Smart speakers, ranked by critic score
9 ranked by critic score · 2 more not yet ranked · 93 professional reviews
Smart speakers with a voice assistant, judged on sound, the assistant and smart-home control.
Image: SonosSonos Era 100
12 professional reviewers tested the Sonos Era 100, and 12 recommend it. Most praised: sound quality and connectivity. Most common complaint: price.
The catch: There is no Google Assistant, and line-in needs a paid adapter.
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- 1Sonos Era 100Top pick, narrowly12 reviews89Image: Sonos
- 2WiiM SoundBroad agreement4 reviews · early score88
Image: WiiM - 3Sonos Era 300Best for Dolby Atmos21 reviews86
Image: Sonos - 4Bose Lifestyle Ultra SpeakerBest compact multiroom speaker6 reviews84
Image: Bose - 5Meridian EllipseBest for compact audio engineering4 reviews · early score81
Image: Meridian - 6Photo comingAmazon Echo Studio (2025)Best for Alexa smart homes7 reviews79
- 7Apple HomePod miniBest for Apple users19 reviews79
Image: Apple - 8Photo comingAmazon Echo Dot MaxBest small Alexa speaker9 reviews77
- 9Photo comingSamsung Music FrameBest for blending into decor5 reviews66
The highest-rated smart speaker so far, by a narrow margin, is the Sonos Era 100: critic score 89 out of 100 from 12 reviews, 12 of them positive. Most praised: sound quality and connectivity. Most common complaint: price.
Which to choose
Where reviewers who compared two of our top picks directly say "it depends". These comparisons never change a score.
Sonos Era 100 or Sonos Era 300?
- The Sonos Era 100 if: You want a cheaper, compact smart speaker for a small space or moving around the house.
- The Sonos Era 300 if: You want bigger, immersive spatial sound with Atmos, or plan to expand into a home theater setup.
From TechRadar's direct comparison, in our words.
Early reads · 2 not yet ranked
Not ranked, listed A to Z. We publish a critic score once at least 4 professional reviews of the exact model exist; with 2 or 3 we show a provisional average.
- Apple HomePod (2nd generation) · provisional 72 from 3 reviews
- Denon Home 400 · provisional 87 from 3 reviews
Common questions
What is the best smart speaker?
Narrowly, the Sonos Era 100, with a critic score of 89 from 12 professional reviews. Most praised: sound quality and connectivity. Most common complaint: price.
Sonos Era 100 vs WiiM Sound: which is better?
Critics score the Sonos Era 100 89 and the WiiM Sound 88.
Which smart speakers do critics disagree on?
The Sonos Era 300 (scores from 70 to 100); The Amazon Echo Dot Max (scores from 50 to 90); The Samsung Music Frame (scores from 50 to 80).