If your home runs on Alexa-compatible smart appliances, you have to be a little extra careful when it comes to the features of the appliance, especially when it comes to the voice assistant that the appliance is based on. The best Alexa-compatible devices, whether thermostats or TVs and smart locks, cameras, or lights, ensure that you have the most seamless smart home hub integration. These devices would significantly raise your smart home’s IQ, meaning that you can connect different models with ease.
So, which are some of the best Alexa-compatible devices to invest in?
Contents
Comparison of the Best Alexa Compatible Devices
Best Alexa-Compatible Devices | Best For | Check on Amazon |
|---|---|---|
Amazon Fire TV Cube | Best Overall Alexa-Compatible Device with great Streaming Support | |
Philips Hue White A19 LED Smart Bulbs Starter Kit | Best Alexa-Supported Device with Smart Lights | |
Lifx Mini 800-Lumen Smart Light Bulbs | Best Alexa-Supported WiFi Smart Lights | |
August WiFi Smart Lock | Smart Lock with the Best Connectivity | |
Ecobee Smart Thermostat (with Voice Control) | Best Smart, Alexa-Enabled Thermostat |
Reviews of the Best Alexa Compatible Devices
Amazon Fire TV Cube – Best Overall Alexa-Compatible Device with great Streaming Support
An improvement from the Amazon Fire TV days, Amazon Fire Cube offers the best video streaming performance. If you have been looking for a reliable streaming service to catch up on your favorite TV shows and movies, then this Alexa-enabled device would be the best option for you. This device allows you to use Alexa to control your shows and TV. On top of that, the intuitive interface of Fire TV Cube and the integration with Amazon Alexa allows you access to excellent 4K HDR image quality, with the best part being the access you get to top-rated streaming services including Hulu, Sling, and even DirecTV Now.
The cherry on top is the newly updated Alexa remote that allows for quick and easy navigation, especially when Alexa is unable to find what you’re looking for. This remote comes in handy when you don’t want to talk.
One of the things you and us may have qualms with is the high price tag that the Amazon Fire Cube comes with. If you are looking for a streaming device on a tighter budget, this might not be the best option for you, and you may have to buy the cheaper, older alternative, the Fire Stick.
Pros
- Wonderful, lively interface
- Supports great 4K HDR image quality
- The cable box’s controls work great
- It’s fast and boasts the most reliable performance
- Recent update has introduced nifty support for an external webcam, and you can use it for making video calls from the living room
- YouTube expected to be added soon
- A cute design offering easy access to the volume buttons
- Color-coded options for easy usage – blue tells you Alexa is working great while Orange points to technical issues.
Cons
- The Ethernet adapter looks awkward
- The home screen is packed with ads, and it cannot be edited
Philips Hue White A19 LED Smart Bulbs Starter Kit – Best Alexa-Supported Device with Smart Lights
While there is a wide array of devices that work potentially great with Alexa, the smart lights by Philips – Philips Hue offer the best smart lighting performance. This is primarily because Philips offers the widest, most impressive range of bulbs, while the Hue Philips app allows you to do more with the lights. And in as much as Philips sells a large variety of smart bulbs/ lights, this Hue White Starter kit comes with two bulbs and a hub that will link to your home WiFi easily. Once connected and everything is set up, you then get to use various of the Alexa commands, which the bulbs easily respond to. There’s just one caveat with this kit – the bulbs will dim or brighten, but they won’t be any color changes. So, if you are looking for Philips smart lights that change color, you’d want to find the White& Color Ambience option (A19) bulb kit. Also, you will be happy to know that Philips offers the widest selection of Smart bulbs or LEDs, along with light fixtures.
Besides Alexa, Philips Hue works with many other smart assistants like IFTTT, Samsung SmartThings, Apple Homekit, Xfinity, and Google Assistant, among others.
Pros
- Easy setup made possible by the Ethernet cable that bridges the connection between the kit and your router.
- The app features a geofencing feature that triggers your Leaving Home or Coming Home routines automatically, based on the location of your phone
- The app works great, giving you the best views of the rooms connected throughout your house
- The routines section of the app allows for easy scheduling of the lights to be turned on/ off in select rooms.
- You can create Scenes if you have colored bulbs, and the presets will adjust the lighting color and/or brightness
- Compatible with most smart-home systems besides Alexa
- Comprehensive app features/ functions
- Dimmable
Cons
- This kit doesn’t have color-changing bulbs
- Hub needed
Lifx Mini 800-Lumen Smart Light Bulbs– Best Alexa-Supported WiFi Smart Lights
Your options for smart lights that are compatible with Alexa aren’t limited to Philips Lights and the Philips Hue app, Lifx Mini is the other Alexa-compatible option you could try, and the best part is that these smart lights are connected to your WiFi network, which means that there is no need for a hub. This feature gives the Lifx Mini Lights a one-up over Philips smart lights that must be connected to a hub.
So, despite the top-rating or Philips Hue Smart Lights, if you want smart lights that are easier to work with because of their direct connection to your WiFi network, Lifx Mini would be a preferable option.
Some of the features you may like from these smart lights include the scheduling options, color, and brightness changes, as well as the easy switching of the lights (on/ off) from the app. You could also set the light to enjoy the coolest light effects. For example, the bulbs could flicker as a candle would, and you could also create spooky light effects with the lights. There is also a strobe effect, and best of all, you can change the color to match the beat of your favorite music.
Pros
- You don’t need a hub.
- It works with most other smart home systems, besides Alexa, Apple Homekit, and Google Assistant.
- Many light effects offered on top of the color change and scheduling
- The lights link to your smartphone easily, allowing for fast integration with the rest of the devices on your smart home ecosystem
- You can navigate the app easily
Cons
- Pricey
- The setup is complicated
August WiFi Smart Lock 4th Generation – Smart Lock with the Best Connectivity
With an unlimited number of codes, a high-performance app, and compatibility with Alexa, among other smart home systems like Google Home and Apple Homekit, this August deadbolt smart lock is one of the best Alexa-compatible smart locks.
It boasts the best levels of connectivity via WiFi, Z-Wave Plus, as well as Bluetooth. If you find yourself lying awake in the middle of the night, maybe with your heart racing, as you wonder whether you locked the doors, this smart lock would be an excellent choice for you.
One of our favorite features of this smart lock, therefore, has to be its reliability and how it’s able to ease your anxiety quickly. You only need to request Alexa if the door is locked. Besides telling you if it’s locked or unlocked, you still get to instruct Alexa to lock the door via this smart lock and only using your voice.
Although the keypad is a separate purchase, this smart lock is the most compact smart lock, which means that it doesn’t look very obvious on your door – it is a cylindrical lock with a ridged exterior that rotates when the deadbolt is locked or unlocked. And with its built-in WiFi, you don’t have to use the August Bridge Connect to set it up or link the door to your home network.
The other nifty features fitted into this smart lock include our other favorite feature, the DoorSense, which tells if the door is locked or open. The Smart Alerts function notifies you when the door is locked or unlocked or if it’s been left wide open, and the Auto-lock that works with the DoorSense to switch and lock the door when you’re away (there is an Away mode too). You also have a Guest Access function that gives your friends and family access to your home, albeit temporarily, by giving them access to the ‘keys.’ These keys can be set to work during specific hours only.
Pros
- More compact design makes the lockless obvious.
- It comes with built-in WiFi, and there’s no need for the use of the bridge
- Elegant features that enhance its use even when you are away
- You receive notifications when the batteries are running low
- Unobtrusive
- Easy to use
- Works with most of your smart home devices
Cons
- The keypad is sold separately
Ecobee Smart Thermostat (with Voice Control) – Best Smart, Alexa-Enabled Thermostat
One of our best must-have gadgets for a smart home is the thermostat, and though there are numerous options you could choose from, this Ecobee 5th Generation thermostat is one of the best smart thermostats on the market. It works with Alexa, and the best part is that it also works offline.
The built-in Alexa means that it allows for easy interaction with Alexa, which allows for easy self-installation and temperature control throughout your home and in specific rooms. It also is motion-activated, and the remote sensors enhance its ease of use.
The best part about this thermostat is that it’s more than a temperature control device as it can be used to make calls, make Drop-Ins, and messaging. And because it features an excellent speaker as well as support for Spotify, you could use it to play your favorite tunes, especially if searching for a smart device that offers excellent background music. The redesign of this 5th generation thermostat also features an impressive array of remote sensors boasting not only a better, longer range but also longer battery life.
Pros
- Good speaker
- High-performance remote sensors
- Great for background music
- It works with Spotify
- Full Alexa support and capabilities
Cons
- Large, with a big bezel
In addition to the 5 devices reviewed above, below is a list of a few more Alexa-compatible devices you may be interested in.
- Arlo Q, best smart-home security camera
- Wemo WiFi Smart Plug, one of the best smart plugs
- LG CX OLED TV – best Alexa-compatible smart TV
- Sonos Beam – great soundbar
Buying Guide for the best Alexa-Compatible Devices
The Alexa-compatible devices allow for easy pairing with certain models of locks, smart lights, speakers, and TVs, among other devices, by allowing you to control all the devices using your voice. All of the Alexa-compatible devices allow you to command these devices from the Alexa app, with tools like the Routines automatically triggering several smart home gadgets are all based on the desired conditions. As a result, these functions will help you make your home a lot more intuitive, efficient, and safer.
At the end of the day, the Alexa-compatible devices are made with built-in Alexa which takes the commands for increased efficiency of your smart home appliances.
Essentially, Alexa comes built into a number of devices, from robot vacuums to soundbars. With new Alexa updates received by Alexa, as well as the fact that the assistant allows you to add some features to the app and the best interactivity options, you can only enjoy the full value and effectiveness of Amazon Alexa and your smart devices if the devices are compatible with Alexa.
What is Alexa, though?
We are all aware of this intelligent, even formidable entity called Alexa, but have you ever stopped to ask what it is or what makes it an exceptional voice assistant? Any chance you’ve had a moment where you asked Alexa what it/ she was?
Well, it turns out that this Alexa entity is more than one thing, but at its heart, Alexa is your personal assistant, helper, sometimes butler, and in other cases, your playmate. More specifically, Alexa can be defined as this hands-free voice service offered by Amazon. As a voice service, Alexa will respond to your voice and the other voices she has been programmed to identify, then take your commands and help you do things around your home.
Just to remind you, Alexa will follow your many voice commands, including turning up the thermostat, dimming the lights, setting timers, making shopping lists, turning the TV on/ off, etc. These are just some of the things Alexa can do, but there is a lot more you can get from installing and working with Alexa because Alexa is always learning.
How? As a cloud-based service, Alexa operational ground is the cloud, which is an interface that allows for the constant addition of new skills and also routines. Using Alexa more means it learns more and does more for you. Interestingly, Alexa will also learn and adapt to your speech patterns and personal preferences.
How exactly does Alexa work?
Alexa runs on advanced online services that are run by Amazon, a service that allows for the application to interpret all your voice commands.
To be a bit more technical, Alexa works by virtue of a technology known as ASR or Automatic Speech Recognition. ASR is the technology that allows for the conversion of spoken words into text. In other words, for applications like Alexa to work, the first step would be to enable voice technology such as Alexa for it to respond whenever you pose a question to it. For instance, if you ask Alexa what it is like outside, the ASR technology setup into the device will detect the spoken words/ sounds then recognize them as words, giving you the answer by going through huge databases to find the right answer. All these take place in seconds, and it’s all thanks to ASR that understands natural forms of communication or speech.
To be able to enjoy all that Alexa has to offer, you first need a device that’s compatible with Alexa and Alexa’s voice services where the AI functions of the device will process and carry out your requests. In the background, there are very many processes that take place for Alexa to work, but you never really notice because Alexa is superfast.
Alexa’s Skills
Alexa boasts an impressive array of skills that promise to make your life better at all turns. With features like AlexaGuard, which will tap into your Echo speakers’ microphone to warn you when there is an alarming sound like glass breaking, Alexa will soon make you feel like the proudest parent, especially because it masters these skills really fast.
Alexa’s best and our personal favorite skills right now has to be the Send a Hug skill that lets your loved ones know that they are loved and that you are thinking about them, even when you cannot see them in person – we all need this in our lives, no?
Other impressive skills include the Alexa donations – to donate funds to specific non-profits.
You could also use Alexa to reach emergency services in case of a medical emergency – it may not call 911, but Ask My Buddy skills will send a notification to your emergency contact who will get you help. There is also the MyPetDoc Skill that gets your furry friend support by guiding you to the nearest veterinarian.
Other great skills include the Exclusive Amazon Deals, Weather Report, Nutrition Tips; you can also talk to Alexa in foreign languages, obtain recipe ideas, listen to audiobooks, call other Alexa-enabled devices, play music, or you could also use Alexa as your personal trainer, not to mention the fact that Alexa could also check your credit card balances.
These are just some of the best skills you’d enjoy with Alexa and Alexa-supported devices reviewed above.
FAQs
How do you connect Alexa devices?
Well, once you’ve set up a device like Eco or some smart display like Echo Show, then download and connect the device or devices to your smartphone, you can then connect the rest of the smart devices to the created Alexa hub.
To connect your Alexa devices, follow these steps:
Set your smart device by following the directions given on the product’s mobile app. You could also follow these steps manually during the installation and the WiFi configuration from your smartphone or tablet.
Next up, select the Skills & Games options from the menu from your Alexa mobile app. You can access it using the search function on Alexa. Find the Skills option for the device you wish to connect to the hub, then select the Enable button. Next, enter the login details for the smart home device that you wish to connect.
Once you’re logged in, select the devices tab from the mobile app (Alexa), then tap the + sign on top of the screen, and add the device. Alternatively, you could use the voice assistant to discover the devices – “Alexa, Discover my Devices!” When you use the voice command, Alexa will scan your WiFi network for any and all Alexa-enabled devices, automatically adding them to your smart home ecosystem. Once connected, you can control all your devices from the Alexa app.
Can you use Amazon Alexa with IFTTT?
Yes, you could use Alexa-enabled devices with IFTTT. With IFTTT as one of the best ways of customizing many of Alexa’s commands, thanks to the fact that IFTTT links to hundreds of products and services that wouldn’t otherwise work together.
To create IFTTT with Alexa-enabled devices, you should consider starting off by creating an IFTTT account, then search for Amazon Alexa from the homepage, then select the Get More button to link the devices and services. Don’t forget to input your Amazon login details, as directed.
Conclusion
There is a vast range of the best Alexa-compatible smart home devices, but the ones reviewed above are among your best options. If you are looking for the best smart home devices that are Alexa-compatible, look for the ones that offer excellent performance, easy setup, and good features that enhance the device’s performance and your home’s intelligence.
Robinson Wright
Robinson Wright is a home automation specialist and has helped many modern home developers pick the right gadgets for home automation. According to Wright, most people struggle with particular areas in their home, some would want improved security especially when away from home for a couple of days and others will want to improve power consumption. Homeowner's needs can be fulfilled by investing in smart home gadgets but most importantly is that one must know the functionality that they desire to achieve and then choose a product and technology that would fulfill the need. Robinson Wright runs an appliance enterprise and when not in the field working with his clients, he loves spending time in his workshop testing out the new technologies.