In our lab tests, the Echo Show 10 received high marks, placing it among the top five smart speakers in our current ratings. Our testers noted that it’s easy to use with a variety of convenient features, including a dedicated button to mute its microphones when you don’t want it to listen. Although its sound quality receives a rating of Good, it doesn’t quite match its nonrotating predecessor’s, the second-generation Echo Show.
Before you buy a Show 10 for your kitchen, make sure you have the counter space to set it up safely. Amazon includes a template that’s 15 inches in diameter (roughly the size of a beach ball) to mark the space that needs to be kept clear around the device. I discovered that if items like a metal travel mug or a large bottle of oil are placed too close to the Show 10’s screen, the powerful motor can knock it over.
“When you’re cooking, you have limited space,” says Michael Kaestner, a safety expert certified by the National Kitchen & Bath Association. “So if a device can knock something flammable onto a range, it’s an accident waiting to happen.”
Should you buy an Amazon Echo Show 10? It depends on what you’re looking for, but in my household, the fact that the screen rotates was more of a liability than an asset. For one thing, my wife found it “creepy,” and both she and my kids turned off the device every time they entered the kitchen.
Further, the Show 10 takes up a lot of room because of the clearance requirements, and unless you have acres of counter space, that’s inconvenient.
The older Echo Show has essentially the same screen and functions just as well for a hands-free consultation of recipes, but because it doesn’t rotate, it doesn’t require as much room on the counter. If space is really tight, a simple tablet or phone isn’t hands-free but requires even less space and can be easily moved out of the way when you don’t need it.
Amazon’s newest Echo smart screen, the Show 15, addresses this concern in a different way. It features a wall-mountable 15-inch screen that can be seen throughout the room and doesn’t take up precious counter space. We haven’t evaluated this model yet, but we’ll do so when it’s available and report back with the results.
