Meet Echo - Our flagship smart speaker that connects to Alexa to play music, set alarms and timers, answer questions, control smart home devices, and more. Fits best in communal spaces, like living and family rooms.
Enjoy room-filling sound - Enjoy crisp vocals and dynamic bass response with Dolby processing.
Voice control your music - Stream songs from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, Sirius XM, and others.
Ready to help - Ask Alexa to play music, answer questions, read the news, check the weather, set alarms, control compatible smart home devices, and more.
Voice control your smart home - Turn on lights, adjust thermostats, lock doors, and more with compatible connected devices.
Connect with others - Call and message almost anyone hands-free. Instantly drop in on other rooms in your home or make an announcement to every room with a compatible Echo device.
Alexa has skills - With tens of thousands of skills and counting, Alexa is always getting smarter and adding new skills like tracking fitness, playing games, and more.
Designed to protect your privacy - Built with multiple layers of privacy protections and controls, including a microphone off button that electronically disconnects the microphones.
Want to play music on an Echo in another room? Now with multi-room music, you can tell Alexa to play across your compatible Echo devices. Tell Alexa to play jazz in the kitchen, top pop in the family room, or play the same song throughout your whole home. Learn more
Make your Echo, Echo Dot, or Echo Plus just for kids at no extra charge by enabling Amazon FreeTime in the Alexa app. Automatically filter explicit songs, add approved contacts, set time limits, or review activity with easy-to-use parental controls in the Amazon Parent Dashboard.
With an Amazon FreeTime Unlimited subscription (starting at $2.99 per month), your kids can access over 1,000 Audible books, premium kids skills from brands like Disney and Nickelodeon, ad-free radio stations and playlists, and more.
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Customers like the quality, music selection, ease of setup, performance, and sound quality of the digital device. They mention that it's constantly learning what they want, plays a very good selection of music, and is easy to take on the go. Customers are also impressed with the performance, saying that it works very well with other mobile players.
Customers generally like the sound quality of the digital device. They say that it works relatively well, is loud, and clear, and is able to play their Amazon music very well. Some customers also love the Echo's quality and say that Alexa is so very cool.
"...BUT WITH DOLBY DIGITAL SOUND, THIS IS ONE NICE SOUNDING SPEAKER SYSTEM,FULLY AS GOOD AS MY 7 SPEAKER ALTECH LANSING ON MY PC...." Read more
"...reasonable background music; and it is crystal clear and sonically beautiful. I simply didn't expect it from this seemingly small and simple device...." Read more
"...While it does seem to have a deeper bass, the overall quality sounds tinnier than the 1st gen...." Read more
"...element sounded flat and muffled, the Echo's two element system sounds very bright and airy, with as much bass as you could expect from such a small..." Read more
Customers like the performance of the digital device. They say it's a substantial, solid, well-functioning device that is a welcome support in home automation. It works very well with the Echo products, and does a very nice job of playing AMAZON music. It's also really useful and excels at home automation, and makes communication clear and effective for all users. The Chromecast audio units worked fine, and they all function independently and together.
"...IT IS SO FAR, MIRACULOUS, and intriguing!..." Read more
"...compare to that of my 100W/channel stereo system, it is EXTREMELY impressive just the same...." Read more
"...and potential is still in its infancy but the Echo is already really useful and excels at home automation, playing music, podcasts, and radio...." Read more
"...The Chromecast audio units worked fine...." Read more
Customers find the setup of the digital device to be straightforward, convenient, and helpful. They mention that it makes their life easy and hands-free, and that it's easy to take on the go with high quality performance.
"...I could not be more pleased with my Echo 2. First off, setup took merely a few minutes with the app walking me through everything...." Read more
"...Come back when you've done that.Unpacking was easy, not a lot of junk in the box. An echo, and a power adapter. Some paperwork...." Read more
"...just ask Alexa to open certain movies or open certain apps, and its that easy...." Read more
"...But I digress.Like I said, its capabilities as a versatile, easy, hands free interface to music services is why I bought it..." Read more
3,223 customers mention2,795 positive428 negative
Customers like the music selection of the digital device. They mention that Alexa can play a very good selection of music without any other inputs. They say it's great to have easy access to a wide variety of music, and that it'll play their Spotify songs easily. They also say that the adjustable equalizer sounds amazing.
"...the Echo is already really useful and excels at home automation, playing music, podcasts, and radio...." Read more
"...Watching Prime videos is such a breeze, such that you can start a movie, pause, fast forward, or rewind by just asking Alexa on the echo." Read more
"...it's basically a glorified stereo system—plays music, plays radio, also has a time/date/weather function and can read..." Read more
"...for one thing or another, it's so simple to set alarms, timers, play music, ask questions, make phone calls, text someone on my contact list, even..." Read more
2,478 customers mention2,465 positive13 negative
Customers find the comfort of the digital device to be great. They mention that it's fun to have, versatile, and ergonomic. They love to play the various games that are available, and they like to set up routines for lamps and fixtures. They also find it to be very pleasant and ergonomic, and that it rests comfortably in their easy chair.
"...The game feature (you can play games like jeopardy, song quizz, etc) is fun, and the microphone is really good - such that it can even hear me..." Read more
"...She rests comfortably in her easy chair, and she can hear everything I say through the Echo, and I can hear everything my mother says very clearly...." Read more
"...Echo doesn't use much power- Echo is very ergonomic—between the blue activity indicator and all buttons on top, it's well-designed..." Read more
"...together and play on multiple Alexa devices at once, so jamming out is so much more fun...." Read more
2,448 customers mention1,831 positive617 negative
Customers like the Alexa compatibility of the digital device. They mention that it has great sound, Alexa is awesome, and the new and improved design. They also say that it's fun to ask Alexa things just to see what she "knows". Some say that its very easy to get used to Alexa and Echo, and that they like the smaller size. They say that the Echo can call you an Uber, control your TV, blast your favorite music from, and has the best virtual assistant, Alex. They further say that Alexa can tell you the time and temperature.
"...That being said, as many other reviews mention, its very, very easy to get used to Alexa and Echo. Best purchase I made from Amazon ever.#..." Read more
"...It is fun to ask Alexa things just to see what she "knows". I think Amazon should make it more clear where to go to learn more...." Read more
"...my purchase of an Echo, 2nd Gen. I love the Echo's quality and Alexa is so very cool...." Read more
"...Alexa does have limitations and I can only hope the techies are working on them...." Read more
2,286 customers mention1,703 positive583 negative
Customers like the quality of the digital device. They mention that it constantly learns what they want and very accurately learns their preferences. The sound quality is phenomenal, offering rich and immersive audio. It creates shopping lists, gives weather, traffic reports, and news when they need it. Echo, by far, is the best at answering questions and controlling external devices. It's also very surprising and excellent to set reminders.
"...IT IS SO FAR, MIRACULOUS, and intriguing!..." Read more
"...I've only had her for a day or so, but am forever impressed with the answers she gives, jokes she'll tell, and the fact that I can call people in my..." Read more
"...to the 2nd get unit is not much, this 2nd gen is just not up to par with the original when it comes to audio...." Read more
"...Morning alarms synced with home lights turn on / off, news functionality, and music capabilities still impress me till date...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the connectivity of the digital device. Some mention that the Bluetooth is pretty impressive, it was easy to set-up and pair up with their network, and it has good integration with smart home products. However, others say that it may even have some connectivity issues, and that the communication level is not that great. Some customers also mention that they would drop the internet connection and setup memory needing to be re-created. Overall, the opinions are mixed, and the product is a mixed bag for connectivity.
"...The Echo cannot link to HomeKit devices. Again, hopefully, Apple and Amazon can make this happen...." Read more
"...There is also a 3.5mm jack port and bluetooth to connect to other speakers...." Read more
"...BUT, I began having trouble today downloading skills from the Amazon Store...." Read more
"...I'm playing music and want the best sound quality, however Bluetooth is pretty impressive when it uses the near-CD quality codecs...." Read more
I use this in my garage to provide music while I am working. I have one in my kitchen as well. I love the ability to have voice control while I am working. If I hear a song I do not like I just tell Alexa to skip it and I do not even have to take my hands off of what I am working on. Often times I am on the ground working on a motorcycle, an ATV, or a side by side so the hands free selection keeps me rocking. I have Alexa tied to Pandora and Audible. So I can listen to my favorite songs or an audio book. The sound is surprisingly good out of such a compact unit. I remember when I had a large stereo as my garage solution and would have to stop what I was doing so my ears did not have to be assaulted by a bad song. Those days are gone. I have smart lights as the main can lights in the ceilings of my house designated by room. I can just tell Alexa to turn them on/off, change the color of the light, and even change the intensity of the light from 1-100% all with my voice. I now even have a Jeep that I can remote start with Alexa. I just tell Alexa to get my Jeep warmed up while making my coffee to go. Very powerful device with a great look and great sound.
Let me preface this review by revealing a few facts about myself. I am male, aged 75 years old, and more tech savvy than most people my age, but if you can use a modern computer, and own one, you should have not problem using this device. IT IS SO FAR, MIRACULOUS, and intriguing! I bought mine about a week ago, and waited till a couple days ago to jump in with "both feet" and set it up. Even though I once did computer tech support for Dell computers, It was a long time ago now, and a lot of tech has evolved since then, and i have the same fear of new things as most people my age, though admittedly higher skills. I also own an Iphone 6s plus, of which I have mixed emotions. The Iphone is made by apple, and Apple's idea of "intuitive" and mine are very different. Microsoft is much better at designing "intuitive" into an operating system than Apple. Aniyway, You will need some type of connected WIFI device to use this product. (read that Cell Phone with it's own WIFI abilities, and Bluetooth built in) You will need to download the "Alexa App. " on that device to set up the Alexa products.
From that point on, simply plug in the Echo device into a regular 110V. wall outlet, it comes with a plug in adapter. There are no batteries in this device, although some have them. A NOTE HERE" YES, YOU CAN UNPLUG IT WITHOUT IT LOSING ITS BRAINS AND REQUIRING REPEAT SET UP. So though not specified anywhere I read it evidently has some on board nonvolatile memory built in that will allow this. ( i spent several research sessions attempting to find this out, and finally had to bite the bullet and just try it. ) I moved it from one room location to another and within a few seconds it greeted me and said it was operational. NOW I AM ONLY AN OLD GUY WITH PRETTY GOOD HEARING ABILITIES YET, (NOT EXACTLY AN AUDIOPHILE ) BUT WITH DOLBY DIGITAL SOUND, THIS IS ONE NICE SOUNDING SPEAKER SYSTEM, FULLY AS GOOD AS MY 7 SPEAKER ALTECH LANSING ON MY PC. IT MAY EVEN BE BETTER.IF YOU HAVE A NORMAL EAR, YOU WILL BE AMAZED AT THE SOUND QUALITY!
Now I am still learning about this product. Every new thing I try I am pleasantly surprised. I plan to get at least a smart home door lock and thermostat to use with it in the future, and several light switches. I am no great fan of the "RING DOORBELL" (due to frequently needed battery recharging) at this point, but I understand Amazon has purchased that company and will soon have an interface app available to use with the "Ring System" If you want to keep up with the march of technology, this device is probably your best doorway to that end, since Amazon is committed to pursuing it. Others may drop out along the way. (NEW) I made a hands free phone call to my son this moring as a test of the phone capabilities. Sound on my end was like he was in the room. The Alexa app and it's capabilities are evolving technologies. Features will be added. (Mine did an update download while playing music) Don't be disappointed. It is attractively packed, and very capable, but the "instructions" are not detailed and are sketchy. Lean about it online as I did before you purchase it. Read as many reviews as your eyes and attention span will allow, and take the plunge! An education awaits you!
I just received and yesterday set up my new Echo 2nd Generation ("Echo 2"). Until a co-worker sung its (the Echo 1's) praises, I thought this an unnecessary product. But hearing her and seeing it in action compelled me to purchase one immediately (I actually bought the discounted 3-pack to give the others as gifts). I could not be more pleased with my Echo 2. First off, setup took merely a few minutes with the app walking me through everything. Secondly, Alexa can hear me anywhere in my (modestly-sized) house. I tested her behind closed doors and understandably she cannot hear me under those conditions. She is otherwise placed in the middle of my home and I barely raise my voice when I am talking to her from the far reaches of my house. Beautiful! I have come to learn what questions she can reasonably answer, and what abstract questions she could not be expected to answer. If you're realistic, you'll get almost all of your queries answered by her. My co-worker had a new Dot and showed me that it could make calls! I told her to call her desk phone and she said, "Alexa, call [her 10-digit number]," and it rang immediately! I then realized this was much more than a gimmick and knew it could be used in emergency situations when your cell phone may not be available to you, or if you've fallen or been hurt. That's what convinced me to get mine (and a few others).
I've only had her for a day or so, but am forever impressed with the answers she gives, jokes she'll tell, and the fact that I can call people in my contacts list (or a separate phone number I dictate), or simply set a timer, without doing anything more than flapping my lips! I also have her connected to my Pandora music account. Even though I regularly listen to rock music on it through my desktop and high-end audio setup, I find often intone, “Alexa, play Classical Radio,” and am treated to soothing OLD old-school music throughout my home. While the sound I get out her obviously doesn’t compare to that of my 100W/channel stereo system, it is EXTREMELY impressive just the same. Volume levels are 1-10 and anything over 7 is actually too loud and unnecessary. In any event, the sound is and can go way beyond what you would consider reasonable background music; and it is crystal clear and sonically beautiful. I simply didn't expect it from this seemingly small and simple device. I've since been viewing YouTube videos on all she can do and am seriously contemplating automating the lights in my home with a Hue or WeMo setup. It appears I can do this for an initial cash outlay of maybe $100-$150.
The Echo 2 is much more than a general "assistant" and I can't believe I've waited this long to buy one. I am 100% unequivocally pleased and know that I've only scratched the surface of what she can do. ALSO, I do believe I'm going to purchase one or two of the "lesser" Dots, just to keep one next to my recliner in my living room (on one side of my house), and my nightstand (on the other side of my house). Yes, I've said my single Echo 2 can hear everything, but I dunno, at two for a C-note, I kind of like the idea of having information I can request and receive at a whisper right next to me too (and I MIGHT even put one in my car, tethering it to my unlimited data smartphone). Yes, I guess this all makes me lazy with all the service and convenience, but you know what, I'm going to have to say that I'm worth it. At $100 for a single Echo 2 (I understand the Echo 1 first went for $200, then $179), for this wondrous device that will literally change your life -- this is a complete no brainer. I guarantee you will love it too!