Best answer: It's entirely dependant on the size of your dwelling, but three or four well-placed Echo speakers should give you decent coverage with Alexa throughout most homes. The choice then comes down to where you think you'll best use Alexa. The most popular areas would be in the bedroom, the living room, and the kitchen.
- Amazon: Amazon Echo Plus (2nd gen) + Free Smart Bulb ($150)
- Amazon: Amazon Echo Dot (3rd gen) ($50)
- Amazon: Amazon Echo Dot (2nd gen) + $10 Lighting Kit ($50)
- Amazon: Mount Genie The Spot by Dot Genie ($9)
Finding the right Echo products for the rooms in your home
This is a very tough question to answer since every house is different, and everyone will have their own personal preferences for where they want to put an Alexa. An Amazon Echo Plus is a great place to start because it's Amazon's best sounding speaker and includes a built-in smart home hub that lets you easily add and control smart home products under Alexa. From there, an Echo Dot is your best bet for filling out other rooms in your home.
Some folks might be uncomfortable having a listening device in their bedroom and that's valid, but Alexa really shines in the living room and kitchen, and an Echo Dot can be mounted anywhere there's a wall outlet in your home.
In the living room
The living room is where the family gathers and is an important space for entertaining guests. In a lot of ways it's the heart of the home, so placing an Amazon Echo in this space is a no-brainer. We recommend the Amazon Echo Plus, which delivers the best sound from an Echo speaker and also doubles as a smart home hub for easily adding smart bulbs, switches, sensors, plugs, door locks, and other connected devices.
Music lovers will love the improved sound and support for connecting other speakers. It's also available as a stereo pair with an Echo Sub ($330) so if you've been holding off on investing in Sonos or other high-end wireless speakers, this might be the option you've been waiting for.
Even a single Echo Plus will fill a larger room with great sound, can be connected to any existing speaker system you may own, and depending on the layout of your home, Alexa might still be able to hear you from connecting rooms. Wherever you need a bit of extra coverage, there's an Echo Dot.
In the kitchen
Once you've used an AI assistant in the kitchen, you'll forget how you got by without one. Alexa can handle timers, read out recipes, and play music or podcasts as you prep ingredients and plate home-cooked meal — or you can use Alexa to order a pizza instead.
An ideal kitchen setup involves an Echo Dot mounted on a wall outlet to free up counter space. Sound quality isn't a huge priority in the kitchen, but you'll enjoy Dot's microphone array that should pick up your voice from across the room or over a noisy food processor. For the latest Echo Dot, you can get this quality wall mount from TotalMount ($15) designed to stay secure in place, although it does cover up the second outlet.
The kitchen would also be a good place for an Echo Show if you've got the counter space for it, but for me, the lack of support for YouTube is a total deal breaker. I know that there's a ton of Alexa skills for cooking and recipes, but there's almost too many skills to wade through to find quality stuff. Meanwhile, YouTube has all the recipes and cooking guides you could ever ask for so until Google and Amazon hash out their differences, it's hard to recommend the Show or Spot, even if you want the ability to watch video.
In the bedrooms
Smaller side rooms are where the affordable Echo Dot truly shine. Alexa can be really helpful for setting morning alarms, giving you a morning rundown for news and weather, or playing music or podcasts while you unwind.
You can get a brand new Echo Dot (3rd gen) for just $50, and it's a significant improvement in sound quality and design over the older style — however, buying a 2nd gen Echo Dot in 2018 still has some advantages. For starters, you'll save $10 which you can spend on a Dot Genie wall mount to keep Alexa available but otherwise hidden out of the way.
There are also bundles for both generations of Echo Dot that include an Amazon Smart Plug, which is a great option if you're buying for a specific room. You can set up a reading lamp or other appliance on a timed schedule or use voice control to turn it on or off, adding a touch of smart home flair to any room in your house
Why it's still worth getting the older Echo Dot
Amazon recently refreshed the Echo Dot with that fresh fabric redesign and improved sound. Best of all it's still entirely affordable at $50, but for the same price, you can get a second generation Echo Dot along with a set of two Sengled smart bulbs and hub — that's a great deal for anyone just getting started in home automation.
In terms of mounting, you'll want something that can support the weight of the Dot and deal with cord management. For example, there's this wall mount for the Echo Dot (2nd gen) for just $9 or a two-pack for $13. If you're planning to add an Echo Dot to multiple rooms in your home, an Echo Dot (2nd gen) is your best bet.
Our pick
Amazon Echo Plus (2nd gen) + Free Smart Bulb
The best place to start with Alexa
The brand new Echo Plus speaker is shorter but manages to sound better than its predecessor. Don't forget to select the option that comes with a free Philips Hue smart bulb!
The newest Echo Dot
Amazon Echo Dot (3rd gen)
Friendlier design, better sound
The new generation of Echo Dot is softer around the edges with improved sound. Available in three colors, this is a great option for smaller rooms or the kitchen.
Great value
Amazon Echo Dot (2nd gen) + two-pack of Sengled Smart Bulbs
Get two smart bulbs for the price of one Echo Dot
For $50, you get the old style of Echo Dot and two smart bulbs. It's a great deal if you're just starting out building out your smart home.
Mount your Echo Dot
Mount Genie Echo Dot Genie
Keep your Echo Dot off the counter
If you opt for the 2nd gen Echo Dot, you can spend your savings on a mounting system to keep the speaker accessible and safe.
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