Smart Home · Head-to-head
Sonos Era 100 vs Amazon Echo Dot Max
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, 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 noticeably more than 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) aims for fuller sound than earlier Dots
- 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
- Sound is improved but still compact - 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
The 7 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Sonos Era 100 Our pick | 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 |
| Voice assistant | Alexa + Sonos Voice Control | Alexa / Alexa+ |
| Sound character | True stereo, detailed and room-filling | Compact two-way design |
| Smart-home hub | No built-in hub | Built-in hub for compatible devices |
| Ecosystem fit | Sonos multi-room + Alexa + AirPlay 2 | Amazon/Alexa |
| Multi-room & stereo pairing | Best in class across the Sonos range | Yes, with other Echo speakers |
| Connectivity extras | AirPlay 2, Bluetooth, line-in via adapter | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Hardware freshness | Current generation | Newer generation |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Sonos Era 100 if
anyone who wants a smart speaker that's a genuinely good music speaker first - especially mixed Apple/Amazon households.
Know before buying: costs noticeably more than the other three speakers here.
Pick the Amazon Echo Dot Max if
alexa households that want the best everyday speaker-plus-hub for the money.
Know before buying: sound is improved but still compact - fine for a kitchen, not a party.
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).