4 Best Smart Speakers In 2023: Buyer’s Guide for Clear Audio
The smart home speaker has become an indispensable part of the modern household. It offers a convenient way to control your lights, adjust the temperature, play music, and more, all with just your voice. A perfect addition to a bedroom,
With so many options on the market today, knowing which is right for you can be challenging. We’ve compiled this list of the best smart home speakers available in 2023. We’ll compare features such as sound quality, compatibility with other devices, and ease of use to help you make an informed decision that fits your lifestyle and budget. Whether you’re looking for something basic or top-of-the-line, there’s sure to be a model perfect for you here!
To kick things off, let’s dive into some key features you should consider when choosing a smart speaker. Sound quality is paramount – after all, you’ll be using it to play your favorite tunes. But beyond that, compatibility is critical. You’ll want to ensure your speaker can seamlessly integrate with your existing smart devices, whether they’re Apple, Google, or Amazon ecosystems. Lastly, consider the ease of use. This comes down to various factors, from the speaker’s buttons to the voice assistant capability. A smart speaker should simplify your life, not complicate it, so the setup process and everyday use should be straightforward and intuitive. In this guide, we’ll break down these features for each model to help you find your perfect smart speaker match. Stay tuned!
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Sonos Era 3
Best Overall
Sonos Move
Next Best
Amazon Echo
Affordable Option
Google Nest
Budget Friendly
What Are the Best Smart Speakers?
1. Sonos Era 3
Best Overall Smart Speaker
We highly recommend the Sonos Era 300 as the top-performing smart speaker. Its sleek design comes in black or white and blends seamlessly with any living room decor. With built-in Alexa support, you can control it hands-free. This premium device offers Dolby Atmos support, making it perfect for watching movies or listening to Dolby Atmos Music. It also links with other Sonos devices in your home ecosystem for excellent surround sound. You can optimize the speaker’s sound with room correction and manual adjustments for bass and treble. It’s the best-sounding smart speaker we’ve tested, perfect for audiophiles. Although it’s not a simple plug-and-play device, it’s worth considering.
The Sonos Era 300’s main draw is undoubtedly its fantastic sound quality. The speaker boasts a powerful, rich bass complemented by clear, sharp trebles, delivering a balanced sound profile that truly shines across all genres of music. For those who prefer a more personalized sound, the Sonos app allows easy customization of the sound profile to suit your taste. Truly provides room-filling sound.
Moreover, this smart speaker is not just about the audio quality but also smart features. The built-in Alexa support provides the convenience of voice control, allowing you to play music, check the weather, set reminders, and control other smart devices in your house without lifting a finger. The Era 300 also supports Apple AirPlay 2, giving you the flexibility to stream directly from your Apple devices.
Despite its high-end features and performance, the Sonos Era 300 is incredibly user-friendly. While it may not be a simple plug-and-play device, the setup process is straightforward, guided by explicit instructions from the Sonos app. Once set up, it integrates seamlessly with other Sonos devices to create a multi-room audio system, allowing you to enjoy your music throughout the house.
Pricing
- Price at time of publish: $569.99
Key Benefits
- The best overall sound on the list
Pros
- Attractive, sleek design
- A lot of speaker placement choices to achieve optimal performance
- Deep bass
- Detailed and Cohesive Sound
- Easy to use
Cons
- Expensive
- No Tidal Dolby Atmos support
2. Sonos Move
Next Best Alternative
If you’re looking for a smart speaker that won’t break the bank, the Sonos Move might be just what you need! While it doesn’t have Dolby Atmos like its pricier counterpart, the Sonos Era 300, it has a pretty cool feature – it’s battery-powered! This means you can take it anywhere, making it perfect for outdoor adventures. Plus, it’s dust and water-resistant, so it’s safe to use by the pool. It’s one of the most portable smart speakers out there!
One of the best things about the Sonos Move is that it offers many of the same features as the more expensive Sonos Era 300. You can use the Trueplay room correction tool and tweak the bass and treble settings using the Sonos S2 app. Plus, it has built-in both Alexa and Google Assistant so that you can control it hands-free. If you’re an audiophile, you might notice that it downmixed stereo content into mono to play it, which could mean less separation between the left and right drivers. However, this part of the audio quality will be significant for most people. We think the Sonos Move is a versatile, semi-affordable smart speaker.
Continuing the review, the Sonos Move shines in its battery life. With up to eleven hours of playtime on a single charge, you won’t have to worry about your music dying in the middle of the party. And when the battery does start to run low, it’s as simple as placing the speaker back on its included charging base. The Move also has an impressive range when connected to Wi-Fi, allowing you to keep the music going no matter how large your gathering is.
When it comes to sound quality, the Sonos Move doesn’t disappoint. Though it may not deliver Dolby Atmos like the Sonos Era 300, it still offers an impressive soundstage with crisp highs, clear mids, and robust bass. Whether listening to smooth jazz or hard rock, the Move can easily handle it, delivering a satisfying audio experience that belies its compact size.
The Sonos Move is an excellent choice for a portable, durable, versatile smart speaker. It’s a great companion for outdoor parties, picnics, or lounging by the pool. Its solid sound performance, reliable battery life, and smart features make this smart speaker an excellent value proposition for its price point.
Pricing
- Price at time of publish: $388.84
Key Benefits
- Stereo sound
- Convenient Charging Ports
Pros
- Sonos App is big plus
- Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa Compatibility
Cons
- Still Pricey
- The speaker may be too heavy to be portable
3. Amazon Echo Gen 4
Affordable Option
If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, the Amazon Echo Gen 4 is worth considering! This smart speaker has Alexa built-in, making it super easy to control with your voice. You can use it to manage smart home devices like the Echo Studio. The Echo Gen 4 has an excellent spherical design that adds a touch of style to your home, and there’s even a ring of light that flashes when you give it a command! However, keep in mind that the Gen 4 could perform better than the Studio, especially when it comes to bass. If you want to use it in a smaller room, you can still customize its sound using the Amazon Alexa app. And if you’re curious about other options, check out the Google Nest Audio or the Apple HomePod mini. All three speakers are similar, but Amazon’s voice assistant is better overall.
The Amazon Echo Gen 4 truly shines regarding its smart home integration capabilities. The built-in Alexa works seamlessly with a wide range of compatible smart home devices, enabling you to control lights, thermostats, and even door locks with a simple voice command. Additionally, with its far-field voice recognition, you can issue commands from across the room, and it will respond accurately.
Despite its budget-friendly price, the Echo Gen 4 does not skimp on sound quality. It has a 3.0-inch woofer and dual tweeters deliver clear, rich sound. While its bass might not be as deep as some premium speakers, it’s more than sufficient for everyday listening. The speaker’s 360-degree audio ensures that everyone gets a consistent listening experience, no matter where they are.
In terms of design and aesthetics, the Echo Gen 4 sports a unique and modern spherical shape that is stylish and functional. The fabric cover adds a touch of texture and warmth that fits well in most home decor. The LED light ring at the base gives a visual cue when Alexa is listening, adding to the overall user-friendly experience.
Pricing
- Price at time of publish: $99.99
Key Benefits
- Big Amazon Ecosystem
- Echo Speakers
Pros
- Sleek Design
- Audio in/out port
Cons
- Audio isn’t as high quality as earlier mentioned options
4. Google Nest Mini
Budget-Friendly Option
Google Nest Mini ranks for us as the best of the most affordable smart speakers. Regarding smart speakers, Google has successfully caught up to Amazon. Deciding between their respective lowest-priced devices is now simply a matter of personal preference. If you are a fan of Google Assistant, the $50 Google Nest Mini is an excellent alternative to the Amazon Echo Dot. Our tests prove that Google Assistant is marginally more intelligent than Alexa, responding flexibly to voice commands and seamlessly coordinating with more smart devices than Amazon’s assistant. Additionally, Google Assistant’s ability to recognize multiple voices means it can provide personalized responses to each individual in the household. Overall, Google’s Assistant still holds the edge regarding intelligence, and the Google Nest Mini offers a budget-friendly way to take full advantage of this technology.
Moving on to the design and aesthetics of the Google Nest Mini, it maintains the compact, doughnut-like shape with the fabric covering of its predecessor, perfectly fit for any corner of your house. Introducing a wall mount option in this model adds to its practicality and versatility, as it can now be placed in more varied locations around the home.
Audio performance is another area where the Google Nest Mini shines. Despite its small size, it delivers a surprisingly rich and clear sound, making it perfect for listening to music, podcasts, or your favorite radio station. The machine learning chip embedded in the device makes Google Assistant more efficient by processing your most frequent commands locally, resulting in faster response times. To us, the best cheap smart speaker.
Pricing
- Price at time of publish: $39.00
Key Benefits
- Built-in Google Assistant Capabilities
- Spatial Audio
Pros
- Mic mute switch
- Super affordable
Cons
- It doesn’t get loud
- Get what you pay for
What Is a Smart Speaker?
A smart speaker is an internet-connected device that allows users to easily control their home environments, such as lights, temperature, and music. It typically includes voice assistant technology and can access various services and features. Most smart speakers make it easy to get things done quickly without manually operating devices or using their phones. They are becoming increasingly popular in homes and businesses due to their convenience and wide range of capabilities.
Smart speakers have truly revolutionized the way we interact with technology at home. Beyond playing music or answering questions, these devices often serve as the hub of a smart home system. With smart speaker technology, you can control other connected devices, including thermostats, light bulbs, and even door locks, simply by using your voice.
Smart speakers are equipped with advanced speech recognition and artificial intelligence to understand and respond to specific voice commands. They can perform many tasks, such as setting alarms, providing weather updates, and making online purchases. Plus, with continual software updates, their capabilities only continue to expand.
Despite their advanced features, smart speakers are designed with user-friendliness in mind. Whether tech-savvy or a beginner, you can easily set up and use these devices. Plug in the device, connect it to your Wi-Fi network, and you’re ready to start giving commands.
The rise of smart speakers represents a significant stride forward in home automation. These devices offer practical utility and a futuristic appeal, transforming everyday tasks into effortless voice commands.
How Can A Smart Speaker Benefit You?
A smart speaker can provide immense benefits to both homes and businesses. In the house, it can control lights, temperature, and music with just a few simple voice commands. It also makes home automation much easier by allowing you to access various services and features with little input or effort. For instance, you can easily play your favorite tunes, order food delivery, set reminders for yourself or others in the household, set alarms or timers for tasks, get weather forecasts or traffic updates as you leave for work, and much more—all with your voice.
Most smart Speakers can also help streamline operations and increase efficiency in the workplace. It can manage calendars and meetings more accurately than traditional methods. For example, ask your assistant to create an appointment in your calendar based on an event already scheduled in another application. You could also ask it to make phone calls or send emails on your behalf without manually entering each contact’s information. Smart speakers are also becoming increasingly popular for customer support applications such as FAQs or product orders since they enable customers to quickly get answers and make purchases without waiting on hold or navigating complex interfaces.
Smart speakers are becoming increasingly popular due to their convenience and wide range of capabilities, making life simpler at home and in the office.
Buyers Guide: How We Conducted Our Research
When doing our research to find the best product, we determined using these factors:
- Pricing: How much did each product cost?
- Features: What were the best features of each product?
- Negatives: What was missing from each product?
- Support or refund: Do they offer a community, support, or refund policy?
Conclusion/Wrapping Up
Have you yet to notice the growing popularity of smart speakers? They are instrumental and can perform many tasks with simple voice commands. From managing schedules to playing music, setting alarms, getting weather updates, and even customer service, they are game-changers in our homes and workplaces. Their convenience and efficiency have made our lives so much easier.
To wrap things up, smart speakers have undoubtedly revolutionized our living spaces, introducing a level of convenience and interactivity that was unimaginable before. They’ve instantly become a mainstay in our homes, offering unrivaled utility for various everyday tasks. These intelligent helpers make life easier, whether playing your favorite tunes, setting reminders, answering queries, or controlling smart home devices. While many choices are available, the best smart speakers truly stand out through their blend of sound quality, functionality, responsiveness, and, most importantly, value for money. As technology advances, we can only expect these devices to become even more versatile and integral to our daily routines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Smart Speakers Worth it?
Investing in smart speakers is a wise decision as they offer numerous advantages to households and businesses. With your voice commands, you can access various services such as home automation, setting reminders or alarms, playing music, getting weather forecasts or traffic updates while leaving for work, and managing calendars and meetings more efficiently than traditional methods. Smart speakers also make customer service applications easier by eliminating the need to navigate complex interfaces, wait on hold to place orders, or ask FAQs. The wide range of capabilities that smart speakers possess makes them a valuable investment.
How many smart speakers are there?
There are lots of different smart speakers that you can buy. It is essential to read reviews and consider what you want the speaker to do before buying it to get the right one for your needs. Smart speakers are worth the money because they offer valuable things like playing music, setting alarms, getting weather reports, and helping with work tasks. They make life easier at home and in the office!
