Amazon Echo (4th Gen)
£70 / stuff.tv/echo
Having morphed from a cylinder to a sphere, the latest Echo is an excellent newsreader, weather forecaster, personal assistant and intercom straight out of the box; but it’s now also a capable speaker and a very accessible smart home hub. It doesn’t sound as good as the Sonos One or Apple Homepod for listening to music, but it’s significantly smarter than both and considerably cheaper too. Stuff says ★★★★★
An all-round upgrade that makes the Echo a smarter speaker than ever
Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen) from £35 / stuff.tv/dot
It can’t match a full-size smart speaker for audio, but as a radio and Alexa assistant for the bedside or kitchen, this cutey gets the job done. It’s worth paying £15 more for the ‘with Clock’ version, which adds extra functionality beyond telling the time.
Stuff says ★★★★★
With the optional clock, this is our favourite bedside wondergadget
Amazon Echo Show 8 £80 / stuff.tv/echoshow8
This is a bargain smart display that’s big enough for easy video chatting and loud enough to fill most rooms. Its 8in touchscreen may not be the most refined, and the sound won’t worry Sonos, but you can’t really complain at this price.
Stuff says ★★★★★
The Alexa home invasion continues apace with this superb smart display Google Nest Mini ★★★★★ £49 / stuff.tv/nestmini
Louder and cleverer than ever… and it’ll only improve over time with updates. Tado Smart Thermostat ★★★★★ from £120 / stuff.tv/tadov3plus
This heating system roasts the competition with its blend of simplicity and smarts. Ring Indoor Cam ★★★★★ £49 / stuff.tv/ringindoor
This cute little spy-cam is a bona fide bargain for anyone with security worries. Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd Gen) ★★★★★ £183 / stuff.tv/nest3
A simple and mess-free smart thermostat with Alexa compatibility. Philips Hue Starter Kit ★★★★★ from £70 (white) / stuff.tv/hue
Become an indoor god with the smartest way of lighting up your home remotely. Brisant-secure Ultion Smart ★★★★★ from £259 / stuff.tv/ultionsmart
Tradition and tech partner up in a smart lock to please everyone. Dyson 360 Heurist ★★★★✩ £800 / stuff.tv/heurist
Dyson’s intelligent robo-vac is really pretty great at sucking (in a good way).