I have already done the review of Amazon Echo Dot the cheapest Smart Speaker in the Echo Family and here is another one the Amazon Echo Plus review and this once is the higher variant, priced at Rs. 10,499. And it is much better than the Echo Dot.

Since I have both the Amazon Echo Dot and this Amazon Echo Pus, I know very well how these speakers perform. Now the Echo Plus comes with many features that are missing on the Echo Dot and when it comes to performance the Echo Plus is way better.

The best thing about the Echo Plus is the built in Smart Home Hub that can detect many smart devices without the need of any mediator or any bridge. This smart speaker can directly detect smart lights, smart plugs and more.

This is a smart speaker, there are few buttons but to get the speaker working you need to talk to it. The Amazon Echo Plus makes use of Alexa Cloud based voice service to communicate, hence a always on net connection is recommended.

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Amazon Echo Plus review

Amazon Echo Plus specifications

Inside the box (unboxing) : Speaker, user manual, card with commands and adapter
Type : Smart Speaker, Alexa Enabled, with built in Smart Home hub
Speaker type : Dual Speakers, 2.5″ Woofer and 0.8″ tweeter
Mic : 7 array microphone, very powerful and it works from a far off distance
Size : 235 x 84 x 84 mm
Weight : 954 grams
Connectivity : Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Others : Built in Hub, Smart home compatible

You will need to download the Amazon Alexa app to connect this speaker for the first time. Alexa will guide you, the process is simple and hardly takes anytime.

Amazon Echo Plus quality

Performance

This Echo Plus sounds great, very loud – louder than the Echo Dot and the sound quality is awesome much better than as experienced on the Echo Dot. Plus bass is too good, high – thanks to 2.5″ Woofer and 0.8″ tweeter. There is also a audio jack option, in case you want to connect to external speaker.

Amazon Echo Plus power and audio jack

There are 2 buttons (mic mute/unmute and action button) and a knob on the top to increase or decrease volume. There is multi color LED light on the top check video to get an idea. Now this Echo Plus comes with a special adapter to power on. There is no built in battery so you need to keep this speaker connected to power source all the time.

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You also need a always on net connection as this speaker is cloud based and it gets all the info from the net.

Amazon Echo Plus top button

What can this speaker do?

Say Alexa to enable the voice input and then just ask your question or request. You can say Alexa, play music, Where is my order, order food, book ola, ask any general question, anything funny, jokes, weather, news, recipes, latest cricket scores and more.

Alexa is connected with Zomato, TOI, NDTV, ESPN cricinfo (for sports related info), goibibo, freshmenu, ola, hue, syska led and more. For music it gets files from Amazon Prime, Saavan, Tunein. Alexa also has access to Kindle you an ask her to read a Kindle book for you.

With Amazon Echo Plus you can also connect Philips Hue bulbs and there is no need of a hue bridge, Echo Plus can automatically detect the light and you can then ask Alexa to switch on, off, change brightness or change color.

The best thing is you can say Alexa from anywhere in the room even from a very far distance, it will hear you and you don’t need to be facing the speaker just say it anyway. Plus if music is being played and you say the magic work Alexa it can still hear that.

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Verdict

This is a unique product and does an amazing job. You can ask Alexa anything, most of the time Alexa can recognize what you say but at times it does not, don’t worry it will learn and get better and better.

You can ask Alexa to set an alarm, wake you up at a particular time, set a reminder, it’s your personal assistant.

There are 3 Alexa Echo variants this one is the best if it fits your budget.

Rating 4.8 out of 5

You can buy the Alexa Echo Plus from Amazon for Rs. 10,499.

By Rajeev Rana

Founder and Chief Editor - gogi.in