, shelves, kitchen counters, TV stands and even bedroom cabinets. The best versions
to easily fill a room with sound, while their smarts enable
Amazon has many Echo speakers, and it can be tricky to determine what’s the latest and greatest. My personal pick for 2026 is the new, somewhat Death Star-shaped Echo Studio. It includes notable speaker upgrades for Dolby Atmos support, and while it doesn’t reach the heights of our favorite Sonos speakers, it’s still enough to fill a room with music and even add a healthy amount of bass.
Alexa’s excellent compatibility options with smart home devices
Amazon likes to charge extra for things like Alexa Plus and Emergency Assist
Echo privacy options have grown slightly more limited over time
Higher-end smart speakers need to deliver serious audio performance to justify their prices.
, particularly with streaming services such as Spotify, which it’s designed to work with well. While it may not reach the heights of Apple’s hefty music files played over a HomePod, if you’re streaming from a more typical online source, the audio is superb thanks to the high-quality silk-dome dual tweets and 4-inch paper-cone woofer.
Excellent audio quality if you use common streaming services
Deeper audio customization options than almost any smart speaker I’ve seen
Voice assistant isn’t as useful here as it is in other smart speakers
I originally chose the Echo Dot with the LED clock for this pick, since it’s a versatile smart speaker that works great on a desk or bedside table. But because it was released back in 2022 and may be phased out soon, I’m replacing it with the newer Echo Spot.
Google’s 2026 Home Speaker is the first smart speaker the company has released in years, which now drops the Nest name and has a new focus on Gemini for Home. It’s also a significant jump in audio quality. It keeps a vaguely Nest-like design but offers improved bass and sound clarity that beats even the similarly priced HomePod Mini, making it the $100 speaker to beat.
Plentiful connections for audio and video streaming
Compact but powerful design with multiple color options
Subscription isn’t really necessary unless you want advanced AI features
Gemini for Home is better than Google Assistant, but still falls behind other voice assistants
The first HomePod was an eclectic Apple machine with amazing sound, but otherwise a bit disappointing, especially with the high price tag. The HomePod 2 is better in nearly every way, but still expensive at $300. The HomePod Mini, however, is a compromise — a smaller unit at a much more affordable price of around $100.
Smart home support is lacking compared to alternatives
This 300-watt speaker is a master of sound and streaming options, providing an amazing six-driver acoustic sound that can fill your whole house. Connection options include both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, plus the ability to pair with other Sonos speakers. There’s also a USB-C line for wired connections.
Lots of audio adjustment options with the Sonos app
, but the Bose Smart Speaker (latest model) stands out as a particularly smart option with its ability to link a built-in microphone to your Wi-Fi so you can talk to your voice assistants and control your music streaming. The excellent Bose sound quality certainly doesn’t hurt, either.
At CNET, we’ve been testing all the latest smart speakers from Google, Amazon, Apple and other brands to see what performs the best, which voice assistants rise to the top and more. Now I’m ready to make recommendations when you’re ready for a sound revolution in your home.
, designed for Dolby Atmos and ready for the Alexa Plus AI. While you’ll need a
to take advantage of the Echo Studio’s sound, it’s one of the better-sounding smart speakers available, and I enjoy the upgrades that Alexa Plus brings. Alexa’s smart home compatibility also remains the best in the game. It’s a little pricey at over $200, but I have seen big discounts for Black Friday and other events.
However, if you’re more focused on audio quality than anything, you may prefer my Sonos pick, and if you’re more of a
and Gemini person, I’ve got a new device for you, too. Take a look at the full list to learn more.
Alexa’s excellent compatibility options with smart home devices
Amazon likes to charge extra for things like Alexa Plus and Emergency Assist
Echo privacy options have grown slightly more limited over time
Amazon has many Echo speakers, and it can be tricky to determine what’s the latest and greatest. My personal pick for 2026 is the new, somewhat Death Star-shaped Echo Studio. It includes notable speaker upgrades for Dolby Atmos support, and while it doesn’t reach the heights of our favorite Sonos speakers, it’s still enough to fill a room with music and even add a healthy amount of bass.
The Alexa app is mostly intuitive to use and connects very readily with music services as well as smart home devices, which you can control with voice commands. Alexa Plus, if you sp