No one can deny the fact that Amazon was the first company which made the concept of smart speakers popular by launching their Echo line of devices. I personally use a smart speaker at home and I am constantly amazed by the things that I can do with them just using my voice. With the rising popularity of smart speakers, many companies have launched their own range of smart speakers, and Amazon no longer enjoys the monopoly once it did.
While it’s Echo line of devices (Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Spot, Echo Show, Echo Tap, and more) still remain one of the best smart speakers in the market, they are not the only ones. So, whether you hate Alexa, or want better sound quality, or want a cheap smart speaker, you have the option to choose the one you like. Hence, we are bringing you the list of 10 best Amazon Echo alternatives that you can buy to help you get the smart speaker of your choice:
Best Amazon Echo Alternatives You Can Buy
1. Google Home
When I think of Amazon Echo alternatives, the first smart speaker that comes to my mind is the Google Home. Personally, I am a fan of Google Home and it’s the smart speaker that I am using at my home. It is basically one of the best smart speakers that you can buy right now. If you use Google’s services such as calendar, maps, and more, Google Home is just the right speaker for you as it makes it very easy to access those services, just with your voice. I mean, you can create calendar events, ask for directions, inquire about ETA, get your daily briefing, and what not. The main reason I prefer Google Home is the fact that it has the power of Google Search behind it, which means I can ask it anything and get the correct answers 9/10 times.
When it comes to the speaker itself, I prefer its design over the Amazon Echo as it seems to blend in with the environment instead of looking like an odd metal tube placed on your living room table. I also love the audio quality that comes out of Google Home. It just sounds more balanced and I enjoy listening to my favorite song on this thing. Of course, an audiophile you won’t love it, however, normal people like me and you will find it pleasing enough. In any case, if you want a better sounding speaker, you can always go for the Google Home Max ($399), which will give you everything that Google Home brings along with a speaker that will blow your brains out.
Buy From Google: $129
2. Apple HomePod
If you are already tied into Apple’s ecosystem, the best smart speaker that you can get for yourself is the Apple HomePod. Look, I will be the first one to tell you that Apple HomePod is not the smartest speaker on the planet, as Siri is still miles behind Google Assistant and Alexa. And if you are not happy with Siri, I will say go for any of the other speakers on this list. However, if you are completely invested in Apple’s Ecosystem, you will be better off with a HomePod. It’s the boon and curse that comes with owning Apple devices. On one hand, they work so effortlessly with each other that it’s oddly satisfying. On the other hand, they don’t play well with other device and services. Heck, if you are even thinking of buying an HomePod, you need to buy an iPhone first, as you cannot set it up without one.
Complaints aside, Apple has created a thing of beauty with its HomePod. I mean, it’s just so small and yet it’s arguably the best sounding speaker on this list. I mean, the Amazon Echo doesn’t hold a candle to it when it comes to audio quality. It’s made like a tank and feels so solid that when you hold it for the first time that you know it’s going to last you for years. Look, the thing about HomePod is that it might not be smart right now, but after a few updates it will be, and until it happens, you can always enjoy listening to your favorite music on this one, because believe me, it sounds incredible.
Buy From Apple: $349
3. Sonos One
If you don’t want to choose between Alexa and Google Assistant as your smart assistant and want something that can work with both, you should probably look at Sonos One. At launch, Sonos One comes with support for Alexa, with support for Google Assistant slated to launch in the coming few months (before the end of 2018). That means, whether you want to use Alexa or Google Assistant, you will be good to go with Sonos One.
Smarts aside, the best reason to buy Sonos One is for its audio quality. Sonos makes some of the best sounding wireless speakers in the world and Sonos One is probably their best sounding speaker yet. What I love most about Sonos is that you can pair multiple speakers together and create your own home theatre system. I mean you can set it up in a way that once you hit play, the song will play in each and every room of your house.This is something that you cannot do with Amazon Echo and if multi-room audio is what you are after, Sonos One will be a great buy for you.
Buy From Amazon: $199
4. Harman Kardon Invoke
Since we are covering all our bases, how about a smart speaker which runs on Microsoft’s smart assistant, Cortana? Cortana might not be as smart as Google Assistant, but it sure is smart enough to let you do everything that you might want out of a smart speaker. With Harman Kardon Invoke, you can voice control your music and smart home devices, create reminders and lists, manage schedules, get answers to questions, make and receive hands-free calls with Skype, and more. The fact that the speaker delivers 360-degree full and rich sound makes this also good for people who love their music. The speaker also features 7 microphones which use Harman’s beam forming, echo cancellation, and noise reduction algorithms to ensure Cortana can hear you clearly, even in challenging environments. It might not be the most popular smart speaker out there but it certainly is a capable one.
Buy From Amazon: $124.99
5. Ultimate Ears MEGABLAST
If you love Amazon Alexa and want a speaker that not only sounds great but is also portable and durable, this is the speaker for you. Ultimate Ears, popularly known as UE, is a brand famous for delivering exceptional audio quality with their portable wireless speakers and the MegaBlast is their one of the best speakers ever. My favorite feature of MegaBlast is that, unlike Amazon Echo, it doesn’t need to be plugged in all the time as it comes with a built-in battery which can last for more than 16 hours. It is also water resistant which will make this your favorite companion while swimming or taking a long bath. The speaker itself is as versatile as the voice assistant that it hosts, and that combination makes this a potent competitor to all the other smart speakers on this list.
Buy From Amazon: $190
6. JAM Symphony
If you are looking for a budget smart speaker which doesn’t sacrifice too much sound quality, JAM Symphony is a great buy. At less than half the price of Amazon Echo, the JAM Symphony brings everything that you need from a smart speaker. First of all, it is being powered by Amazon Alexa, so every Alexa feature and skill that you can use with Amazon Echo devices, you can use with JAM Symphony. The speaker doesn’t look half bad and to me, in fact, it resembles the Google Home Max from the front and that’s not a bad thing. It also comes with its own app which makes it really easy to set up and use the speaker. Finally, just like Sonos One, you can pair up to 8 JAM Wi-Fi Speakers for an instant home audio solution. If you have a tight budget, this is the right speaker for you.
Buy From Amazon: $44.89
7. Lenovo Smart Assistant Speaker
Another great smart speaker which is being powered by Amazon’s Alexa comes from the house of Lenovo. The Lenovo Smart Assistant Speaker enables you to interact and control smart devices via your voice. To make sure that it can listen to you even in noisy environments, Lenovo Smart Assistant has eight built-in, 360⁰ far-field microphones, which are able to pick up your voice from over 16 feet away, in any direction. Not only that, certified by the house of Harmon Kardon, the speaker brings a 5W tweeter along with a 10W woofer and uses a 2” sound cavity along with improved materials for giving and rich and clear sound. It also helps that it looks really good. It is the perfect Amazon Echo replacement for someone who wants better audio and a different look without having to pay a premium.
Buy From Lenovo: $129.99
8. Smart Speaker with Amazon Alexa by FABRIQ
This is probably my favorite looking speaker on this list as it comes in various design choices allowing users to choose the one that they like. Apart from the looks, my favorite thing about this speaker is that it brings full Alexa integration and hence can perform everything that Alexa can do on Amazon Echo. If you want, you can also use WiFi pairing to pair not 1, not 2, but up to 10 FABRIQ speakers to create a multi-room audio system. The speaker is also quite loud for its size, thanks to its 5W 2” precision active driver which provides crisp and clear sound even at higher volumes. If I can be frank, this is one of the best cheap Alexa-powered smart speakers that you can buy.
Buy From Amazon: $49.99
9. Omars DOGO
Omars DOGO is one of the cheapest smart speakers that you can get your hands on. Just like other third-party smart-speakers on this list, the Omars DOGO is also being powered by Alexa and allows you to do things like playing music, reading the news, fetching weather reports, and more. Unlike Amazon Echo, this one also supports the multi-speaker pairing, although it’s not clear as to how many speakers can be paired at a single time. There is one caveat with this smart speaker which might be a deal breaker for users. Sadly, Alexa cannot be summoned with your voice and you have to tap the dedicated Alexa button before you can speak to it. Other than that, it’s a good cheap smart speaker. That said, do keep its flaw in mind before you buy this one.
Buy From Amazon: $29.99
10. GGMM Smart Speaker
The last speaker on our list is from a company called GGMM and their Alexa enabled speaker is yet another good budget smart speaker. The speaker brings dual 5W drivers which produce respectable stereo sound. It also has a built-in battery which gives 5 hours of listening time on WiFi and 10 hours on Bluetooth. The speaker also supports multi-room pairing allowing users to pair up to 16 speakers at a time which is more than anything anyone will ever need. My favorite feature of this speaker is that when in multi-room mode, you can select to listen to the same song or you can play different songs on different speakers. That said, it doesn’t allow you to wake up Alexa with your voice, something you can do on Amazon Echo, and you will have to tap a button just like you do on Omars DOGO which might be a deal breaker for some users. Other than that, the speaker is perfectly fine and a great option for anyone looking to buy a budget, smart speaker.
Buy From Amazon: $59.99
SEE ALSO: Audeara A-01 Review: Personalized Audio Comes at a Price
Choose The Best Amazon Echo Alternatives For Your Home
That ends our list of the best Amazon Echo alternatives that you can buy right now. There are a lot of good options for everyone here. Whether you want a premium or budget speaker, or you prefer a specific voice assistant, you will one speaker here which will meet your needs. Do check the list out and let us know your favorite smart speaker by writing in the comments section below.
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