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Amazon

Amazon Echo Show 21: the downsides first

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#4 of 7
$$$Large wall displayScore 3.4/5
11%
of Amazon ratings are 1–2 stars
(checked 2026-10-10)6,467 ratings pooled with the Echo Show 15 (same figures on both pages).

Amazon's biggest screen: a 21-inch Fire TV display with a remote, a camera shutter and a wall mount, and Wirecutter's pick for kitchens and bedrooms. It's pricey, PCMag calls the sound average, and the table stand costs extra.

Subscription: Optional: Alexa+ is free with Prime or $19.99/mo without it (PCMag); Wirecutter says Alexa+ is rolling out to the Show 21

Top complaints

  • Pricey for what it does

    PCMag lists 'pricey' as a con and prefers smaller Echos with better sound; Tom's Guide says its use is more niche than other displays.

    Source: PCMag review, Tom's Guide best smart displays
  • Average sound

    PCMag says it is loud but unrefined, with distortion on bass hits and brittle treble, and that an Echo Studio sounds much better for less.

    Source: PCMag review
  • Stand extra and suggestion clutter

    No stand in the box; Amazon's adjustable stand costs $100 (PCMag). PCMag says you'll want to disable most rotating screens unless you like suggestions every five minutes.

    Source: PCMag review

What owners love

Good for
  • A small TV plus smart-home hub in the kitchen
  • The biggest family calendar and photo frame
  • Checking a room remotely through the camera

Scores (tap for why)

What experts say

  • Wirecutter (NYT): Pick for kitchens and bedrooms (updated 2025-11-24): built for entertainment with a wall mount; 1080p isn't as sharp as larger TVs.
  • PCMag: 3.5/5; best big-screen smart display. Sharp screen and versatile camera, but pricey with mediocre sound.
  • Tom's Guide: Also tested: enjoyable, but more niche than the other picks.
Check price on AmazonWe don't list prices — they change daily. Paid link.

If that catch is a deal-breaker

Highly ranked smart displays whose biggest complaint is something else.

#1 in smart displaysAmazon Echo Show 11

CNET's best overall and Wirecutter's kitchen pick: the sharpest Echo screen (1920 x 1200) with strong sound and Alexa+. It's the Show 8 with a bigger screen for more money, CNET says it shows a lot of ads, and PCMag says it lacks a physical camera shutter.

Its catch: lots of ads on screen#2 in smart displaysAmazon Echo Show 8 (4th Gen, 2025)

The top pick at both PCMag and Tom's Guide: a sharp 8.7-inch screen, room-filling sound and Alexa+ built in. The physical camera shutter is gone, the interface is cluttered, Echo Show screens run ads, and about 1 in 7 Amazon ratings (pooled with the Show 11) are 1 or 2 stars.

Its catch: no physical camera shutter#3 in smart displaysAmazon Echo Show 15 (2024)

A wall-mounted family hub with Fire TV, a remote and a physical camera shutter. Experts call the sound mediocre, the stand costs $100 extra, and Wirecutter says nothing about it justifies the price over the Show 8.

Its catch: mediocre sound

Head-to-head

See all 7 smart displays ranked →