• TIPS & TRICKS
• The Echo’s built-in Zigbee hub can hook up hundreds of smart home devices without a bridge.
• Pair a compatible thermostat and the Echo’s temperature sensor can activate the heating.
• Alexa Flash Briefings deliver bursts of news or trivia; choose from 5000 sources in the app.
1 HOT BUY
Amazon Echo (4th Gen)
£90 / go.stuff.tv/Echo
Having morphed from a cylinder to a sphere, the latest Echo is an excellent newsreader, weather forecaster, personal assistant and intercom straight out of the box; but it’s now also a capable speaker and a very accessible smart home hub. It doesn’t sound as good as the Sonos One for listening to music, but it’s significantly smarter and considerably cheaper too.
Stuff says ★★★★★
An all-round upgrade that makes the Echo a smarter speaker than ever
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Honeywell T6R
This Zigbee-enabled thermostat is wireless so you can place it where it’s most convenient. £153 / screwfix.com