Amazon Echo Plus (2nd gen. 2018)

Smart new looks ; Decent audio ; Useful smart home hub and temperature sensor

Limited number of supported smart home devices

The original Echo Plus felt like a product that wasn't quite ready to go, and it was expensive for what it was. The Amazon Echo Plus (2nd Gen) is a far superior product, starting out with the more attractive finish that makes it look far classier....

Easy to set up ; Routines and in-app smart device control ; Expanding range of Skills ; Clean audio and simple voice control

Poor sound compared to similarly-priced competition ; Can't use Zigbee switches and sensors

A neat attempt at unifying the smart home, but the Echo Plus needs a few improvements before it works perfectly.

Generally strong sound with clear high-mids and highs. Alexa is powerful and functional. Bluetooth connectivity. Zigbee hub built-in.

Not significantly more powerful than the Echo. Relatively weak bass. Bluetooth doesn't work with stereo pairs or Echo Sub.

Bottom Line: The Amazon Echo Plus smart speaker adds a temperature sensor in addition to its Zigbee hub, but doesn't bring a dramatic difference in sound quality over its predecessor.

Better audio drivers ; Fabric design is attractive ; Temperature sensor

Still won’t catch the ear of audiophiles

A much prettier speaker than the original Echo Plus, the 2nd gen smart home speaker also has improved audio components – even if its ZigBee internals are no longer unique.

Integrated Zigbee automation hub. Audio has slightly more bass response than the standard Echo. Strong Wi-Fi reception.

Alexa app can't control smart home devices with as much granularity as dedicated apps.

Bottom Line: The $150 Amazon Echo Plus is a very capable voice-assisted speaker that can't quite replace a dedicated hub if you're serious about smart home automation.

Great sound quality for the price ; Smart home control ; Alexa ecosystem - including Sub ; Stereo pairing and more

Alexa app is showing some cracks

There are many rivals to the Echo, but the Echo Plus feels like the smart speaker that's leading the way.

Alexa functionality works well ; Affordable price tag ; Good audio quality

Bass quality could be better

Full-on stereo sound, wirelessly and with voice control, for £300? Yes please

Good sound for the price ; Stylish, compact new look ; Somehow cheaper than the 2014 Echo

Alexa is still some way behind Google Assistant

Alexa could still do with cribbing some trivia from Google Assistant but if you want a smart speaker that gets the basics right and something that can serve as the basis for a smarter home, you can’t go wrong with the 2018 Echo Plus. Especially at this...