11 Amazon Alexa and Echo Accessories You Need in Your Home

Best Amazon Echo accessories you shouldn’t miss out on

1. Philips Hue smart light bulbs

These lights are simply amazing. With the smart bridge set up in your home, any Philips Hue smart lights you buy are totally programmable and customizable in your home, and best of all, you can use Alexa to control them. You can set up different lighting situations with different colors and levels of dimness, and can even command your Echo to run your light programs based on the music you’re listening to! Welcome to the future.

2. Smart Plug

A Smart Plug works as an extension of your current electrical outlet, and looks essentially the same. You plug it in, download the app on your phone, and then you can control the devices plugged into the outlet using your phone. If the Smart Plug you buy is Alexa-enabled like this one, then you can control these devices using your voice. No additional products are required to use it – all you need is Wi-Fi.

3. Smart Thermostat

A Smart Thermostat is a great way to make controlling the temperature in your home seamless. If you buy a thermostat like this one that is Alexa-enabled, you can not only control it from an app on your phone, but command Alexa to change the temperature in your home. The smart thermostat we’re recommending here even learns your habits as you use it, and can program itself to run a steady temperature program within your home.

4. Smart Lock

A Smart Lock allows you to unlock and lock the physically-installed locks on the doors within your home, using an app on your phone. And if your smart lock is Alexa-enabled, you can also do this within your home, using only your voice. These apps allow you to set up designated “keys” for different users, who can essentially unlock your door using a password. They also will send you notifications telling you when the door was unlocked, who unlocked it, and at what time they entered/left your home.

5. Echo protective case

A protective case may just make sense in your home. If you have a tendency to drop things or knock them over, or have younger children around, a protective case will help prevent damage to your device. It’s also a great way to accessorize your Echo, and put a little of your own personality into it. We’d recommend this case – guaranteed to prevent damage, and comes in over 35 different colors and designs!

6. Portable battery base

A portable battery base allows you to take the Echo with you anywhere! It allows you to unplug from electrical power, and can run for up to six hours on the portable battery pack. This base by Mission Cables is Amazon’s choice, and comes in black or in white – to match your Echo device. As long as you are still in a place where you can connect Alexa to the Internet, she will work for you!

7. Voice remote

The Alexa voice remote is a nifty bit of technology that can add to Echo and Echo Dot experience. It uses Bluetooth to connect to your device, and has buttons on it that can control your device, including:

It also has a built-in microphone button that you can tap, and command your Echo device. This is especially useful if you find you’re often too far away from where you keep your Echo to control it without yelling, or it’s too noisy in your house for Alexa to hear you. If you’re interested, you can get one here.

8. Echo Dot wall hanger

If you chose the Echo Dot, it probably means you like saving space, and having a more compact device. A wall hanger is a great way to get your Echo Dot up on the wall, and prevent it from taking up any more space in your home. It can also be a great way to keep it out of the reach of small children or pets, and prevent possible damage. Our recommendation here by the Dot Genie, comes in four different colors, and in two-packs!

9. Home video monitoring system

This concept isn’t exactly new technology, but what you can do with them now is quite advanced. Essentially, you place a small camera like this one in the room in your home you want to monitor, and it will allow you to see what’s going on. You can view what’s going on in the app, and if you have an Echo Show, you can ask it to show you what’s happening, and watch video live.

10. VAUX cordless home speaker

This awesome cordless speaker is compatible with the Echo Dot, and allows you to play music through its speakers within your home. The best part is, it contains a built-in portable battery, so you can enjoy up to six hours of music, and take your Echo Dot with you! It also has an AUX input, so you can connect it to an external device to play your music as well!

11. Echo stand guard

There are quite a few options for getting a stand guard for your device, but no matter which one you choose, the basic idea is that it will attach to the bottom of your Echo to prevent it from moving or slipping off of a surface, and generally, also has a protective barrier around the main part of the Echo to protect it from damages if it falls or is knocked over. We’d recommend one like this, that helps protect your device, and improve its stability.

Starting with the basics: what is Alexa and what are the Echo devices?

Alexa is Amazon’s virtual assistant, which uses speech-to-text technology and basic built-in programmed commands to carry out tasks asked for by the user. The Amazon Echo is an Alexa-enabled device that is placed within your home, that allows you to command Alexa to perform commands for you.

There is the basic Echo, which is tall and cylindrical, and the smaller, rounder Echo Dot. If you own an Echo, all you need to do is call for Alexa, and then command her to do something. Hundreds of possible commands such as “Alexa, tell me the weather,” or “Alexa, set a timer for 10 minutes,” are built-in to the Echo, so you can tell Alexa what you need – and then she’ll do it.

There are, however, a few accessories that don’t come standard with the Echo. None of them are necessary for use of course, but some of them can increase the longevity of your device, help protect it, help transform it into something more useful, or even add other “smart” elements to your home. Check out these great accessories mentioned above that can help spruce up your Echo, and take it to the next level.

Now you know exactly what you need to go out and get for your Echo device! If you want to become an instant pro on Amazon and everything it has to offer you, check out our course on Amazon, or our other helpful tips and tricks articles on Amazon and other services for buying and selling online.