Which Amazon Smart Home Devices Are Actually Worth Buying in 2024?
Amazon's smart home ecosystem genuinely delivers on convenience and affordability — but not every device justifies its price. The Echo Show 8, Echo Show 11, Echo Hub, and Echo Buds (2nd Gen) cover different use cases, from kitchen control to whole-home automation. Here's which ones are worth your money.
Why Amazon?
Amazon created the smart speaker category in 2014 with the first Echo, and they've spent a decade refining the range. They lead the market with Alexa — a voice assistant that genuinely understands context, integrates with more third-party devices than any competitor (over 100,000 compatible products), and costs less than most rivals. Their smart displays use sharp 13MP cameras on newer models and run fire OS, a purpose-built interface for smart home control. The Echo Hub stands alone as a dedicated smart home hub with Zigbee, Thread, and Bluetooth 5.3, making it the backbone for multi-device automation. Amazon also updates their devices frequently and prices aggressively — you're not paying a premium for the brand.
Top Picks
Amazon Echo Show 8 Smart Home Assistant — £179.99
Best for kitchen and bedroom control with a compact screen. The 8-inch HD display (1280 × 800 resolution) fits tight spaces better than the 11-inch, and the £179.99 price makes it the entry point to visual Alexa control. You get drop-in calls, video calling, recipe display, and full smart home management through the touchscreen. The built-in 5MP camera is adequate for video calls but not security-focused. Perfect if you want one display per room without the bulk of a tablet.
Amazon Echo Show 11 Smart Home Assistant — £219.99
Best for dominant kitchen or living room placement where screen size matters. The 11.6-inch display (1920 × 1200 resolution) is sharp enough for video streaming, recipes, and remote video calls without squinting. At £219.99, the £40 premium over the Show 8 buys you significantly better visibility across a larger room and richer colour reproduction. The larger footprint does eat counter space, so measure before committing.
Amazon Echo Hub Smart Home Hub — £179.99
Best for whole-home automation and invisible smart home management. The Echo Hub is not a display — it's a control hub. At £179.99, it costs the same as the Show 8 but serves a completely different purpose: it's the device that talks to all your Zigbee and Thread products (door locks, lights, temperature sensors) and keeps them talking to each other even if WiFi drops. No screen means no distraction; it sits in a utility cupboard or bedroom and does the heavy lifting. Essential if you own multiple smart home devices.
Echo Buds (2nd Gen) True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds — £119.99
Best for Alexa voice control on the move. At £119.99, these are genuinely affordable earbuds with decent noise isolation (IPX4 water resistance, active noise cancellation, 6-hour battery + 2 charges in the case = 24 hours total). They're not audiophile-grade, but they're reliable for calls, podcasts, and hands-free Alexa control. The fit can be loose for some ear shapes, so try before buying if possible.
Quick Comparison
| Product | Price | Best For | Standout Feature | |---------|-------|----------|------------------| | Echo Show 8 | £179.99 | Compact kitchen/bedroom | 8-inch HD display, good value | | Echo Show 11 | £219.99 | Large kitchen/living room | 11.6-inch 1920×1200 display | | Echo Hub | £179.99 | Whole-home automation | Zigbee/Thread hub, invisible operation | | Echo Buds (2nd Gen) | £119.99 | Mobile Alexa control | Active noise cancellation, 24-hour battery |
What to Look For
- Display resolution matters for readability: The Show 8 offers 1280×800 (adequate for text and recipes), but the Show 11's 1920×1200 is noticeably sharper for video and longer viewing sessions. If you'll use it for entertainment or extended recipe browsing, the Show 11 pays for itself in user experience.
- Zigbee vs WiFi-only: If you own smart locks, thermostats, or specialty lights, check whether they use Zigbee (a mesh protocol that works offline). The Echo Hub supports Zigbee + Thread; the displays don't. This is the difference between a robust system and one that breaks when WiFi hiccups.
- Camera specs for video calls: The Show 8's 5MP camera is passable for Alexa drop-ins and family calls. If you plan to use it as a video doorbell replacement or security monitor, you'll want an external camera paired to the Echo system instead.
- Audio quality: None of these are premium speakers. The Show 11 has better stereo separation than the Show 8. For serious music listening, pair any Echo with a Bluetooth speaker or add a separate smart speaker like the Echo Studio (not listed here).
The Bottom Line
The Amazon Echo Show 8 at £179.99 is the best starting point — it delivers visual Alexa control, multi-room audio, and smart home management in a compact footprint. If you own multiple smart home devices (locks, lights, sensors), buy the Echo Hub at £179.99 as your backbone — it runs your automation silently in the background. The Show 11 justifies its £40 premium only if counter space isn't tight and you'll genuinely use the larger screen for video or entertainment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Amazon Alexa better than Google Assistant?
Alexa integrates with more third-party devices (100,000+ compatible products vs Google's 80,000+) and has deeper smart home automation features through routines and skill creation. Google Assistant understands natural language better for simple queries. For smart home control specifically, Alexa wins; for general AI questions, it's closer.
Can I use an Echo Show without WiFi?
No — all Echo devices require WiFi to function. However, the Echo Hub can communicate with Zigbee and Thread devices offline, so if WiFi drops, your smart locks and lights keep working; you just can't control them remotely.
Do Echo devices record conversations constantly?
No. Echo devices only activate when they hear "Alexa" (the wake word), then they stream audio to Amazon's servers for processing. You can mute the microphone with the physical button, disable drop-in calls, and delete your voice history in the Alexa app. Amazon does retain some data for service improvement (customisable).
Which Echo device should I buy if I already have a smart home system?
If your devices use Zigbee or Thread, buy the Echo Hub (£179.99) — it acts as a hub without adding visual clutter. If your devices are WiFi-only (most modern ones), any Echo device works; pick the Show 8 (£179.99) for a display or Echo Buds (£119.99) for mobile control.
