Best Smart Speakers of 2021

If you love listening to music, it makes sense to get a smart speaker that you can control with your voice. Or, if you have smart lights and smart locks, you might like smart speakers as your next step in creating a connected home.

To help you choose the best option, we’ll talk about the best smart speakers and why we like them.

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Sonos One: Best value

Get Sonos sound with Alexa assistance at a reasonable price.

With Sonos One, you get superior sound with Alexa built right in.

What we like

The Sonos One is first and foremost a speaker, so the sound is much better than what you get with some products. And Alexa’s already integrated, so you don’t even need to buy a separate Echo to control your music. Your voice works with the speaker alone.

Finally, Sonos is working with Ikea to create furniture with smart speakers. So if you decide you want some new Swedish furniture, your Sonos One should be compatible already.

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As you can see, this speaker costs a lot but isn’t crazy expensive. You get high-quality sound without breaking the bank!

What we don’t like

In the past, Sonos quit updating the software for previous speaker versions. With that behavior pattern, there’s a chance that if you get a Sonos speaker, it’ll become outdated before you’re ready for an upgrade.

Still, the risk is worth it in most cases, because this speaker is awesome.

Echo Studio: Best smart hub

If you want full home control with your speaker, try Echo Studio.

Unlike Sonos, Amazon usually stresses “smart,” not “speaker.” But the Amazon Echo Studio makes good use of both aspects with a top-notch speaker that also works as a smart home hub.

What we like

A lot of smart home hubs (including some Echo models) have average speakers. We love that Amazon put sound first by creating a super speaker–smart hub combo. The Echo Studio even has 3D audio.

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As you can see, the compatibility of this thing is nearly endless. Echo was the first smart speaker on the market, and it shows by the sheer magnitude of products it connects with.

What we don’t like

The Echo Studio is one of the more expensive Echos, and it’s hard to justify the cost. You can get the same level of smart home control with an Amazon Echo Dot. You just won’t get as good of sound.

Apple HomePod: Best high-end speaker

“Siri, find me something that costs a lot.”

If you’re looking for something expensive and exclusive, look no further than the Apple HomePod. This futuristic-looking speaker has a higher price point than our other recommendations.

It’s also perfect for Apple evangelists.

What we like

“Cheap” doesn’t always carry the day. Sometimes you want something a little bit fancier. Enter the Apple HomePod. It looks super-duper nice and has the price point to prove it.

We also dig the quick compatibility with iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Specifically, HomePod works with Apple devices newer than the iPhone 5, the 2nd-generation iPad Air, and the 6th-generation iPod Touch. It also works with all iPad Pros. Just make sure your device is running the latest version of iOS.

It’s incredibly convenient to have that compatibility, considering that the iPhone 7 is the most popular phone in the world.²

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What we don’t like

Siri may be the most popular smartphone assistant, but she hasn’t caught on as much in the home automation world. Most smart home products are compatible with Amazon Alexa, with Google Assistant, or with both. It’s much more uncommon for a product to be compatible with HomePod/HomeKit.

In short, the main compatibility you get with Apple HomePod is the connection to other Apple products.

Google Nest Mini: Best budget pick

The Google Nest Mini is inexpensive but small.

If the idea of spending $100+ on a smart speaker makes you cringe, we suggest the Google Nest Mini. This tiny speaker doesn’t cost much (relatively speaking), works as a smart home hub, and is compatible with a lot of products.

What we like

Seriously, this is one of the cheapest smart speakers you can buy, but it still works well. And as a Nest Hub, it’s a one-shop stop for connecting and controlling Google Assistant–compatible products.

And, if you want, you can even mount it to the wall!

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Like Echos, Google Homes and Nest Hubs are compatible with heaps of smart home products. You’re pretty much guaranteed to find a smart thermostat, smart light bulb, smart plug, or smart security system that will work with the Google Nest Mini.

What we don’t like

We were honestly surprised to learn that this speaker is the Google Assistant pick for so many people. It’s smaller than the other speakers, so the sound quality isn’t as good as the bigger Google Assistant devices. There just isn’t as much space to resonate.

Other smart speakers we like

These runner-ups didn’t make it into the top four, but we still like them.

We considered more than 30 speakers. Not all of them could be winners, but here are a few we like enough to mention separately.

Sonos Beam

Bose Portable Home Speaker

Marshall Stanmore II Voice

Ultimate Ears Megablast

Recap: Which smart speaker is best?

When considering every piece of the puzzle, we recommend Sonos One as our top choice.

When it comes to smart speakers, you have lots of different options. It all comes down to what you want.

As a reminder, here’s what we’re digging.

Sonos One: Best value—Great sound and Amazon Alexa control without selling off the family farm? Yes please.

Echo Studio: Best smart hub—Get the smart home graces of an Echo with studio-level sound thrown in.

Apple HomePod: Best high-end option—Spend a little more to get this quality Apple speaker.

Google Nest Mini: Best budget pick—Cut the expense while still getting the power of Google Assistant.

If you realized you’re looking for more of a smart home hub than a speaker, here’s our smart hub review.

Is your house ready for a smart speaker?

To use your smart speaker to its fullest capacity, you need a reliable internet connection. You also need fast internet with lots of megabits per second if you use your speaker as a smart hub.

Smart speaker FAQ

Does a smart speaker need a screen?

No. Actually, most smart speakers come without a smart display. However, some of them have mobile apps that you can access through your phone.

Which virtual assistant is the best virtual assistant?

That’s hard to say in today’s market. Voice assistants keep getting smarter and more articulate, with evolving features like bilingualism and voice recognition.

We’ll make it easy and say that we’ve noticed that Amazon’s Alexa has the best spatial awareness, while Google is better with imprecise wording. We haven’t spent as much time with Apple’s Siri (yet), so we can’t speak much to her. And Cortana is … Cortana.

What makes a speaker smart?

In this review, we’re defining a smart speaker as a speaker with some type of voice command or voice control. The voice control can either be built in or provided by a connecting smart device.

Sources

1. Wikipedia, “3D Audio Effect,” January 2020. Accessed August 3, 2020.
2. Audrey Conklin, Fox Business, “What Is the Most Popular Smartphone in the World Right Now?” April 27, 2020. Accessed August 3, 2020.

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