Echo is the smart choice for a speaker

No matter if you are just starting to create your smart home or are looking to make some changes to your current setup, the right smart speaker makes a huge difference. On top of providing great sound quality for listening to your music, audiobooks and podcasts, they also allow you to search the internet and control smart devices with just a voice command. Many of them also can function as smart home hubs for systems like Matter and Zigbee.

When seeking out your next smart speaker, size and digital platform may be the most pressing needs, but actual sound quality, line-out support and specialty features like a built-in clock can make a world of difference at the end of the day. And, of course, it needs to be able to easily understand you whether it’s right next to your bed or all the way across your echoey kitchen. Additionally, if you’re on a budget, you can secure some savings right now. After all, smart speakers easily top the list of best smart home gifts year after year.

The best smart speaker overall we found is the Amazon Echo (fourth generation).

CNET take: The latest Echo (not to be confused with the fifth-gen Echo Dot or Echo Pop) combines the usual Alexa smarts with a speaker that sounds great and has a built-in Zigbee radio. That’ll let you connect Zigbee lights, locks, sensors and other devices to your setup without the need for a separate hub device.

What helps the Echo clinch first place is its sound quality: This speaker offers loud, room-filling sound with plenty of clarity and bass control.

CNET