10 genuinely useful things you can do with a smart speaker

Most people only scratch the surface of what smart speakers can offer. It’s well known Alexa would win at a game of trivia, play songs on request and act as a convenient kitchen timer, but it’s capable of far more.

And while you can get in on the action from as little as £50, keep your eyes open for a sale and you can halve this price. It's a remarkably cheap way to save time, avoid hassle and have a bit of fun around the home.

Our experts have rounded up the most useful day-to-day functions of smart speakers – see how many you’ve tried, and what more smart speakers can do to help you make the most of your day.

Best smart speakers – see the top recommendations from our expert tests.

1) Control smart devices with routines

Smart speakers can be linked up with a whole range of smart devices, including smart lights (turn off all lights at once), smart thermostats (change the temperature with your voice) and smart doorbells (so you can catch those speedy delivery drivers who’ve left before you get out your phone).

One of the simplest and most useful commands is for freestanding lights in your home – if you connect one with a smart plug (prices start from under £10), you can turn it off with your voice – saving you reaching for a switch. Or if you want to check in on your home while on holiday - and perhaps even switch the lights on every now and again to deter potential intruders, just check in through the plug’s app on your smartphone.

2) Timers and reminders

Being a handy kitchen timer is one of the most popular uses of smart speakers, but this only one way they can be helpful in the home.

If you need a reminder on a recipe, why not ask Alexa rather than clean your hands to get out your cookbook or phone. Plus if you have a smart display like the Amazon Echo Show 8, you can even follow through recipes you’re unfamiliar with step-by-step on the screen.

And we’ve all had a situation where dinner’s almost ready and we realise we forgot a step. Just say, ‘Alexa, remind me in 20 minutes to…’ and make your cooking routine a breeze.

3) Use it as an alarm clock

Smart speakers are much more flexible than even a dedicated alarm clock radio. Instead of being limited to two independent alarms with weekday/weekend settings like typical alarm clock radios, you can set a different wakeup time and method for each day of the week – perfect for flexible working to cover days in the office versus working at home, and help you make the most of your night’s sleep.

With Alexa routines (see below), you can wake up to your favourite song or music streaming service like Spotify, or even get Alexa to lull you to sleep with the sound of waves or rain on the window (just don't forget to 'set a sleep timer' so it turns off automatically).

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4) Use as an internet radio

Surprisingly, smart speakers start from prices lower than most DAB radios, despite them being more feature-rich. For example, the Google Nest Mini and Amazon Echo Dot start from around £50, and smart displays like the Amazon Echo Show 5 and Nest Hub from around £90. Plus you'll often find them on sale for far less.

Smart speakers have internet radio built-in. Just say: ‘Hey Google, play BBC Radio 4.' or ‘Alexa, ask the BBC to play Radio 1.’

Most DAB radio stations are available on internet radio (as well as thousands more from all over the world), including BBC national radio and Classic FM. Local radio stations might not be, so if you listen to these, check before making the switch.

Dedicated internet radios also had a torrid time in 2023 with lots of older sets having the support dropped by the BBC and manufacturer Pure, so if you're interested in internet radio, why not get a smart speaker instead. Which? checks periodically for ongoing support with smart speakers, and so far almost no models have had support limited for internet radio, including the original Echo which launched in 2015.

5) Set up stereo speakers

For most smart speakers, you can link two of them together for true stereo sound. This is true even of entry-level models like the Amazon Echo Dot and Google Nest Mini.

This can create a much more immersive listening experience, and allows you to improve sound and volume over time without needing to replace your existing speakers.

6) Use it as a portable speaker

Most smart speakers are mains-only, but there are battery-powered models, including the Bose Portable Smart Speaker, Sonos Roam and Sonos Move.

While voice control features only work in range of wi-fi, this lets you take your smart speaker down to the garden or on holiday, so you can continue making the most of voice capabilities wherever you like to relax.

7) ‘Drop in’ on friends and family

‘Drop in’ on Alexa devices is an instant communication service to another Alexa device, like an intercom. When you receive a Drop In, the light indicator on your Echo pulses green and you connect to your contact automatically.

You can also contact people via the Alexa app on their devices, via your Alexa contacts, and either start up a two-way conversation, or a group conversation with all supported Alexa-enabled devices in your Amazon household.

Google Assistant devices have a similar system called Google Duo.

8) Broadcast around the home

Alternatively, use the 'broadcast' feature to make announcements to devices registered to the same Alexa account.

Save making your voice hoarse by shouting up the stairs – ‘Announce, dinner is ready’ and all the connected Alexa devices throughout your home will mean no one has the excuse that the food's gone cold.

9) Get Cheaper access to music streaming services

Music streaming services aren’t cheap – typically running at £10-12 a month. 

However, if you get an Amazon Echo speaker, there’s an impressive £5.99 per month option for a single Echo device – much cheaper than the typical £10 for Amazon Music Unlimited. This is one of the cheapest options available to get unlimited music streaming without ads.

You can also get more from your music streaming through the Alexa app by using Groups. This allows you to categorise smart speakers by room, or use the default 'Everywhere' group to play music simultaneously on all speakers in the home.

10) Have fun with Skills

Skills are ways to extend the Alexa experience even further – think of it like an App Store to add extra functions to your phone.

For instance, ‘Daily Affirmation’ adds a positive, uplifting thought to your morning routine, and ‘Sleep and relaxation sounds’ gives you more than 125 nature sounds to choose from for your perfect drift off to sleep. Games and workout routine skills are common too – see our complete guide to Alexa for more.

Plus get extra benefits with a smart display

Smart displays are simply smart speakers with an added touchscreen. This makes them one of best entry devices into voice control, as they can be completely set up on their touchscreens without a separate app on your phone, and you can see what’s happening on the screen at all times.

Plus they offer additional functions too – see exactly what to do in a cooking recipe step-by-step, watch videos or see what programme is on while listening to radio. Plus you can even turn them into a photo frame of holiday moments when you’re not using them, or even view who’s at the door with a connected smart doorbell.

To browse all our smart speakers, see our smart speaker reviews.