Updated 1 Nov 2026
Is the Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) worth it?
Yes — the best-value smart speaker you can buy.
For timers, the radio, the weather, the news and turning lights on and off, it does everything a bigger speaker does for a fraction of the price. Sound is fuller and livelier than you'd expect from a ball this size, with clear voices and a little real bass, and Alexa hears you well even over music. It also has a temperature sensor for routines, a tap-to-snooze top and can extend an eero Wi-Fi network. It's mono and only fills a small room: turn it right up and the bass breaks up. There's no headphone or aux socket, and a newer Echo Dot came out in October 2026 that nobody has tested yet.
95%of 302 owners give it 4 or 5 stars
- Fuller sound than its size suggests
- Quick, reliable Alexa
- Often on offer for much less
We earn a commission from these links.
What owners say
Owners love the sound for its size, the neat look and having the radio, music and news on tap. Few are unhappy; the main complaint is a fiddly set-up or Wi-Fi connection.
Good to know
- It's mono and made for small rooms; the bass breaks up at high volume.
- No 3.5mm socket, so it can't feed a bigger speaker by wire (Bluetooth still works).
- The Alexa app is busy, and the EQ is a few menus deep.
- A newer Echo Dot (October 2026) adds a smart home hub; there are no independent tests of it yet.
From 302 buyer ratings at Currys, every complaint read by us, November 2026. How we do this
What they love
- Great sound for its sizeMentioned a lot
- Small and neatMentioned a lot
- Handy for the radio, music and newsMentioned a lot
- Great valueMentioned often
- Easy to set upAlso mentioned
What they complain about
- Hard to set up or connect to Wi-FiVery rare
Get it if…
- You want Alexa in the kitchen, bedroom or office for little money.
- You'll mostly use it for the radio, timers, news and smart home control.
- You want one in several rooms.
Skip it if…
- Music matters most: the Sonos Era 100 or HomePod sound far better.
- You want to plug it into a hi-fi: it has no audio out.
- You use Google or Apple at home: get the Google Home Speaker or a HomePod.
More on the Echo Dot (5th Gen)
How we reached this verdict
What Hi-Fi gives its sound full marks for the money: bigger and more balanced than expected, if limited in volume and distorting when pushed. SoundGuys found Alexa responsive even when whispered to over music and the sound good at low and medium volume, but missed the old model's aux socket. Tom's Guide names it the best budget smart speaker. Owners back them: we read 302 verified buyers at Currys (with AO and other shops), and most praise the sound for its size and the neat look.
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: What Hi-Fi?, SoundGuys, Tom's Guide: best smart speakers, What Hi-Fi?, manufacturer specifications.
Updated 1 Nov 2026How we decide