On December 5, Amazon is finally bringing its Amazon Echo smart speakers to Canadians via Amazon.ca. It's been over two years since the first Echo was released in the U.S., and Google Home came to Canada way back in May, so if you haven't given Amazon's line of Echo devices much of a thought, here are the models you can buy in Canada and which one may be best for you.
Here's the best part: Pricing is pretty much the same. The Echo Dot is only $49.99, same as the U.S., the Echo is only $99.99, again, the same as the U.S., and the Echo Plus is $169.99, $20 more than the U.S., but considering the way the Canadian dollar's been, that's pretty damn good.
Note: Amazon is only brining the second-generation Echo, Echo Dot, and Echo Plus to the Canadian market. Looks like we'll have to wait and see if we get the Show, Look, or Tap.
Echo Dot: The best starter Amazon Echo
Start off simple and small. The Dot doesn't have an amazing-sounding speaker, but it can control all your smart home devices, stream your music, tell you the weather, and much, much more. Plus, at an entry price of only $50, you're not going all-in so soon. And if you have a great Bluetooth speaker kicking around, then you can pump tunes from your Dot to the speaker (you can also use the 3.5mm AUX input).
Point is, if you want to give the whole Alexa thing a try but aren't totally sold, this is the perfect way to get a taste without breaking the bank. You can get yours in black or white.
The second-genAmazon Echo: A great mid-range option
The second-generation Echo has been redesigned with less of an obelisk-like look, in favor of a fabric wrap and a shorter, slightly more portly physique. It features updated internals and three color options: "Charcoal", "Heather Grey", and "Sandstone" (black, dark gray, and lighter gray). It has a significantly better speaker than the Dot, so you'll be able to jam out to tunes with a decent low end and overall better sound.
If you want something better than the Dot but still don't want to blow past the $100 mark, then this is the Echo for you. It's perfect for the kitchen counter or a living room shelf, where it'll make a bit more of a statement than the Dot.
Amazon Echo Plus: The best-sounding Echo yet
Amazon kept the first-gen Echo design around, but updated its internals, giving it better sound than the second-gen Echo
Also new for the Echo Plus is the ability to serve as a smart home hub — if the devices you're looking to support use Zigbee to connect. (You're forgiven if you don't know what Zigbee is — it's not something an end user should ever have to worry about.) It likely won't solve all your smart home problems, but it's a nice little addition nonetheless.
