Best Smart Speakers for 2026: Top Picks, from Google Nest to Sonos
🎶These days, smart speakers are more than just devices to play your favorite tunes. They're becoming essential parts of our homes, helping control lights, manage schedules, place voice calls, and even assist with shopping. We've put together a list of the best smart speakers for 2024, based on thorough analysis and lots of user feedback.
Whether you're all about the best sound quality, need something budget-friendly, or are tied to a specific tech ecosystem, we've got something for you.
🥇Overall Best: Sonos Era 100 Black
The Sonos Era 100 wins our vote for the overall best smart speaker, thanks to its seamless Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, stellar audio quality, and versatile functionality. This bookshelf speaker can be paired with other Sonos devices to create an immersive home theater system or used as a standalone unit with Amazon Alexa, Apple AirPlay2, or through the Sonos app. With support for over 80 streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Pandora, the listening experience it provides is unparalleled. The audio is rich and clear, easily filling a room, which makes it perfect for both casual listeners and serious music enthusiasts.
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🥈Runner-up: Nest Audio
The Google Nest Audio stands out as our runner-up, offering a balanced sound profile with clear highs and satisfactory bass. Its integration with Google Assistant allows for seamless control over other smart home devices, along with easy management of music playback and information queries. With its sleek, minimalist design and multiple color options, it fits effortlessly into any room decor. Setting it up is straightforward using the Google Home app, and it supports features like stereo pairing and multi-room audio, making it a versatile choice for anyone in need of an all-around excellent smart speaker.
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💸Budget Pick: Nest Mini 2nd Gen Speaker
If you're on a budget, the Google Nest Mini is an unbeatable option that offers impressive functionality at a low price. Despite its compact size, the Nest Mini delivers surprisingly good sound quality, perfect for smaller spaces such as kitchens or bedrooms. Google Assistant is built-in, providing the same voice control capabilities found in more expensive models, including managing smart home devices and accessing music and information quickly. Easy to set up and available in multiple colors, the Nest Mini blends style and function effortlessly, making it an excellent entry-level smart speaker.
Best for Apple Ecosystem: Apple HomePod Mini
🎶For those entrenched in the Apple ecosystem, the Apple HomePod Mini is the go-to choice. This small yet powerful speaker offers 360-degree audio, producing impressive sound considering its size. Seamlessly integrating with Apple devices and services such as Apple Music and HomeKit, this speaker makes the most of what Apple's ecosystem has to offer. Siri's voice recognition capabilities provide personalized responses, distinguishing between different users in the household for tailored interactions. The HomePod Mini is an intelligent, convenient addition to any Apple-centric home.
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Best Portable Smart Speaker: Bose Portable Smart Speaker
If portability is a priority, the Bose Portable Smart Speaker is hard to beat. Combining robust build quality with excellent sound and smart features, this speaker is versatile for both indoor and outdoor use. It supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, making it easy to switch between different environments. The sound profile leans towards bass-heavy, unusual for a portable speaker of this size, and the Bose Music app simplifies managing multiple Bose devices. With straightforward setup and portability, this speaker excels in providing mobility without compromising sound quality.
Best Design: Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Speaker
The Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin is where exceptional design meets outstanding audio performance. This premium speaker supports high-resolution audio, catering to audiophiles who also appreciate aesthetic appeal. It includes Amazon Alexa support for voice control, along with high-quality Bluetooth codecs like aptX Adaptive, AAC, and SBC. The Zeppelin's unique design makes it a conversation piece in any room while delivering rich, detailed sound. Though it comes with a higher price tag, its exceptional design and top-notch audio performance make it a worthwhile investment for any high-end audio setup.
Other options worth a look
Not quite what you're after? These came up again and again while we researched the picks above:
Denon Home 150 Wireless
The Denon Home 150 Wireless stands out with its high-resolution audio support that surpasses the audio fidelity of Sonos speakers. It offers more customizable sound profiles, providing audiophiles greater control over their listening experience compared to the limited options found in the Sonos Era 100.
Bose SoundLink Micro
The Bose SoundLink Micro offers impressive sound quality in a compact and durable design. Although it lacks Wi-Fi support, its affordability and ability to integrate into multi-room setups make it an excellent choice for those seeking portability without compromising too much on audio performance.
How we researched this
How we chose these: these picks weigh published manufacturer specifications and aggregated owner and expert reviews for the 6 products listed here, alongside prices from ShopSavvy's price data. No retailer or brand pays to be included.
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