Amazon Alexa and the Echo lineup of smart speakers have always been the most popular way to control and interact with smart home devices. There are thousands of devices, everything from smart locks to cameras and more, that you may control with a simple voice command.
TheAmazon Echo Hubprovides a tailor-made experience to control smart home devices with both your voice and a full touchscreen layout. While it’s expensive, and has some quirks, it’s a perfect way for smart home pros to make controlling devices easy.
Amazon Echo Hub
The Amazon Echo Hub is designed specifically to control Alexa-compatible smart home devices. The control panel is made to mount on the wall, but you can also purchase an optional stand to place it on a table or nightstand. After setup, the Hub will automatically transfer all of your smart home information, like devices, rooms, and routines to the display for easy access. The software is easy-to-use and very customizable thanks to widgets so you can make the control panel the perfect way to control a smart home.
What Is the Amazon Echo Hub?
You’re probably aware of the Amazon Echo Show lineup of smart speakers with a touchscreen. Those devices are available in a wide variety of screen sizes and are made to be an all-in-one entertainment device. you’re able to use an Alexa command, or the touchscreen to do things like play music or even watch a movie or TV show.
The Echo Show models also provide a nice way to control and interact with smart home devices like compatible cameras and more.
But instead of a device that can handle almost anything, the Echo Hub was designed for a singular purpose—to act as a control panel for anything and everything smart home compatible with Alexa. Thousands of devices can be controlled using the Hub.
Specifications
Instead of a smart speaker with a touchscreen that features a sizable speaker, think of the Echo Hub as a control panel for your smart home. The 8-inch screen takes up the large majority of the front of the device and is protected with a white border. It’s similar to the size of a digital photo frame and blends into almost any environment.
The Echo Hub does sport dual stereo speakers, but with the smaller footprint of the device, you’re much better off using an Echo Show or Echo to play music. Also note that there isn’t a camera like on all of the Echo Show models. But I’m completely fine with that omission, as the Hub is made first and foremost for smart home control.
On the right side of the device, there are volume control buttons and a specific button to turn the microphones off that listens for the Alexa command. There are three microphones listening for the wake word and commands, and those provide results as strong as any Echo device I’ve previously used. The Hub could hear my commands from across a crowded room without any issues.
Along with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, the Hub can act as a smart home hub with Zigbee, Matter, and Thread Border Router support. With that functionality, especially Matter and Thread, it should be able to control any smart home device compatible with Alexa for a long time.
Multiple Ways to Install and Use the Hub
Since the Hub is a smart home control panel, it’s designed specifically to be mounted on a wall. To help with the process, Amazon includes a mounting template, screws, anchors, and the wall mount itself.
When picking a location to mount the hub, verify to find somewhere near a power outlet. You’ll need to string the power cord down to the provided USB-C outlet. For me, the entire wall mounting process took less than 10 minutes. Just make sure to have a drill, hammer, and level handy.
To help not have excess cable strung down your wall, the back of the Hub has a hidden wall mount cavity to hide the cord.
For an even cleaner look without bothering with a power cord, the Hub also supports PoE with an optional adapter so you can use existing home cabling. That’s a big plus as many newer homes already have cabling installed.
I was pleased using the Hub as a wall-mounted control panel. Even though it stood out more than the competingBrilliant Control Panel that I previously reviewed, it still looks nice—especially on lighter-colored walls. Amazon also offers additional decorative frames in different colors and an angled wall mount.
If you live in an apartment, rent a home, or are just not a fan of drilling more holes in your wall, Amazon does offer another way to use the Hub, you’ll just have to pay a bit more. You can purchase an optional $29.99 stand.
It takes just a few minutes to install the stand. And for most situations, the stand provides much more flexibility. After using the Hub for two weeks wall-mounted and two weeks on the stand, the stand was by far my preferred method of use. It can be used almost anywhere, and it is easier to place on a table or nightstand.
The stand also allows you to tilt the Hub back and forth for the best possible viewing angle.
Hopefully, Amazon will start offering the stand included with the Hub right along with the wall mounting equipment.
Getting Started is Easy, Especially for Current Smart Home Fans
After installing the Hub on your wall or via the stand, getting it set up takes just a few minutes. You’ll prove your Amazon credentials and choose Wi-Fi network, and you’ll be up and running.
For my Alexa-compatible devices, I’ve always used the companion Alexa app for organization and use. And I was very pleased to see that the Hub transferred my smart home setup, including all of my devices and different rooms, directly into the Hub screen.
If you’re completely new to smart home devices and have just purchased the Echo Hub, you can also say “Alexa, find my devices” and start importing compatible smart home products.
The main screen layout of any Amazon Echo Show is somewhat customizable, but I was happy to see there are many more options with the Echo Hub.
On the far left-hand side of the screen is a scrollbar with quick access to the rooms in your smart home and routines. The bar at the bottom of the screen shows frequently used items like active media, home thermostats, lights, and cameras.
The main portion of the screen can be used to showcase widgets. Widgets are one of the best ways to quickly access what you need on the Echo Show, and the Echo Hub features smart home options.
Three smart home widgets are automatically enabled. Smart Home groups help you quickly control a group of items. Select Smart Home to see a live video from up to four cameras on screen at once. Finally, for quick access to a specific device, add it to Smart Home Favorites.
You can find other widgets to add in the Widget Gallery by scrolling to the far right part of the screen. Right above that is an edit button where you can change the layout and also customize all three major sections of the main screen.
Selecting Rearrange will allow you to move widgets and items in the toolbars to different locations. Hit Configure to edit the specific widgets and more. The process is quick and easy. In just a few minutes after setting the Echo Hub up, I was able to create a home screen with exactly what I wanted.
My usually smart home-adverse family members even enjoyed getting to use the Hub on the wall and stand and were able to easily understand the widgets and control system.
When idle, the screen shows an image, date, time, temperature, and notification count. Nothing more and nothing less. That’s refreshing from Amazon.
Day-to-Day Use is Mostly Positive
In my testing, using the Echo Hub was mostly a great experience. Since my family usually depends on me to operate most of the smart home products, I usually default to pulling out my iPhone and using the Alexa app for anything more than using an Alexa command to turn off a light or something similar.
But I was able to leave my phone in my pocket with the Echo Hub. Along with an occasional Alexa command, it was great to walk up to the control panel, change what I needed and then walk away. Unlike my Echo Show, the motion sensor on the Echo Hub noticed me from a few feet away, unlocking the idle screen and showing my widgets and more.
Simple operations, like unlocking a door, were near instantaneous. But other tasks, like bringing up a camera feed, took way too much time. There were a few times when I just gave up because the Echo Hub took too long.
Quickly switching between widgets and other parts of the UI also sometimes bogged down the screen as Echo Hub processor was seemingly taxed. So don’t expect an iPhone or iPad level of fluidity.
If you really want to use an Echo Hub for more than just smart home control, you can still do just that. You can view video, use skills, and more. But if you’re looking to do that more than just occasionally, you might consider purchasing an Echo Show with a larger screen and better audio.
Should You Buy the Amazon Echo Hub?
While the software has its quirks, I’ve enjoyed making the Hub the center of my smart home. Even though the device can be installed on the wall, using the optional stand is easier and provides more flexibility in the long run. I just wish Amazon would provide it without needing to pay extra.
If you can’t get enough of an Amazon smart home, the Echo Hub is well worth its price tag. And even if you’re just starting on the road to building your perfect smart home, it can help make balancing all of your devices easier.
