Amazon all but pioneered the smart-home speaker ('sup, Alexa?), so it's no surprise that the company's 5th-generation Echo Dot excels in virtually every area. It sounds good for its size, performs a staggering array of functions and costs only $50.

Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. With better sound, faster responses, and more sensors, Amazon’s Echo Dot with Clock fifth-gen is more useful for your smart home and remains the best budget smart ...