Amazon Echo Dot (4th gen, 2020)

Charming new design ; Great audio quality for its size ; Alexa Guard protection ; Affordable cost

LED clock should be default

Improved Alexa responses ; Enhanced sound quality ; Solid build

Replaced by newer 5th generation model

Considering which voice assistant to introduce to your home? The latest Echo Dot is the most compelling and affordable case for choosing Alexa

Two animal designs to choose from ; Built-in parental controls ; Comes with a year’s free Amazon Kids+ access

Most features available with any Echo ; Some Amazon Kids+ content unavailable

The Amazon Echo Dot Kids is a child-friendly smart speaker with built-in parental controls. Simple to use, it offers good value for money thanks to the unlimited access to age-appropriate audible books, skills, and playlists. However, many of the...

Only a cosmetic change from previous model ; Weak bass

Better as a standalone speaker than before ; Footprint the same as previous Dot ; All the skills of Alexa ; Minor performance improvements

It's less discreet than before ; Essentially the same experience as last-gen Echo Dot

The Echo Dot is likely to find favour with those who want a compact speaker for a small space. Acoustically, it's now better suited than previous Echo Dot devices, so it functions better as a standalone speaker for music. At the same time, the...

Alexa has been re-thought for children ; Kids Skills are good quality ; Explicit lyric blocking really handy ; Two-year guarantee

Character design not so good for older children ; Kids+ needs ongoing subscription after 12 months

Designed as a safe space for children and, really, a portal into a Kids+ subscription for all the age-appropriate content that brings. Whether you want your children to have a smart speaker in their room is completely up to you, of course.

Ideal bedside companion ; Alexa a fully-featured assistant

Light ring less obvious than previous version ; Display doesn't do much

If you're after a smart speaker for a desk or bedside table, the Dot with Clock is a no-brainer – but get the standard Dot if you don't need the clock, of course.