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4 Best Alexa Speakers I’ve Tested (2026)
Amazon started the smart speaker game, but finding the best Alexa speaker has only gotten harder as the company launches more and more devices. Amazon has the largest range of smart speakers and displays by a long shot, which can be overwhelming to dive into. It currently includes the Echo Dot Max, the Echo Studio (2nd Gen), the Echo Show 11, and the Echo Show 8 (4th Gen). But Amazon has plenty of older, cheaper models available, too.
If you're looking for something small and simple to control your home, either an Echo Dot ($80) or the Echo Dot Max ($120) is your best bet. The Dot Max has really impressive sound for its compact size and is my overall favorite Alexa speaker, but if you're only going to use it for voice commands rather than jam sessions, you can get away with the older, cheaper model, especially if you want to buy a few to place around your home. For anyone looking for a smart display, the Echo Show 11 ($250) is the best of Amazon's newest smart displays that come designed for Amazon’s updated assistant, Alexa+. The older third-generation Echo Show 8 ($150) is still a great value if you want something cheaper.
However, there are several new models out after Amazon's announcement on October 28, and I'll be updating this guide soon on whether the newest models outpace the old. In the meantime, read on to see which of the existing Echo speakers are our favorites. You can also learn more about Alexa+, and we've got guides on setting up your Echo speaker, creating Alexa routines, and the best tricks an Echo Show can do.
Updated November 2026: I've updated this guide with details about the new Echo speaker models announced, and ensured up-to-date links and prices.
Out of all of Amazon's latest smart speakers, one landed on top for me: the Echo Dot Max. It's still a similarly sized speaker to past Dot models (though this model is slightly taller at 4.27 inches while the older one was 3.9 inches), but it has much better sound than ever before, putting it on a level with the Echo (4th Gen) we previously recommended. I was really impressed with the sound quality and volume for such a small speaker. It also doesn't lack in bass like smaller speakers usually do. Amazon is no longer selling the plain Echo, which was last updated in 2020, so the Echo Dot Max is really your only powerful sound option that isn't upward of $150.
While it still has the rounded design that was introduced in the 2020 Echo speakers, both the Echo Dot Max and new Echo Studio introduced a new design style with a front panel that looks like a dust cap, but instead houses the volume controls and the microphone mute button. There are also tap controls on the top to stop music, and it has a built-in smart home hub that was never before available in such a small speaker. It comes with Alexa+ right out of the box, but if you don't have a Prime membership, you'll only have a 30-day trial and then need to pay for either Prime or the Alexa+ $20 monthly fee (choose Prime).
The price on this model also rose recently, going from a base price of $100 to $120. It's not a huge increase, but a bummer to see, especially because that means sales on this device will also likely be on the higher end than in the past. It's on sale right now for $95, for example, but that's only $5 cheaper than the price it had just a week ago.
The fifth-generation Echo Dot is a few years old now, but it's still a great little speaker. It's got powerful, robust sound for its size, and it works great if you want Alexa handy on a bookshelf or on a small side table. It's got significantly improved bass from older models, which I really like for listening to music. It's one I always find myself setting up somewhere in my house, whether it's in my hallway so I can ask quick questions as I move through the house, or in my bedroom as an alarm clock.
It used to have some of the best sound you can get for the price, but Amazon did unfortunately raise the price on this speaker along with sev