The best smart speakers for 2022

Top Smart Speakers for 2022: A Comprehensive Guide

Ever since the advent of Amazon’s Echo, our team has meticulously evaluated smart speakers and developed a keen understanding of what constitutes a superior product. We assert with confidence that the Sonos One (Gen 2) stands as an exemplary choice for most individuals, having been subjected to countless hours of auditory testing and smart home management. Regardless of your selection, you will likely be astounded by the capabilities of smart speakers.

The Sonos One is not only an exceptional smart speaker but also a remarkable wireless speaker, offering the best of both domains. It effortlessly manages your smart home and delivers high-fidelity audio that will appease audiophiles. However, there are several other noteworthy smart speakers to consider, particularly if you seek alternatives.

Top Smart Speakers at a Glance:

The Pinnacle of Smart Speakers: Sonos One (Gen 2)

Why this speaker stands out: This speaker delivers superb audio quality, integrates seamlessly with all Sonos devices, and supports more streaming services than any other smart speaker.

Target Audience: Everyone.

Why Choose the Sonos One (Gen 2): The second generation of Sonos One is designed for enhanced user experience, featuring a revamped design with touch controls and Bluetooth 5.0 for diverse connectivity options. Core functionalities, such as selecting between Alexa and Google Assistant and synchronizing with other Sonos speakers via Wi-Fi for an enriched audio experience, remain intact.

The speaker’s far-field microphone array captures voice commands across a room even when music is playing. Sonos assures that the hardware can mute the microphones, ensuring privacy when the mic indicator light is off. AirPlay 2 support allows seamless streaming from Apple devices to the speaker or any Sonos speaker within your home.

The integration of Sonos with Ikea to develop a new ecosystem of third-party devices that can control your Sonos One or any other Sonos speaker is impressive. The Sonos One Gen 2 is a splendid addition to your smart home.

Best Budget Smart Speaker: Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen) with Clock

Why this is a smart choice: Affordable, capable of home control, displays time, and routes sound through other speakers, although it might not be necessary.

Target Audience: Anyone in need of an Alexa voice-control hub.

Why We Selected the Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen) with Clock: Amazon’s fourth-generation Echo Dot, with its spherical design, is a departure from previous versions. It not only looks stunning but also tells time at a glance. Its compact size belies its powerful performance, making it ideal for small spaces like bedrooms and offices. The Echo Dot (4th Gen) with Clock, despite its small form factor, offers impressive bass and power, exceeding expectations for its size.

Priced at just $60, it’s an economical choice for acquiring multiple units without breaking the bank.

Best Smart Speaker for Amazon Alexa: Amazon Echo (4th Gen)

Why this is a wise selection: The Amazon Echo offers outstanding audio quality and smart home control, making it the premier Alexa-powered speaker.

Target Audience: Music enthusiasts with Alexa-enabled devices at home.

Why We Chose the Amazon Echo (4th Gen): Now in its fourth generation, the Amazon Echo combines superior audio performance with Alexa’s intelligence. It features a 3-inch woofer and two 0.8-inch front-firing tweeters, all housed in a new spherical design. It’s an excellent centerpiece for any living room, especially for entertaining guests. The Echo also boasts Bluetooth, stereo pairing, and a 3.5mm auxiliary audio jack.

Priced at just $100, the Echo offers rich smart speaker features and performance at a reasonable cost.

Best Smart Speaker for Google Assistant: Google Nest Audio

Why this is a great option: The Nest Audio provides superior sound and more features than its predecessor, at an affordable price of $100.

Target Audience: Anyone who enjoys high-quality music and relies on Google Assistant.

Why We Chose the Google Nest Audio: The Nest Audio, Google’s successor to the Google Home, offers an enticing blend of intelligence and power. It features a 19mm tweeter and a 75mm mid-woofer, making it significantly more powerful than its predecessor. It delivers louder and richer sound, making it perfect for music enthusiasts. At $100, it offers excellent value for money.

Best Smart Speaker for Apple Music: Apple HomePod Mini

Why this product is worth the investment: If you’re an Apple aficionado, the HomePod Mini offers superb sound quality in a compact design.

Target Audience: Apple users with an iPhone and an Apple Music or Spotify subscription.

Why We Chose the Apple HomePod Mini: Apple’s HomePod Mini is a more affordable and well-rounded successor to the original HomePod. It offers excellent audio quality and integrates seamlessly with Siri for various tasks. Its compact design doesn’t compromise on sound quality, and it can adapt to different audio scenarios, such as enhancing dialogue in movies.

Best Smart Speaker for TV: Sonos Beam

Why this is a good purchase: The Sonos Beam offers superior sound quality and advanced voice control in a compact design.

Target Audience: Anyone with a TV in a smaller space.

Why We Chose the Sonos Beam: The Sonos Beam is a compact soundbar that delivers exceptional audio quality and fits easily under small TVs. It can be part of a multi-room audio system and offers comprehensive smart speaker capabilities, including running Alexa or Google Assistant. It can control your TV and other smart home devices through voice commands, making it a versatile addition to your home.

Best Portable Smart Speaker: Bose Portable Home Speaker

Why this speaker is an excellent choice: Lightweight, portable, and delivers remarkable sound quality.

Target Audience: Individuals seeking a smart speaker that can keep up with their dynamic lifestyle.

Why We Chose the Bose Portable Speaker: The Bose Portable Home Speaker offers the flexibility of choosing your preferred voice assistant and comes with a carry-handle, rechargeable battery, and Bluetooth, making it perfect for on-the-go use. Although it may be pricier than the Sonos One, it provides excellent flexibility and performance. It offers up to 12 hours of music playback between charges and is water-resistant, making it suitable for outdoor use.

Best Smart Speaker for Room-Filling Sound: Marshall Woburn II

Why this is a top choice: Classic design and rich, powerful sound.

Target Audience: Those who refuse to compromise on sound quality and aesthetic appeal.

Why We Chose the Marshall Woburn II: The Marshall Woburn II combines a retro-cool guitar amp-inspired design with powerful sound. It features two 1-inch tweeters and two 5.25-inch subwoofers powered by 110-watt Class D amps, delivering distortion-free sound even at high volumes. While it doesn’t support voice assistants directly, it offers superior sound quality and a stylish design that stands out.

Best Smart Speaker for 3D Sound: Amazon Echo Studio

Why this smart speaker is exceptional: It is the only smart speaker with Dolby Atmos capabilities, delivering a truly immersive, 3D sound experience.

Target Audience: Alexa enthusiasts seeking a speaker at the forefront of digital music formats.

Why We Chose the Amazon Echo Studio: The Echo Studio is a new type of smart speaker that supports high-quality audio formats like Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio, providing an immersive, 3D sound experience. It also offers robust bass and clear sound, making it an excellent choice for audiophiles.

Research and Buying Tips

Should I buy an Alexa smart speaker or Google smart speaker? This depends on your preferred ecosystem. Both have their advantages and support popular streaming services. If you’re undecided, choose a smart speaker that offers flexibility, such as the Sonos One or Bose Portable Home Speaker.

Do smart speakers help the visually impaired? Yes. Smart speakers provide significant functionality through voice interactions, making them beneficial for visually impaired individuals.

Do smart speakers have an aux input? Some smart speakers, like the Marshall Stanmore II Voice, feature 3.5mm inputs. Verify this feature before purchasing if you need an aux input.

Can I use smart speakers to listen to FM radio? Most smart speakers do not have an FM tuner. Internet radio is your best option for listening to radio on these speakers.

Do smart speakers usually have a battery? Some smart speakers have built-in or add-on batteries. If portability is important, ensure the speaker has this feature.

How do smart speakers help the visually impaired? Smart speakers provide significant assistance to visually impaired individuals by enabling voice-activated control for various tasks, such as turning on lights and reading the news aloud