If you kind of want to get in on the Alexa hype but also don’t want to spend a ton of money up front, Black Friday season is the perfect time to buy. However, you don’t have to wait until the late-November event itself to start saving with retailers like Woot kicking off a bunch of deals much earlier this year.
This one-day deal offering an original Amazon Echo for just $24.99 there is one example of a great chance to save early. The 1st-gen devices at Woot are listed as “Used” so may show some cosmetic wear, but they cost less than a used model directly from Amazon and have been fully inspected to ensure they are in full working order. They also have a 90-day Woot warranty.
While you can pick up the a 3rd-gen Echo Dot for $18.99 right now and get the same smarts, the speaker in the Dot is lacking in both volume and sound quality when compared to the full-size Echo. Going with the original Echo in this deal only costs you a few bucks more and also means you can enjoy music and podcasts, and generally interact with it more easily. You can’t argue with the 66,000 reviewers that gave the original Echo an average rating of 4.4 stars.
Amazon has released a new Echo smart speaker, but if you’re just looking to dip your toe in the smart home waters, an older model may be the way to go. It gives you access to all of Alexa’s great features, like the ability to answer questions, control smart home accessories, and more. If you already own a more modern Echo device, this would be a good compliment to it. Use the 1st-gen Echo in a kid’s room or bathroom or somewhere else you might want to access Alexa that’s not in hearing range of the primary device. Maybe you won’t use it to play music, but you can still order a pizza or turn off your lights from somewhere else in the house.
Woot normally charges $6 for shipping, though you can score free shipping there by logging in with an Amazon Prime membership, or start a free 30-day trial of Prime. Today’s deal at Woot is available for just one day only, and it may even sell out early, so be sure to place your order soon if you’re interested in snagging this low price. You can find even more savings in our guide to Black Friday deals.
