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Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit smart speakers all sit next to each other on a blue table. Credit: Reviewed / Rachel Murphy

The Best Smart Speakers of 2023

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission. Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit smart speakers all sit next to each other on a blue table. Credit: Reviewed / Rachel Murphy

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1
Editor's Choice Product image of Amazon Echo (4th Gen)
Best Overall

Amazon Echo (4th Gen)

Amazon's 4th-gen Echo has a built-in smart home hub, a temperature sensor, upgraded speakers, and a sleek new design. Read More

Pros

  • Fantastic smarts
  • Supports Matter and Zigbee
  • Clear, relatively full sound

Cons

  • Distorts at top volume
2
Editor's Choice Product image of Sonos Era 100
Best Portable

Sonos Era 100

The Alexa-enabled Sonos Era 100 sounds great, but lacks the smarts of other smart speakers, with no support for Matter and no built-in sensors. Read More

Pros

  • Excellent, full sound
  • Plethora of music apps
  • Attractive design

Cons

  • Sonos app is cumbersome at times
  • Stereo effect is lackluster
3
Editor's Choice Product image of Google Nest Audio
Best for Google Assistant

Google Nest Audio

Google's Nest Audio smart speaker is fast, sounds great for the size, and offers a lot of value for the money. Read More

Pros

  • Matter controller
  • Good sound
  • Stylish, compact design

Cons

  • Microphones aren't as sensitive as they could be
4
Editor's Choice Product image of Apple HomePod (2nd Gen, 2023)
Best for Apple HomeKit

Apple HomePod (2nd Gen, 2023)

The HomePod is easily Apple's best-sounding smart speaker to date, and bests its competitors' products, like Amazon Echo Studio and Google Nest Audio. Read More

Pros

  • Well-balanced audio
  • Temperature and humidity sensors
  • Matter compatible

Cons

  • Only works with iOS devices
5
Product image of Amazon Echo Pop (2023)
Best for Small Spaces

Amazon Echo Pop (2023)

The Amazon Echo Pop is an Alexa smart speaker that comes in a compact size with small colors with decent sound for small spaces. Read More

Pros

  • Good value size and sound
  • Fun design
  • Matter controller and built-in eero support

Cons

  • No temperature sensors
  • Power cord is white

Smart speakers have the ability to automatically adjust your thermostat, help you manage your calendar, and alert you to potential problems by listening for intruders and smoke alarm sounds. Aside from smarts, these functional devices can also play music, podcasts, and make phone calls.

We've tested the best smart speakers to find out which ones have the best blend of smart home features, audio quality, and usability. The Amazon Echo (4th gen) (available at Amazon for $99.99) is the best ssmart speaker you can buy because it offers plenty of smarts, including support for Zigbee and Matter smart homes, has built-in motion and temperature sensors, and Alexa is quick and responsive. For the smart speaker with the best sound, the Sonos Era 100 (available at Amazon) is our choice. There are many other quality smart speakers on our list, as well, each with something distinctive to offer.

The Amazon Echo 4th gen smart speakers sits on a table
Credit: Reviewed / Sarah Kovac

The Amazon Echo (4th gen) is the best smart speaker you can buy.

Best Overall
Amazon Echo (4th gen)

The fourth-gen Echo smart speaker is our pick for the best smart speaker The modern smart speaker takes on a minimal aesthetic as a fabric-covered orb, offering up sleek looks for your smart home. It offers rich sound for a small speaker and acts as a Zigbee and Matter hub for certain smart home devices. Alexa is responsive and quick. It also has a built-in temperature sensor to help deploy home automation like controlling a smart thermostat.

The sound on the 4th-gen Echo is certainly respectable for a speaker that’s not much larger than a baseball, though it can’t compete with the bass produced by larger speakers. But committed Alexa users won’t be disappointed in this new Echo, using it solo, as a stereo pair, or for multi-room music.

Overall, this tiny smart speaker packs a big punch for smart homes, with built-in sensors, support for Zigbee and Matter, and quick voice assistant responses. It comes in several colors and you can frequently find it on sale via Amazon.

Read our full review of the Amazon Echo (4th gen)

Pros

  • Fantastic smarts

  • Supports Matter and Zigbee

  • Clear, relatively full sound

Cons

  • Distorts at top volume

The Sonos Era 100 on a wood table.
Credit: Reviewed / John Higgins

The Sonos Era 100 is the most portable smart speaker you can buy right now.

Best Portable
Sonos Era 100

The Sonos Era 100 is a redesign of the Sonos One that now includes Bluetooth.

Bluetooth isn’t the only improvement Sonos stuffed into the Era 100, which has a marginally larger footprint than the One. The Era 100 has two angled tweeters for better imaging and clarity. Bass response is markedly improved thanks to a larger woofer that easily fills a mid-sized living room with rich, detailed sound.

Trueplay tuning uses the built-in microphones to quickly adapt the sound to the room’s acoustics (a more in-depth Trueplay version is available on iOS, but the fast version is more than sufficient).

Setup is incredibly easy with the required Sonos app, which also includes dozens of integrated streaming apps including Amazon Music, Apple Music, and Spotify—although they don’t have quite the functionality as their standalone versions.

There’s lots to do within the app, such as deactivating the touch controls for those with curious children, but it can be frustrating to navigate for some.

Alexa and Sonos Voice Control respond quickly and for the privacy conscious there’s an easily accessible switch on the back of the speaker that disconnects power to the mic.

Read our full Sonos Era 100 review

Pros

  • Excellent, full sound

  • Plethora of music apps

  • Attractive design

Cons

  • Sonos app is cumbersome at times

  • Stereo effect is lackluster

Nest Audio
Credit: Reviewed / Rachel Murphy

Nest Audio offers incredible value for a smart speaker, striking an ideal balance between room-filling sound and smarts.

Best for Google Assistant
Nest Audio

The Google Nest Audio offers great performance and sound. It supports Matter, too, to help control your Matter smart home devices.

The sleek design comes in five colors and has three hidden touch controls on top that play or pause music and control the volume. While the bass could be deeper, the speaker puts out crisp and clear sound, even when cranked all the way up.

It has a stereo pairing feature, which allows you to sync two Nest Audio speakers in the same room in stereo. It can also be paired with other Google smart speakers for sharp, multi-room audio, and it has Google Assistant built-in to help control your smart home.

While it doesn't come with any USB-C or auxiliary input ports, it supports both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connection.

Overall, the Nest Audio is a great option for anyone looking for a Google Assistant-friendly smart speaker for around $100 that packs in smarts and ear-pleasing sound.

Read our full review of the Nest Audio

Pros

  • Matter controller

  • Good sound

  • Stylish, compact design

Cons

  • Microphones aren't as sensitive as they could be

A second-gen Apple HomePod sits on a desk
Credit: Reviewed / Marc Saltzman

The second-gen Apple HomePod is the best smart speaker for HomeKit.

Best for Apple HomeKit
HomePod (2nd gen)

The second-gen Apple HomePod is the best smart speaker for HomeKit, booming with impressive sound and intriguing features like support for Spatial Audio, compatibility with Matter smart home devices, and Siri integration. As long as you’re not an Android user, it may just be the smart speaker you’re looking for.

The HomePod has a 4-inch woofer and five tweets work in unison to deliver a powerful soundstage that fills up a space. It also works as a stereo pair with another HomePod to establish left and right channels for your tunes.

It supports 360-degree Spatial Audio for a more immersive listening experience when using streaming options like Apple Music—and we think it sounds fantastic.

Beyond audio, the second-gen HomePod is quite capable of being a useful smart speaker. It incorporates Matter into the mix, a smart home technology aiming to bridge the compatibility gap between different brands in your smart home ecosystem.

The HomePod also has temperature and humidity sensors built in, an awfully handy feature if your home already has a smart thermostat in it.

Despite perhaps being a step or so behind the likes of Google Assistant or Alexa, Siri brings all the standard conveniences of a smart assistant, including working in tandem with Apple’s Find My iPhone feature if you’ve misplaced your device around the house.

Outside of a $300 price tag, the one outstanding blemish on the second-generation HomePod is that it works exclusively with Apple products. Meaning, if you’re deep in the Android ecosystem, you’re out of luck.

That said, if you are an Apple fan, you’ll be extraordinarily hard pressed to find a smart speaker that offers a better combination of sound and features tailored towards Apple owners than the HomePod itself.

Read our full review of the HomePod (2nd gen).

Pros

  • Well-balanced audio

  • Temperature and humidity sensors

  • Matter compatible

Cons

  • Only works with iOS devices

The Amazon Echo Pop sitting on a coaster.
Credit: Reviewed / Rachel Murphy

The Amazon Echo Pop is the best smart speaker for small spaces.

Best for Small Spaces
Amazon Echo Pop

The Amazon Echo Pop is the smallest and most affordable Echo smart speaker yet. It supports Matter-enabled devices and works as an eero Wi-Fi extender. The Echo Pop delivers decent sound quality for a speaker that isn't much larger than my morning cup of espresso. The audio is crisp, clear, and just fine for listening to in the background.

However, when the volume is all the way up, the Echo Pop struggles a bit with that clear crisp audio, and it sounds a bit tinny, especially on heavy rock songs, but for small spaces like dorm rooms, this is a great pick.

It does not have an audio jack on the back like the Echo Dot does—it only has one port for power meant for use with the included 15W power cord. It comes in fun colors like Lavender and Midnight, as well as standard Echo device colors Charcoal and Glacier White.

The Echo Pop isn't the smart home powerhouse that the fourth- and fifth-gen Echo Dots are. The Pop's lack of motion and temperature sensors is one of the biggest differences between the two features.

For less than $40, the bright and cheerful Echo Pop offers quick and easy access to Alexa in one compact size, making it a great smart speaker for small spaces.

Read our full review of the Amazon Echo Pop

Pros

  • Good value size and sound

  • Fun design

  • Matter controller and built-in eero support

Cons

  • No temperature sensors

  • Power cord is white

Other Smart Speakers We Tested

Product image of Amazon Echo Studio
Amazon Echo Studio

If you’re looking for the best sound quality in a midrange smart speaker with useful features, and you don’t mind being stuck with Alexa, the Echo Studio is a great choice for sound. It functions as a Matter controller for Matter smart home devices and can also control Zigbee smart home devices, adding to its already impressive portfolio. Overall, we think the size is too big for every day use, but if you're looking to rock out with your smart speaker, the Echo Studio is a stellar choice.

As noted, this speaker is considerably larger than all the others we tested, but the additional size allows for deeper bass, better clarity, and immersive sound. The Studio is also unique in this space as it is designed to deliver 3D sound, thanks to its Dolby Atmos compatibility, including an upward-firing driver that bounces sound off your ceiling to better immerse you.

Usually, we think of surround sound in reference to movies. But, there is an entire genre of music that takes advantage of technology like that in the Echo Studio to deliver sound that seems to come from everywhere–even above you, though at the present it's limited to a small list of artists and streaming services, such as Amazon Music Unlimited.

While it doesn't work as an eero Wi-Fi extender, like other Amazon Echo smart speakers, and it doesn't have built in sensors for temperature and humidity, the Echo Studio makes for a great sounding smart home hub.

Pros

  • Exceptional sound

  • Dolby Atmos

  • Controls Zigbee and Matter-compatible devices

Cons

  • Large

Product image of Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen)
Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen)

A smaller version of the Echo, the fifth-gen Amazon Echo Dot looks has a modern and minimal aesthetic as a fabric-covered orb smart speaker.

The status light ring is still around the base of said orb, making it easy to see when you have an Alexa notification or when Alexa is activated. It supports Matter, doubles as an eero Wi-Fi extender for up to 1,000 square feet, and also has built-in temperature and motion sensors for Alexa routines and added security.

The sound on the Echo (5th gen) sounds great for a speaker its size, offering deep bass and bigger sound.

It also comes in a version with an LED display on the front that shows the time, weather, and song titles when you ask.

Read our full review of the Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen).

Pros

  • Good sound quality for size

  • Works as an eero Wi-Fi extender

Cons

  • Temperature sensor is spotty

Product image of Sonos Era 300
Sonos Era 300

It’s not often a speaker comes out that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible with sound, but that’s exactly what Sonos has done with the Era 300. It’s the first spatial audio offering from Sonos, and while Dolby Atmos music is still a niche market, the depth of sound it delivers is remarkable. Not just for Atmos, either.

The Sonos 300 is one of the best sounding Bluetooth speakers on the market, with rich and full response that is far bigger than you’d expect from a speaker of its size.

The Sonos Era 300 looks unlike any other smart speaker—a design built out of function while keeping an attractive and unique profile. Its cinched shape houses six speakers aimed in different directions with capacitive controls on the top for transport and volume control.

Love it or hate it, the Era 300 requires the use of the Sonos app for setup and to get full functionality out of the speaker—including access to dozens of streaming apps, whole-home integration, and Alexa or Sonos Voice Control smart assistant setup.

There’s a wealth of functionality at the detriment of being a bit unintuitive to use. The smart assistant is quick and responsive, though, and the built-in mics (which can be turned off with a switch on the speaker) are able to hear commands from across the room.

Read our full Sonos Era 300 review

Pros

  • Room-filling sound

  • Excellent sonic placement with Atmos

  • Can be used as rear speakers

Cons

  • Sonos app search is awkward

Product image of Google Nest Mini (2nd Gen)
Google Nest Mini (2nd Gen)

Google’s smallest smart speaker is the perfect entry point for someone who is new to smart home or wants to have several smart speakers throughout the house. While it won't compare favorably to some of the larger (and pricier) speakers on our list, the latest version of the Mini has surprisingly good sound for such a small package. It also works as a Matter controller to support your Matter smart home devices.

Most notably, the speaker is one of the most affordable you’ll find, even when it’s not on sale. If you're looking for easy access to Google Assistant without spending much cash, the Nest Mini is the way to go.

Pros

  • Small

  • Hanging brackets on the back

  • Supports Matter

Cons

  • Sound distorts at top volume

Product image of Apple HomePod Mini
Apple HomePod Mini

The Mini sounds bigger than its size. It’s probably more reasonable to compare this speaker's sound with that of the 4th-gen Echo than with the Echo Dot, the latter of which is about the same size as the HomePod Mini.

The HomePod Mini is also a great smart speaker for Apple smart homes. It has a built-in temperature and humidity sensor that can be used to execute routines and automations, and the Mini also supports Matter.

Most people who are interested in smart home technology would be better served opting for an Echo or Nest Audio, either of which offer great sound and far more smart home options, for the exact same price as the Mini. Or, you could pay half of that and get an Echo Dot or Nest Mini.

However, if you use Siri often on your iPhone or iPad and don’t mind looking a little harder for compatible smart tech, you might really love the HomePod Mini.

Apple’s products tend to work really nicely together, and they do what they do very well. If you’re OK with fully committing to the Apple HomeKit ecosystem, then don’t hesitate. The HomePod Mini is for you.

Read our full review of the HomePod Mini

Pros

  • Great sound

  • Compact

  • Multi-room listening

Cons

  • Siri only

  • Requires iOS device

Product image of Bose Portable Smart Speaker
Bose Portable Smart Speaker

The Bose Portable Smart Speaker is a wireless speaker pumps out a lot of sound for its size, and it manages to balance portability and durability surprisingly well. It operates via the Bose app and can work with either Alexa or Google Assistant.

The swivel handle on top makes it very easy to carry, and with its water-resistant design, this speaker is at home outdoors or poolside.

The Bose Portable Smart Speaker's battery lasts for several hours of high-volume music, and if you have another Bose speaker at home, it is capable of being grouped for multi-room music. The optional charging cradle also makes it super easy to grab on the way out the door.

The Portable Smart Speaker has a sturdy, thoughtful design, and it's a pleasure to use in any situation.

Read our full review of the Bose Portable Smart Speaker

Pros

  • Alexa or Google Assistant

  • Bluetooth capable

  • Rugged design

Cons

  • None that we could find

Product image of Sonos Move
Sonos Move

The Sonos Move is the first offering from the brand that supports Bluetooth streaming. This is a big deal, because it opens up a world of streaming possibilities that aren't supported by Sonos' app.

The Move has impressive sound, a very handy charging base, good battery life, and of course it fits into the much-beloved Sonos ecosystem to interface with speakers like the Ikea-branded Symfonisk, and even the Sonos Arc Dolby Atmos soundbar.

One gripe we have about the speaker compared to the Bose Portable Home is that the Move doesn't feel particularly rugged. It’s heavy, so it feels like one good drop on a hard surface would do some serious damage. It has a cutout on the back that allows you to get a solid grip on the speaker if you’re carrying it around, but it’s not as secure in the hand as the Bose Portable Home’s top handle.

In addition, the price is considerably higher than the others we tested, and while Sonos speakers are quite popular, we feel the Sonos ecosystem can be a little finicky if you don’t have it set up just right.

Like other Sonos speakers, it doesn’t offer all of the smart home features that dedicated smart home ecosystem speakers, like the Apple HomePod, Nest Audio, and Amazon Echo, do.

Pros

  • Bluetooth capable

  • Alexa or Google Assistant

  • Portable

Cons

  • Geared toward Sonos users

Product image of Marshall Uxbridge Voice
Marshall Uxbridge Voice

While the Marshall brand is associated with guitar amps and bass cabinets, its recent offering to the smart speaker market shows that it's serious about competing with established smart speaker brands like Sonos. The Uxbridge Voice can be purchased with either Alexa or Google Assistant preinstalled, and the sound quality is alright.

It's the aesthetic of this speaker that really sets it apart from the crowd. Like the rest of the Marshall speaker lineup, it's designed to look like a vintage amp, and even the controls on top for volume, treble, and bass look a bit like guitar frets.

We love the look of this smart speaker, but it’s not for everybody. And if sound quality is at the top of your smart speaker wish list, you might be slightly disappointed with this one. Marshall does offer the Action II Voice and Stanmore II Voice, the latter of which is an absolute belter. Both come with voice assistants and considerably more power, though they're a lot larger than your average smart speaker.

Pros

  • Comes with either Alexa or Google Assistant

  • Bluetooth capable

Cons

  • Sound quality just so-so


How We Tested Smart Speakers

The Tester

I'm Rachel Murphy, the home editor at Reviewed. My home is loaded up with some of the most popular smart speakers out there, which I use to interact with major voice assistants (Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri) on a daily basis. I lean on my smart speakers for a ton of tasks like setting reminders, playing music, managing my smart devices (lights, locks, HVAC, and more), and keeping my home safe and secure. I’ve spent intimate time with every smart speaker on this list (and plenty more). Smart speakers in this guide have also been tested by Marc Saltzman, Sarah Kovac, and John Higgins.

The Tests

We were already intimately familiar with many of the speakers included in this roundup, as testing smart home products requires using a variety of smart speakers on a regular basis. Creating a meaningful testing rubric, however, proved to be a somewhat difficult task, as each of these speakers have different use cases and excel in different categories.

The two main criteria we ended up settling on were the speaker’s ability to be useful in a smart home setting, and its capacity to be used by the widest variety of people. As far as audio quality, while some are obviously better than others, most of the speakers we auditioned will perform just fine in the average home.

You probably don't care if a speaker can stream music from 12 different services or allows you to choose between two different assistants. You want a speaker that works with your preferred assistant and your preferred streaming service or music source. The winners we selected offer the largest variety of ways to use them, so chances are our winners will work nicely with whatever setup and services you already have going.

What You Should Know About Smart Speakers

Brand Matters

If you already have smart speakers in your home and use them to communicate with features like Alexa’s Announcement and Drop-In, Google Assistant's Broadcast, or speaker-to-speaker calling, you will probably want to go with an actual Amazon Echo or Google Nest speaker as opposed to a third-party brand with Alexa or Google Assistant but in.

Some third-party speakers don’t have all of the same communications capabilities as their Amazon and Google counterparts. This seems to be more of an issue with Alexa devices than Google Assistant ones, but if you're not intending to use your speaker this way, it's not going to matter which brand you choose. Let me tell you, though, using the speaker to announce or broadcast a message can be life-changing if you have kids ("Dinner's ready!") or realize too late that there's only a single square of toilet paper left on the roll.

Alexa vs. Google Assistant vs. Siri

Alexa is the most popular smart assistant out there. In our opinion, she is the fastest and can control the most devices.

Choosing a smart assistant ultimately comes down to personal preference and what other smart home devices you have (or plan to have).

Those who are committed to Apple's ecosystem will definitely be attracted to the HomePod Mini's solid sound quality and built-in Siri. Unfortunately, Apple’s proprietary approach to technology has made it difficult for smart home companies to make their products compatible with HomeKit (the platform that enables you to use Siri to control your smart devices). You can technically run an entire smart home over Siri—you just don’t have a lot of options.

If you're just starting out with smart home tech, we recommend going with an Alexa speaker or one that has Google Assistant over Siri.

Smart Speakers and Privacy

If you're researching smart speakers, bringing an ever-listening, Wi-Fi-connected device into your home might (should!) be a concern.

We know that Amazon and Google review and store voice recordings to improve smart assistant accuracy, and there have been instances when Alexa and Google Assistant have misheard commands, leading to invasions of privacy.

That being said, there are steps you can take to protect your privacy from Alexa and Google Assistant.

You'll want to pay attention to the setup process in the speaker's associated app, as you'll get the chance to opt out of voice recording storage and review. You can also hop into the settings later to delete voice recordings and adjust other privacy options.


Meet the testers

Sarah Kovac

Sarah Kovac

Editor, Accessibility

@thesarahkovac

Sarah Kovac is an award-winning author and accessibility editor for Reviewed. Previously, she worked with a multitude of outlets such as Wirecutter, TIME, PCMag, Prevention, The Atlantic, Reviews.com, CNN, GOOD, Upworthy, Mom.me, and SheKnows.

See all of Sarah Kovac's reviews
John Higgins

John Higgins

Managing Editor, Tech

@johntmhiggins

John is Reviewed's Managing Editor of Tech. He is an ISF Level III-certified calibrator with bylines at ProjectorCentral, Wirecutter, IGN, Home Theater Review, T3, Sound & Vision, and Home Theater Magazine. When away from the Reviewed office, he is a sound editor for film and musician, and loves to play games with his son.

See all of John Higgins's reviews
Rachel Murphy

Rachel Murphy

Editor, Home

@rachel_murphy

Rachel Murphy is Reviewed's home editor. She holds a journalism degree from the University of Central Florida. Prior to joining the team, she worked as a freelance writer for publications like Insider and Mashable, and as an associate editorial producer for Good Morning America. Aside from smart home tech, her interests include food, travel, parenting, and home renovation. You can usually find her sipping on coffee at any time of the day.

See all of Rachel Murphy's reviews
Nick Woodard

Nick Woodard

Contributor

@nwoodard25

Nick Woodard is a tech journalist specializing in all things related to home theater and A/V. His background includes a solid foundation as a sports writer for multiple daily newspapers, and he enjoys hiking and mountain biking in his spare time.

See all of Nick Woodard's reviews

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