4 Smart Speakers Worth Trying Instead of an Echo Dot

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The Alexa voice assistant is one of the original companion tools that made the idea of ​​a smart home a concept that most people could think about. Say a voice prompt to an Alexa smart speaker, smart display, or the Alexa app, and the digital executor carries out your command. Alexa is an Amazon technology, and the company has a solid selection of speakers and displays with Alexa built-in, all branded as Echo devices. The Echo moniker is Amazon’s promise to you, the consumer, that Alexa is built into the product you’re looking at.

Many smart home devices may claim that they will work or be compatible with Alexa, but that is not the same as being integrated with Alexa. For the latter to be true, that means the smart home device includes built-in microphones that listen for human voices (along with a few other sounds), specifically Alexa’s wake word and subsequent commands. There are actually many smart speakers on the market with Alexa built-in that aren’t made by Amazon. As you might have guessed, they are not all created equal. The good news is that there are many great options on the table.

The list of reputable brands offering these devices includes big names like Bose and JBL, and built-in Alexa only scratches the surface of what many of these smart gadgets can do. For example, sound quality is one of the top priorities when reviewing any speaker, smart or otherwise. To that end, we’ve put together a list of four smart speakers that are worth trying in place of an Echo Dot (one of the smallest Alexa speakers Amazon produces), with a particular focus on models that have Alexa built-in and offer top-notch sound quality.

Although Denon is best known for its extensive line of AV receivers, the company is also a force to be reckoned with when it comes to smart speakers. One such device is the $250 Denon Home 150 Wireless Smart Speaker, which not only has Alexa built-in, but also includes support for Siri and HEOS, Denon’s own multiroom audio technology. You can connect the speaker to Wi-Fi or use its Ethernet port to plug it directly into your router or other network terminal.

Once connected to the internet, the Home 150 gives you access to music streaming platforms like Spotify and Tidal, but it can also pair with Bluetooth devices. The speaker even has two wired audio inputs: USB-A for playback from a USB stick or external hard drive and a 3.5-millimeter auxiliary. When it comes to sound quality, the speaker does a great job of balancing frequencies, especially mids and bass. There is a little attenuation in the treble range, but not enough that we can tell you to avoid it. You can also pair two Home 150 speakers for stereo playback.

If you decide to purchase a Denon Home Soundbar 550 in the future, you can also use the Home 150 speakers as wireless rears for 5.1 surround sound. More than 600 Amazon shoppers have left reviews of the speaker, earning it a rating of 4.1 stars out of 5. The consensus is that the Home 150 packs a punch and is easy to pair with other compatible Denon technology, although it seems like the HEOS app could use a little work.

It’s almost impossible to talk about Internet-connected speakers without mentioning Sonos. The company is a pioneer in the field of wireless audio, and speakers like the $220 Sonos Era 100 are a great way to control your Alexa household. Featuring an improved processor and driver design (compared to older Sonos technologies like the Play:1), the Era 100 delivers rich, balanced sound that can fill a small to medium-sized room. You can also use the Trueplay setting in the Sonos app to calibrate your speaker to best suit the acoustics of your room.

Speaking of the Sonos app, it’s your primary method of control and customization for all Sonos hardware. This is the software you’ll use to group and ungroup speakers for multiroom audio, and it also acts as a music streaming hub that gives you access to Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, and many other platforms. You’re not limited to internet playback either, as the Era 100 also supports Bluetooth and wired playback (the latter requires a Sonos Line-In adapter). In addition to built-in Alexa, the speaker can also be controlled by Sonos’ voice assistant.

The Era 100 has been praised for a few years now, and the Amazonian public definitely appreciates the speaker. It’s rated 4.4 stars out of five, based on more than 2,750 buyer reviews, and the overwhelming majority love everything from the sound quality and compact build to the ease of use. That said, some feedback indicates that the speaker can occasionally drop its Wi-Fi connection, which may require a hard reset to get everything back online.

Over the past few years, Bose has been working hard on its Wi-Fi speakers and soundbars. While some of these products are a little pricey, it’s hard to beat the bass punch that Bose brings, especially when it comes to the $300 Bose Lifestyle Ultra speaker. With three multi-directional speakers and Bose CleanBass technology, this sound fills the room and has real impact.

Alexa built-in means you’ll be able to play your favorite playlist or dim smart lights without needing an Echo device or the Alexa app. The Lifestyle Ultra also supports Google Cast and AirPlay 2, and you can even pair the speaker via Bluetooth to phones, tablets, and other tech. As you might have guessed, you’ll also be able to link multiple Lifestyle Ultra speakers together for stereo playback (two speakers), a multi-room audio setup, or a Lifestyle Ultra home theater (soundbar, subwoofer, and two rear speakers).

Industry pros are interested in the Bose Lifestyle Ultra, and SoundGuys even thinks Sonos might have a fierce competitor to worry about. On Amazon, the speaker earned 4.1 stars out of five, based on more than 300 ratings. Most people like the sound quality, but it seems like the Bose app can get a little finicky from time to time, especially during initial onboarding.

Right off the bat, one of our favorite things about the $500 JBL Authentics 300, and the larger Authentics line in general, is the retro design. The Black/Gold and White/Gold colorways have a sort of vintage eloquence to their appearance, where even the carrying handle doesn’t look out of place. Behind the cloth grille, the Authentics 300 is powered by two one-inch tweeters, a 5.25-inch woofer, and a six-inch downward-firing bass radiator.

Users can expect impressive sound quality, and the JBL One app gives you plenty of audio customization tools, including presets and a graphic equalizer. It’s also the software you’ll use to play with music streaming platforms and receive updates. Both Alexa and Google Assistant are supported natively and neither requires a separate device to receive voice commands; Simply speak directly to the Authentics 300 to start controlling your smart home.

The Authentics 300 also functions as a Bluetooth speaker and has a 3.5-millimeter auxiliary input, in addition to USB-C and an Ethernet port. We also like that the speaker is battery powered, and JBL claims it should last up to eight hours on a full charge. The Authentics 300 has been on the market for a minute, so some people may think the price is quite high. Nonetheless, this JBL speaker has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars, based on over 280 user reviews.

Our main goal in putting together this list was to look for great speakers with Alexa built-in, which is not the same as being Alexa ready or compatible. To ensure wide availability, we have only chosen speakers available for purchase on Amazon. Only devices with a rating of at least four out of five stars on the retailer’s platform were considered, and those that made the cut all received at least 250 buyer reviews. Finally, we referenced hands-on professional reviews and specific user feedback to narrow down our four choices, as well as review and discuss the pros and cons of each speaker.