Smart home tech is becoming a more accessible and popular way of upgrading your current household setup. The best thing about the Amazon Echo family of products and Amazon Alexa is the seemingly endless integration with many popular and emerging smart home devices. Here is a smorgasbord of some of the best Alexa-compatible smart home tools that work with your Amazon Echo device.
Envelope your home in Wi-Fi
Staff Pick
eero Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi System
Big homes need more than a standard Wi-Fi setup, and this is where a mesh network like eero comes into play. The integration with Alexa enables eero owners to control different aspects of their home network, including opening and closing guest networks and providing threat scans and ad-blocking. Available individually or in multi-packs.
Plug & Play
Amazon Smart Plug
These first-party smart plugs can pair instantly with your Echo devices, and turn any dumb appliance into a smart one with Alexa. In fact, this was how I got my smart home started, and I currently have a half-dozen lamps set up on smart plugs like these.
Alexa, lock the door
August Smart Lock Pro + Connect
The August Smart Lock Pro is the best smart lock for both homeowners and renters, as it connects to the inside of your existing deadbolt set up. Once set up, just ask Alexa to lock or unlock the door. Additionally, with the August Home App, your door locks and unlocks when it detects you either coming or going from your home. Plus, it allows keyless access to those who need it.
Alexa, show the front door camera
Ring Video Doorbell 2
The Ring Video Doorbell 2 works with Echos that have a screen (Spot, Show, Show 5), Fire Tablets, and Fire TVs to show you who is near your doorbell. It has a horizontal field of view of 180 degrees and a vertical field of view of 110 degrees, plus the ability to power the doorbell via your existing wiring or via an independent battery.
Gotta Keep Watch
Ring Stick Up Cam
Being able to keep your home safe from anywhere is easy with the Ring Stick Up Cam. You can even use your Fire TV, Fire Tablet, or Echo Spot/Show/Show 5 to monitor your cameras while in the house.
Peace of Mind
Ring Alarm 5 Piece Kit Home Security System
If you are considering a home security system, this is a great way to go. It works with Alexa, can be monitored through your Echo and Alexa devices, and you have the option of setting up 24/7 professional security monitoring for a minimal monthly fee. This kit comes with a base station, contact sensor, motion detector, keypad, and range extender.
You're Hot and You're Cold
ecobee Smart Thermostat with Voice Control
The ecobee Smart Thermostat allows you to use Alexa to control your home heating and cooling. You can also set up routines and schedules to control the thermostat while away from your house through the Alexa app. The device includes a room sensor to help you intelligently manage room temperature.
Keep your lawn fresh
Rachio 3, 8-Zone Smart Sprinkler Controller
Homeowners will benefit from being able to manage their lawn's health via Alexa commands with the Rachio 8-Zone Smart Sprinkler Controller. Use commands such as "Alexa, ask Rachio to water the front lawn" to manage the daily watering of your precious lawn without having to get off the couch and go to the garage.
Automatic Clean
iRobot Roomba 675
Nothing makes us feel more like we're living in a Jetsons future like asking Alexa to run the vacuum cleaner for us! The iRobot Roomba 675 works with Alexa to make cleaning up messes around your home a breeze. It can run up to 90 minutes before needing to re-dock and recharge itself and it works well picking up small and larger debris on hard floors and carpets.
Light up your life
Philips Hue White and Ambiance A19 Starter Kit
The Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Bulb Starter Kit will brighten up anyone's home. You can ask Alexa to change your lights to any color or temperature you wish, dim your lights, or set a lighting scene via the Philips Hue Alexa skill.
Alexa, bake salmon
Amazon Smart Oven
Granted, you still have to physically place your items in the oven, but having a voice-controlled appliance like this can make multi-tasking in the kitchen easier. The Amazon Smart Oven makes cooking new meals or reheating leftovers more convenient with its programmed functions that can be invoked by any Alexa-powered device.
Alexa, Play Music in the Bedroom
Sonos One Bluetooth Speaker
Incredible sound
Sonos is a premium brand, but the One series of Smart Speakers is worth it, with its crisp sound and stereo functionality when paired with a second One or One SL speaker. Installing the Sonos skill for Alexa will let you play and control the music on your Sonos One with commands such as "Alexa, play 'Nutmeg' by Ghostface Killah in the living room."
Alexa, Turn on My Television!
TCL 43S425
The TCL 43S425 continues the tradition of TCL's mid-range 4K Ultra HD televisions. It is highly recommended for applications from gaming, to movie watching, to PC monitor applications, and more. And the Roku Skill for Alexa allows you to control your television from your Echo devices.
One system for them all
Logitech Harmony Elite
For those users who want a simple solution to a smart home set up without having to buy a bunch of smart plugs and other smart devices, the Logitech Harmony Elite can do the job with the help of Alexa voice commands via the Logitech Harmony skill.
Stream hard, game harder
NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1900 Dual Band Wi-Fi Router
The NETGEAR Nighthawk line of routers is built with gaming, streaming, and mobile devices in mind. With Dynamic Quality of Service, the Nighthawk will detect what device you're using and prioritize bandwidth for that device. It also can be controlled via the NETGEAR skill for Alexa for managing basic options on your router.
What's your setup?
As someone who invests heavily in the Alexa-enhanced smart home experience, my setup includes the TCL 43S425 4K UHD Roku TV, several Amazon Smart Plugs and the Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance bulbs. I also like being able to switch between the different inputs and applications on my Roku TV by using my Amazon Echo Show. With the Philips Hue lights, it's as simple as asking Alexa to set a scene such as "Nightlight" or "Concentrate," or to change the light brightness or color temperature to anything your imagination can come up with.
In addition to an entertainment setup like this, we recommend that you invest in some smart home security devices like the ones listed above. Smart doorbells, cameras, and security systems that work with Echo and Alexa can help keep your family and property safe, no matter where you might be in the world. It doesn't matter if you buy some or all of these devices to help automate your home, there is no doubt that these smart home devices will enrich your life in myriad ways.
So which ones should you buy?
There are so many Alexa-compatible devices to purchase, so here's a closer breakdown of five of our favorites and how they fit into the Amazon ecosystem.
Fine floor finishing
I don't know about you, but one of the chores I hate the most is vacuuming. Not because it's inherently that difficult, but because with two kids and two cats, it needs to be done every day (if not multiple times per day). With a smart robot vacuum like the iRobot Roomba 675, those frustrations pretty much disappear!
This vacuum works with Alexa, so anytime I hear a spill or notice crumbs or hair on the kitchen floor, I can summon my trusty iRobot with Alexa to save the day. It can run for up to 90 minutes on a charge, which is more than enough for my downstairs, and it transitions seamlessly between the tile, hardwood, and carpeted areas.
iLike clean floors
iRobot Roomba 675
Kick up your feet and ask Alexa to vacuum the living room with the iRobot Roomba 675. Works great on different floorings and surfaces and picks up pet hair with ease.
Consistency is key
When they first started coming out, mesh Wi-Fi systems were an improvement on the old router or router + signal booster, but man has they come a long way since then. I recently purchased the eero Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi System for my 2,400 square foot home, and it has made all the difference in the world to us. Gone are the days of buffering videos or dropped frames at the far end of the house or upstairs. The overall signal strength in my home is now multiple factors of magnitude faster than before.
The value in this system doesn't stop with increased speeds or spread out signal. Eero also scans your network for various threats and gives you access to regular reports and statistics on device usage. You can create device groups with timers (I use this for my son during the school week), and you can even ask Alexa to turn off the Wi-Fi so that everyone will pay attention at dinner time!
Improved speed and security
eero Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi System
$249 at Amazon $249 at Best Buy
Spread out your speed and lockdown your network with eero's Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi System.
Alexa the sous-chef
In 2018 Amazon made a concerted effort to get Alexa into the kitchen with the AmazonBasics Microwave. While that product could work with Alexa to cook food upon voice command, it was never fully baked. Now the company has introduced a more full-fledged cooking device that should have a broader appeal for cooks of all abilities.
With its stainless-steel finish, the Amazon Smart Oven not only looks better than the black plasticky AmazonBasics Microwave, but it is also more functional too. It can serve as a microwave, convection oven, food warmer, and air fryer, and it can even notify you via Alexa and your connected Echo device when dinner is ready. If you're unsure how long to cook a product for, simply scan the item with the Alexa app, and the Smart Oven will cook it appropriately, automatically!
Smart cooking
Amazon Smart Oven
The Amazon Smart oven combines the utility of a microwave, convection oven, and air fryer into a hand Alexa kitchen workhorse.
Outstanding sound
While the Sonos One may not have the fullest Alexa integration when matched against the Echo smart speakers, it does offer better sound than all of the Echos with the possible exception of the new Echo Studio. If what you are looking for is a great speaker first, and a smart speaker second, then this is an excellent choice.
Not only does it work well with Alexa, but you can also use the One with Google Assistant or Apple AirPlay 2. If you are a fan of that traditional speaker look (black, wire mesh grills), then this will remind you of days gone by. The build quality matches the outstanding sound, and it can be paired with other Sonos devices for whole-home coverage.
Awesome sound with Alexa
Sonos One
$199 at Amazon $200 at Best Buy
The Sonos One is great for pairing and putting all-around your home. It supports every major music service, as well as Alexa and Google Assistant.
Simple but effective
The Amazon Smart Plug is probably the best device to symbolize Amazon's new Certified for Humans program for easy setup and maintenance of smart home devices. It is as simple as plugging the device into the wall, asking your Echo or Alexa app to discover devices, and boom, you're done!
I have nearly a dozen of these around the house, and I love them precisely because of their simplicity. I can turn any "dumb" device, be it a new lamp or an heirloom into a smart device just like that, and then create groups of lights, routines, and schedules within the Alexa app. Of course, it works great with other devices too. I just got one for my dumb coffee maker, and now I have a routine that turns it on to brew before I wake up!
Plug-in pal
Amazon Smart Plug
Amazon's first smart plug play is still one of our favorites. It works beautifully with Alexa to turn any device into a smart device, setup takes just a few seconds, and it blends seamlessly into the background.
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