Should you spring for the regular Echo Dot or get the Kids Edition?

We live and breathe smart home products and use them all to help determine which products should reside in your home.

Amazon Echo Dot (3rd gen)

For everyone

$35 at Amazon

Pros

• All-new design
• Improved sound
• Retains input methods from 2nd-generation
• $20 cheaper

Cons

• Not ideal for kids
• Lack of extended warranty
• Have to pay extra for FreeTime Unlimited

The new Amazon Echo Dot (3rd gen) is sleek, keeps all of the same input ports as its predecessor, and is $20 cheaper. However, this is not an ideal solution for potentially messy kids, the warranty is nowhere near as good, and you have to pay extra for parental control features.

Amazon Echo Dot Kids Edition

Kid-centric

$55 at Amazon

Pros

• Alexa Blueprint helps kids create Skills
• 2-year worry-free guarantee warranty
• 1-year Amazon FreeTime Unlimited included

Cons

• $20 more expensive than Echo Dot
• Limited color choices

This is the obvious choice if you want to put Alexa in your child's playroom or bedroom. The included warranty and FreeTime Unlimited are almost worth the price of admission. However, that will be a tough pill to swallow at $70.

How do they stack up?

At first glance, the decision on which version of the Echo Dot (3rd gen) should be pretty simple and straightforward. If you want an Echo Dot for anywhere in the house, then get that one, however, if you want one for your kids, or like the color options, then it's the better pick. Let's look at the specs.

	Echo Dot (3rd gen)	Echo Dot Kids Edition
Size	3.9" x 3.9" x 1.7"	3.9" x 3.9" x 1.7"
Weight	10.6 oz.	10.6 oz.
Microphones	4	7
Speakers	1.6" speaker	1.6" speaker
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes
3.5mm audio output	Yes	Yes
Warranty	3-months	2-years

As for the Echo Dot Kids Edition, this is essentially the same as the standard Echo Dot with a couple of new paint schemes. The real value comes in the "extras" that are available with the Echo Dot Kids Edition. If parental controls and family-friendly content are vital to your plans, then you'll enjoy the one year of FreeTime Unlimited and a 2-year warranty. This warranty provides a full product replacement, regardless of what happens to the Echo Dot.

This is extremely tempting if you are clumsy, or there are children running around the house. The Echo Dot (3rd gen) only has a 90-day warranty, meaning you could end up shelling out another $50 if something goes awry. Other differences come in the speaker and microphone department. These are speakers after all, so these are important.

The Echo Dot Kids Edition is essentially the same as the Echo Dot 3rd-generation with some new colors.

Speaking of FreeTime Unlimited, there are a few things to take note of. The included subscription with the Kids Edition not only provides a plethora of parental controls, but also a multi-platform subscription, which offers music, audiobooks, TV shows, movies, games, and much more for your kids. You can stream music from Radio Disney or access the Parent Dashboard, which provides Parental Control features.

Additionally, if you end up deciding on the standard Echo Dot (3rd gen), then you can actually add FreeTime Unlimited. This will cost you an extra $2.99 per month and will still give you the same access as if you purchased the Echo Dot Kids Edition. Amazon also offers a yearly subscription priced at $83 for Prime members or $119 if you aren't a Prime subscriber.

Opting for FreeTime Unlimited means that you'll have kid-friendly content accessible across an array of devices. These products not only include the Echo family, but also Fire tablets, Kindle tablets, iOS, and Android. This is the perfect way to keep your children occupied and looking at the "right" content, regardless of the platform.

The Echo Dot (3rd gen) comes equipped with a much more powerful 1.6-inch speaker, combined with four total microphones. However, a new product means improvements to these various hardware inclusions. The Echo Dot Kids includes the same 1.6-inch speaker, so your kids will enjoy their music much better than before. Plus, they will be able to hear Alexa's responses easier.

Chances are if you really care about the sound that much, you'll end up having picked up an external speaker that is compatible with either Echo Dot. So, you don't really have to worry too much, but the included 3.5mm headphone jack on these devices is really convenient.

The final decision should be simple. If you have kids and want all that FreeTime Unlimited has to offer, you should go for the Kids Edition. Unless you're a clumsy adult or want that awesome Rainbow scheme you should get the Echo Dot.

Amazon Echo Dot (3rd gen)

For everyone

$35 at Amazon $35 at Best Buy

Perfect for just about anyone

If you are looking for a speaker featuring a great design, improved speakers and microphones, and a cheaper price tag, then you'll want the standard Echo Dot.

Amazon Echo Dot Kids Edition

For Kids

Perfect for those seeking parental controls

$55 at Amazon

The Echo Dot Kids Edition is the obvious choice for those who want to put Alexa in a child's playroom or those who want the great warranty included, and don't care about the price.

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