Roundups

Amazon Echo Review Roundup

Apple has Siri, Microsoft has Cortana, and Amazon now has Alexa. They all respond to voice commands, but the Echo is the only one designed for life around the home and is always listening. Amazon Echo is the must-have in-home device for those who prefer speaking, rather than typing.

Brian Mitchell

Published

February 12, 2016

Consensus

Most reviewers think Amazon Echo is a revolutionary gadget that responds well to spoken questions, and excels at ordering stuff for Prime Members. Many early reviews expected it to improve and it has, which now includes Spotify listening and home automation to voice-activate other devices around the house.

Average Overall Rating

★★★★★★★★★★

4.09 out of 5 stars (7 reviews)

Critics Reviews (Around the Web)

But I'm telling you, people who get the Echo love the Echo. People swear by it. It’s a gadget they actually use -- and I’m one of them. Read full review →
– Yahoo! · Feb 12, 2016

★★★★★★★★★★
3.65 out of 5 stars
The Amazon Echo is a likable "smart" speaker that will grow on you as it continues to improve. It's still not a slam dunk at $180, but it's a worthwhile, futuristic product that may well find a useful spot in your home. Read full review →
– CNET · Feb 7, 2016

Highly recommended as a voice-activated personal assistant; competent as a device for casual audio listening. Read full review →
– InnerFidelity · Dec 11, 2015

★★★★★★★★★★
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Amazon Echo is the most used gadget in my home due to its usefulness. Playing music and asking for quick web searches has become second nature. Alexa is always ready to do what I ask, understanding every voice command without fail. Read full review →
– ZDNet · Dec 8, 2015

★★★★★★★★★★
4.0 out of 5 stars
More than just a speaker, the Amazon Echo is part voice assistant, part home automation hub, and entirely fun to use. Read full review →
– PC Magazine · Nov 12, 2015

Everything Echo does is amazing, but it just doesn't do quite enough to be indispensable. Read full review →
– Gizmodo · Sep 21, 2015

★★★★★★★★★★
4.5 out of 5 stars
The most useful gadget since the invention of the remote control. Read full review →
– Sound & Vision · Jul 15, 2015

Alexa has her flaws and limitations, but we talk every day. I’m glad she's in my life. Read full review →
– Re/code · Jul 7, 2015

★★★★★★★★★★
4.0 out of 5 stars
As purely a Bluetooth speaker, the Echo leaves a lot to be desired. Paired with a natural, engrossing AI, however, Amazon's grand experiment in artificial intelligence is one of the most interesting gadgets I own. Read full review →
– TechRadar · Jun 23, 2015

★★★★★★★★★★
3.5 out of 5 stars
Yet this is the future, I'm sure of it. Several times a day, the Echo blows me away with how well it converses, and how natural it feels to interact with a machine this way. Read full review →
– The Verge · Jan 19, 2015

★★★★★★★★★★
4 out of 5 stars
Get over the creep factor: Amazon's Echo is a personal assistant you'll actually use. Read full review →
– Digital Trends · Jan 17, 2015

Pros

Excellent voice recognition
Regularly expanding support for new features and devices
Fun to use
Speaker and remote respond to plain English
Voice control initiates music, weather, traffic, and more
Voice-command access to music by artist, song, or radio station
Shopping list and reminders transfer to companion mobile app Minus
Impressive mic and hearing range

Cons

No built-in battery
Distorts at high volume
Can't remove items from lists by voice
No access to email and messages
Best used with Amazon Prime membership
Tendency to push Amazon products
Lackluster sound quality

Our Final Conclusion

Product Overview

November 6, 2014 - Amazon just announced one of the most unique products of the year, called Echo. The tubular device is a wireless speaker and voice activated personal assistant, much like Apple's Siri. You speak to it and ask for anything you're thinking about. It is always on, always connected to the the cloud, which means it's always online, and always listening anything you ask it. However, it requires a user defined trigger word "Alexa" before it tries... Read product announcement →