic sound as it moves from room to room. With dual voice assistants, Bluetooth, wi-fi streaming and Alexa Multiroom, the 300 does the lot.
JBL Authentics 500: The 300's bigger brother features Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility but, unlike the smaller model, comes with spatial audio support via Dolby Atmos. It's also larger, louder and bolder sounding, although a lack of any internal battery means you'll need to keep it connected to the mains at all times.
How to choose the best Alexa speaker for you
There are plenty of Alexa speakers to choose from, including Amazon's own, ever-growing family of devices led by the Echo Dot, the standard Echo, the Echo Show and the Echo Studio. But which one is right for you?
The main question is this: do you want something small and unassuming to kick-start a smart system, or do you want a substantial wireless speaker with built-in brains that sounds good to boot? The common assumption is that Amazon's homegrown family of Echos is the only place Alexa can be found, but there are a number of third-party brands such as Sonos and Audio Pro which have given the AI assistant a home within their own respective stables.
That's great news for the consumer, as not only does it mean you have more choice when it comes to picking up an Alexa-enabled item, but you are also much more likely to get great sound from dedicated audio specialists than from Amazon's array of capable, but rather diminutive smart speakers.
How we test Alexa speakers
We have state-of-the-art testing facilities in London and Reading, where our team of experienced, in-house reviewers test the majority of hi-fi and AV kit that passes through our door, including Alexa speakers.
What is important in our reviewing process is that each product is compared to the best in its price and class – whether that's one standout smart speaker or a few we favour the highest among the scores we listen to each year for reviews and What Hi-Fi? Awards judging. What Hi-Fi? is all about comparative testing, so we keep our Award-winners nearby to enable unbiased comparisons between new products and ones we know to have performed highly in the category.
We are always impartial and do our best to make sure we hear every product at its very best, so we play plenty of different types of music and give each speaker extensive listening time – including time to run in. With the best smart speakers, it's not just about sound quality; we'll also ensure part of our testing involves trialling the voice control features. We also take them home to test how they perform in real-world use.
All review verdicts are agreed upon by the entire team, rather than an individual reviewer, to eliminate any personal preference and to make sure we're being as thorough as possible. There's no input from PR companies or our sales team when it comes to the verdicts or star ratings in our reviews.
At What Hi-Fi? we are proud to consistently deliver honest, unbiased reviews – something we have been doing for over 45 years.
FAQ
What is Alexa and what does it do?
Alexa is Amazon's AI-powered voice assistant, akin to Apple's Siri or Google Assistant. Baked into most 'Echo' branded products and many third-party speakers, it's a cloud-based AI which can perform numerous handy tasks and functions depending on the product being used and how much existing Amazon integration you have in your home.
For smart speakers, Alexa can control musical functionalities such as playing or skipping songs, amping up the volume, selecting playlists or even recommending new tunes. Even when housed within a third-party smart speaker, you can still ask Alexa questions about the weather, traffic, the news; anything you can think of. If you have other Amazon-branded products, Alexa can be used to control and manage devices such as smart lights, security cameras and thermostats.
Which speakers work with Alexa?
Any smart speaker made by Amazon is guaranteed to have Alexa built in – that's part of the point, after all. Think of the Amazon Echo Dot (5th generation) or the Amazon Echo Studio as prime examples.
Amazon-made speakers and devices aren't the only ones capable of benefitting from one of the best AI assistants in the business, with the retail behemoth increasingly happy to license Alexa out to contemporary third-party brands. Various speaker products from Sonos, Audio Pro, Bang & Olufsen, Denon and more include Alexa control. Sonos's Era 100 and Era 300 speakers come with Alexa baked in, as does Audio Pro Addon C5A. Meanwhile, products that have the "Works With Alexa" logo can be linked to an existing Amazon Alexa device (such as an Echo Dot) so you can use voice control across your system.
What is a smart speaker, anyway?
There's no definitive answer as to what a "smart speaker" actually is, with many brands and platforms using different definitions to suit their own respective purposes. At What Hi-Fi?, we essentially categorise a smart speaker as any wireless or Bluetooth model which integrates voice control via the likes of Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant.
The Award-winning Naim Mu-so QB (2nd gen) classifies as a wireless speaker thanks to its capacity to stream music over wi-fi. It isn't a smart speaker, though, as there's no voice control, unlike the Sonos Era 300 which, thanks to its streaming smarts and use of Alexa voice control, qualifies as a smart wireless speaker in our books.
Recent updates
- October 2024: Made some general copy tweaks and added a new question to the FAQ section.
- May 2024: Added an Also Consider section to give buyers alternatives to the main models listed above.
- February 2024: Added FAQ section to help with buying decisions and frequently asked questions.
- November 2023: What Hi-Fi? Award winners labelled after the 2023 Awards Best Buys and Product of the Year announcements.
