The 7 best Amazon Echo devices of 2025 — and which ones should make your Christmas list
Amazon’s Echo devices have solidified their status as essential multitasking tools within smart homes, seamlessly integrating various functionalities and enhancing everyday life. From smart speakers to alarm clocks and hubs for other smart devices, the Echo lineup offers something for everyone. In 2025, the introduction of Alexa+, an upgraded AI feature, has further transformed these devices, allowing for more interactive and conversational capabilities. This new service, available to Prime members at no additional cost or for a monthly fee of $19.99 for non-subscribers, enhances the Echo experience, enabling users to engage with Alexa in a more meaningful way. With Alexa+, users can enjoy features like planning date nights, controlling smart home technology, and even accessing daily security footage highlights—all from the comfort of their Echo devices.
The 2025 updates also brought significant changes to existing Echo devices, particularly concerning user privacy. Amazon announced that the “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” feature would be discontinued, meaning that all voice requests will now be processed through Amazon’s servers. While the company assures users that their data is encrypted and secure, this change raises important questions about privacy and data access. For those considering an investment in Echo devices, waiting for major sales events such as Prime Day or Black Friday can lead to significant savings, as these popular gadgets frequently see price reductions during these times.
As the Echo lineup continues to evolve, it remains a versatile choice for anyone looking to enhance their smart home experience. Each device, whether it be the Echo Dot, Echo Show, or even portable options like Echo Buds and Echo Frames, serves unique purposes while leveraging the powerful capabilities of Alexa. With over 100,000 Alexa skills available and continuous updates from Amazon, users can customize their Echo experience to fit their lifestyle, making it an indispensable part of modern living. For those ready to embrace the future of smart homes, exploring the best Echo devices of 2025 is a great place to start.
Among Amazon’s flagship gadgets, like
Kindles
and
Fire TVs,
Echos are the stars of the show. These multitasking
smart home
devices do a little bit of everything in nearly every room in the house. (Plus, with this year’s rollout of
Alexa+
, they’re now supercharged with extra AI features.) Whether you need a smart speaker, alarm clock, or hub for your other smart devices, there’s an Echo to help you out. Amazon’s list of devices is ever-growing, so we’ve tested them to find the best Echo devices for your smart home.
If you’re ready to invest in an Echo, you don’t need to buy these devices at full price. They always go on sale during events like
Prime Day
and
Black Friday
, so it’s worth holding out until the
next sale
.
SEE ALSO:
Amazon’s Alexa is a Mashable Readers’ Choice Award winner
New Echos in 2025
On Sept. 30, 2025, Amazon debuted several new Echo devices. We’ve yet to test the new Amazon Echo Dot Max or the refreshed Echo Studio, however, once we’ve completed testing, we’ll add them to this guide.
Changes to existing Echo devices in 2025
For existing Echo owners, or those looking to become ones, a
major change
happened in 2025 that affects user privacy. Amazon sent out an email to users saying the “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” feature on the device will no longer be available as of March 28, 2025. But what does that mean?
Previously, the “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” setting allowed the devices to process requests locally without sending them to Amazon servers. However, with that setting no longer supported, all requests will now go through Amazon servers. Plus, if you do have that setting turned on after the change goes into effect, you’ll lose access to the Voice ID feature as well.
While Amazon promises that all information requests are encrypted and secure, it still means that the retailer has access to all of that data.
What can an Echo smart speaker do?
Trying out the new Echo Spot smart alarm clock.
Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable
All
Echo devices
utilize Amazon Alexa’s
AI
superpowers — it’s just a matter of which form you want your Echo to take. The
Echo and Echo Dot
are smart speakers that you can use for music, phone calls, calendar reminders, or news alerts. Amazon Echo Show devices, on the other hand, can do all of the aforementioned audio stuff, but they also boast colorful displays for making video calls, streaming entertainment, or managing your day. Think of Echo Shows as stationary, more affordable tablets, essentially.
Most Echo devices are designed to act as smart hubs within your home, but some Echo devices can also be taken on the road. Echo Auto brings hands-free Alexa functionality to the car, while Echo Buds and Echo Frames can travel with you anywhere.
What can Alexa+ do?
Alexa is to Amazon as Siri is to Apple, and is the driving force behind every Echo. But Alexa just got a big upgrade. Now there’s Alexa+, a
new AI-powered version of Alexa
introduced to Echo devices in March 2025. For Prime subscribers, Alexa+ will be included in membership, and non-subscribers will have to pay $19.99 per month for the service.
Alexa has an answer to almost anything you ask. Just by shouting out, you can play music, adjust the volume, and set an alarm or timer. And that’s just naming a few options. On devices like the Echo Show, you can also ask Alexa to pull up recipes or answer questions that come up while cooking. With
Alexa+
, the AI agent doesn’t just respond to commands but can actually engage in conversation.
Here’s a short list of what Alexa+ can do:
Provide a highlight reel of the day’s security footage
Read stories to kids
Plan a date night
Book restaurant reservations
Control your smart home technology from one central hub
Access your calendars and set reminders
Get answers to any question you can think of
Make phone calls (and video calls with an Echo Show)
Get the latest weather and news
Follow recipes
Shop on Amazon
Stream music (and video on an Amazon Echo Show)
Play games
There are
more than 100,000 Alexa skills
that you can utilize via an Echo device, and Amazon is always adding more.
Alexa gets supercharged when other smart home tech comes into the picture. If you have a smart thermostat or smart light bulbs, as long as they’re compatible with the Alexa system, you can create routines through your Echo. That can be as simple as telling Alexa to turn on the lights in one room or programming Alexa to turn the thermostat down before you come home.
If you’re ready for an Alexa-powered home, read on for the 10 best Amazon Echo devices of 2025.
