Essentials

Pre-order four new Amazon Echo devices today, including the $40 Echo Pop speaker

By Brittany Vincent

Edited By Fox Van Allen

May 18, 2023 / 10:53 AM EDT / Essentials

CBS Essentials is created independently of the CBS News editorial staff. We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms.

Amazon's array of Alexa-enabled devices ranges from smart displays like the Echo Show to smart speakers like the Echo Studio Pro. Now, the line is growing larger with the addition of four new products: the Echo Pop, Echo Show 5, Echo Show 5 Kids and Echo Buds, all of which are shipping on May 31.

Related: How we pick our products

Though the new Echo line won't ship until the end of the month, you can pre-order yours now to make sure you have one by the time they're available to everyone. Keep reading to pre-order each of Amazon's newest Echo devices. These new smart speakers, earbuds and displays could make a great Father's Day gift or an early summer graduation gift for the grads in your life.

New Amazon Echo devices to pre-order now

Echo Pop

The Echo Pop speaker is a new form factor for the Echo line. It looks like what you might get if you cut an Amazon Echo straight down the middle. It's a compact yet powerful device, with support for Alexa so you can enjoy your favorite tunes, control your smart home devices and put all your favorite Alexa skills to use. This $40 speaker comes in new colors, including lavender bloom, midnight teal, glacier white and charcoal, bring the titular "pop" of color to any room.

Echo Pop speaker, $40

$40 at Amazon

Echo Buds

The second-gen Echo Buds leave noice cancellation and ear tips behind for a somewhat open design that favors better communication with Alexa while on the go. They come with 12mm drivers meant to deliver crisp, clear tunes with up to five hours on a single charge. Their rechargeable case can keep them juiced up three additional times while out and about. Plus, they use a voice detection feature to determine whether you're on a call or speaking to Alexa. They come with multipoint pairing, so you can swap between different devices simultaneously. They're up for pre-order for $50.

Echo Buds, $50

$50 at Amazon

Echo Show 5

This smart display is an updated version of the current Echo Show 5. It comes with an updated speaker system and mic array for clearer sound quality and added bass. Its screen size hasn't grown, however, and remains 5.5-inches with a 2-megapixel camera that's great for video calling. Aside from Amazon's claims that it's zippier than the previous model, it's largely the same product with a few added bells and whistles. It's available in black, blue, or white for $90.

Echo Show 5, $90

$90 at Amazon

Echo Show 5 Kids

The Echo Show 5 Kids is essentially the same product as the Echo Show 5, albeit with an additional space-themed color option. In addition to the speedier performance, new speaker system and new mic setup, this version comes with a one-year subscription to Amazin Kids+, a service that includes thousands of ad-free songs, videos, Audible books, Alexa skills and more targeting kids 3-12. Alexa is also automatically configured with this device to give kid-friendly responses, filter explicit song lyrics and let parents set time limits and check kids' activity regularly. It's available for $100.

Echo Show 5 Kids, $100

$100 at Amazon

The best smart lights

Need to add some smart lights to your smart home setup? We've got you covered. The best smart lights come with both white and color options, Bluetooth, hub, and smart plug connectivity, and simple installation options. They're reliable, quality fixtures and are your best overall bets for setting up a smart home. Check out these top-rated Philips, GE Cync, TP-Link, and Lifx smart lights.

Philips Hue High Lumen smart bulb

The Philips Hue line is tough to beat when it comes to smart lighting. The premium-priced 100W High Lumen series boasts serious brightness, which is especially useful for larger living spaces. Choose from white light or over 16 million shades, with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth setup that's simple to control straight from your phone or digital smart home platform. Change lighting effects with the touch of a button, indoor or outdoor. Add the Hue Hub (sold separately) to enable additional options, including timers, lighting scenes, and much more.

An Amazon customer called this smart light bulb one of the best on the market: "These are some top of the line smart bulbs. Can you find cheaper bulbs as far as costs is concerned? Yes, you can. But the saying goes, 'You get what you pay for.' And that holds true with these bulbs. If you are willing to invest into the Hue System, you won't be disappointed."

Philips Hue High Lumen smart bulb, $58

$58 at Amazon

GE Cync Direct Connect smart bulb

GE's Cync Direct Connect smart bulbs are affordable and full-featured lights that come with a wide variety of options. They're a little less bright than other smart bulbs in their price range, at 750 lumens, but they support millions of colors and different features.

Without the need for a hub, they can connect via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi via app to allow set schedules, saved color scenes, and some of the simplest setup options you'll find.

An Amazon buyer proclaimed these smart lights as a "kaleidoscope for the hearth": "It has all the colors on the spectrum, and can imitate settings like the flickering of a candle or sunset. The light can be dimmed or enhanced in intensity. These are also rated to last 15 times longer than regular bulbs."

GE Cync Direct Connect smart bulb, $22

$22 at Amazon

TP-Link Tapo smart Wi-Fi light strip

If strip lighting is more your speed, this smart light strip is a simple, straightforward option that has everything you need to illuminate your room with ease. You'll have access to a kaleidoscopic 1,000 lumens of brightness and 16 million colors. But if that's a bit overwhelming, no worries: It comes with preset color scenes to choose from, right out of the box.

Plus, it's nearly foolproof to set up, and is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit, which means you're covered, no matter which platform you've opted for. They're great for adding lighting effects to doorways, entire rooms, or even the back of a TV to enhance shows and movies.

An Amazon buyer called them perfect: "Couldn't ask for a better setup, the app works flawlessly and the lighting is better than I was hoping. I'll be getting more sets!"

TP-Link Tapo smart Wi-Fi light strip, $40

$40 at Amazon

Lifx Mini White smart bulb

If you're looking for a no-frills smart light that you can plug in and use within minutes, the Lifx mini bulb is a fantastic option. It boasts a smaller form factor than its brethren, and it offers only white light, but it's impressively bright, with 800 lumens. It connects quickly and painlessly to your Wi-Fi network and Bluetooth, and doesn't require a hub. It's barebones in terms of additional features, but it's so simple and reliable that it may as well be like screwing in a traditional light bulb.

An Amazon buyer was thoroughly happy with the purchase: "I got a top tier, non hub, competitor multi-color bulb that works well. They all integrate seamlessly with Alexa routines including on/off times or commands, sunset/sunrise times, dim down or ramp up brightness rates (e.g. go to 80% in 50 minutes). Quality product."

Lifx Mini White smart bulb, $27

$27 at Amazon