6 Greatest Good Audio system (2025): Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri

There are numerous good audio system in the marketplace, and selecting the most effective good speaker retains getting harder. First, it’s worthwhile to determine which voice assistant you favor. There are three value utilizing—Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple’s Siri—and every has its professionals and cons. This information is organized by our most popular speaker, no matter which assistant it makes use of, however we advocate a secondary possibility when you want a distinct assistant.

Total, Google- and Amazon-powered good audio system are the best way to go, although we want Google’s ecosystem over Amazon’s. Amazon’s speaker lineup is extra huge, however our favourite fashions are nonetheless Google’s, together with the Google Nest Audio ($75) for a sensible speaker (particularly if you’d like stereo sound and two audio system for a fantastic worth) and the Google Nest Hub Max ($230) for a sensible show. Amazon makes our favourite smaller audio system, although, significantly the fifth-generation Amazon Echo Dot ($50).

Take a look at our Greatest Alexa Audio system, Greatest Google Audio system, and Greatest Good Shows guides for extra suggestions. In the event you’re on the lookout for extra speaker recommendation, do not miss our guides to the Greatest Bluetooth Audio system, Greatest Soundbars, and Greatest Sonos Audio system.

Up to date June 2025: We have reorganized this information and its picks.

Our Favourite Good Speaker

Total, Google Assistant is our go-to good speaker and helper of selection, so it is no shock that the Nest Audio (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is our general choose. It is obtained a compact, pillow-like form and nice sound that may simply fill small and medium-size rooms. We actually like utilizing two Nests as a stereo pair as a result of they mix to supply a number of the finest audio high quality you may obtain in a sensible speaker for $200.

As with all Google Assistant–powered units, you may ask the Nest Audio to set timers, play music, or let you know the climate, and you’ll ask it something you’d search on Google. The Google House app makes it simple to pair up the audio system with another Google-friendly good system you will have too. Google’s ecosystem is general simple to make use of and straightforward to combine into tons of different merchandise, each from Google itself and others.

Connects to Google Assistant.

★ In the event you’d want Alexa: The fourth-generation Echo ($100) is the Amazon equal of this system. It is a bit shorter however wider, going for a spherical design over the taller Nest Audio. It is obtained implausible sound high quality and nice capabilities, and is an efficient selection when you’d want Alexa in your house. There have been some modifications with Alexa, and there is going to be a brand new model of the assistant out there to everybody quickly—learn extra in our part What About Alexa+?

Greatest Good Show

Courtesy of Google

I like a sensible show, as a result of I like the choice to both use voice instructions to regulate my good residence or a faucet of my finger. The Nest Hub Max (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is my favourite as a result of it doubles as a stunning digital photograph body. It does a fantastic job exhibiting me every kind of images since I am a Google Pictures person, however even when you aren’t actively backing the whole lot as much as Google Pictures like I’m, it is simple to create and add to albums to show on the 10-inch display.

The Hub Max can also be simple to make use of to regulate your good residence, letting you alter the lights with a faucet or get the doorbell feed straight to your system. It has a built-in hub, so good residence units can hook up with it for setup, and it helps Matter over Thread and Wi-Fi. It additionally has surprisingly stable sound for its slim audio system and profile, particularly for informal listening periods within the kitchen or to set the ambiance throughout Dungeons and Dragons periods.

Connects to Google Assistant.

★ In the event you’d want an Alexa show: Amazon has a borderline insane variety of good shows, however my favourite is straightforward to call: the Echo Present 8 ($150). The 8-inch display is simply large enough for the whole lot you can use it for, and it packs a pleasant speaker and has a built-in hub suitable with Zigbee, Matter, and Thread. The bigger sizes are too huge for any regular-sized residence, except you are a sensible residence addict and are sure you may put a 21-inch good show to make use of.

Greatest Price range Good Speaker

This little speaker is my favourite providing from Amazon. The tiny little Echo Dot is on its fifth technology (you may bear in mind the unique, which regarded like a hockey puck) and this newest mannequin has implausible sound high quality for such a small little speaker. It does the whole lot the bigger audio system can do, simply in a smaller type. It is an ideal option to sneak into an workplace or a dorm room, or perhaps a toilet if you already know you need to jam to music within the bathe. I additionally love the Dot With Clock ($54) model that is a bit extra and features a easy digital clock—it is at present in inventory, however its availability has been uncommon this 12 months.

Connects to Amazon.