Tech & Gadgets · Head-to-head
Sonos Era 100 vs Amazon Echo Dot Max
Which should you buy? Here's the honest call, pulled from our full The Best Smart Speakers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Sonos Era 100 wins because it's the one smart speaker here that's also a genuinely excellent music speaker, with Alexa, AirPlay 2, and the best multi-room system in the business. If its premium price is more than a voice assistant is worth to you, the Echo Dot Max delivers most of the day-to-day usefulness for far less.
Sonos Era 100
Buy itThe best-sounding smart speaker you can buy at this size, with Alexa on board and multi-room chops nobody else matches.
- Class-leading sound: true stereo from a single unit with dual tweeters and a punchy mid-woofer
- Works with Alexa and Sonos Voice Control, plus AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth
- Best-in-class multi-room platform that mixes with soundbars and other Sonos speakers
- Room tuning adapts the sound to where you place it
- Costs roughly double the other three speakers here
- No Google Assistant support, reportedly due to ongoing patent litigation between Sonos and Google
Amazon Echo Dot Max
Buy itAmazon's new two-way Dot is the value pick: solid sound, a built-in smart-home hub, and a front-row seat for Alexa+.
- Two-way driver setup (dedicated tweeter and woofer) sounds noticeably fuller than any previous Dot
- Built-in smart-home hub, so it can run compatible devices without extra bridges
- Designed for Alexa+, Amazon's newer conversational assistant
- The widest device and skill ecosystem in the category
- Independent testing found the sound improved but still compact and mono - fine for a kitchen, not a party
- The smartest Alexa+ features are tied to a subscription or Prime membership and are still maturing
Side by side
| Sonos Era 100 | Amazon Echo Dot Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Anyone who wants a smart speaker that's a genuinely good music speaker first - especially mixed Apple/Amazon households. | Alexa households that want the best everyday speaker-plus-hub for the money. |
| Price tier | $$$ · premium | $$ · mid-range |
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Sonos Era 100 - The best-sounding smart speaker you can buy at this size, with Alexa on board and multi-room chops nobody else matches. Choose the Amazon Echo Dot Max instead if alexa households that want the best everyday speaker-plus-hub for the money.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Smart Speakers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).