Smart home tech is becoming a more accessible and popular way of upgrading your current household setup. The best thing about the Amazon Echo family of products and Amazon Alexa is the seemingly endless integration with many popular and emerging smart home devices. Here is a smorgasbord of some of the best Alexa-compatible smart home tools that work with your Amazon Echo device.
Alexa, show the front door camera
Ring Video Doorbell 2
Staff Pick
The Ring Video Doorbell 2 works with Echos that have a screen (Spot, Show, Show 5), Fire Tablets, and Fire TVs to show you who is near your doorbell. It has a horizontal field of view of 180 degrees and a vertical field of view of 110 degrees, plus the ability to power the doorbell via your existing wiring or via an independent battery.
From $200 at Amazon
Gotta Keep Watch
Amazon Cloud Cam
Being able to keep your home safe from anywhere is easy with the Amazon Cloud Cam. You can even use your Fire TV, Fire Tablet, or Echo Spot/Show/Show 5 to monitor your cameras while in the house. Also, the Amazon Cloud Cam can now respond to specific sounds, such as a baby’s crying or glass breaking.
$120 at Amazon
Peace of Mind
Ring Alarm 5 Piece Kit Home Security System
If you are considering a home security system, this is a great way to go. It works with Alexa, can be monitored through your Echo and Alexa devices, and you have the option of setting up 24/7 professional security monitoring for a minimal monthly fee. This kit comes with a base station, contact sensor, motion detector, keypad, and range extender.
$200 at Amazon
Alexa, lock the door
August Smart Lock Pro + Connect
The August Smart Lock Pro is the best smart lock for both homeowners and renters, as it connects to the inside of your existing deadbolt set up. Once set up, just ask Alexa to lock or unlock the door. Additionally, with the August Home App, your door locks and unlocks when it detects you either coming or going from your home. Plus, it allows keyless access to those who need it.
From $210 at Amazon
You’re Hot and You’re Cold
ecobee4 Smart Thermostat with Built-In Alexa
The ecobee4 Smart Thermostat allows you to use Alexa to control your home heating and cooling. You can also set up routines and schedules to control the thermostat while away from your house through the Alexa app. The device includes one room sensor to help you intelligently manage room temperature.
$175 at Amazon
Keep your lawn fresh
Rachio 8-Zone Smart Sprinkler Controller
Homeowners will benefit from being able to manage their lawn’s health via Alexa commands with the Rachio 8-Zone Smart Sprinkler Controller. Use commands such as “Alexa, ask Rachio to water the front lawn” to manage the daily watering of your precious lawn without having to get off the couch and go to the garage.
From $133 at Amazon
Automatic Clean
iRobot Roomba 690
Nothing makes us feel more like we’re living in a Jetsons future like asking Alexa to run the vacuum cleaner for us! The iRobot Roomba 690 works with Alexa to make cleaning up messes around your home a breeze. It can run up to 90 minutes before needing to redock and recharge itself and works well picking up small and larger debris on hard floors and carpets.
$300 at Amazon
Light up your life
Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance A19 3 Bulb Starter Kit
Essential product
The Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance 3-bulb Starter Kit is a 16 million color lighting accessory that will brighten up anyone’s home. You can ask Alexa to change your lights to any color you wish, dim your lights, or set a lighting scene via the Philips Hue Alexa skill.
$165 at Amazon
Alexa, microwave popcorn
AmazonBasics Microwave
Granted you still have to physically place your items in the microwave, but having a voice-controlled appliance like this can make multi-tasking in the kitchen easier. The AmazonBasics Microwave makes popping popcorn or reheating leftovers more convenient with its programmed functions that can be invoked by any Alexa-powered device.
From $60 at Amazon
Alexa, Play Music in the Bedroom
Sonos Play:1 Bluetooth Speaker
Incredible sound
Sonos is a premium brand, but the Play:1 series of Smart Speakers is worth it, with its crisp sound and stereo functionality when paired with a second Play:1 speaker. Installing the Sonos skill for Alexa will let you play and control the music on your Sonos Play:1 with commands such as “Alexa, play ‘Nutmeg’ by Ghostface Killah in the living room.”
From $149 at Amazon
Alexa, Turn on My Television!
TCL 43S425
The TCL 43S425 continues the tradition of TCL’s mid-range 4K Ultra HD televisions. It is highly recommended for applications from gaming, to movie watching, to PC monitor applications, and more. And the Roku Skill for Alexa allows you to control your television from your Echo devices.
From $230 at Amazon
One system for them all
Logitech Harmony Elite
For those users who want a simple solution to a smart home set up without having to buy a bunch of smart plugs and other smart devices, the Logitech Harmony Elite can do the job with the help of Alexa voice commands via the Logitech Harmony skill.
$250 at Amazon
Envelope your home in WiFi
TP-Link Deco Whole Home Mesh WiFi System
Big homes need more than a standard wifi setup, and this is where a mesh network like the TP-Link Deco comes into play. The integration with Alexa enables Deco owners to control different aspects of their home network, including opening and closing guest networks, managing QoS modes, and turning the onboard LEDs on and off. Available individually or in multi-packs.
From $83 at Amazon
Stream hard, game harder
NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1900 Dual Band WiFi Router
The NETGEAR Nighthawk line of routers is built with gaming, streaming, and mobile devices in mind. With Dynamic Quality of Service, the Nighthawk will detect what device you’re using and prioritize bandwidth for that device. It also can be controlled via the NETGEAR skill for Alexa for managing basic options on your router.
$149 at Amazon
Plug & Play
Amazon Smart Plug
Bargain Buy
These first-party smart plugs can pair instantly with your Echo devices, and turn any dumb appliance into a smart one with Alexa. In fact, this was how I got my smart home started, and I currently have a half-dozen lamps set up on smart plugs like these.
$25 at Amazon
What’s your setup?
As someone who invests heavily in the Alexa-enhanced smart home experience, my setup includes the TCL 43S425 4K UHD Roku TV, several Amazon Smart Plugs and the Philips Hue White and Ambiance bulbs. I also like being able to switch between the different inputs and applications on my Roku TV by using my Amazon Echo Show. With the Philips Hue lights, it’s as simple as asking Alexa to set a scene such as “Nightlight” or “Concentrate,” or to change the light brightness or color to anything your imagination can come up with.
In addition to an entertainment setup like this, we definitely recommend that you invest in some smart home security devices like the ones listed above. Smart doorbells, cameras, and security systems that work with Echo and Alexa can help keep your family and property safe, no matter where you might be in the world. It doesn’t matter if you buy some or all of these devices to help automate your home, there is no doubt that these smart home devices will enrich your life in myriad ways.
