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The best Alexa compatible products: 2021 update
Alexa is a voice assistant and a pretty clever one at that, so if you have one sitting on your side table which is just used for playing music through Spotify, you’re not getting the most out of it.
Yet, making your home a smart one can be confusing. With so many Alexa-compatible devices out there, from heating control to televisions, it can be hard to know what you need and what can be useful.
But if you don’t have any devices which can be controlled through Alexa, you’re missing out on a very easy voice-command life. You could also set up ‘routines’, which will automatically trigger various smart home gadgets based on certain conditions.
To make the most of your Alexa smart speaker, try out some of the gadgets and devices below.
The easiest place to start. A smart plug can turn plain old appliances into smart devices, so rather than reaching behind the television every night to turn it off at the plug, you can just ask nicely.
You can also schedule things, whether it be the side table lamp to turn on at 5 pm ready for you to get home, or the radio to come on when you wake up at 7 am. It will save you having to buy completely new appliances, and they are so easy to set up.
So much so, that it has been Certified For Humans by Amazon, with no patience needed.
Adapts any existing electrical
Simple to set up
You still love good old analogue clocks. They’re just easier to glance up at and give you a quick result where you don’t have to work out 24-hour digital conversions.
This one, however, is smart. All the benefits of going analogue are there – the large focal point and easy read display – but you also can set timers which is great for when you’re cooking or need to check on the laundry.
Another bonus of going digitalised is that it will automatically adjust with Daylight Saving Time, and you can even just ask Alexa to set the time on the clock rather than having to fine-tune it.
Silent ticking
Really clear timer stamps
You went around to your friend’s house one night and the sound which came out of their speakers was phenomenal. You went home. You played some music on your Alexa. Underwhelming results.
Yes, an Alexa doesn’t have the best sound on the block, especially if you’re a real music lover. But they have you covered with extras you can buy to boost your existing setup
The Sub delivers down-firing, 100W deep bass sound through a 6″ woofer. The music will fill the room, and you can even pair it with two of the same compatible Echo devices for rich left/right stereo sound, for a full music experience.
Just plug it in, connect to your Alexa app and you’re good to go. It is a great way to bolster your existing smart speakers, while still sticking to something which is easy to navigate in your smart home.
For the real music fans
Large but can be placed anywhere
Smart products don’t just have to be about fun things and gadgets. This kettle can be linked to our favourite voice-controlled devices for the easiest cuppa you’ve ever made.
You can use the Smarter app to set things like the water boiling temperature, Keep Warm function, and start a boil, or simply just use your voice to get the kettle to boil. You can also set up routines in Alexa, so it will boil at a certain time – great for the night feed or morning brew.
It has a few limitations if used solely with Alexa. You can’t be told how much water is left in the kettle, and things like Keep Warm are only through the app, but they are working on improving it.
Ask it to boil with your voice
Set up a schedule
You don’t have time for vacuuming. Robot vacuums are a big hit, especially if you have wooden floors throughout your apartment.
Set boundaries through the app, and then ask Alexa to get it going. It is super quiet so won’t disturb your workout or telly binging, and the WiFi range is great. It’s even an ally in the battle against pet hair.
When it arrives, it takes just minutes to set up.
Vacuums by itself
With the free Philips Hue Bluetooth app, you can literally bring these bulbs out of the box and get them fitted and working in no time.
Then, to use them with Alexa, it is simply a matter of adding the bulbs as a device. You can pick the fitting, and what you get with the bundle, for a true smart home experience.
Personalise the lights to add to the atmosphere, whether it be a cosy night in, party or a gory horror movie marathon. There are 16 million colours to pick from, and you can get them to work with some other tech in your home.
Huge range of colours for personalisation
Universal fitting options
Making coffee from the comfort of your bed using an app is actually old school. Not even needing to bring your phone out is where the hype is now.
As this coffee machine uses Bosch’s Home Connect programme, you don’t have to be near the machine to turn it on and get your brew ready. But as it works with the Alexa, all it needs is your voice.
Just make sure there are enough water and coffee beans in the machine.
Grinder adapts to bean type
Fits eye-level cabinet
Laundry is nobody’s favourite chore, but this is a machine which takes the hassle out of it all.
With iDos, you can store a whole bottle of liquid detergent and softener inside the machine so you don’t need to worry about sorting it out before every wash.
Through the app, you can take care of laundry when you’re not at home. If at home, just use your voice to get it going. So, if you pop a colour catcher in there before each load, you might not even have to bother with a laundry basket to sort out…
Other handy features, such as checking how much time is left on the cycle, can also be really handy if you’re in the middle of something.
A+++ Energy Rating
Great 9kg capacity
Yes, that is right, you can control your fridge with Alexa now.
Of course, it can’t do the shopping and load it up for you or pop that pizza straight into the oven, but it can play music and allows you to engage with it in other ways too. It can even allow you to open the door hands-free.
So, if you’ve noticed you have run out of cheese, add it to your shopping list straight away by asking Alexa. You can also ask her to come up with recipes based on what is already in your fridge which is good for those the-night-before-the-big-shop events.
Adjust the settings, check on the internal temperature and keep firmware updated through the app and voice control.
It’s also a pretty great fridge to have anyway, as you just knock the glass Door-in-Door panel twice and it illuminates the inside of the fridge without you having to open the door and let the cold out.
Energy saving
Protects against bacteria
Feel free to control this cooker hood with just your voice. So, if your steak is suddenly smoking so much that it hurts your eyes, and you can’t waste any time fumbling around for the buttons on the cooker hood, just ask Alexa to turn it on.
This will also allow you to switch the lighting on, which is great if you’re entertaining and it is starting to go dark, and you can also leave the hood running to clear the air before turning it off from the comfort of your sofa.
It is a pretty specific cooker hood, but the good news is that there are an awful lot of Alexa-friendly cooker hoods about now.
Really efficient
Slimline
All of the gadgets and devices above are Alexa compatible, but just double check your model. Some of the older speakers can struggle to pick up some of the more modern gadgets, and you may need an Alexa speaker which works as a Hub.
Also, think about what you want to do with your products – if they need to communicate with each other, and react to other events, you may need Bridges.
Some brands are the big guns when it comes to Alexa-compatible home appliances.
The Bosch Home Connect range is Wi-Fi enabled and can work with Alexa to varying degrees. Samsung refrigerators are also getting in on the action, as are some small appliance brands such as iRobot Roomba and Shark robot vacuum cleaners.
The level of control with home appliances can differ between appliance and brand. For instance, you can turn an oven on, set the temperature and timer, but with kettles or coffee machines you may need to do a few things before it will safely work.
A lot of modern televisions have compatibility too, so you can pause, rewind and change the channel with your voice.
Other bits and pieces which you can buy include smart heating systems, smart lighting, and extend your music system.
You can use your voice to control these and get them to communicate with each other. The good news is that, unlike the appliances, there are dozens of variants out there which are super easy to use fully with Alexa.
Some Alexa-compatible devices will allow you to add your Amazon Dash buttons to the appliance so they can communicate.
It is a service through Amazon which allows you to order things if it detects that supplies are running low. So, some fridges will let you know when it is getting pretty empty and you can then order food and drink through the service.
Washing machines can let you know when detergent is running low. Coffee machines may tell you when the beans or milk is running out. Some can even be told to order automatically without you thinking.
Routines can be set up through the Alexa app.
They allow devices to communicate with each other and do certain things based on the actions of each other. So, you could set up a morning routine – by saying “Alexa, good morning”, with the right devices, your smart lights could come on, as could your smart heating in winter. With an Alexa smart plug, your coffee machine could even start brewing.
Another option is ‘good night’ where lights and the television could turn off without you lifting a finger, and from the comfort of your bed.
You can also trigger routines based on your location. When you’re close to home, the heating and lights could come on, and you can even be greeted by Alexa when you come through the door before she alerts everyone else in the home.
Some people are concerned about security, such as hackers stealing personal details. The good news is that Amazon Alexa is one of the safer systems.
As long as you buy authentic, big-brand appliances and tech to communicate with it, and you have a secure internet connection, you should be fine.
Some can be. Some can just as easily be a pain, too. Your certain verbal commands can be a challenge if Alexa doesn’t understand what you want your thermostat or washing machine to do. They also rely on WiFi to communicate with voice control.
However, the good news is that the Alexa app itself is really easy to use and can usually pick up new compatible devices which are in your home, and connect automatically.
