CN
“The best smart speaker for most people — the built-in Zigbee hub and temperature sensor make it the smarthome centerpiece that rivals cost twice as much.”
The Amazon Echo 4th Gen ($100) is recommended with a 8.5/10 consensus score across 18 expert reviews. Experts highlight built-in zigbee hub — no separate hub required for smart home control and excellent 360-degree sound with premium woofer and tweeter. CNET says: "The best smart speaker for most people — the built-in Zigbee hub and temperature..." Best for: Alexa users, Smart home beginners, Prime members.
Recommended18 Expert Reviews
Amazon Echo 4th Gen
Smart Speakers
Consensus Score — 18 experts
8.5/10
Updated 1 week ago
“The best smart speaker for most people — the built-in Zigbee hub and temperature sensor make it the smarthome centerpiece that rivals cost twice as much.”
Key Features
- ✓ Zigbee hub
- ✓ Temperature sensor
- ✓ 360° audio
- ✓ 140,000+ devices
Best For
Alexa usersSmart home beginnersPrime members
What Experts Agree On
What Experts Love
- ✓ Built-in Zigbee hub — no separate hub required for smart home control
- ✓ Excellent 360-degree sound with premium woofer and tweeter
- ✓ Temperature sensor built in for room-aware automations
- ✓ Full Alexa with 140,000+ smart home device support
- ✓ Spherical design sits cleanly on any surface
Common Criticisms
- ✗ Privacy concerns with always-on microphones
- ✗ Limited general knowledge vs Google Assistant
- ✗ Spherical design takes up more desk space
- ✗ No battery option — always needs to be plugged in
What The Experts Say
WI
“Excellent value with impressive audio and smart home features — the Zigbee hub alone justifies the price.”
TO
“The built-in hub makes the Echo 4th Gen the smart home centerpiece for Alexa households.”
Affiliate disclosure: SmartHomeExplorer.com participates in the Amazon Associates program. We earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. This consensus review is based on 18 independent expert reviews — we did not test this product ourselves. Always verify current prices and availability before purchasing.