– Echo Dot (Newest gen) | Bluetooth smart speaker with big vibrant sound and Wi-Fi | Glacier White, with Alexa+ Early Access

Really happy with this Echo Dot. Sound quality is clear, setup was simple, and it integrates well with other smart home devices. Great value for the price.

I have history with the Amazon Echo speaker. The tall white series one that stands on my bedside table dates back to August 2017 and is still in daily use and works perfectly. Its ability to capture a weak WiFi signal is still unsurpassed, in my experience. I have latterly gone through skipping some of the iterations but have always been delighted with the practicality, voice assistance and sound quality of the speakers I have invested in. So, on to this newest generation Echo dot. I have 1st and 2nd gen units knocking about or loaned out with my Daughters. The first thing that strikes me about all of the latest speakers and speakers with screens is how easy it is to set them up. I have an Amazon account and I have set up these speakers before but it is really, for me, very easy indeed. Once switched on and recognised by the app the set up mostly goes off an does itself. It is wise to watch it all through but there were really not issues at all. It even stores and uses your WiFi credentials for you. So no need to enter complicated codes or indeed find/remember the code in the first place. I was interested in the sound quality and the ability to act as an Eero mesh network extender. I brought a special bundle comprising two Echo dots and a Tapo bulb, I then added a second bulb to the order. Incidentally, the bulbs are a great buy two and equally simple to set up, if you already use the Tapo app. These speakers are quite small at about 4" round. They still produce a really good performance for their size and I was also able to try, my two, as a stereo pair. For their cost there is little to complain about with their sound quality. They easily beat an old JBL Go 2 that I have, for bass, spaciousness and clarity while they are not far off the quality of a pair of UE Boom 2 speakers, again paired in stereo. They would have set me back around £150 for the pair of them. They seem to pick up commands well enough and respond quickly. They cope slightly less well with weak WiFi than my old Series 1 but I have good , fast coverage and didn't find I had many drop outs or issues. They work well as mesh extenders, I say they but so far I have only needed to set one up in this configuration. It is in our guest bedroom and just ensures that all visitors have good coverage. This for me is a much more socket friendly way to provide Alexa, a smart speaker and a wider mesh network. I am a big fan of Amazon speakers, is it that obvious! My advise would be buy one now, while you still can. They are great value for money and paired up do a great job as a compact sounds streaming system. Just add Amazon music. Although, please leave a few for me. In case I need any more. They are currently, simply a great buy that is very easy to recommend.

First time using an Alexa in a couple of years but I am really impressed with how good they have become! Looks great in white with the very nice light around the bottom of it. Very easy to set up and use, only took around 10 minutes and all up and running and links with virtually everything in my room (e.g. lights, blinds, TV etc.), making it incredibly handy! The app is really easy to use too, and setting up routines (e.g. morning, night-time, relaxing etc.), is so easy and works really good! Very quick responses, and the microphones are very responsive to prompts/commands! This is an excellent product!

As someone who was skeptical of the smart home revolution, this was the perfect entry point. I originally bought the Echo Dot (5th Gen) for music, and the sound quality is streaks ahead of my previous Alexa-integrated Petcube camera. While there are "bigger and better" speakers out there, I am more than satisfied with the audio performance for daily listening. 🎶 Building a Smart Home on My Own Terms • No "Subscription Trap": I am very leery of being hooked into endless monthly fees. This device has allowed me to build a smart home on my own terms without a subscription headache. I’ve found that pairing this with Eufy cameras and doorbells offers a great entry-level service with full Alexa compatibility for free. • Budget-Friendly Music: For other budget-conscious shoppers, I highly recommend Amazon’s free music service. 💸 It works perfectly here, though it also integrates seamlessly with Apple Music. • Audio Quality: I’ve noticed that vocals are clearer, and there is more "punch" to the bass, making it much better for casual music listening in a bedroom or kitchen. 🔊 Healing & Health-Conscious Living • Healing Through Sound: I truly believe in the capacity of music to heal and lift the mood. ❤️‍🩹During periods of injury recovery, this device was a lifeline. I used it to stream ‘healing frequencies’ for both people and pets who were confined. The ease of just asking for a specific frequency when mobility was an issue was a huge comfort. ☯️🧘‍♀️🐾 • Eco-Conscious Perks: This Echo Dot actually has a built-in temperature sensor, which is a brilliant feature. 🌡️ It allows me to manage my fan automatically or dim the lights (I recommend the Philips WiZ A60 for blue-light-free evenings 🌙) to be more energy-efficient and cut down on waste. 🌍🔋 A Crucial Note on Privacy & Security: 🛡️ Like many, I have concerns about the privacy risks. In a sense, Alexa is always listening. While it is supposed to be triggered only by the wake word, I have seen evidence of it triggering accidentally, often noticed by the light ring changing colours unexpectedly. To protect my privacy, I have done the following, in the Alexa app: 1. Stopped Recordings: I have instructed Alexa not to record voice interactions. 2. Opted-Out of Manual Review: It is crucial to know that disabling recording does NOT automatically stop human review. You must manually toggle off "Help improve Amazon services" in the Privacy settings to prevent staff from potentially hearing snippets of your audio. I highly recommend every user performs this audit. 🔍 A Few Balancing Points & My "Future Wishlist" • Connection & Connectivity: It isn’t always perfect—I’ve noticed the streamed music occasionally cuts out 📶, and I wish it still had a 3.5mm jack to connect to bigger speakers. • Inbuilt Battery & Customisation: I would greatly appreciate an inbuilt battery in future models to make it truly portable for moving between rooms during recovery! 🏃‍♂️ I’d also love the ability to customise the light ring colours. • My Current Solution: For now, I highly recommend adding the Made for Amazon Battery Base by Mission Cables (ASIN: B09RV39989). 🔋 It’s the best way to get that portability right now! Final Thoughts If you're a skeptic looking for a user-friendly "brain" for a wellness-focused smart home (without the subscription headache), this is it! 🌟

Bought 3 of these after 10 years of using google minis. They're easy to install, great sounding speaker (bit heavy on the bass, can be altered in settings). I have linked mine to the central heating and lighting with Netatmo and a Hue bridge/Phillips smart bulbs. Excellent value, would definitely recommend.

This review is on Alexa Plus early access rather than device it's self. The sound is amazing clear even on ful volume, crystal clear crisp sound. Brilliant for music, Podcasts etc. Definitely a big step up. It also has a built in temperature sensor built in. Just ask Alexa " what's the temperature in here". After using Alexa+ for several months, I can confidently say this is a significant upgrade from the original assistant. The conversational flow feels much more natural - no more robotic responses or awkward pauses when asking follow-up questions. **What I particularly appreciate:** - **Contextual understanding** - Remembers what we discussed earlier in the conversation without me having to repeat myself - **Task efficiency** - Handles complex requests that used to require multiple attempts - **Personality** - Actually feels like talking to someone rather than barking commands at a device - **Smart home integration** - Works seamlessly with all my existing devices and routines **Areas that impressed me:** The creative writing features are genuinely useful - I've used it for everything from drafting emails to helping with my daughter's school projects. The fact that it can switch between being helpful for serious tasks and entertaining for casual chat makes it feel like a proper digital companion. **Minor considerations:** Occasionally takes a moment longer to process complex requests, but the quality of responses more than makes up for any slight delay. **Overall verdict:** This feels like the assistant technology was always meant to be. If you're on the fence about upgrading, I'd recommend making the switch. It's transformed how I interact with my smart home setup. **Rating: 5 out of 5 stars** Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a more intelligent, conversational assistant experience. I'm so impressed I have brought two one is in my bathroom using a battery base, a third party one available on Amazon in black as the official Amazon battery base is only in white. Both versions are 5,000 mAh.

I bought this when it was on a Prime day offer for a great price. I'm very pleased with it and it is easy to sinc with my Echo in the kitchen giving me a surround sound effect. My only very little gripe is Alexa on the Dot has an American accent, I've tried to change it but she tells me she hasn't got an English one, haha 😅

We love our Dotty, this has been a perfect replacement for using the old Radio, quality is clear and it looks so much neater and blends in with the ornaments, then the fun of asking Alexa to play whatever music is required begins. The unit is versatile and of course does so much more than just play music on demand =, it is informative letting us know if someone is at the door, setting timers and answering questions. A great fun and useful electronic device to have.

Love this, I gave my old one to my Mam and bought the new version

Love Alexa, soo small, fits anywhere

Excellent Working very well

So goo

I love having Alexa ,works fine with lights and plugs bought separately, great with Spotify and radio stations, can't get it to control firestick properly, it just turns it off and I have to turn it back on manually.