Amazon Echo Pop (newest model), Our smallest speaker, Designed for Alexa+, Fits in any room, Charcoal

The device itself is fantastic. Great sound, volume, the mic picks up commands from around the room without multiple devices answering at once. Response time is good, sometimes it will cut you off mid sentence because it thinks it knows what you want. Pretty sure it doesn't have a battery. Aside from that I would like to take a second to talk about Alexa itself. It isn't a great application. It seems to be a bunch of containerized apps jammed together with little to no active connectivity. It is almost like there is no backbone to the system and it is just a bunch of apps individually communicating with each other one by one. Even the echo devices have trouble interacting. I have this one and a normal Echo, the Echo pop is in my bedroom and is responsible for my morning alarm among other things. I was having issues with the music being too serine and it putting me back to sleep instead of waking up. I attempted to change the settings through the other Echo device only to be told no Alarm existed. I tried to get this Echo to realize the other Echo did have an alarm set for 6, it kept telling me no such alarm existed. As to not waste anymore time I instructed Alexa to create an alarm set for 6am and it responded that an alarm already existed... "Do you want to replace it?" Yes, replace the alarm with a new one. "Something went wrong" "Do you want me to replace it?" Yes. "Something went wrong" "Do you want me to replace it?" No. It was stuck in a loop. I decided to order the steps myself, Alexa, delete my alarm a 6am. "Alarm deleted" Alexa, create an alarm at 6am. "An alarm has been created for 6am". The functionality is there, it just cannot complete certain actions without individual direct commands. It's ability to perform multiple steps in a single command are lacking, this leads me to believe it's recognition and comprehension skills are non-existent. A similar thing happened when I tried to connect Alexa with my Spotify account. My phones OS is too old to connect via mobile app so I had to get the PC app (not easy to find) and after a lengthy conversation with Alexa it came out that the PC app did not have the functionality of the Mobile app. It doesn't make sense to have two separate apps for the same product. Regardless, I asked for a workaround and Alexa got stuck in another loop of giving me instructions to connect through the PC app only for me to have to correct her about the PC version not having the capabilities. I tried to change the wording but we kept going through the same dance. IT'S LIKE TALKING TO A GOLDFISH. There is limited memory. You could have the same conversation 10 times and every time is a new experience with Alexa. It blows my mind that with all the amazing AI around today Alexa is so bad. Amazon, the huge megacorp cannot figure it out with their flagship product in the space.

I grabbed this mostly for the color, not gonna lie. The Lavender Bloom is really soft and pretty in person, and it fits perfectly on the small shelf in my daughter's room where we didn't have much space. Setting it up was super easy, took maybe two minutes with the app since we already have other devices. Since it’s smaller than the Dots I’ve used before, I wasn’t expecting the sound to be huge, and it’s not, but it’s surprisingly clear. It’s great for playing kid's songs or just asking about the weather while we’re getting ready in the morning. The shape is a little different since it projects sound forward instead of all around, so I just angled it into the room. I really like the little light bar at the top too, it feels a bit more modern than the old rings. It’s definitely not a speaker for a big party, but for a bedroom or a tight spot on a desk, it’s just right. A nice little addition if you just want Alexa handy without a big footprint.

I wasn’t sure I needed another Alexa device in my life, but I also wasn’t sure I needed a new coffee maker until I tried one, so here we are. The Amazon Echo Pop with Alexa has officially earned a permanent spot in my home—and I’m actually mad I didn’t get it sooner. First, the sound. I was shocked at how clear and surprisingly full the sound is for such a compact speaker. It doesn’t just play music, it fills the room without making me feel like I’m listening to a tin can. No, it’s not a full surround sound system, but for the size and price, it’s incredibly impressive. Now let’s talk about the looks. The Echo Pop has this sleek, minimalistic design that blends seamlessly into any room. It doesn’t look like some gadget that screams “I’m here to take over your life,” but more like “Hey, I’m here to help you with whatever you need, and I look adorable doing it.” And, of course, it’s Alexa. So, whether I’m asking for the weather, setting timers, or controlling the smart lights, Alexa responds quickly and reliably. It's like having a personal assistant who doesn't judge you for asking the same question 12 times (like when the UPS package will arrive). But here’s where it gets fun: We’ve set up a routine with Alexa that automatically plays music when the dogs start barking. It’s like Alexa becomes our "bark interrupter"—we get a little peaceful music playing while the dogs realize the barking isn’t necessary. Honestly, it’s the best use of tech I never knew I needed. Plus, it’s a nice little bonus to get the tunes rolling during those random barking bursts. Why I love it: • Great sound quality for the size—fills the room without being overwhelming. • Easy setup, like every Alexa device I’ve ever had. Plug it in, connect, and you’re good to go. • A sleek, stylish design that actually fits into any space without being obtrusive. • Alexa! Need I say more? It’s like having a mini tech genie at your command. • And the best part: our barking routine. The music starts up when the dogs get too loud. Genius. Vine Team, if you’re looking for reviewers who can talk about both smart tech and the fact that this little thing has a surprisingly fun personality—look no further. I’ve got dogs, music, and a soft spot for gadgets that actually work.

Powerful little device. I chose to add the Pop to my Alexa devices because it is compatible with a rechargeable battery stand. Now I can easily take it to the basement work table or enjoy it on my front porch. Very easy set up.

The Amazon Echo Pop was my first experience with an Alexa device, and I could kick myself for not buying 2 of these at the sale price of just under $23. At that price, these little smart speakers are well worth it. However, at the list price, you might do better to spend another $10 and go for the Echo Dot. Better still, if you can pick up an Echo Gen4 as certified refurbished, then that is quite a good deal at around $50. Prior to purchasing the Echo Pop, I installed the Alexa App on my iPhone, and during order time, I did the pre-configuration. Upon arrival, the setup was a breeze, and in a matter of just a few minutes I was greeted by a pleasant sounding female voice. The audio quality of this little speaker was amazing. I asked it a few questions, then said “Alexa, play Peaceful Current Radio.” It was a truly Hi-Fidelity experience, even though it was monophonic. On that station, a great deal of the music is solo acoustic, so stereo , 3D, or surround sound isn’t necessary to hear the clear and faithful reproduction of a piano, guitar, or cello. The bass from this speaker isn’t going to rattle the walls, but the little speaker was able to fill my master bedroom with beautiful music, that sounded like the instruments were in the same room. That should cover the good points about this smart device. I rarely give any product 5 stars, but if I could give it a rating of 4.5 I would, primarily because of what it can do at such a low sell price. There are some issues that you might want to consider if you are looking for a good Echo Device. It is far from perfect. Its smarts are at the low end, and a good Wi-Fi connection is needed if you want a fast response. It can’t function as a hub, so if you want to control various smart devices in your home, you will likely need an Echo Gen4 or better. It doesn’t have a 3.5 mm audio jack, so if you want to connect to headphones or external speakers, you will need to use Bluetooth. The Bluetooth connection can be tricky, but once you pair with speakers, it quickly disconnects and reconnects by just turning off the speakers and turning them back on. I also found out that after doing this several times, it began to experience streaming problems, and I had to unplug it and plug it back in to fix the problem. Bluetooth streaming seems to suffer a bit in fidelity. I paired it with some Logitech Bluetooth computer speakers, and even though it produced stereo sound, the frequency response was not as good, and the stereo separation was weak. Some of this was likely due to the Logitech speakers. They aren’t exactly the best computer speakers and I am not too fond of the passive radiator design that gives the base an unnatural sound. I tried a separate GT Bluetooth to 3.5 mm adaptor, which I connected to my retro audio system, and the sound quality was a little better, but I had to crank the volume knob up pretty high. When I connected the Bluetooth adaptor to wired headphones it sounded pretty good, so using Bluetooth headphones seems a good alternative listening method. One other issue is with the alarm level. I can’t seem to set it to a level that will override the music, and alert me that it’s time to take medications or walk the dog. It usually takes me awhile to realize that it is sounding a wake-up. It is loud enough when not playing music, but too low of a level when music is playing. Overall, it is a very good device, and its small size makes it easy to place in an out of the way location, such as in the kitchen or bathroom. It has great sounding audio that can fill a small room, but not quite good enough to fill a large family or living room. It really shines at playing relaxing music such as from an Internet radio station such as “Peaceful Current Radio,” or other similar music stations. However, for Rock- and Roll or party music, you will likely want something with a little more punch. Update: I just had to do a follow up to my previous review. I caught a sell and picked up another Echo Pop for just under $20. That means I acquired 2 of these for around $45 with tax. They make a great stereo pair. Two speakers are better than one. You get double the sound. This means a great improvement in the base response. With 2 drivers pushing the air, they do a better job. I just tweak the bass response 2 notches, and the treble 1 notch, and these rival the audio quality of my much larger and more expensive JBL studio monitor bookshelf speakers with a 100 watt per channel amplifier pushing them. Of course they can’t match the power, but 2 of these in a stereo pair can do a pretty good job in my 13 by 13 master bedroom with vaulted ceiling. I’m considering adding an Echo Sub hidden away under my bed. Alexa does a much better job at finding my favorite Internet radio stations as well. Siri keeps telling me she can’t find that in my Apple music library. I have a database of URLs to over 9000 radio stations. Alexa easily finds most of my favorites such as: Peaceful current Radio New Standard WNYC IPR Studio 1 KTUX FM KSRY FM WJIB FM Café Del Mar Radio Americana Boogey Radio Aloha Joe Quiet Village Radio WSBZ FM Smooth Jazz 101 WABE Classical Just ask Alexa to play any of these, and get ready for a treat.

I have waited years to become a SMART household. I purchased the Echo Pop on sale to set up permanent speaker in kitchen of studio apt. I had previously paired my Anker Soundcore 2 BT speakers. They worked great but I tired of moving them around. Thought I'd pair all 3 devices. Nope you can't do that...boohissboo So I ordered 2nd Echo Pop (again on sale) and paired them. Works great plus I connected to my TV to use as speaker at night. The only problem I've encountered is my TV will turn on Echos even when I don't want. It's easy to reset to TV speakers but kinda wonky. Regarding connection to smart TV the volume has to go way, way up high to get the louder volume from TV on Echos. Don't understand this part at all. Here's a factoid. You connect/set up these Echo Pops with BT but you don't need to have BT operational on your smart phone to use. You can have on or off as it doesn't matter except with volume control. After set up just say Alexa or Echo (your choice) 'connect to Spotify' or whatever service and it's easy peazy. It will play your music, podcast, etc. I address kitchen unit as Echo and BR unit as Alexa that way Echo knows which one I'm speaking to. According to Alexa App it can figure this out even if you call multiple units the same name. I have set up and explored multiple functional areas of this device including my first smart light. That too works like a charm. As I said this is a great dedicated non Bluetooth speaker device. For less than $40 I have both kitchen and sleeping area speakers. Yes, I also added my Anker BT paired speakers to Alexa App. It takes a slight amount of time to find and figure out what you can and can't do but it's a wonderful way to stay tech savvy and save battery life on your cell. I'm 74 in couple of weeks and I managed just fine. The initial set up first one took less than 15 min for basic functionality. I highly recommend this device! GO for it; you can turn off device if you're concerned about Big brother listening and you can delete your conversations with device. It's a little price for what you get IMHO.

The Echo Pop works well for everyday use. Voice recognition is accurate, responses are quick, and the sound quality is good for its size. It’s a practical option for controlling smart home devices, playing music, and using Alexa for basic tasks.

I never thought about doing the 'Alexa' thing then read the reviews and thought I'd give it a shot. The sound is great in such a small speaker. Voice response is very quick and smart. I added TP-Link smart outlets and now I can turn on my office lights, turn on my 3D printer, turn on and off my bedroom light, all with simple commands. You can even rename it to a list of names. I'm a Trekkie so I renamed mine 'Computer'. So like in Star Trek, I can just walk into the room and say, "Computer, set my wake-up alarm for 5 am tomorrow." Then she (or he if you want) confirms it in a normal speaking voice. It will even whisper responses if you whisper first! I can set up routines like the 5 am alarm with Sirius 80s music, and tell me the weather, then turn on my bedroom lamp. This is so neat! I bought 2 more in different colors. Lavender for my wife, teal green for me, while keeping the charcoal one in my office. These things are really cool! Only ONE issue I have. They should have an internal battery. Maybe it's just Amazon's way to make a few more bucks, because you CAN buy a battery base for it. Anyway, you should consider these. I'm thinking of getting the Alexa thermostat for the house. Just plug-n-play for most systems. Merry Christmas, everybody!