If this were a football game, Amazon would be getting flagged for a false start right now. By now everybody knows that the biannual Prime Day blowout starts Tuesday, so why is Amazon putting this 50%-off deal on the latest model of the Echo Spot now? Regardless, the deal is real and it drops Amazon’s must-have nightstand accessory down to just $55 from its list price of $110.
Since Amazon recast it from being a speaker-slash-curiosity to a high-performing alarm clock, the pitch for the Echo Spot is a clock face that does more than show the time. The round 2.83-inch display shows time, weather, and song titles at a glance, and a library of clock faces lets you swap the look to match wherever it’s sitting. The audio output is better than the form factor suggests. Amazon calls it “big vibrant sound with clear vocals and deep bass,” which tracks with the general reviews of the unit as a capable bedroom or kitchen speaker that doesn’t ask you to plug in a separate Bluetooth speaker to get actual bass. You can control playback by touch rather than always talking to it, which matters more than it sounds in a bedroom at 6 a.m.
Smart Alarm Clock
The smart home integration is the feature that justifies calling this more than an alarm clock. The Echo Spot’s motion detection powers routines that can do things like lower the thermostat when you head out or open the smart blinds when you walk in. Touch the screen to dim compatible lights, or ask Alexa to handle it. For anyone already running an Alexa-compatible smart home, the Echo Spot drops into that setup without any friction.
The eero Built-in feature can extend your Wi-Fi coverage by up to 1,000 square feet, but it only works if you already have an eero mesh network at home. If your router is from a different manufacturer, the Wi-Fi extension does nothing for you. It’s a nice add-on for existing eero households and a non-factor for everyone else.
Skip the Video
One limitation to note: The Echo Spot does not support video features. No video calling, no camera or doorbell feeds, no Netflix, Prime Video, or YouTube. Voice-based calls and Alexa-to-Alexa drop-in work fine, but if you’re expecting a compact smart display, the Echo Spot is not that. It’s an audio-forward alarm clock with a small informational screen, and a good one. The Alexa+ features also require either a Prime membership or a paid Alexa+ Standard plan subscription, and the account needs to be US-based and set to US English.
At a new 50% off price of $55, the Echo Spot makes a strong case as a first Alexa device for a bedroom or kitchen, particularly for anyone already running smart home gear that works with Alexa.
