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Best smart speakers: 1 to buy, 1 cheap, 1 to skip
Buy the Sonos Era 100: it plays in stereo with deep bass, and Alexa is built in. For less, the Google Home Speaker brings Gemini to any iPhone or Android home; skip the HomePod mini 2 unless you own an iPhone or iPad.
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The short answer
HomePod mini 2
Skip: needs an iPhone or iPad
- Researched
- Needs an iPhone or iPad to set up
- Costs more than the Google Home Speaker
$149/£149Apple US & UK stores, checked 5 Nov 2026
What matters
Pick the speaker that matches the voice assistant you want and the phones in your home. A speaker that needs an iPhone is no good to an Android user, and every one of these needs Wi-Fi.
Gemini (Google)Google Home Speaker. Set up in the Google Home app on iPhone or Android.
Alexa (Amazon)Sonos Era 100 and Amazon’s Echo speakers. Works with iPhone and Android.
Siri (Apple)HomePod mini 2. Needs an iPhone or iPad.
More on what matters
If you mainly want music, sound quality matters more than the assistant: a stereo speaker like the Era 100 fills a room better than a small 360° speaker. If you mostly want timers, reminders and smart home control, a cheaper speaker does the job.
Compare the picks
| Verdict | Model | Voice assistant | Sound | Works with | Price | How judged |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PICK | Sonos Era 100 | Alexa or Sonos Voice Control | Stereo, two tweeters | iPhone and Android | $219 / £199 | Researched |
| BUDGET | Google Home Speaker | Gemini for Home | One 58 mm driver, 360° | iPhone and Android | $99.99 / £99.99 | Researched |
| SKIP | HomePod mini 2 | Siri | One driver, 360° | iPhone or iPad only | $149 / £149 | Researched |
Specs from each maker's published spec sheet; see Sources. Prices checked 5 Nov 2026 and change often.
Our verdicts
PICK
Sonos Era 100
ResearchedThe best-sounding speaker here, with stereo from one box and Alexa for voice control.
Why it’s good
- Two angled tweeters for stereo sound and deep bass; add more Sonos speakers room by room
- Plays from Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3 or AirPlay 2 on Apple devices
Watch out for
- Costs about twice the Google Home Speaker, and you set it up and control it in the Sonos app
- No Google Assistant or Gemini: voice control is Alexa or Sonos Voice Control
BUDGET
Google Home Speaker
ResearchedGoogle’s new Gemini speaker does the smart jobs well for about half the price of the Sonos.
Why it’s good
- Gemini for Home answers questions, sets timers and controls smart plugs and lights
- Works as a Matter and Thread hub, with security updates for at least five years
You give up
- Stereo sound and bass: it has one full-range driver
- Gemini’s most advanced features need a paid Google Home Premium plan
SKIP
HomePod mini 2
ResearchedIt’s a popular gift, but Apple lists an iPhone or iPad with the latest software as a requirement, so it’s no use in an Android home. At $149 / £149 it also costs about $50 / £50 more than the Google Home Speaker, which works with any phone. If everyone in your home uses an iPhone it’s a fine choice; otherwise skip it.
How we chose
Show how we chose
We looked at seven smart speakers from Sonos, Google, Apple and Amazon, and only ranked models we could check on the maker’s own US and UK stores. Amazon’s Echo speakers are sold by Amazon itself, and we don’t show Amazon prices, so we didn’t rank them. We weighed which phones each one works with first, then the voice assistant, sound and price.
Tested means we used it ourselves. Researched means we judged it from specs, independent tests, safety rules and owner reports, without using it. We never mark a researched pick as tested.
Questions
Do smart speakers need Wi-Fi?
Yes. All three need Wi-Fi for their voice assistant. The Sonos Era 100 can also play music from a phone over Bluetooth, and the HomePod mini 2 from Apple devices over AirPlay.
Is a smart speaker always listening?
It listens for its wake word, such as “Hey Google” or “Alexa”. Both the Google Home Speaker and the Sonos Era 100 have a switch that turns the microphones off.
Does the Google Home Speaker need a subscription?
No. Google says it still answers questions, sets timers and controls your smart home without one. A paid Google Home Premium plan unlocks Gemini’s more advanced features.
Sources
Show the sources
- Sonos: Era 100 (US), accessed 5 Nov 2026
- Sonos: Era 100 (UK), accessed 5 Nov 2026
- Google Store: Google Home Speaker (US), accessed 5 Nov 2026
- Google Store: Google Home Speaker specs (UK), accessed 5 Nov 2026
- Apple: HomePod mini 2 technical specifications, accessed 5 Nov 2026
- Apple: Buy HomePod mini 2 (US), accessed 5 Nov 2026
- Apple: Buy HomePod mini 2 (UK), accessed 5 Nov 2026
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