Key takeaways
- Best overall: Sonos Era 100 ($179 – $219).
- Best value: Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) ($29 – $49).
- Pick the assistant that fits your phone and smart home devices.
In this article
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Not sure which smart speakers to buy in the US? This list keeps it short: our top pick, the best-value option, the premium choice and the models we would avoid, all with typical prices.
Prices are typical ranges, not live prices. The button on each pick opens the current price.
Quick answer
- Best overall: Sonos Era 100 ($179 – $219)
- Best value: Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) ($29 – $49)
Smart speakers compared
| Product | Verdict | Score | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonos Era 100 | Buy | 8.8/10 | $179 – $219 |
| Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) | Buy | 8.5/10 | $29 – $49 |
| Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) | Buy | 8.5/10 | $130 – $150 |
| Amazon Echo (4th Gen) | Buy | 8.2/10 | $80 – $100 |
| Amazon Echo Studio | Buy | 8.2/10 | $179 – $219 |
| Sonos Era 300 | Consider | 8.2/10 | $450 – $480 |
| Apple HomePod mini | Consider | 7.6/10 | $89 – $99 |
Our picks in detail
Sonos Era 100
Music lovers · Verdict: Buy · Score: 8.8/10 · Typical price: $179 – $219
Why we like it: Rich stereo sound for any room.
Pros: Excellent sound for its size · Stereo drivers · Works with AirPlay 2 and Alexa · Bluetooth and USB-C line in
Cons: Sonos app has had reliability issues · No Google Assistant
Buy it if you care about music quality and want a compact speaker that can grow into a multiroom system.
Skip it if you mainly want a cheap voice assistant.
Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen)
Most people · Verdict: Buy · Score: 8.5/10 · Typical price: $29 – $49
Why we like it: Cheapest way to get Alexa in every room.
Pros: Low price · Clearer sound than older Dots · Temperature sensor for routines
Cons: Small sound · Alexa prompts can feel pushy
Buy it if you want an affordable smart speaker for timers, weather, music and controlling smart lights.
Skip it if you want room-filling music; a bigger speaker sounds much better.
Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)
Verdict: Buy · Score: 8.5/10 · Typical price: $130 – $150
A safe choice: Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) earns a buy verdict with a score of 8.5/10, at a typical price of $130 – $150.
Amazon Echo (4th Gen)
Verdict: Buy · Score: 8.2/10 · Typical price: $80 – $100
A safe choice: Amazon Echo (4th Gen) earns a buy verdict with a score of 8.2/10, at a typical price of $80 – $100.
Amazon Echo Studio
Big sound with Alexa · Verdict: Buy · Score: 8.2/10 · Typical price: $179 – $219
Why we like it: Spatial audio and a smart home hub.
Pros: Big, room-filling sound · Spatial audio with Dolby Atmos · Built-in smart home hub
Cons: Large · Best features tied to Amazon Music
Buy it if you want a powerful Alexa speaker with spatial audio that can also control Zigbee and Matter devices.
Skip it if you prefer Google or Apple's ecosystems.
Sonos Era 300
Verdict: Consider · Score: 8.2/10 · Typical price: $450 – $480
Our verdict on Sonos Era 300 is consider: a decent option, but compare it with the picks above before paying $450 – $480.
Apple HomePod mini
iPhone households · Verdict: Consider · Score: 7.6/10 · Typical price: $89 – $99
Why we like it: Siri, AirPlay and HomeKit in a small speaker.
Pros: Great with iPhone and Apple Music · Thread border router for Apple Home · Handoff from iPhone
Cons: Needs an Apple device · Siri is less capable than Alexa for smart home
Buy it if you use an iPhone and Apple Home and want an easy speaker for AirPlay and Siri.
Skip it if you use Android; HomePod needs an iPhone or iPad to set up.
What to check before you buy
- Pick the assistant that fits your phone and smart home devices.
- Bigger speakers sound much better for music.
- A screen helps with recipes, cameras and video calls.
What to skip
Common mistake: Placing speakers where they can hear the TV and trigger by mistake.
When to buy
The deepest discounts usually arrive during the big summer sales in July, the October sales events and Black Friday through Cyber Monday in late November. Compact smart speakers are heavily discounted during big sales.
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Related reading
Frequently asked questions
What are the best smart speakers in the US?
Our top pick is Sonos Era 100 (typically $179 – $219). For the best value, choose Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) (typically $29 – $49).
What should I check before buying smart speakers?
Pick the assistant that fits your phone and smart home devices. Bigger speakers sound much better for music.
When is the best time to buy smart speakers in the US?
The deepest discounts usually arrive during the big summer sales in July, the October sales events and Black Friday through Cyber Monday in late November.
What is the most common mistake when buying smart speakers?
Placing speakers where they can hear the TV and trigger by mistake.