I have it in my bathroom to listen to while showering. Great to not have to get out to turn it up/down or off.

Improved audio; Better tap controls; Display shows more information;

3.5mm audio jack has been removed;

Amazon tends to push its Echo smart speakers forward with small steps more often than big ones, and sometimes small steps are just enough. The fifth-generation Echo Dot With Clock ($59.99) doesn’t sound much different from the previous version, but its revised LED display is far more useful with more to show than just the time, and new motion sensors let you interact with the speaker with a tap. Considering the Echo Dot series has been a favorite of ours for generations, it’s little surprise that the 2022 iteration of the Echo Dot With Clock earns our Editors’ Choice award.Same Sphere, Better Display The fifth-generation Echo Dot With Clock looks almost physically identical to the fourth-generation model. It’s a slightly squat 3.9-by-3.5-inch sphere (HD) available in light blue or white. The sphere is split diagonally, with the top and forward half covered in grille fabric and the bottom and back half bound in matte plastic. Four rubber buttons (action, mic mute, and volume up and...

The fifth-generation Amazon Echo Dot With Clock adds new visible information like song titles and weather conditions, making it an ever smarter speaker than the previous model for the same price.

LED display more useful than previous model; Convenient tap gestures; Well-balanced sound; Can serve as eero mesh network node

No 3.5mm jack; Limited frequency range

Good sound for a small device; Useful tap gestures; Works as a Wi-Fi extender with Eero systems;

Distorts at higher volumes; Sound isn’t hugely better than 4th gen; More expensive for UK buyers;

The Amazon Echo Dot was already the best compact smart speaker around and this iterative 2022 update maintains that

Still the best-value small smart speaker; Improved bass; Temperature sensor could be handy;

Minimal change; Line in/out jack has been removed;

Improved audio; Looks great; Improved tap controls;

No 3.5mm audio output;

Amazon tends to push its Echo smart speakers forward with small steps, not big ones, but sometimes small steps are just enough. The fifth-generation Echo Dot ($49.99) doesn’t sound much different from the previous version, but new motion sensors now let you interact with the speaker with a tap. It's a capable smart speaker, but for $10 more the Echo Dot With Clock features an LED display that can show useful information, while offering all of the same features as the standard Echo Dot. Because of this, the Echo Dot With Clock stands as our Editors' Choice for small smart speakers. Much the Same Sphere The fifth-generation Echo Dot looks almost physically identical to the fourth-generation model. It’s a slightly squat 3.9-by-3.5-inch sphere (HD) available in light blue or white. The sphere is split diagonally, with the top and forward half covered in grille fabric and the bottom and back half bound in matte plastic. Four rubber buttons (action, mic mute, and volume up and down) pr...

The fifth-generation Amazon Echo Dot adds tap gestures and mesh networking, but is otherwise nearly identical to the previous version.

Convenient tap gestures; Well-balanced sound; Can serve as an Eero mesh network node

No 3.5mm jack; Limited frequency range