Best Black Friday Deals on Smart Speakers

Allen St. John
Updated

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Is there someone on your shopping list who could use a helper for the holidays—one that answers to "Alexa" or "Okay, Google," or even "Hey, Siri?" 

Smart speakers have been among the most popular tech gifts in recent years, and that trend shows no signs of slowing down this holiday season. 

You can find models at a variety of prices, including some that are so cheap they'd make great stocking stuffers. We scanned the market to find the best Black Friday deals on smart speakers at top retailers including Target, Kohl's, Amazon, and Best Buy, and paired that shopping information with advice from our ratings to help you choose just the right model. 

Amazon Echo Dot Smart Speaker
The deal: $22 at Target
CR’s test results: Echo Dot (3rd generation) 
This price is much lower than the $50 list, and expect the Echo Dot to be widely discounted this holiday season. Our testers gave this latest Echo Dot Alexa-powered smart speaker high marks for ease of use and versatility. But the sound quality falls far below that of the best-sounding smart speakers.

Amazon Echo Smart Speaker (3rd generation)
The deal: $60 at Target and Amazon
This price represents a significant discount from the Echo’s regular $100 price, and Amazon's smart speakers are likely to be widely discounted this holiday season. Consumer Reports hasn’t tested the latest version of this device, but our testers liked the ease of use and versatility of the previous generation model, although its sound quality ranked behind the best-sounding smart speakers.

Amazon Echo Show 5 Smart Speaker
The deal: $50 at Target and Amazon
That's a significant drop from the Show 5's $90 list price. Consumer Reports hasn’t yet tested the Echo Show 5, but our testers do give solid marks to the sound of the larger and more expensive Echo Show, calling it the best-sounding Amazon product they’ve listened to.

Amazon Echo Show 
The deal: $150 at Amazon
CR's test results: Amazon Echo Show
This deal represents $80 off the usual price of $230 for the Echo Show. The Show, which features a 10-inch HD touch screen and a Zigbee smart-home hub, sits near the top of our smart-speaker rankings. The sound quality features robust bass, smooth trebles, and a real sense that the instruments are in the room with you. Our testers also found the Echo Show very easy to set up. 

Apple Home Pod
The deal: $199 at Best Buy, which includes free Apple Music for three months for new subscribers 
CR’s test results: Apple Home Pod
This deal represents $100 off the typical price, and Apple’s smart speaker isn’t frequently discounted. The Apple HomePod’s sound quality, with a midrange that loses some of the nuance of vocals and instruments, still ranks well ahead of the early generation of smart speakers but behind higher-rated models like the Google Home Max and Sonos One. Our testers give the Home Pod, which tends to work most seamlessly with other Apple products and services, strong marks for ease of use.

Google Nest Hub Smart Screen
The deal: $79 at Kohl’s (and $15 in Kohl’s Cash) and at Target
CR’s test results: Google Nest Hub 
The Nest Hub, a smart speaker complete with a screen, usually sells for $129, so this is a good deal. The model gets high marks for versatility and ease of use in CR’s test program, but the less-than-impressive sound quality is a throwback to the days when sound was an afterthought for most smart speakers. The 7-inch touch screen performs well in bright and low light, and offers a wide viewing angle.

Google Nest Mini (Generation 2)
The deal: $29 at Kohl’s
That’s $20 off the list price. We have yet to test this model, but the first-generation model is easy to use. You'll probably find the sound quality adequate for podcasts and other spoken content but lacking when it comes to playing music.



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