Few utilities cut down on labor in my house as much as my voice assistants: I use them for turning out the lights, arming my alarms, summoning the vacuum, suggesting recipe substitutions, and doing math, among other things. I ensure I am always within speaking range of a device in my home to catch my requests, which means buying a lot of smart speakers.
If your assistant of choice is Alexa, Black Friday is the time to grab more devices or upgrade the ones you have, as they are being offered up to 50% off.
Not only are these little Pops the cheapest way to put a speaker in each room, I actually prefer them in most cases. They are small enough to stay out of the way, whether mounted to your ceiling or stowed on a shelf. The speakers are powerful enough to pump music through them at a good level, and they come in fun colors.
Echo Pop, was $39.99, now $17.99
A small upgrade from the Pop, the Spot is destined for your nightstand, with a clock on its display face. That face is customizable, and while all Alexa devices can be set up with alarms, this one is specifically meant to emulate an alarm clock.
Echo Spot, was $79.99, now $44.99
Another Pop clone, the Dot is meant to improve specifically on the speaker aspect, giving more vibrant sound, deeper bass, and clearer vocals. The shape is rounder, but it can still be wall or ceiling mounted with the right mount, and it looks at home on a shelf.
Echo Dot, was $49.99, now $22.98
Still a Dot, but in fun designs for kids, including an owl and dragon. Kids' devices also offer advanced parental controls.
Kids Echo Dot, was $59.99, now $27.99
A compact 5.5 inch display in a frame.
Echo Show 5, was $89.99, now $44.99
A full 8-inch HD display in a frame with a full slate of apps including Fire TV.
Echo Show 8, was $149.99, now $79.99
Something people overlook is that Fire TVs come loaded with Alexa, so it's another point in the house where you can access your assistant. Fire TVs aren't ever going to offer the best of the best in terms of picture quality, but they are well-featured and relatively affordable, especially at Black Friday prices.
Amazon Fire TV, was $449.99, now $279.99
