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From Apple HomePod to Amazon Echo, we’ve tested the best smart speakers for sound and voice control
You can play music, radio or podcasts through a wide range of audio devices nowadays, from phones and noise cancelling headphones to Bluetooth speakers and audio systems. But in the last decade, a more convenient and cutting-edge lifestyle speaker has emerged: the smart speaker.
Smart speakers are defined by their built-in voice control, giving you access to a cloud-based virtual assistant such as Alexa or Siri for hands-free music playback, calls and control of connected smart home appliances.
These voice assistants are also at your beck and call for reading the news aloud, setting alarms and timers, creating to-do lists, answering general questions, and much more. It’s little wonder smart speakers account for 26 per cent of all listening at home in the UK, according to a 2025 Ofcom report.
I’ve tried all the latest smart speakers, including Amazon’s new Echos, and you can read my reviews in full below, followed by answers to some frequently asked questions. Here’s a quick look at my top five.
Which are the best smart speakers? At a glance
Who are the big names in smart speakers?
The device that started the smart speaker craze was the Amazon Echo. Launched in 2014 and arriving in the UK in 2016, the original Echo introduced Alexa and spawned a family of affordable Echo speakers and devices. Some are discontinued, while others are in their fourth or fifth generation.
Apple is another huge player, offering Siri on two sizes of its HomePod smart speaker, while Google’s Assistant powers a range of smart speakers from other brands such as Bose and Denon, with the next generation of its own Google Home speakers expected soon.
Sonos now has its own Sonos Voice Control too, though its Era speakers still license Alexa.
How to choose the best smart speaker
All smart speakers are clever in the sense that they perform voice-controlled music playback and other duties using your Wi-Fi network. But their user experiences, features and audio capabilities differ, and which model you invite into your home may depend on any devices already within it.
For example, if you’re already ensconced in the Amazon ecosystem with a Fire TV video streamer, Ring doorbell or a Prime subscription, it may make sense to stick to Alexa. Alternatively, if you are an Apple loyalist, you’ll probably already be familiar with the Siri assistant baked into the HomePod speakers.
You should also consider a smart speaker’s connectivity aside from its built-in Wi-Fi. Some have Bluetooth and a 3.5mm aux socket, facilitating ‘offline’ connections to TVs and other audio sources; others offer Ethernet sockets for overcoming poor Wi-Fi signal in certain areas of your home. Very few boast built-in batteries for portability beyond the home, but the Bose Portable Home Speaker below is one such exception.
While features and compatibility are primary concerns of smart speakers, sound quality is also crucial. My reviews below include only the best sounding options in their respective price brackets.
