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    Best Smart Speakers of 2024

    These top-rated models from Amazon, Apple, Google, and Sonos are easy to use, and some of them sound great, too

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    white Sonos Move 2 on counter with plants and stack of cookbooks behind it
    Smart speakers come in a variety of sizes, and some, like models in the Sonos line, are portable.
    Photo: Sonos

    Shopping for a smart speaker becomes a lot easier once you know this simple secret: Today’s models are not only plenty smart but also just about equally smart.

    From a $50 entry-level model to a high-end speaker that would make a substantial dent in your credit card, most smart speakers function just about the same when summoning Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri. And that holds true whether you’re setting a simple kitchen timer or controlling an elaborate smart home setup.

    Which leads to another important truth. Despite the wide array of capabilities, most consumers use their smart speakers primarily to listen to music.

    More on Smart Speakers

    The testing program at Consumer Reports is built on those twin realities. All of the smart speaker models in our ratings are evaluated in our dedicated labs for ease of use, versatility, and most of all, sound quality.

    The smart speakers below cover a wide variety of needs, from the best-sounding model to the best speaker with a screen to the best model for users who live in a particular tech ecosystem. The speakers are then ranked from highest to lowest in terms of Overall Score.

    If you already know you want an Amazon speaker with the widely used Alexa digital assistant, you can read our guide to the entire Amazon Echo lineup, too. Consumer Reports is a nonprofit member organization. Our test samples are purchased at retail—no freebies for us.

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    We investigate, research, and test so you can choose with confidence.