Best Smart Speakers of 2025
Smart speakers are the heart of many smart homes, providing voice control for devices and easy access to music, news, and more. The best choice depends on your preferred ecosystem – Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri – and your budget. Here are our top smart speaker picks in 2025:
Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) – Best Budget Alexa Speaker
The compact Echo Dot 5th Gen delivers Alexa’s smarts in an affordable package.
Key Specs:
Voice Assistant: Alexa (built-in)
Audio: 1.73″ front-firing speaker; surprisingly loud for size (improved bass over previous gen)
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth; Hub: No Zigbee hub (unlike larger Echo)
Matter Support: Yes (Acts as a Matter controller)
Size: 3.9″ diameter sphere (small “orb” design in various colors)
Pros:
Ultra-affordable entry into smart speakers (often ~$50 or less). Great for extending Alexa to more rooms.
Compact space-age design looks stylish and fits anywhere.
Easy setup and integration with Alexa app and ecosystem.
Includes a 3.5mm audio-out jack to connect to bigger speakers.
Cons:
Limited audio power – sound is clear but not room-filling (best for background music).
No built-in hub (cannot directly control Zigbee devices; need full Echo for that).
Lacks the fuller sound and features of larger speakers (no line-in, etc.).
Rating: 4.5/5 – The Echo Dot (5th Gen) is an excellent budget-friendly choice for Alexa users. It’s extremely capable for the price, though audiophiles will crave more sound output.
Google Nest Audio – Best Mid-Range Google Assistant Speaker
The Google Nest Audio offers balanced sound and hands-free help with Google Assistant.
Key Specs:
Voice Assistant: Google Assistant
Audio: 75mm woofer + 19mm tweeter for improved bass and clarity
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth; integrates into Google Home app seamlessly
Smart Home: Works with Google Home ecosystem and supports Matter (no Zigbee hub)
Size: 6.9″ tall fabric-covered speaker (available in Chalk, Charcoal, etc.)
Pros:
Unobtrusive design that blends in – a minimalist pillow-shaped speaker that looks good in any room.
Great voice recognition – the Nest Audio’s far-field mics pick up commands reliably even from across a room.
Balanced sound quality for its size – a clear improvement over the original Google Home, suitable for kitchens or bedrooms.
Tight integration with Google services (Assistant answers, calendar, Chromecast streaming, etc.) and multi-room audio grouping with other Nest speakers.
Cons:
Audio output is moderate – good for casual listening, but lacks the rich bass or volume of larger speakers (not aimed at audiophiles).
No built-in battery (must stay plugged in) and no line-out jack, limiting versatility.
Limited visual appeal – the plain fabric design is subtle, but some may find it too boring (it’s meant to blend in).
Google Assistant only – does not support Alexa or Siri (aside from Matter controlling devices).
Rating: 4.0/5 – The Nest Audio is a solid mid-range smart speaker for Google fans, with clean design and reliable performance. Sound quality is decent for background music and Assistant responses are loud and clear, though it won’t wow music enthusiasts on audio alone.
Apple HomePod mini – Best Smart Speaker for Siri/HomeKit
Apple’s HomePod mini packs impressive sound and Siri smarts into a small orb, ideal for HomeKit households.
Key Specs:
Voice Assistant: Siri (Apple HomeKit integration)
Audio: Full-range driver + dual passive radiators for rich 360° sound (surprisingly big audio for its 3.9″ size)
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Thread radio (acts as a Thread/Matter border router for HomeKit devices)
Smart Home: Deep integration with Apple Home app; supports Matter and acts as a HomeKit hub
Colors & Size: 3.9″ diameter sphere in multiple colors (White, Space Gray, Blue, Yellow, Orange).
Pros:
Impressive sound quality for its pint-sized form – reviewers praise the HomePod mini’s surprisingly bold and crisp audio output, which can easily fill a small room.
Sleek Apple design with touch controls and glowing Siri light; it looks elegant and minimalistic in any setting.
Multi-user support and handoff – recognizes different voices in your family and seamlessly hands off music/calls from iPhone. Great for Apple-centric homes.
HomeKit powerhouse: Acts as a hub for HomeKit accessories and supports new Matter standard for broader compatibility. Also enables Intercom feature across Apple devices.
Cons:
Requires Apple ecosystem – Loses functionality if you don’t use an iPhone or Apple Music (voice control of music works best with Apple Music). Not natively compatible with Alexa or Google Assistant.
Siri still behind rivals – While improving, Siri’s smart home control and knowledge base aren’t as robust as Alexa or Google Assistant (and our tester noted Siri can be less forgiving if commands aren’t phrased just right).
No aux or Bluetooth-out – Cannot be used as a general Bluetooth speaker for non-Apple devices (streaming is via AirPlay).
For full functionality (like voice music requests), an Apple Music subscription is needed – other services are limited via AirPlay.
Rating: 4.2/5 – For Apple users, the HomePod mini is a no-brainer as the best Siri-enabled speaker, offering big sound in a tiny package and seamless HomeKit integration. Just be aware it’s really optimized for those embedded in Apple’s ecosystem – Android households should look elsewhere.
Sonos Era 100 – Best Premium Smart Speaker (High-End Audio)
The Sonos Era 100 delivers room-filling, high-fidelity sound with built-in Alexa, making it a top premium pick for music lovers.
Key Specs:
Voice Assistant: Alexa built-in (plus Sonos Voice Control; Google Assistant not supported on this modeltechradar.com)
Audio: Stereo pair of angled tweeters + one midwoofer, powered by 3 class-D amps – offers rich, detailed sound with improved bass vs. Sonos One.
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, and optional line-in (3.5mm aux) via USB-C adapter. Supports Apple AirPlay 2 for multi-room and Siri (via HomeKit).
Smart Home: Works with Alexa and Sonos ecosystem; Matter: No (Sonos hasn’t added Matter support to Era).
Design: Compact yet hefty (7.2″ tall); available in black or white, with touch controls on top and a sleek, minimalist build.
Pros:
Excellent sound quality – The Era 100 produces detailed, room-filling audio with clarity and punchy bass that surpasses most other smart speakers in its size class. It’s truly a music-lover’s speaker.
Versatile connectivity – Unlike many smart speakers, it offers Bluetooth and line-in options, so you can play virtually any audio source (e.g., turntable, phone via aux) in addition to Wi-Fi streaming.
Multi-room and stereo capable – Can pair two Era 100s for stereo or link with other Sonos speakers for whole-home synced music (Sonos’s platform is robust and easy to use).
Premium build & design – Clean, modern aesthetic with quality materials; touch sliders for volume. It feels like a high-end device and fits nicely on a shelf or counter.
Cons:
Pricey – One of the more expensive smart speakers (premium price reflects the audio quality).
No Google Assistant support – Due to Sonos and Google’s ongoing dispute, the Era 100 only supports Alexa (or Sonos’s own voice assistant) at launchtechradar.com. This is a letdown if you were hoping to use Google Assistant on Sonostechradar.com.
Bass can be heavy at times – In our tests, very bass-heavy tracks could sound a bit over-emphasized (slightly less nuance than expected, though still much improved over the older Sonos One).
Still not truly stereo (single unit has dual tweeters but they only give a hint of stereo separation) – you’d need two units for true stereo sound.
Rating:4.7/5 – The Sonos Era 100 is our top premium pick, delivering superb sound and build quality. It’s ideal for Alexa users or anyone who prioritizes audio performance in a smart speaker. The lack of Google Assistant is the only major drawback in an otherwise outstanding device for 2025.
