Lights, locks, plugs, and more: The best Works with Alexa products
Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant is not only a great way to listen to music on smart speakers, set an egg timer and get reminders; it’s also a great system for running your smart home.
Simply set up a few devices, connect them to your Alexa smart speaker and away you go.
The best feature of Alexa is the huge array of compatible devices at your disposal.
Alexa works with home security cameras, smart light bulbs and plugs, video doorbells, smart door locks, robot vacuums, air purifiers, heating systems and a whole lot more; to help you set up a slick smart home.
Just hook up devices that work with Alexa to your Echo smart speaker (or indeed a third-party speaker with Alexa built in) and it will act as a hub, allowing you to control your smart home devices with your voice; and also let you create Alexa Routines and set up automations.
While it’s really easy to build an Alexa smart home, there are a lot of options out there when it comes to choosing the right smart home product, and that can make it all bit overwhelming.
We recommend jumping in slowly and inexpensively, which is why we have a range of products in our guide.
Maybe choose a lamp, or a couple of lights in your home to try out a couple smart bulbs or a smart plug on. See how they work, see if you like it, and then you can start expanding.
Another great thing about using Alexa for your smart home is you don’t need to stick to one brand. You can pick up any Alexa-compatible bulb, plug, lock or camera and start building your smart home slowly but surely.
The journey starts here.
Will it Work With Alexa? Certified for Humans explained
After hearing the howls of frustration from customers confused and annoyed by the endless different ways devices set up and worked with Alexa, Amazon created the Certified for Humans accreditation.
Put simply, any device that’s labelled Certified For Humans is both Works with Alexa certified (or has Alexa built-in) and offers Frustration Free Setup. Other devices may be one or the other but then they’re not Certified.
Works With Alexa means just that – it will have a skill that works with Alexa, although exactly what that skill will allow it to do will be up to each device manufacturer.
If it connects directly to Alexa with barely a thing to do on your part, that’s Frustration Free Setup. All you have to do is open an app (Alexa or the device’s) or ask Alexa to set it up for you with your voice.
If this sounds good to you, look for devices with the Certified For Humans label, or at least Frustration Free Setup.
Getting started with an Alexa smart home
First things first, you’ll need a smart speaker with Alexa baked in. Amazon’s own range of Echo speakers – whether that be the diddly Echo Dot, the screen-toting Show line, or a Zigbee-packing Echo – is the easiest path. But there are plenty of third party devices with Alexa on board too.
Once you’ve installed your lights, cameras, plugs, or other Alexa-compatible gear, head to the Amazon Alexa app, tap Devices on the bottom right of the screen and then press the + button at the top right.
Choose Add Device and select what you’re trying to set up (either by brand or product type). Your network will then be scanned for any tech that’s ready to sync.
Once you’ve got your gear connected you can also click Add Group to link devices together – such as a whole room of lights. Name the group (“main lights” or “downstairs lights” for example), tap the devices you want included, and now you can say “Alexa, turn on downstairs lights” and seriously impress your neighbors.
We have a full guide on how to set up your Alexa smart home – read that for the real nitty gritty.
Best Alexa smart plugs
There are hundreds of smart plugs that are compatible with Amazon Alexa, so it’s often hard to sort the wheat from the chaff.
Luckily, we’ve done the sorting from you. Pure wheat below…
Amazon Smart Plug
Buy now: Amazon | $24.99
Amazon’s smart plug – the first made by the company itself – is a dream to use. Rather than faff about with manufacturer settings or dodgy apps, you just plug in the Amazon Smart Plug and the Alexa app seeks it out and finds it in a snap.
There’s no need for a hub and it will pair with any Echo. This is Frustration Free Setup at its best.
The plug itself is pretty basic, and a little on the pricey side, but for an Alexa newbie it’s the safest, simplest way to go.
It will appear in your app as First Plug and from there you can rename it (a good tip is to call it whatever it’s plugged into – such as kettle). Now you can command Alexa to “turn on the kettle,” turn it on or off in the app and add the plug to a Routine so it works automatically.
For more on features, functions and uses for the plug, check out our Amazon Smart Plug review.
TP-Link Kasa Smart Plug Mini (HS105)
Buy now: Amazon | $22.99
When it comes to Alexa control, TP-Link’s range of smart plugs are about the best you can buy. They offer remote on/off controls without breaking the bank, and will hook into your Alexa groups and scenes without fuss.
There’s no need for a dedicated hub, making them as fuss-free as possible. The newest model, the HS105, is also Certified for Humans so is a breeze to setup.
You do still need to sign up for the TP-Link Kasa app, but this is a really good app that brings a bit more functionality to your plug including an away mode and setting schedules based on sunrise and sunset.
Wyze Smart Home Plug
Buy now: Wyze | $14.99 for two
The rock bottom priced Wyze plug shares a lot with the Amazon Smart Plug, including looks and features, but it’s around half the price.
You get remote control through the Alexa or Wyze app, voice control, scheduling, and the option to have the plug turn on or off after a set period of time – handy for things like heaters and electric blankets.
There’s no Frustration Free Setup here, and pairing with Alexa can be a bit tricky (here’s a guide on how to do it), but you can buy twice as many for your money, so a little extra work may be worth it if you’ve got lots of outlets to smarten up.
TP-Link Kasa Power Strip (HS300)
Buy now: Amazon | $79.99
Single socket smart plugs are all well and good – but what if you want to control large device arrays such as the plugs behind your TV? The Kasa Power Strip is a fully smart gang plug, offering individual control over size outlets and three USB ports in the strip.
Plus, this powerful array of plugs also includes energy monitoring so you can figure out just how much juice your Xbox is sucking up.
Best Alexa smart lights
Smart lights are an easy way to get started with the smart home. It used to just be Philips Hue but now there are hundreds of brilliant smart lights that work with Amazon Alexa.
Philips Hue White Ambiance
Buy now: Amazon | $24.99
One of the cheapest ways to get in on the industry leading smart light bandwagon that is Philips Hue is with the Philips Hue White Ambiance bulb.
Philips Hue’s bulbs now support Bluetooth as well as Zigbee, which means it qualifies for Alexa’s Certified for Humans program, and can be set up with any Amazon smart speaker and can work without the Hue Bridge, so you can just buy one bulb if you want and be golden.
Learn more about how to use Bluetooth Hue bulbs versus the Zigbee ones in our review of the Phillips Hue Bluetooth setup.
Philips Hue Starter Kit
Buy now: Amazon | From $69.99 for starter kit
While setting up Philips Hue Bluetooth bulbs gets you control of your smart lights, adding a Hue Bridge and some color bulbs in the from of a starter kit really ups the game when it comes to Alexa control.
In addition to being able to group lights in the Alexa app and control them with your voice, with a bridge and color bulbs you can change color as well as tone with a command as well as set up Routines and scenes using color, so you can start a movie mode or relaxing bed time routine with just a few words.
LIFX A19 Mini Wi-Fi Smart Bulb
Buy now: Amazon | From $19.99
LIFX bulbs don’t require a hub, which makes them even easier to set up, and with Alexa on point you’re not missing out on the finer control afforded by Hue.
Just screw them in your lights socket, install the LIFX Alexa skill, and then scan your network from within the Alexa app. They can then be added to Routines, Groups, and be controlled with your voice.
The entry level bulb gets you warm white, but there’s plenty of colorful options on offer here, too.
Check out our full Lifx review.
Sengled Element Smart Bulb
Buy now: Amazon | From $9.99
Sengled makes a strong value proposition with its $9.99 smart lights – and delivers.
The bulbs blend great performance with a price that makes rolling out smart bulbs across your home actually realistic.
Being Zigbee devices they hook up with pretty much any hub, including Amazon’s Echo or Show 10 – or you can opt for Sengled’s own hub which will support up to 64 bulbs.
In terms of functionality, once connected Sengled bulbs can be voice controlled via Alexa, and hooked up into Groups and Routines.
Echo Glow
Buy now: Amazon | $29.99
The Echo Glow smart lamp isn’t particularly smart, but it’s a fun addition to any child’s room as it works as a lovely color-changing nightlight and a good way to introduce them to smart lighting without risking an expensive bulb.
Don’t let the name confuse you however, this is not an Echo speaker, there’s no microphone or speaker in here – which may be a good thing in a child’s room.
It is designed to be paired with an Echo device, and without it is limited in its functionality to just changing colors with a tap. But it’s Certified For Humans, so super simple to set up and use.
Get the skinny on what else it can do in our Echo Glow review.
Best Alexa smart light switches
Smart light bulbs are great but sometimes, especially when you have multiple lights on a circuit – such as ceiling lights in a kitchen or a bathroom – a smart light switch that works with Alexa is often a better option.
Ecobee Switch+
One of the problems with Alexa-powered smart lighting is that some amateur hitting the physical switch can bring down your whole system.
You can fix that – and control lighting without the need for smart bulbs – with an Alexa-enabled smart light switch. Now, when someone flicks the switch all your smarts still work and the lights will also do what they’re supposed to.
The best option for an Alexa home is the Ecobee Switch+ – because it has Alexa built right in. That’s right, you get Alexa in your walls.
This means you can not only ask your light switch to turn on the lights but you can also call on it to answer questions, read the news – whatever you’d do with any Echo device.
The Switch+ also has a motion sensor in it that turns lights on when you enter the room – and switches them off when you’re away. It also has a built-in temperature sensor that works with the Ecobee Smart Thermostat.
The switch only works in a single switch set up, however, and requires a neutral wire. For more, read our full Ecobee Switch+ review.
Lutron Caseta Smart Dimmer
Buy now: Amazon | From $90
Lutron’s dimmer switch is a bit of a smart home chameleon, working with almost every ecosystem out there.
With Alexa you get all the features you want – switch the lights on and off with your voice, dim them, add lighting into Routines and Groups. But you will need the Lutron Caseta Bridge.
The need for a bridge is annoying, and sadly you can’t substitute a ZigBee-Echo, but it does make it one of the most reliable smart lighting systems out there – thanks to Lutron’s proprietary radio frequency.
Plus, the bridge comes bundled with a dimmer switch, and you also get a super handy Pico remote for voiceless remote control, all for that $90 price tag.
Adding more switches to your home will cost you $55 each, they will work in three-way switch boxes, and don’t require a neutral wire, making these some of the most versatile switches out there right now.
TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Light Switch Dimmer (HS220)
Buy now: Amazon | $25.99
If $50 a light switch is a bit above your budget, you’re not alone. TP-Link to the rescue. The reliable, budget smart home brand has a range of smart switches to fit every situation and budget (apart from if you don’t have a neutral wire).
Our favorite is the Smart Dimmer Switch, which works over Wi-Fi, so doesn’t need a hub, and works with Kasa’s great app as well as Alexa.
With the voice assistant you can turn the lights on, off, dim them and add to Routines and do cool stuff like have the lights turn on when your Ring doorbell senses motion.
There’s also a non-dimming option for less cash, handy for rooms like the laundry room, bathroom or pantry when you don’t need dimming. Kasa is releasing a motion sensing switch soon, too.
Best Alexa smarts home security cameras
Home security cameras that work with Alexa are great because they allow you to not only turn your security camera on or off, they also let you stream footage to your Echo smart display.
Blink Outdoor Cam
Buy now: $99.99 | Amazon
Offering a potent mix of wire-free recording on a budget, the Blink Outdoor Cam is a great option for those looking for an Alexa-compatible camera. Blink is owned by Amazon, and alongside the outdoor cam there’s a slightly cheaper indoor only version.
It’s powered using AA batteries and will last around two years between charges (up to four with the add-on battery pack). There’s also local storage in the included Sync Module (which needs to be plugged in indoors), or cloud storage for $3 a month.
You get 1080p HD recording, 110-degree field of view, customizable Activity Zones, and you can view your live feed on any screen-enabled Echo.
Plus, Alexa integration extends to having the voice assistant announce motion alerts from the cameras as well as act as a trigger for Routines.
To find out more about the features of this cam and its indoor sibling, read our full review of the Blink Outdoor & Indoor Camera.
Wyze Cam v3
Buy Now: $19.99 | Wyze
The cheapest camera on the block is and has been for a while – Wyze. For under $20 you get 1080p Full HD video, color night vision, two-way talk, person detection. and a built-in siren – it’s impressive.
Plus this cam can go indoors or out, thanks to weatherproofing and you get local storage if you add in a microSD card.
This is a superb camera for an incredible value. It doesn’t have the sharpness and clarity of a 4K capable cam, but it also doesn’t have the price tag. As an easy, cheap, and smart way to check in on your home or garden, you just can’t beat the Wyze Cam v3.
It works with Alexa for viewing your live feed on one of your Alexa-enabled screens and you can use Person Detection as a trigger in Routines. Package and vehicle detection just arrived and animal spotting has been promised putting this on par with all those pricey Arlo and Nest cams.
Get the full scoop in our Wyze Cam v3 review.
TP-Link Kasa Spot Indoor Camera (KC105)
Buy Now: $34.99 | Amazon
The TP-Link Kasa is a budget indoor camera that has the power to show footage on Alexa displays such as the Echo Show. It records in 1080p quality and boasts a 130-degree viewing angle.
It covers all the basics and covers them well, including activity zones, night vision and two-way audio. Considering the low price, this should absolutely be on the shortlist for your Alexa-enabled home security camera.
It’s not quite in the elite tier in terms of video quality, hardware design or software options and extra features, but it comes close in every category.
Throw in the microSD local storage option and you’re easily looking at one of the best smart security cameras on sale now.
Read our full TP-Link Kasa Spot review
Ring Stick Up Cam
Buy now: Amazon | $179.99
The most tightly-integrated Alexa-enabled camera is definitely Ring’s suite of smart home cams. They are all Certified for Humans and pop up magically in the Alexa app as soon as you connect them to your Ring app. Plus they work over Wi-Fi so no hub required.
The best of the bunch is easily the Ring Stick Up Cam. Designed to work indoors and out, this $99 security camera comes in three different – but almost identical – variants; wired, battery-powered, and one that runs with an accompanying solar panel.
Features like 1080p video, 130-degree field of view, night vision, two-way talk and motion-activated recording are all here. You also have customizable activity zones and People Only alerts, but you need to pay for a Ring subscription plans – it’s only $3 a month or $10 for unlimited cameras and it gets you professional monitoring if you also have a Ring Alarm system.
With an Echo Show you can dish out commands like, “Alexa, show me my Stick Up Cam” and, “Alexa, show me the latest event from my backyard”. You can also use motion at any Ring camera to trigger your Routines.
Arlo Ultra
Buy now: Amazon |From $399.99
If you crave top quality video from your security cameras and hate wires, Arlo’s wire-free, battery powered cameras are the best you can get. They’re all Works With Alexa certified, have two-way audio. motion-activated recording and SD card storage to boot.
Plus, they work great with Alexa, letting you view specific feeds on your Amazon Echo Show and Fire TV screens and working as motion detectors for Routines. You can also have your Echo speaker announce when motion happens in front of any of the cams.
For its lofty price tag, the Arlo Ultra adds a 4K sensor, with HDR for better video quality in mixed lighting. You can also stream 4K using the app, and the field of view packs in a massive 180 degrees.
You do need an Arlo Base Station to use this camera (although Arlo has some cameras that work just over Wi-Fi if you prefer, including the just released Arlo Ultra 2), but the base station has been upgraded to support dual-band connectivity.
You also get a year of Arlo Smart included ($9.99 a month), which gets you advanced features like smart notifications, which enables cameras to alert for people, animals, packages and cars, plus 30 days of video playback.
We put the Arlo Ultra to the test, check out our full review to see why its our Top Pick.
Ecobee SmartCamera
Buy now: Amazon | $129.99
A beautifully-designed, high-end camera that packs in the features and doubles as both a fullly-fledged Alexa speaker and a smart home security system, the Ecobee SmartCamera is top-notch.
It’s $129.99 price tag is a bit high and you’ll need to sign up for the Haven subscription ($5 monthly) for most of the good features.
But these include 1080p HD quality video and a whopping 180-degree diagonal field of view, the widest on an indoor camera.
A digital pan/tilt takes full advantage of that super wide field of view, plus there’s a built-in siren that works in conjunction with Ecobee’s SmartSensors to turn this camera into the hub of a decent DIY security system.
If you’re an Ecobee fan (which is our top recommendation for an Alexa-compatible thermostat), it’s a must, if not, there are cheaper solutions that offer more security features, but they’re not as easy to use or as good looking as this one.
Read our full Ecobee SmartCamera review.
Blink Mini
Buy now: Amazon | $34.99
A no frills camera, the Blink Mini solves a problem for those who want to keep tabs on what’s going on at home, without spending big money. Unlike its battery-powered Blink brethren, this one works over Wi-Fi – no hub required.
Solid day and night-vision video quality thanks to 1080p and a 110-degree field of view and reliable motion detection make it easy to recommend – with the simple caveat that there are much better (and more expensive) systems out there.
It integrates seamlessly with Alexa, letting you stream live feeds on your Echo Show or Fire TV, plus you can use its motion sensor as a trigger for Routines.
Read our full Blink Mini review.
Best Alexa video doorbells
Smart video doorbells that work with Alexa, like smart cams, are also capable of relaying the images that they are recording onto a smart speaker with a display.
Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus
Buy now: Amazon | $229
The third iteration Ring Video Doorbell 3 is the poster child for smart doorbell systems. It’s easy to see and talk to whoever is at your door, a handy pre-roll feature makes sure you never miss a moment, and it can be hardwired or battery-powered.
Thanks to the Echo Show and Alexa integration, you can check to see who’s calling before you answer the door, speak with two-way audio, and get announcements on any Echo speaker around your home when someone rings
The Ring doorbell will pair with a smart door lock like the Schlage Encode so you can lock or unlock your door right from the Ring app.
Integrations with Alexa Routines means when someone presses your doorbell you can have your speakers stop playing music and turn the light on by the front door. You can also have its motion sensor act as a trigger for Routines.
Take a look at our Ring 3 review for more info.
Arlo Video Doorbell
Buy now: Amazon | $149.99
The Arlo Video Doorbell boasts an impressive 1536 x 1536 resolution, 180-degree diagonal field of view, and a 1:1 square aspect ratio, which works so well for capturing what’s happening on your doorstep.
Plus, you can have the feed display on your Echo Show, and have it ring any of your Echo speakers when someone presses the buzzer, so no need to shell out extra for Arlo’s plug-in chime.
There’s no hub required for this Arlo buzzer and it boasts built-in siren, which none of the other Alexa-enabled doorbells have – so you can scare off that package thief. It also has advanced AI detection that can tell if there’s a package on your porch so you can be sure to keep a close eye on it.
Read our Arlo Video Doorbell review for more on this smart doorbell cam.
Eufy Video Doorbell 2K (battery-powered)
Buy now: Amazon | $179
For a cheaper, completely wireless solution with better video quality than the Ring and local storage, The Eufy Video Doorbell 2K is your best bet right now.
It does require a base station to operate (which can doubles up for Eufy’s extensive range of smart cameras) but there are no monthly subscription fees because footage is stored locally. The base station also acts as an indoor chime.
Boasting 2K video – the best quality of any doorbell on the market today, a 160-degree field of view, and a 4:3 aspect ratio, you will see everything going on on your doorstep.
Alexa integration allows streaming of your doorbell footage to a smart screen, plus it works with Routines and doorbell announcements, so you can have a Routine start when someone presses the doorbell, as well as have any Echo speakers announce you have a visitor.
There’s more on the features and function in our Eufy Video Doorbell review.
Best Alexa smart locks
Alexa compatible smart door locks often mean that you can check the status of your lock remotely and you can also integrate locking statuses within Routines and automations.
Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt
Buy now: Amazon | $219
Schlage has a door lock for every smart home, but the Encode Smart Wi-Fi Deadbolt is an excellent option for an Alexa home as it integrates directly with Alexa, Amazon Key and with a Ring video doorbell.
With Alexa you can add your door lock to Routines and have it lock at night (unlocking is not supported), or you can just ask the voice assistant to lock or unlock (with a pin code). You can also use the Alexa app to lock or unlock the device
This Wi-Fi lock (which means no extra hub or bridge required) connects directly with Ring so you can lock and unlock your door right from the view of your front door in the Ring app.
Amazon Key itself is a program that “securely” allows its drivers to place packages in your home using a combination of an approved lock (such as the Encode) and an approved camera. But even if you don’t use this you can still use the Key app, and if you add a camera get a snapshot of whoever opens the door in the app.
The Schlage Connect Smart Deadbolt is ZigBee-based version that connects directly to your Echo or Echo Show 10, but it doesn’t have the Key integration.
Find out more in our Schlage Encode Smart Wi-Fi deadbolt review.
August Wi-Fi Smart Lock
Buy now: Amazon | From $249
August’s locks are the Holy Grail of smart locks – you can unlock them with a key, with your smartphone from anywhere, with a keypad (sold separately), and just by walking up to it with your phone in your pocket.
The best feature of August however, s how easy it is to install. It pops on in place of your existing thumb turn, so no need to replace the entire door lock
With Alexa, you can unlock and re-arm with the power of your voice, although you’ll need a PIN code to unlock for security. You can add the lock into Routines easily too, so you can lock your doors with just a word to Alexa.
Check out our August Wi-Fi Smart Lock review.
Yale Assure Lock
Buy now: Amazon | From $199.99
We love the Yale Assure range – which has all the same features as August (it’s powered by August’s tech). Unlike August, it features built-in keypad entry and it replaces your entire door lock and you can finally ditch your keys for good.
With options for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and Z-Wave, depending on the set-up of your smart home, this lock pairs with Alexa for voice control to check on your door’s status, lock it, and even unlock it (with a PIN).
Best Alexa smart thermostats
Smart heating controlled with your voice is the future. Except it isn’t the future, it’s now. And it’s actually been available for years now…
Ecobee SmartThermostat
Buy now: Amazon | $249
The Ecobee SmartThermostat is the only thermostat with Alexa built right in. There’s a little LED light at the top of the Ecobee that produces Alexa’s iconic bluish-green hue.
And, well, Alexa behaves just like Alexa here – obeying your voice commands and answering questions – but it can also control the thermostat itself.
The Ecobee comes with a bunch of smart scheduling features, including some that make use of the external sensors and your smartphone to tell when someone’s arriving home, where in the house they are, and adjust accordingly.
It can manage the temperature of a home in such a way that it’ll concentrate its efforts in rooms that are occupied, and leave rooms that aren’t.
There’s one room sensor packaged with the thermostat, but you can purchase more separately for other rooms.
Get the scoop in our full Ecobee SmartThermostat review.
Nest Learning Thermostat
Buy now: Amazon | $249
The original star of the smart home world, the Nest thermostat is packed with smarts.
On top of an ability to learn your habits after a week of training, it has some good Alexa integrations – despite being a Google-owned company.
You have control of temperatures in different zones, and you can ask Alexa what the temperature is in any thermostat-controlled room, or room where a Nest sensor (sold separately) is, as well.
Honeywell Home T9 Smart Thermostat
Buy now: Amazon | $199
Honeywell’s T9 might lack some of the flash of its competitors, but there are still plenty of reasons to get it. Chiefly, it has the best range of sensors, which can track humidity, temperature and presence, and it’s cheaper.
The sensors also work with geo-fencing, so you can have your Home, Away, and Sleep apply to specific rooms. And you can use Alexa to target them individually; “Alexa, make it warmer in the bedroom.”
There’s no learning or smart adapting (to your presence or the weather), this is just a simple, well-designed thermostat that won’t confuse grandma.
Read our full Honeywell Home T9 Smart Thermostat review.
Amazon Smart Thermostat
Buy now: Amazon | $59.99
Amazon used its September 2021 launch event to take the covers off of its first foray into smart heating and, at just $59.99, it’s a super cheap option from a reliable brand; doubly so in fact as Amazon hasn’t just baked up a new thermostat out of thin air.
Amazon worked with Resideo, who make Honeywell Home thermostats, to create the new budget HVAC controller.
As you’d expect, it is all powered by Alexa – although the digital assistant isn’t built in; you’ll need an Alexa smart speaker to listen to your heating commands.
Or, using the Alexa app you can simply program the Amazon Smart Thermostat to react to certain situations using Alexa Routines and you can also make use of the new Alexa Hunches feature to automate the heating and cooling your home.
Amazon says it will work with most existing 24V HVAC systems.
Best Alexa security system
A smart home security system that works with Alexa makes securing your house a doddle and means you can add automations like flashing lights and fake barking dogs from smart speakers in the case of an attempted unauthorised entry.
Ring Alarm
Buy now: Amazon | From $199
If you want to add monitored or DIY security to your smart home, Ring offers the cheapest and simplest way to do it.
You miss out on a few features (no geofencing or scheduling for the alarm and no key fob), but you only pay $10 a month for all your Ring camera feeds and 24/7 professional motoring – that’s a really good price.
And there’s a lot to love about Ring Alarm beyond the pricing – especially its tight integration with Alexa, nice hardware, great expansion capabilities, and very good app.
With Alexa you can arm or disarm the system using a spoken pin, integrate with Alexa Guard to prime your Echo devices to listen out for alarms and other suspicious noises, and get Alexa Guard Plus thrown in to your existing subscription for free.
Ring’s sensors will also work to trigger Alexa Routines and the Ring Alarm base station has Z-Wave built in so you can add some neat Z-Waze devices to your Alexa smart home, like the First Alert Z-Wave smoke alarm and Z-Wave door locks.
Our full review of the Ring Alarm (2nd-Gen) system has all the details.
Best Alexa smoke alarm
First Alert Onelink Safe & Sound
Buy now: Amazon | $179.99
The big thing with the Onelink Safe & Sound is that it doubles as an Alexa smart speaker. That’s right, it’s got Alexa built right in – and yes, that means it can be used as a music speaker. Welcome to the future.
There’s also – of course – a built-in CO alarm and smoke alarm, and you can use Alexa to keep tabs on the battery and health of the alarm. You can also test your alarm using the companion app if you don’t want to get up on a chair to press the physical button.
Sound quality on the speaker is good; it can be incredibly loud, and there’s no simple or easy way to adjust the volume unless you’re using the companion app.
For what it’s worth, there’s a unique novelty to having an Alexa device stream sound from above you. It gives Alexa a voice-of-God quality that makes it feel weirdly omnipresent.
Alexa itself is pretty useful on the Safe & Sound – it’s the same Alexa you know and love, but your mileage is going to vary based on where you put it.
Best Alexa robot vacuum cleaner
iRobot Roomba i7
Buy now: Amazon | $579
Roomba has distinguished itself from the crowded field of truly excellent robot vacuums with a really great Alexa integration.
This top of the line bot features mapping, great navigation, top notch sucking power and a patented double brush system that picks up everything (your dog may need to move his tail).
The Alexa integration lets you start, stop, pause or resume a job, but you can also tell it to go back to its dock, use Alexa to find your bot when it’s stuck under a sofa and set schedules with your voice.
The best feature though is thanks to the smart mapping. Because Roomba knows your home you can ask your voice assistant to get your bot to clean just the kitchen and the dining room after dinner, or the hallway once your kids come home from school. No need to pull out an app and set a job, just say it and it will be done.
Have a read of our review for more on what the iRobot Roomba i7 can do, including empty itself.
Best Alexa streaming device
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max
Buy now: Amazon | $49.99
Amazon’s best streaming stick, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max does exactly what that unimaginative name suggests. It’s cheaper than the second-gen Amazon Fire TV Cube, but still gets you high end features like 4K streaming, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision; all from a HDMI port on the back of your television.
The Stick 4K Max has a power cable and is slightly longer than the previous generation’s, but is easy to plug and play – if you need it at an angle, there’s a dongle to help.
It gets you access to services including Prime Video, Netflix, HBO, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney, Curzon, Plex and more – a very solid selection in both the US and UK.
Equally important is the bundled Alexa voice remote. You can hold down the button instead of saying “Alexa” for voice search, and there are IR control and volume buttons that can be used to control your TV, soundbar or AV receiver.
Best Alexa soundbar
Nebula Soundbar Fire TV Edition
Buy now: Amazon | From $229.99
A new area for streaming is smart soundbars with streaming platforms built right in. We know how useful it can be to have Alexa built into the speaker for your television, and Amazon took things a step further working with Anker to create the Nebula Soundbar Fire TV Edition.
The 2.1 channel soundbar packs a Fire TV system into its internals, negating the need for a separate streaming box or stick. It also lets you command Alexa using the Voice Remote, like a Fire TV Stick.
For the visuals it supports HD streaming up to 60fps, as well as Dolby Vision, 4K HDR and HDR10+.
You’re also able to add the soundbar to an Alexa multi-room music setup, too, making it part of your smart speaker set up in its own right.
Best Alexa car device
Echo Auto
Buy now: Amazon | $49.99
The Echo Auto essentially turns your vehicle into an Alexa smart speaker, offering most of the features from your home Alexa – and a couple of extras too – for just $49.99.
If your home is already benefiting from Alexa integrations and smart home routines then adding this to your car is a no-brainer.
You can do handy stuff like announce to speakers at home about arrival time, set the heating temperature before arriving, ask for music and playlists, and get answers to all your random questions while on the go
Its reliance on your smartphone means that those looking for quick voice navigation and playlist control could just use the voice assistant on their smartphone, but the beauty of the Echo Auto is the extras Alexa brings to the table.
The mainstay of the experience is Auto Mode, which you’ll be prompted to open when your phone and Echo Auto are connected. It puts the Alexa app into a simplified, large text state with each shortcuts to things like saved locations, playlists and contacts.
Check out our Echo Auto review for a look at all the features.
Best Alexa AC and air purifiers
Coway Airmega
Buy now: Amazon | From $749
Coway’s range of air purifiers work with Alexa, letting you check the air quality, adjust the fan speed, or turn off the lights using your voice.
Just remember you only get that integration with the S models, which get Wi-Fi and app support. They’re decent purifiers, capable of tackling large rooms and remaining quiet at most fan settings.
Awair Element
Buy now: Amazon | $149
This stylish air quality monitor looks the part while monitoring VOC chemicals, CO2, fine dust, temperature, and humidity levels.
The Awair has an LCD display that gives you an air quality score, with dots that signify where the nasties lie – kind of a morse code for air quality – and can display a clock, the humidity, or temperature the rest of the time.
Synced up with Alexa and you can ask Awair for insights about your air quality, Awair Score, and specific sensor conditions – like “What is the temperature in my bedroom?”
There’s also a version that doubles as a smart plug – the Awair Glow C– if you’re looking for two in one functionality.
General Electric
Buy now: geappliances.com | From $299
It’s often heating systems that get the connected attention, but there are some great options for AC too. General Electric has a connected range of window AC units, which play nicely with its Alexa skill.
That means you can ask for a specific temperature, turn the unit on and off, as well as switching between modes like energy saver, high and low power.
The best of the rest…
Echo Sub
Buy now: Amazon | $129.99
Amazon Echo speakers aren’t known for sound quality – but the Echo Sub goes some way to addressing that. It’s a subwoofer that can give your Echo devices some bass, and you can pair it with two Echo devices to create a 2.1 configuration.
The six-inch woofer offers 100W of bass, bringing up the rear on your Echo speaker setup.
AmazonBasics Microwave
Buy now: Amazon | $59.99
While the AmazonBasics Microwave doesn’t have Alexa built-in, there’s an Alexa button, which will route in Alexa from a nearby Echo device.
This means you can ask Alexa to start/stop cooking, and well as switching modes. It does have Amazon Dash Replenishment built in, so you can re-order things like popcorn and depressing turkey dinners for one.
Amazon Smart Oven
Buy now: Amazon | $249.99 (with an Echo Dot)
If you really want the full, connected cooking experience, then the Alexa Smart Oven is a convection oven, food warmer, and air fryer in one – all with voice control.
You can pre-heat and select cooking settings via Alexa, and it’s pretty much plug and play with the Certified for Humans set up. With Announcements, Alexa will notify you when the oven is preheated or when your food is done.
Alexa is not built-in, but you get an Echo Dot included, which you can set up next to it for full voice control of all your cooking chores.