I’ve tested dozens of the best smart home devices since joining Tom’s Guide’s home section a few months ago, and Amazon’s Echo Dot with Clock has proven to be the most useful of the bunch. The all-in-one gadget sounds phenomenal, can trigger my automated smart home routines, and adds chime capabilities to any room. And that’s not just my opinion—my colleague Kate Kozuch gave the compact circular speaker a full five-star rating in her review .
Overall, the Echo Dot offers the best performance for the price, with Clock’s sound-focused shape and built-in sensors. So it’s a real shame if you can’t even buy it on Amazon. There’s been no official explanation as to why it’s currently unavailable, whether it’s due to manufacturing issues or if Amazon is phasing it out in favor of the Echo Spot. One thing is for sure: Amazon doesn’t have the Dot in stock, especially during Prime Day, and that’s a big mistake. Here’s why.
The Dot has the best sound of any smart speaker under $100
I only recently discovered that the Echo Spot is currently unavailable after spending the past week reviewing Amazon’s new Echo Spot alarm clock . I’d argue that the Spot is the best-looking Echo smart speaker to date. The Spot shares a similar design with Amazon’s most affordable smart speaker, the Echo Pop, but with a sleek glass touchscreen. In addition to the three vibrant colors it comes in, you can customize both the watch face and color theme to instantly match the aesthetic of a room.
So the Echo Spot has a better design, offers improved visuals compared to the Dot’s limited pixelated text, and can control smart home devices with a tap. But when I compared the Echo Spot to the Echo Dot with Clock in a face-off, I preferred the richer sound and advanced smart sensors found on the less expensive Echo Dot. The Dot’s circular design fills your room with immersive audio, while the Spot’s front-facing speaker requires you to sit in front of it.
(Image credit: Future)
The Dot has sensors that the Echo Pop and Spot don’t have
While it’s fun to look at album art, I use a smart speaker for the listening experience, not the eye candy. The Dot’s richer vocals and deeper bass give it an edge over the new Echo Spot. But beyond the sound, the Dot has two other features I use regularly that the more expensive Spot lacks. The first is its built-in temperature sensor, which senses the exact climate of the room it’s placed in. This has been a game-changer in my bedroom routines, as it turns on my air conditioner or electric fireplace if a room is too warm or too cold.
If you own an Eero Wi-Fi system, the Dot also acts as a beacon for your network, helping to extend and boost your Wi-Fi signal around your home or yard. At $60, it costs less than adding a standard beacon, plus you get the functionality of a smart speaker and temperature sensor. If Amazon were to phase out the clock in favor of the Spot, the expanded feature set would have to remain.
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
The Dot is affordable
At $59, the Dot is half the price of the HomePod Mini or the larger Amazon Echo. It makes a great gift, can be used in any room, and sounds better than most smart displays. The focus on maximizing sound in any space and reducing distracting text displays is helpful, especially for those who aren’t so keen on the Spot’s always-on display. During last year’s Prime Day, you could pick one up for just $30 , an absolute steal.
If the Echo Spot is going to replace the Dot with Clock in value, it really needs to incorporate the sensors and antennas it had. As it stands, the Echo Dot remains the best way to easily and inexpensively add core smart home functionality to your space. Let’s hope they go on sale again.
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