The Amazon Echo Hub is a simple approach to the smart home hub

Amazon announced the new Echo Hub in September 2023, but the device is now being released in several regions around the world, including the US and UK. The Echo Hub can be purchased in the USA for $179.99 for its wall-mount configuration, while a pack with stand can be yours for $209.98.

The basic principle of Echo Hub is to simplify control of your smart home. Although you can control your smart home through your phone and your voice through smart speakers, these methods are not immediately noticed or accessible by other people, such as guests in your home. There’s also a slight learning curve for how to control what, and technology-averse people and older adults may not be well-equipped for the task. Access controls for a smart home may not be the smartest strategy, especially if more than one person resides in the home.

The Echo Hub solves this problem of the modern age. This is a dedicated smart home controller equipped with Alexa, without any other nonsense or fluff added to accomplish this task. There is an 8-inch touchscreen where you can view and control your smart devices. It can be mounted on a wall or placed on a table with a desktop stand. Amazon also sells decorative frames for the Echo Hub, helping it become a part of your home.

There’s no camera on board, so you can’t use it for tasks like video calls, but that’s a selling point here. It also has a dedicated mic mute button.

What makes the Echo Hub a good product is that it supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, Sidewalk, Thread and Matter, so it’s well equipped to handle virtually all of your smart devices, regardless of brand or manufacturer. It can also control certain devices, such as certain lights, switches and outlets, even if your Internet connection is down.

You can customize the Echo Hub home dashboard to show your most frequently accessed devices, view camera feeds, play music, or even start routines. You can also use the device to arm and disarm your Ring alarm with a single tap. The Echo Hub uses infrared to detect when you’re nearby and switch between viewing your photos and its smart home dashboard.

Of course, you can do much of what the Echo Hub does with other devices. But other devices come with additional features at an additional cost. If you need something simple that gets the job done, the Echo Hub demands your attention.