If you’re looking for a good way to get into the Amazon Alexa smart speaker eco-system then for price you can’t beat the Echo Dot and at $39 for the gen 2 model it’s a steal, but if you’re willing to invest a little more for a lot more functionality you can currently get a first generation Echo Plus for just $99.
The marked down Gen 2 Echo Dot and Gen 1 Echo Plus are due to the recent announcement of new Amazon Echo branded hardware which includes a Gen 3 Echo Dot and Gen 2 Echo Plus. The Amazon Echo Dot Gen 2 is normally priced at $79, so $39 is a decent price, while the Echo Plus Gen 1 is normally priced at $229 making the $99 price tag an absolute steal.
The Echo Dot is a fairly basic speaker which we found in our review to be a capable entry point to accessing the growing Alexa eco-system, while the Echo Plus with it’s more powerful speakers and built-in Zigbee support is one of the best ways to get into basic Smart Home control according to Neerav in his look at the Gen 1 Echo Plus.
If you want to grab a Gen 2 Echo Dot for $39 you can click here, or if you’re after the Gen 1 Echo Plus for $99 you can head over here.
That is a good deal. A pity I’m already invested in the Google Home/Home Mini range or I’d get a couple of these. Not sure I want a second, different, smart speaker.