Review Roundup: Amazon Echo Spot

Alright, folks, the reviews are in for the all-new Amazon Echo Spot. We’re here to round up all the best reviews and feedback regarding Echo Spot. From the looks of it, the reviews are all positive, with a few exceptions. But with anything, you can judge for yourself.

The format is simple. We’ll outline key sections from each review in quotations, with a link pointing back to the original review for further reading. There’s no particular order, but all of the reviews sourced here are from trustworthy publications I read on a normal basis. If none of the links I provide here help you out, I’ll drop an additional link at the bottom where you can find more.

So, without any further delay, here’s what some of the best leading publications in tech have to say about the new Amazon Echo Spot.

The Verge

Image: The Verge

If you can get past those privacy issues with the camera, the Spot is actually quite great. I’ve been setting alarms with my voice, and now I can even ask Alexa to wake me up to a specific artist, song, or playlist. Then, I can snooze the alarm with a voice command or silently dismiss it with a swipe on the screen. The Spot will even display the current weather conditions when the alarm goes off so I know how to dress for the day. Unlike an Echo or Echo Dot, both of which support the voice-activated alarms and features, the Spot also displays the time, so if I wake up in the middle of the night I can roll over to see the time at a glance. It’s basically the perfect smart alarm clock, replacing both the Echo Dot and old Sony clock on my nightstand — if only it didn’t have that anxiety-inducing camera built into it.

Read the full review: Amazon Echo Spot review: an almost-perfect smart alarm clock

CNET

Whether you’re looking up a fact or setting an alarm or controlling your smart lights or playing a podcast, Alexa lets you keep your phone in your pocket for a change. That freedom from touchscreen dependency sits right at the core of Alexa’s appeal — and maybe that’s why the Echo Spot feels a bit misguided. It’s a well-made gadget that looks great, but the marriage between that touchscreen display and Alexa’s voice-first user interface feels forced, just as it did with the Echo Show. Amazon still has work to do.

Read the full review: Amazon Echo Spot review

Slash Gear

I like the Echo Spot for its size and charm, but there’s no denying that in Alexa’s world many skills haven’t yet caught up with a rectangular display, never mind adapting to suit a circular one. For many, the cheapest Echo Dot is still going to satisfy 90-percent of what they want from Alexa, or thereabouts. Video calling is nice, but it’s also already offered on the phone in your pocket, the laptop on your desk, or the tablet on your coffee table.

Read the full review: Amazon Echo Spot Review: Alexa’s cutest container

Engadget

Image: Engadget

I adore the Echo Spot. It looks great on my nightstand, and I love using it in the kitchen to look up recipes or add to my grocery list. The screen enhances the standard Alexa experience; I love being able to see the information rather than just listen to it. Video-calling is also a bonus. Plus, who knows what other uses Amazon and third-party developers will add to the display over time. For me, it’s worth the $50 premium over the screen-less Echos.

Read the full review: Amazon Echo Spot review: As smart as it is cute

Well, that’s about it. If you want to browse through some more reviews, click here and it will lead to a broader selection of links.

The Amazon Echo Spot is now available for preorder and will be made available on December 19. The device will retail at $129.99 via Amazon. To learn more, click here.

Kevin Raposo

Kevin is KnowTechie's founder and executive editor. With over 15 years of blogging experience in the tech industry, Kevin has transformed what was once a passion project into a full-blown tech news publication. Shoot him an email at kevin@knowtechie.com or find him on Mastodon or Post.