I’ve been testing the new Amazon Echo Spot in my bedroom for the past few weeks, and it’s quickly become one of those gadgets I didn’t realize I needed until it was sitting on my nightstand. This updated version of Amazon’s smart alarm clock comes with Alexa built in and features a half-circle touchscreen that shows the time, weather, alarms, and whatever else you want at a glance.
The device lands perfectly between an Echo Dot and an Echo Show in both size and capability. It’s designed specifically for nightstands, desks, and kitchen counters — places where you want Alexa’s help without giving up the real estate a larger display takes.
What impressed me immediately was the customization. You can swap between different clock faces and color themes to match your room. The speaker delivers richer and deeper sound than I expected from something this compact — morning music and podcasts actually sound good, not like a tin can trying its best.
Touch controls are handy for quick volume adjustments, but voice commands work just as well. The built-in motion detection is unexpectedly useful for automating routines, like turning on soft lighting when I walk into the room. Setup took maybe three minutes from unboxing to fully connected.
The screen auto-dims at night, though some users say it’s still a bit bright even at the lowest setting. There’s also no camera, which rules out video calls — but for a bedroom device, that feels like a privacy win.
Grab the Echo Spot here and upgrade your morning routine.
Why We Picked Up the Echo Spot
I’ve been using Alexa devices for years, and when Amazon launched this compact screen-based clock, I wanted to see if it could replace my cluttered nightstand setup. The half-dome design caught my eye right away — it doesn’t look like your typical smart display.
What sold me was the balance between utility and simplicity. The customizable clock faces make it look like… well, a clock, not a tiny tablet pretending to be one. I also liked that it includes motion detection for routines, something my older Echo Dot couldn’t do.
The sound quality surprised me too. It’s noticeably fuller than a standard Dot, especially when I’m getting ready in the morning and want a little background music.
The downside: no camera. If you rely on video calls, you’ll miss it. For me, in the bedroom, it’s honestly a relief.
Overview: Amazon Echo Spot (Newest Model)
After about a week on my nightstand, the Echo Spot has turned into a device I use constantly. The semicircular 2.83-inch display is just big enough to show time, weather, and what’s playing without feeling cluttered.
The 1.73-inch speaker delivers surprisingly rich sound with actual bass. I’ve used it for podcasts, white noise, and music, and it performs way better than I expected for its size.
What stood out:
Clock faces and colors you can customize
Responsive touch controls
Motion detection for smart home routines
Doubles as a WiFi extender if you use eero
Setup took about two minutes. Alexa responds quickly, and the device has a solid weight without feeling bulky.
Key Features
Customizable Smart Clock Display
The semicircular screen makes this feel like a real smart alarm clock. I could easily swap between clock styles and adjust colors to fit my bedroom setup.
The auto-dimming helps at night, though I tweaked it manually for the perfect brightness level. When music plays, the screen shows track details, which feels polished and genuinely useful.
Smart Home Control and Routines
Motion detection turned out to be one of my favorite features. I set a routine so my bedside lamp turns on softly when I walk into the room at night — and it triggers reliably.
The touchscreen controls are perfect for moments when I’m trying not to wake someone with voice commands. One tap dims lights, checks weather, or adjusts the thermostat.
Routines I found most useful:
Gentle wake-up alarms with increasing brightness
Goodnight scene that shuts everything down
Motion-triggered morning lighting
Built-In eero WiFi Extender
This only matters if you have an eero mesh system, but I do — and the Spot added coverage in my bedroom where WiFi occasionally dipped.
It took a couple minutes to link accounts in the eero app. Speeds top out at 100 Mbps through the Spot, which is fine for smart home devices and streaming audio.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Perfect size — bigger than a Dot but not as bulky as a Show
Surprisingly rich audio with clear vocals and actual bass
Setup in under 3 minutes
Customizable looks so it actually fits your decor
Useful motion detection for lights and routines
Alexa responds quickly compared to older Echo models
- Supports gentle wake-up lighting when paired with a smart bulb via the Alexa app.
Cons
Small screen limits detailed tasks or video
Max brightness isn’t great in direct sunlight
No battery backup, so power outages wipe alarms
eero extender feature is only useful if you already use eero
Final verdict
After living with it, the Echo Spot feels like the smart alarm clock Amazon should have made years ago. It’s compact, looks great on a nightstand, and handles morning alarms, music, weather checks, and smart home routines effortlessly.
The sound quality punches above its size, the screen dims nicely at night, and the customization options make it easy to match your room.
If you want Echo Show functionality without a giant slab of screen next to your bed, the Echo Spot is exactly the right middle ground.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the new Echo Spot work well as a bedroom alarm clock without being too bright at night?
Yes — the auto-dim feature works surprisingly well. It drops to a soft glow at night, and you can manually turn it down even further. I’m sensitive to light when sleeping, and I was able to get it dim enough not to bother me.
The gradual wake-up with a paired light is a nice bonus, too.
Can I customize what shows on the Echo Spot screen?
Definitely, you can choose from different clock faces, colors, and informational screens. When music plays, the track info appears. When routines trigger, relevant info pops up automatically. You can configure most of this through the Alexa app.
Motion-based routines also influence what appears, which makes the device feel smarter and more responsive to your habits.
