The best Alexa-enabled devices for 2019

Ever wanted a robot butler to run your house? Alexa is about as close as you can get, and she keeps gaining more and more skills and features. From light switches to power outlets to thermostats, the number of Alexa-enabled devices has been steadily growing since Amazon’s public release of the Echo in mid-2015. Amazon expanded the family more Echo devices like the Echo Dot, Echo Show and Echo Spot, and Echo Plus. In addition, Amazon has connected Alexa with a number of web services in order to create a more holistic experience.

On its own, Alexa devices are simply wireless speakers or smart displays that can answer queries like Apple’s Siri and Google Assistant. When paired with smart home devices, however, Alexa becomes quite powerful. Joining with brands like WeMo, Philips, Caseta, and Lifx, Amazon created a system that lets you control many aspects of your home just by talking to it. To help get you and Alexa off on the right foot, we’ve compiled a list of the best smart-home devices she can control.

Please note: Google has canceled compatibility with Alexa for its smart devices, including all Nest products, which is why you won’t find any of those in this article. If Google and Amazon reach another compatibility partnership in the future, we’ll let you know–but this does not seem likely at the moment.

The best Alexa-compatible smart home hubs

If you’re going all-in on the smart home, you’ll definitely want a hub. These plastic boxes work with devices from lots of different manufacturers that operate using different protocols, like ZigBee or Z-Wave. Yes, Alexa itself is a bit hub-like, but there are some things she can’t do. Pairing the smart speaker with Samsung SmartThings hub — one of our favorite smart home hubs — can help bolster Alexa’s capabilities. You can also opt for an Echo Plus 2, which is an Alexa device with a built-in Zigabee hub.
There are some devices, like some smart locks and lights, that require a hub to even work with Alexa. In some cases, a hub like Wink or SmartThings can act as a substitute bridge, while also letting them interact with other devices in new ways. More and more manufacturers are making gadgets that don’t require a hub. Having a hub will elevate your smart home experience though.
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