Faster than an Apple TV and thinner than a Roku, Amazon’s Fire TV streaming player is a little box with big appeal. It’s so good in fact, that it might make Prime Instant Video subscribers out of all of us. The Bluetooth zapper is the star of the show.

Fast, attractive user interface; excellent voice search; high-quality video streaming (broadband permitting); deep integration with other Amazon music and photo services

Limited catch-up; media streaming functionality dependent upon apps

A great streaming choice for Amazon Prime members, particularly those who travel.

Easy installation in any HDMI port; Straightforward; simple menus; ASAP technology loads full resolution videos instantly; Plenty of free content for Amazon Prime members

Missing some major apps including Vudu and M-Go; Global search favors Amazon results; Remote app is inconsistent and voice search may not work

Does the world need another streaming box? Amazon Fire TV argues “yes” and says speed, voice search that actually works, and proper gaming set it apart from the Apple TV, Roku 3, and Google Chromecast.

In use you get the impression there is plenty of promise here. Fire TV is a neat and well-specified device. On this score it easily beats Apple TV, Roku 3 or Google Chromecast in memory and processor.

Amazon's stick-sized version of the Fire TV media hub is less than half the price and offers all of the same appealing features, save for sheer speed.

Inexpensive; Feature-rich; Lots of content and services available, especially for Amazon Prime members.

Not as quick as the Fire TV; Interface is curated primarily around Amazon content.

The Fire TV is an excellent set-top box which is powerful and well designed. The voice search works well too, and Alexa is coming, which will make it far better. The interface is slick and easy to use, even if it can be confusing working out what you can watch on an Amazon Prime subscription. The Fire TV is one of the best video streamers, but it really makes sense if you pair it with a Prime Instant Video subscription and use Amazon's other services. 4K content at no extra cost is a huge bonus but don't forget that many 4K TVs already have the Prime Instant Video app. This means it's going to appeal to people who want 4K Prime Instant Video (or Netflix) but their TV doesn't have it. If that's you, just double-check your TV has an HDMI port which supports HDCP 2.2, otherwise you'll find 4K videos won't play.

The Amazon All-New Fire TV is a versatile streaming box with excellent Alexa integration and a reasonable price tag, but the design is a head-scratcher.

Tons of content; Leverages Amazon Prime subscription; Excellent Alexa integration

Baffling appearance; Lackluster search; Focus on Amazon content can be overwhelming

Great price for 4K HDR; Solid app selection; Speedy performance; New power and volume buttons on remote;

No Now TV app; Not much 4K HDR content; Limited Alexa abilities for non-Amazon apps; Lame YouTube support;

Great price for 4K HDR; Solid app selection; Speedy performance; New power and volume buttons on remote;

No Now TV app; Not much 4K HDR content; Limited Alexa abilities for non-Amazon apps; Lame YouTube support;

Thanks to its powerful internals, great interface and Alexa, the Fire TV Stick is a fantastic gadget for watching Prime Video, Netflix, and UK TV on demand. Now with extra buttons at the same price. Even if you own a smart TV, the Stick is still a good buy - especially if you don't have Alexa through another device. It isn't quite as convenient as using an Amazon Echo, but at this price, it's fantastic value.