Father’s Day gifts for less than $50

Amazon Echo Dot (2018)

Cnet rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

The good: The Dot looks and sounds better than ever, and now you can pair two together for stereo audio. The ongoing space race between Alexa and Google Assistant means it’ll keep getting a steady stream of new features. The bad: It doesn’t come in any fun colors like the Home Mini does, and it doesn’t feature any new hardware tricks, either. Aside from the new look and the stronger sound, it’s just the same Dot as before. The cost: $30 to $50 The bottom line: This is the best Dot yet at the same irresistible price — but it will do little to slow Google’s growing momentum.

Roku Streaming Stick

Cnet rating: 4.0 stars out of 5

The good: The Roku streams Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and the rest in an ultracompact design for an affordable price. Its remote can control your TV’s volume and power. The simple menus put every streaming service on a level playing field and offer more apps and better search than competitors. The bad: The menus can seem dated compared to rivals. Voice search and control is worse than Fire TV. The cost: $40 to $50 The bottom line: For buyers who don’t care about 4K or HDR streaming, this is the best player on the market.

JBL Clip 3

Cnet rating: 4.0 stars out of 5

The good: The JBL offers improved sound and battery life in a more durable design than its predecessor. It’s waterproof and sounds very good for its small size. You can clip the speaker to a bag or hang it from a peg. The bad: It’s a tad larger and heavier than the Clip 2, which is still available at a lower price. The cost: $30 to $40 The bottom line: This is a bettersounding version of one of our favorite micro Bluetooth speakers.

TaoTronics

Cnet rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

The good: The TWS TT-BH053 earbuds sound better than you’d expect for a wireless model at this price. They offer 5 hours of battery life; the compact case delivers an extra five charges. The bad: The case uses standard Micro-USB, not USB-C; if you don’t get a tight seal, sound quality isn’t as good. The cost: $50 The bottom line: These are among the better sub-$50 wireless earphones. These Cnet staff members contributed to this story: David Carnoy, Ry Crist, David Katzmaier and Laura K. Cucullu. For more reviews of personal technology products, visit www.cnet.com.