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Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Smart tech on a budget: 5 must-have smart home devices under ₹5,000
Smart home technology is gaining traction across Indian households. What was once a premium category is now accessible to the average consumer, with reliable devices available at competitive price points. From voice assistants to home surveillance and wireless charging solutions, smart gadgets are now helping users automate, secure, and streamline everyday routines. This curated list features five smart home devices, all priced under ₹5,000, offering a practical upgrade without stretching your budget. Priced at ₹4,499, the Amazon Echo Pop brings hands-free convenience by adding voice control to any part of the home. It is powered by Alexa and responds to voice commands for music playback, news updates, alarms, smart appliance control, and more. For users juggling multiple tasks, like cooking or working from home, it enables multitasking without reaching for a screen. For instance, users can ask Alexa to set kitchen timers, play recipe instructions, switch off lights, or schedule reminders. Security cameras typically cost upwards of ₹5,000, putting them out of reach for many budget-conscious buyers. However, the TP-Link Tapo C200 is priced around ₹1,499, offering a cost-effective alternative without compromising essential features. This indoor smart camera provides 360-degree coverage, night vision, motion detection, and 2-way audio, allowing users to monitor their homes remotely via a smartphone app. Video doorbells are becoming increasingly popular as homeowners seek better security and remote access to their entrances. The Zebronics VDB200 streams live video directly to smartphones, letting users monitor visitors in real time at an affordable price of ₹2,499. This wireless video doorbell features motion detection alerts and night vision to improve safety day and night. The device supports both cloud and SD card storage, offering flexible options for recording without costly subscriptions. 3-in-1 magnetic foldable MagSafe wireless charger is a compact charging solution for Apple users. With multiple devices to charge daily and users always being on the go, people are increasingly turning to multi-functional charging solutions. Priced at ₹2,990, this compatible wireless charger powers an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods simultaneously. As remote work and online streaming become routine, poor Wi-Fi coverage remains a common issue in many households. The TP-Link AC1200 range extender is designed to eliminate dead zones by boosting the existing router's signal. With dual-band support, it can improve speeds in rooms where the signal drops frequently. At ₹2,299, it's a budget-friendly fix that doesn't require upgrading your entire internet setup.
Tom's Guide
06-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Tom's Guide
25 best last-minute Mother's Day gifts — shop my favorite deals from Kindle, Le Creuset, YETI and more
Mother's Day is this Sunday, May 11 — and if you're looking for some last-minute gifts to spoil Mom on her special day, you've come to the right place. But you'll have to act fast if you want these items (which all happen to be on sale) in time for Sunday! Whether you're shopping for your mother, your wife or another maternal figure in your life, there are tons of great gifts to suit her specific tastes or needs — at a wide range of price points to fit your budget. And fortunately, I've narrowed down all the best Mother's Day deals you can shop before it's too late. From affordable little luxuries and daily essentials to modern tech and cozy favorites, here are all the great gifts that Mom deserves this Mother's Day. Best Mother's Day Deals Mother's Day sale: deals from $4 @ Target If you're looking to shop something special for Mom (without breaking the bank), Target has tons of great deals that she'll love. From clothing and candles to Kindles, there's plenty of gifting options to choose from. Cozy Earth Mother's Day sale: up to 35% off @ Cozy Earth From pajamas and sleep masks to bedding and blankets, Cozy Earth's name says everything you need to know. They make some of the softest and coziest products on the market — many of which are 25% off for Mother's Day. I recommend buying your favorite lady these Rib-Knit Classic Long Sleeve Pajama Set for nearly $50 off. Amazon Echo Pop: was $39 now $27 at Amazon Amazon's compact smart speaker packs Alexa features into a space-saving design. The front-facing speaker delivers clear audio for music and podcasts, while still handling all your usual voice commands. Good for nightstands or desks where space is tight, and the semi-sphere design looks cleaner than typical smart speakers. Brooklinen Mulberry Silk Eyemask: was $35 now $29 at Brooklinen If Mom needs a little extra help catching those Z's, this sleep mask is sure to do the trick. Made of Mulberry silk, it offers the perfect amount of elasticity, comfort and is also machine washable. I've tried several other brands of sleep masks over the years but nothing compares to this breathable, soft and cool to the touch mask from Brooklinen. Stanley Quencher H2.0 Tumbler (40 oz): was $45 now $33 at Amazon Feeling extra thirsty? This Stanley Quencher H2.0 FlowState Tumbler hold a whopping 40 oz of water. It's made with recycled stainless steel, features a 3-position lid, and reusable straw. Its double-wall vacuum insulation can keep water ice cold for 40 hours and it can fit in most cup holders. Crocs Classic Floral Cut-Out Clog: was $54 now $34 at Crocs US These Crocs are oozing with spring style! If Mom is a fan of Crocs, these are a must-shop. The Classic Clog features a fresh, feminine twist thanks to its floral-inspired cutouts. The fun shoe is lightweight and comfortable, meaning you'll want to sport them all spring long. NEOM Massage Oil Candle for Sleep: was $47 now $39 at Amazon NEOM makes some really nice candles using 100% natural fragrances — and this one's great for your skin and your sleep. If you didn't know a candle could do this much, it can. Using a wonderful blend of lavender, chamomile and patchouli, it'll help you relax. Plus, the careful use of oils and cocoa seed butter will moisturize and hydrate your skin. Lego Wildflower Bouquet: was $59 now $47 at Amazon A bouquet of LEGO roses will last much longer than a bouquet of normal flowers, making these an awesome Mother's Day gift. The best part is that building the flowers makes for a fun activity to share with Mom. Keurig Iced and Hot K-Cup Maker: was $79 now $69 at Walmart If Mom likes her coffee hot as much as she likes it iced, but can't wait for grounds to steep overnight (or doesn't divulge in half a pot of caffeine every day), then this handy countertop appliance makes for a great gift — even more so when it's $10 less than normal. Two-thousand-plus reviewers rave about the simple effectiveness (it even brews tea!) of this machine and its sleek, compact appearance. Blink Video Doorbell + Outdoor 4: was $159 now $79 at Amazon This bundle deal gets you two great Blink devices for just $79. Answer your door from anywhere with Video Doorbell and help protect your home inside and out with our wire-free Outdoor 4 smart security camera. You don't want to miss out on this bundle that will save you $80. Anthropologie Luxe Faux Fur Throw Blanket: was $138 now $104 at Anthropologie (US) Help your mom lounge in the luxury she deserves with this oversized, faux fur throw blanket. It is extremely soft and its variety of tie-dye, gradient hues will stand out in any room. You might even recognize the viral faux fur blanket from TikTok! Le Creuset Stoneware Heritage Set 3 Rectangular Dishes: was $195 now $134 at Le Creuset Serve up your meals in style with this colorful set of 3 Le Creuset rectangular dishes, measuring 12.5-inch, 10-inch and 7.5 inch. The high quality stoneware ensures excellent heat distribution from uniform browning and even cooking without hot spots, while keeping food warm or cold for serving. With over a dozen color options, you can choose Mom's favorite. Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle, Rose: was $161 now $121 at Amazon Is the mom you're shopping for a bookworm? This bundle includes the 16GB version of the excellent Kindle Paperwhite alongside a fabric protective cover (in a pretty pink rose color) and a power adapter. The 16GB space will hold enough books to keep her reading for a long time. Theragun Mini Massage Gun: was $199 now $169 at Amazon Theragun's travel-sized massage gun comes with three foam attachments, so you can tailor the device based on your aches and pains. Therabody makes high-tech wellness feel luxurious, so Mom will definitely be blown away. Beats Studio Pro X Kim Kardashian: was $349 now $169 at Amazon The Beats Studio Pro x Kim Kardashian Special Edition in color Dune look like they could've been pulled off the color palette from the same-named blockbuster movie franchise. The shade's warmth reminds me of the evening desert. Beyond the fancy color option, there's no real difference between these and the standard Beats Studio Pro. They are discounted less often, however, so if you're interested in this color, then now is the time to grab a pair. In our Beats Studio Pro review, we found one of the best parts of these headphones was their battery life. Ninja 0.5-quart Creami: was $229 now $199 at Target There's nothing better than a bowl of ice cream — and this gadget has earned plenty of social media points for being the best at what it does. In our Ninja Creami review, we praised it for its ease of use (dangerously easy!), its multiple functions, and how many customizable recipes are available for it. Lowest Price! Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition: was $279 now $224 at Amazon The new Kindle Colorsoft features all the benefits of a Kindle, only in glorious color. If you want to see books or read comics in color, this is the Kindle you've been waiting for. While it's decidedly expensive, it delivers on the promise of providing the Kindle experience in color. In our Kindle Colorsoft review, we called it a winner thanks to its sharp and vibrant color display, lightweight design, long battery life, and enormous Kindle library. Shark FlexStyle System: was $299 now $239 at Amazon This Shark FlexStyle system is a great choice for about half the price of the Dyson Airwrap. Of course, the hair tools someone needs depends on their hair type, but overall, this all-in-one system is an awesome choice to replace Mom's old hair drier. KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5 Quart: was $349 now $249 at Amazon Big enough to make up to eight dozen cookies — that's 28 grams of dough if you were wondering — this mixer features a tilt-head design for better mixing and 10 speeds to do the heavy lifting of a meal or frozen treat for you. It can quickly whisk, mix, beat and whip up a storm. It also comes with silver coated flat beater, dough hook and 6-wire metal whip. Get baking with this great deal. Apple Watch 10 (GPS/42mm): was $399 now $299 at Amazon The latest Apple Watch model has a larger display than its predecessors, as well as a performance bump to include sleep apnea notifications, faster charging, and temperature sensing. The design is extra sleek, too. In our Apple Watch 10 review we said the optimized watchOS 11 experience and faster charging are worthwhile and make this the Apple Watch to get for most people. Plus, you can't go wrong with a pastel blue band for springtime. Shark LED Face Mask + SmoothStyle Heated Comb: was $449 now $399 at Amazon This is the perfect Mother's Day bundle! Give Mom the gift of beauty with this Shark CryoGlow LED Mask that refreshes skin with MedSpa-inspired under-eye cooling and LED treatments. It's bundled with the Shark SmoothStyle hair tool, which perfects all hair types with smooth, voluminous, frizz-free styles — no heat damage. Mom is sure to love getting pampered with these luxurious tools.
CNN
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
24 home finds from this year's HGTV Smart Home we're currently eyeing, starting at $30
HGTV Smart Home 2025 home finds quick picks Colorful smart speaker: Amazon Echo Pop Minimalist bed frame: Article Basi Bed Frame Playable wall art: Archtwain Wall Games Playable Football Decor The HGTV Smart Home 2025 is officially move-in ready, and the fully furnished San Antonio abode features all the bells and whistles you'd hope to see, plus some unexpected surprises (cold plunge anybody?). But the excitement doesn't just end with a new house. This year's HGTV Smart Home Sweepstakes winner will also be walking away with a 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC Plug-In Hybrid SUV and $100,000 in cash. Are you wondering what to expect inside and outside the home? Honestly, we don't blame you. We got a sneak peek at this year's smart home and pulled together some of our favorite products, which includes some items we love and have tested, like the Samsung Frame TV, so you can shop the actual picks for yourself even if you don't win the sweepstakes. To see how everything came together, check out this tour of the home given by this year's HGTV Smart Home designer Poonam Moore. You have until May 23 to enter the Sweepstakes — good luck! Samsung 43-Inch The Frame We've reviewed both the 2021 version of this TV and the 2024 version (which is featured in the home), so we can't say we're surprised that it's earned a spot in this year's smart home. With its beautiful design and large gallery of artwork that can be displayed when it's not in use, Samsung's The Frame TV has continued to impress us with how effortlessly it transforms blank walls and spaces. Read our review Simplehuman Rechargeable Sensor Soap Pump CNN Underscored's home and gifts editor Amina Lake Patel has this rechargeable dispenser from Simplehuman, which she uses for both hand soap and hand sanitizer. We love that the design eliminates the need to touch anything, which is especially useful when you're handling things like raw meat. Zstarr Motorized Smart Blind for Window With Remote Control With these motorized smart blinds, having to manually close your window blinds is a thing of the past. Ozarke Rusee Smart Table With Speaker Far from your standard end table, the Rusee smart table from Ozarke doubles as a Bluetooth speaker and even has a built-in wireless charger, so you can juice up your devices in style. We love the table's simple, modern design, which is perfect for the minimalist at heart. Amazon Echo Pop Also making an appearance in this year's smart home? The Amazon Echo Pop, which we love for its budget-friendly price and color selection. We also couldn't help but notice that the Echo Pop isn't the only Amazon device in the home. The clockless version of our favorite budget-speaker, the 5th Generation Echo Dot, is also our review Amazon Fire HD 8 With the Amazon Fire HD 8, you can browse the internet or dive into a new book with the touch of a finger. We reviewed an older version of the tablet in 2020 and found it to be well worth the price. BroadLink IR/RF Smart Home Hub This smart home hub can be used to control shades, light switches and more within your home. The best part? It's compatible with Google Assistant and Alexa, so you can set up voice prompts. Huupe Smart Mini Basketball Hoop Game Console It's easy to see why this basketball hoop game console caught the eye of CNN Underscored senior lifestyle editor Tamara Kraus. Complete with shot and distance tracking, so you can keep a tab on your stats, the Huupe Mini gives you access to tons of subscription-free games, all while letting you stream your favorite music and shows. Chiltern Velvet Tufted Sofa Everyone's dream sofa looks different, but regardless of where you imagine kicking your feet up, there's no denying the comfiness factor of this velvet, tufted sofa from Chiltern. Four Hands Cairo Chair We couldn't take our eyes off of this upholstered chair from Four Hands, which features wraparound arms and a loose seat cushion. We love that the chair comes in four neutral colors to complement any style. Article Harmon Checkerboard Side Table We love a good piece of multi-functional furniture, like Article's Harmon Checkerboard Side Table. The wooden tabletop flips over to reveal a checkerboard and a hidden storage space underneath where you can stash game pieces or other knickknacks. Avant 76-Inch Metal Articulating Floor Lamp With Fabric Shade Floor lamps help pull a room together, and we couldn't be more obsessed with this decor pick. It works perfectly in a modern home, like this one, thanks to its unique silhouette and burnished finishing. OneFortyThree Tablet Stand Having a tablet stand nearby comes in handy when you need to prop up your iPad or Kindle. We love how design-forward this made-to-order tablet stand is, with its curved shape and rounded brass feet. Fire Cold Plunge 3.0 Interested in reaping the benefits of cold plunging? This year's smart home features the Fire Cold Plunge 3.0, which has medical-grade lining, ambient lighting in the form of LED lights and slip-proof flooring, so you can go in and out of the tub with confidence. AllModern Padua Nightstand As AllModern's Padua Nightstand proves, your bedside table does not have to be boring. The drawer space gives you plenty of room to stash your book, blue-light glasses, nighttime snacks, sleep mask and more, while its top gives you a spot to place your water bottle. Article Basi Bed Frame When it comes to bed frames, simple ones can make just as much of a statement in the bedroom. I love the look of this minimalist frame which, depending on the vibes you're going for, can be pushed up against the wall or paired with a nice headboard. Pottery Barn Bouclé Pillow Cover Patel said the interior designers she's interviewed have always recommended switching up your pillow covers if you're looking for a quick way to freshen up your space for less. She likes this one from Pottery Barn, which is used in the living room and has a boucle side and a solid flax side. Lavauk Mango Wood Fruit Bowl Another one of Patel's picks is this handmade, wooden fruit bowl, which appears in the kitchen of the smart home and can also double as decor. Archtwain Wall Games Playable Football Decor We can't imagine a cooler piece of wall art for a gaming room than this handcrafted piece. When mounted, it's an incredible statement piece soccer fans are sure to love. When you pull it down from the wall, it transforms into a fun tabletop-style game for loads of family fun. Ruggable Outdoor Offset Stripe Black Rug Ruggable's stylish selection of interchangeable and machine-washable rugs is part of what makes the brand so popular. Case in point: Kraus has several Ruggable rugs throughout her apartment. The deck area outside features this striped one, which helps to cozy up the space. Ozarke Floating Shoe Shelf If you thought the soccer wall art was cool, you'll love this unique floating shoe shelf from Ozarke, which Patel thinks is a great piece of decor for shoe lovers. Plus, with Father's Day coming up, she thinks it would make a unique gift for Dad as well. Aerlo Ceramic Candle Holder Set Patel loves the look of this candle holder set from Amazon, which she described as 'a unique, easy piece of decor that will make your place look fancy.' This set appears in the kitchen, but we can see it working in other parts of the home, like a bedroom or the living room, as well. Dupray Air Purifier If you're concerned about the level of dust and other pollutants in your home, an air purifier is a great buy. This one from Amazon doubles as a planter or an accent table (depending on the version you get), which is what makes it particularly cool in our eyes. It offers real-time air quality monitoring and has fans that can automatically adjust their speed level. Hiendure 12-Inch Brass Clothes Hanger Patel loves the functionality of these types of clothes racks, since they give you a place to hang your items when you need it but can fold away when not in use. Though this hanger is used in the laundry room, depending on your needs it can be used in other spaces, too, including outdoors. Where is the HGTV Smart Home 2025 located? Where is the HGTV Smart Home 2025 located? This year's HGTV Smart Home is located in San Antonio, Texas. What happens if you win HGTV Smart Home? What happens if you win HGTV Smart Home? In addition to winning the HGTV Smart Home 2025, this year's HGTV Smart Home Sweepstakes winner will also walk away with a 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC Plug-In Hybrid SUV and $100,000 in cash. How does HGTV notify you if you win? How does HGTV notify you if you win? For specific information on when the winner of this year's HGTV Smart Home will be chosen and how they will be contacted, please visit and review the rules. CNN Underscored has a team of writers and editors who have many years of experience testing, researching and recommending products, and they ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to top experts when relevant to make certain we are testing each product accurately, recommending only the best products and considering the pros and cons of each item. For this article, associate lifestyle editor Rachel Dennis, alongside home and gifts editor Amina Lake Patel and senior lifestyle editor Tamara Kraus, curated a list of some of the best home finds featured in this year's HGTV Smart Home.
Telegraph
28-02-2025
- Telegraph
Amazon Echo Pop review: A great, compact smart speaker that's hard to recommend
Alternative sellers: £44.99 at Currys, £44.99 at Argos Our rating: 7/10 We like: Compact design The cheapest Echo smart speaker Alexa can be transformative We don't like: So-so sound quality Some missing features Echo Dot is only £10 more What is the Amazon Echo Pop? For years, picking an Amazon smart speaker was reasonably easy. The Echo Studio was for audiophiles, the regular Echo was for mid-range buyers and the Echo Dot was the best-value smart speaker for small spaces or households that want Alexa in more rooms. It was a nice and easy three-tier choice, with clear differentiation on each step of the ladder. The Echo Pop is now the slightly baffling entry-level model and it's a bit of a head-scratcher given it's so close to the superior Echo Dot in price. It's still a small Alexa smart speaker, letting you control it with your voice but it's even tinier with a design that looks more like a traditional miniature speaker. It also misses out on a few non-essential features. It can no longer detect motion and the temperature sensor has also been dropped. The ability to tap the top to pause music or snooze an alarm has also gone, as there's no accelerometer inside. It has a slightly larger 1.95-inch driver which should improve sound quality but as you'll read in a moment, I don't think it does. While you may not miss the features that Amazon has cut to reach its £44.99 asking price, it's only £10 less than the Echo Dot, which makes it a difficult recommendation. How we test smart speakers You can break down how we assess smart speakers by the two words that make up the product category. With the 'smart' portion, we examine the features that the voice assistant offers, how well it understands spoken instructions and how intelligently the device answers. For the 'speaker' part, we look at everything from design and connectivity to sound quality, including the music streaming services that are supported. Both parts are fully tested by living with the speakers, providing pop quizzes to test the voice assistant and listening to different kinds of media, from rock music to audiobooks. Personally, I have a lot of experience dealing with smart speakers, having owned an Amazon Echo since the first cylindrical model arrived in the UK back in 2016 and I've reviewed most Amazon and Google hardware since. I know all too well how they can both dazzle and frustrate, often both in a single afternoon. Visit our Who We Are page to learn more about Telegraph Recommended reviews. Design, setup and usability: 9/10 Amazon has incorporated ease of use down to a fine art with its Echo products. With just a cable and the Pop speaker in the box, it will begin guiding you through the setup process as soon as you connect it to the mains, instructing you to download the Alexa app with a crisp, clear voice. Once in, adding the speaker is quick and easy and then it's ready to use. It's simple, even for newcomers, to get the hang of the Echo. Just say the wake word (defaulted to 'Alexa', but with a number of alternatives selectable in the app) followed by what you want to happen. Saying 'Alexa, what's in the news?' will give you a quick rundown of the headlines, while asking the voice assistant to 'play the Rolling Stones' will provide access to instant 60s rock greatness (with a live subscription to a streaming service, but more on that later). The Pop looks a bit different from recent Echo devices, eschewing the futuristic-looking sphere shape for a more traditional flat front and lacking the Echo Spot's miniature display. The headlight-shaped device comes in four colours including just a plain black or white, as well as a more playful lavender or teal, allowing it to be less or more understated than the Echo Dot to match your personal taste and home decor. Sound quality: 6/10 It feels a bit harsh to judge the Echo Pop on its sound quality, as it's clearly not aimed at audiophiles. Indeed, on its own merits, the sound is rather good for such a diminutive speaker and it's rather pleasant for casual desk listening at a low volume while you work, especially if you're listening to spoken-word content like podcasts, audiobooks or the radio. However, despite having a larger 1.95-inch driver, to my ears, the Echo Pop sounds noticeably worse than the 1.73-inch speaker inside the Echo Dot. The explanation may simply be that the round shape of the Dot spreads audio more evenly than the front-facing flat grille of the Echo Pop, but it sounds less rich and is more prone to distortion at higher volumes. Interestingly, even Amazon seems to acknowledge these differences on its product listings: the Echo Dot offers a 'bigger vibrant sound', while the Pop merely provides 'full sound'. It's worth noting that if you are determined to use the Echo Pop for music, you can combine two as a stereo pair and this will improve things no end. But if you're spending £90 on Echo Pops, you're probably better off buying the regular Amazon Echo for £20 more instead. Voice assistant: 7/10 Amazon has been improving the Alexa voice assistant since it first arrived on the scene in 2014 and it's now mature enough to mostly behave as you'd hope. Phrases like 'Alexa, what does my commute look like?' and 'Alexa, turn on the bedroom light' work reliably, instantly eliciting the desired response without fuss. Trivia questions that would once have stumped it with a disappointing 'Hmm, I don't know that one' now get decent responses more often than not, as long as they're phrased simply. It's not perfect and it can still disappoint, most often when asking for specific music. Quite often, you'll find it playing something completely different to what you've asked for, even when you've listed the exact name of the track and artist. Albums with the same name as specific tracks routinely give it problems. The good news is that Alexa is cloud-based software, so will continue to improve without switching speakers. A first-generation Echo will be just as smart as the latest model, for instance. With the Pop specifically, the microphones seem a little less responsive, especially when running at higher volumes. That's more of a problem with this model, since Amazon has removed the physical action button that makes it listen for instructions without the 'Alexa' wake word. Connectivity: 8/10 The Echo family has no preference for iPhone over Android and both platforms have apps with exactly the same functionality. That's good, but in truth, you won't spend much time using the app anyway, unless you're troubleshooting or adding new functionality in the form of extra apps or smart home devices. The latter is one of the main selling points of an Amazon Echo, with a huge array of compatible devices from smart light bulbs to thermostats, all of which can be controlled from the Echo Pop via your voice (for example: 'Alexa, dim the lights in the living room'). All of this works because the Echo Pop connects directly to your Wi-Fi, supporting both 2.4GHz and 5GHz on 802.11ac networks. The bad news is that if your internet goes down, so will the Echo Pop. While there's no audio jack, the Echo Pop does have Bluetooth on board. This lets you either output sound directly from another device to the Pop or, more likely, push the Pop's audio to a better Bluetooth speaker. You can also pair two Echo Pops together for stereo sound to improve audio within the Alexa app. Music streaming services: 9/10 To Amazon's credit, it puts no limits on what streaming platform provides your music. While the Echo Pop does push you to use the company's Music Unlimited service by default, it's easy to override it. Not that you'll necessarily want to. Like its well-stocked rivals, Music Unlimited has a library of over 100 million songs and you can shave £1 off the £11.99 a month fee if you're a Prime member. The company even offers a single Echo device service for £5.99 a month, though that would be wasted on the Pop. The Echo Pop supports all the big hitters: Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal and Deezer all have libraries with hundreds of millions of songs at similar price points, so it's really about picking your preference. The only notable streamer currently unsupported is Qobuz and that doesn't seem to be Amazon's decision. Whichever streamer you pick, it's worth ensuring that it's set to be the default player in the Alexa app. That will mean you can just say 'Alexa, play classical music' rather than 'Alexa, play classical music on Spotify '. Technical specifications As you'll have gathered from the text above, the most natural comparator is the Echo Dot which was, until the Pop arrived, Amazon's cheapest smart speaker. It's close in the battle of Echo Pop vs Echo Dot. Both are small speakers with impressive sound for their price and size, with the latter retailing for £10 more at £54.99. Telegraph verdict: 7/10 Taken in isolation, the Echo Pop is a marvellous little smart speaker that offers plenty of punch despite its diminutive size. However, while it would be an easy recommendation for testing the waters with smart speakers, the simple existence of the Echo Dot gets in the way of things. With five generations behind it, the Echo Dot is here to stay and it remains the superior product, with a motion sensor, temperature sensor, tap controls and better sound all going in its favour. For £10 more, it feels like the sensible choice, for this generation at least. FAQs What's the difference in sound between the Echo Pop and Echo Dot? In theory, the Echo Pop should have better sound quality than the Echo Dot, owing to its larger driver. In practice, however, I found that the Echo Dot not only produced a richer sound but that it didn't distort as much at high volumes, either. Is the Echo Pop loud enough for a small room? Yes, the Echo Pop's sound can comfortably fill a small room. In terms of volume, it can get impressively loud, but it distorts quite a lot at higher volumes, making it unsuitable for parties. Can you use the Echo Pop as a Bluetooth speaker? Yes, you can connect another device to the Echo Pop to use it as a Bluetooth speaker. You can also output audio from the Pop to another Bluetooth speaker, should you wish. What colours does the Echo Pop come in? The Echo Pop comes in four colours: Midnight Teal, Glacier White, Charcoal or Lavender Bloom. You can also buy sleeves for the Echo Pop to mix things up even further.
