Mamun_Sheikh/Shutterstock We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. One of the cornerstones of Amazon’s dominant presence in the tech sector is its Alexa smart assistant, which lets you network smart tech devices around your home in a seamless setup. Naturally, you need Alexa-enabled devices to use the assistant, and while there are plenty of compatible third-party devices, the simplest approach would be to use Amazon’s Alexa-enabled devices. Although some Alexa devices can be a little pricey, you can find gadgets like smart plugs, streaming sticks, and smart speakers on Amazon for more reasonable prices if you know where to look. Many Alexa-enabled devices sold by Amazon can be expensive, with major sleep devices like smart displays and smart speakers easily exceeding $100 if you opt for the latest and greatest models. If you don’t mind downgrading a bit, you can find a variety of first-party Alexa devices worth buying that don’t exceed the $100 threshold in almost every smart device category, all without sacrificing overall quality or usability. Amazon smart plug Setting up any type of Alexa-powered smart technology in your home naturally requires Alexa-enabled devices, and not everything you own will. Luckily, one of the cheapest Alexa devices you can get at $24.99 is also one of the most useful: the Amazon Smart Plug. The Amazon Smart Plug can be plugged into any regular outlet in your home and then plug any other device or small appliance into it. When the outlet is plugged in, it can be detected by your Amazon Alexa app, allowing you to add its functions into your smart home setting. You can use your phone or a smart speaker to send commands to Alexa, allowing it to control the outlet and, by extension, anything plugged into it. This is ideal for simple devices like lamps, fans and anything else that would normally start working as soon as it is turned on. As Amazon users attest in reviews, setting up one of these outlets is very simple, as it’s simple to sync them with the Alexa app right out of the box. In addition to controlling your home with your voice and phone, they are also useful for turning off devices remotely when you are away from home. Amazon Fire TV HD stick Alexa can be used through an Amazon Fire TV, allowing you to not only sync and manage your Amazon Prime Video preferences, but also get recommendations from Alexa herself on what new shows to watch. If you don’t have a standalone Fire TV, you can add Alexa functionality to any regular TV with an open HDMI port. All you need is an Amazon Fire TV Stick, the HD version of which costs just $34.99. While this particular model doesn’t offer the same visual fidelity as the 4K Fire Stick models, this is the one area where you would compromise. The HD model has all the other important features, giving you access to a huge library of streaming apps in a compact and portable package. Most importantly, you can access all of Alexa’s functions via the included voice remote. Just press the microphone button and you can issue commands and make requests, whether you want to run something on another device or just want Alexa to recommend something for you to watch. Users agree that this particular model makes a great budget-friendly replacement for an older Fire Stick. This is especially true if you have a smaller TV with a lower resolution that wouldn’t be able to effectively use the more expensive models. Amazon Echo Pop Smart Speaker Smart speakers are one of the iconic devices in the Alexa ecosystem. This is what allows you to issue commands to Alexa from just about anywhere in your home, even if you don’t have a screen handy. Compared to some other Alexa devices, smart speakers aren’t particularly expensive, but there’s certainly nothing wrong with saving money wherever you can. To that end, the cheapest Alexa smart speaker you can get is the Amazon Echo Pop, which costs just $39.99. The Echo Pop is the smallest smart speaker in Amazon’s catalog, designed to be compact and discreet enough to fit in small rooms like bedrooms. Although its audio isn’t as powerful as that of the higher-end Echo Dot speakers, it still performs perfectly well at its main job: listening to your commands to Alexa. You can ask Alexa to set alarms and reminders, play music, give you news, and just about anything else with a quick voice command, with the little light bar at the top indicating when the device is or isn’t listening. An Amazon user in the reviews explained that compared to the Echo Dots, the Echo Pop doesn’t have as much sound projection capability. However, the sound it produces is crystal clear, and its small size makes it ideal for finding a place on a shelf in an otherwise cramped room. Amazon Echo Spot Smart Alarm Clock Regular Alexa smart speakers can set alarms to help you wake up in the morning, but they’re still just speakers, with no display features. If you need your bedside or desk smart speaker to have a real clock face that you can read, but don’t want to go all the way to a full smart display just yet, there’s a happy medium. That happy medium is Amazon’s only smart alarm clock, the Amazon Echo Spot, which will set you back $79.99. The Echo Spot has all the same features as the Echo Pop and Echo Dot smart speakers, but with a small but healthy sprinkling of smart display features. The customizable clock display can of course show the current time, but it can also display the current date, weather, titles and artists of the music currently playing, and the names of any other smart devices it’s currently networked with. It’s also handy for helping you wake up in the morning, as the screen can gradually light up along with your scheduled alarm. If you’re looking for an alarm clock that’s just bright enough to read at night without frying your eyes, plus all the features and sound quality of an Echo speaker, the Echo Spot is a smart choice. This is especially true if you’re not yet looking for the full smart display experience. Amazon Echo Show 5 smart display Smart displays are the most advanced and, understandably, the most expensive department of Alexa. The majority of Amazon Echo Show smart displays will easily exceed $100 at the bare minimum, or much more. However, don’t think that you have been excluded from this particular sector yet. You still have a nice option: the Amazon Echo Show 5, which costs a relatively affordable $89.99. The Echo Show 5 may be the lowest-end Echo Show model currently available, but it’s no slouch, offering a variety of hidden Alexa features you can use. From its 5.5-inch screen, you can make video calls, view feeds from connected video doorbells, view weather and news headlines, and even stream music and shows. Naturally, it also serves as a smart speaker in its own right, allowing you to issue commands to Alexa to easily facilitate all of these functions. The Echo Show 5 even has its own built-in camera, allowing it to serve as a security camera or pet camera that you can connect to from other Alexa-enabled display devices or your smartphone. Adding a screen makes it easier to check information and keep track of your smart home setup rather than relying on sound alone. In reviews, one user noted that they appreciated its hands-on assistance with everyday tasks like answering questions and setting reminders. Post navigation 5 Cool Credit Card-Shaped Gadgets That Can Fit in Your Wallet
Mamun_Sheikh/Shutterstock We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. One of the cornerstones of Amazon’s dominant presence in the tech sector is its Alexa smart assistant, which lets you network smart tech devices around your home in a seamless setup. Naturally, you need Alexa-enabled devices to use the assistant, and while there are plenty of compatible third-party devices, the simplest approach would be to use Amazon’s Alexa-enabled devices. Although some Alexa devices can be a little pricey, you can find gadgets like smart plugs, streaming sticks, and smart speakers on Amazon for more reasonable prices if you know where to look. Many Alexa-enabled devices sold by Amazon can be expensive, with major sleep devices like smart displays and smart speakers easily exceeding $100 if you opt for the latest and greatest models. If you don’t mind downgrading a bit, you can find a variety of first-party Alexa devices worth buying that don’t exceed the $100 threshold in almost every smart device category, all without sacrificing overall quality or usability. Amazon smart plug Setting up any type of Alexa-powered smart technology in your home naturally requires Alexa-enabled devices, and not everything you own will. Luckily, one of the cheapest Alexa devices you can get at $24.99 is also one of the most useful: the Amazon Smart Plug. The Amazon Smart Plug can be plugged into any regular outlet in your home and then plug any other device or small appliance into it. When the outlet is plugged in, it can be detected by your Amazon Alexa app, allowing you to add its functions into your smart home setting. You can use your phone or a smart speaker to send commands to Alexa, allowing it to control the outlet and, by extension, anything plugged into it. This is ideal for simple devices like lamps, fans and anything else that would normally start working as soon as it is turned on. As Amazon users attest in reviews, setting up one of these outlets is very simple, as it’s simple to sync them with the Alexa app right out of the box. In addition to controlling your home with your voice and phone, they are also useful for turning off devices remotely when you are away from home. Amazon Fire TV HD stick Alexa can be used through an Amazon Fire TV, allowing you to not only sync and manage your Amazon Prime Video preferences, but also get recommendations from Alexa herself on what new shows to watch. If you don’t have a standalone Fire TV, you can add Alexa functionality to any regular TV with an open HDMI port. All you need is an Amazon Fire TV Stick, the HD version of which costs just $34.99. While this particular model doesn’t offer the same visual fidelity as the 4K Fire Stick models, this is the one area where you would compromise. The HD model has all the other important features, giving you access to a huge library of streaming apps in a compact and portable package. Most importantly, you can access all of Alexa’s functions via the included voice remote. Just press the microphone button and you can issue commands and make requests, whether you want to run something on another device or just want Alexa to recommend something for you to watch. Users agree that this particular model makes a great budget-friendly replacement for an older Fire Stick. This is especially true if you have a smaller TV with a lower resolution that wouldn’t be able to effectively use the more expensive models. Amazon Echo Pop Smart Speaker Smart speakers are one of the iconic devices in the Alexa ecosystem. This is what allows you to issue commands to Alexa from just about anywhere in your home, even if you don’t have a screen handy. Compared to some other Alexa devices, smart speakers aren’t particularly expensive, but there’s certainly nothing wrong with saving money wherever you can. To that end, the cheapest Alexa smart speaker you can get is the Amazon Echo Pop, which costs just $39.99. The Echo Pop is the smallest smart speaker in Amazon’s catalog, designed to be compact and discreet enough to fit in small rooms like bedrooms. Although its audio isn’t as powerful as that of the higher-end Echo Dot speakers, it still performs perfectly well at its main job: listening to your commands to Alexa. You can ask Alexa to set alarms and reminders, play music, give you news, and just about anything else with a quick voice command, with the little light bar at the top indicating when the device is or isn’t listening. An Amazon user in the reviews explained that compared to the Echo Dots, the Echo Pop doesn’t have as much sound projection capability. However, the sound it produces is crystal clear, and its small size makes it ideal for finding a place on a shelf in an otherwise cramped room. Amazon Echo Spot Smart Alarm Clock Regular Alexa smart speakers can set alarms to help you wake up in the morning, but they’re still just speakers, with no display features. If you need your bedside or desk smart speaker to have a real clock face that you can read, but don’t want to go all the way to a full smart display just yet, there’s a happy medium. That happy medium is Amazon’s only smart alarm clock, the Amazon Echo Spot, which will set you back $79.99. The Echo Spot has all the same features as the Echo Pop and Echo Dot smart speakers, but with a small but healthy sprinkling of smart display features. The customizable clock display can of course show the current time, but it can also display the current date, weather, titles and artists of the music currently playing, and the names of any other smart devices it’s currently networked with. It’s also handy for helping you wake up in the morning, as the screen can gradually light up along with your scheduled alarm. If you’re looking for an alarm clock that’s just bright enough to read at night without frying your eyes, plus all the features and sound quality of an Echo speaker, the Echo Spot is a smart choice. This is especially true if you’re not yet looking for the full smart display experience. Amazon Echo Show 5 smart display Smart displays are the most advanced and, understandably, the most expensive department of Alexa. The majority of Amazon Echo Show smart displays will easily exceed $100 at the bare minimum, or much more. However, don’t think that you have been excluded from this particular sector yet. You still have a nice option: the Amazon Echo Show 5, which costs a relatively affordable $89.99. The Echo Show 5 may be the lowest-end Echo Show model currently available, but it’s no slouch, offering a variety of hidden Alexa features you can use. From its 5.5-inch screen, you can make video calls, view feeds from connected video doorbells, view weather and news headlines, and even stream music and shows. Naturally, it also serves as a smart speaker in its own right, allowing you to issue commands to Alexa to easily facilitate all of these functions. The Echo Show 5 even has its own built-in camera, allowing it to serve as a security camera or pet camera that you can connect to from other Alexa-enabled display devices or your smartphone. Adding a screen makes it easier to check information and keep track of your smart home setup rather than relying on sound alone. In reviews, one user noted that they appreciated its hands-on assistance with everyday tasks like answering questions and setting reminders.
