For 2023, Amazon has seemingly done a rethink when it comes to wireless earbuds. Its newest offerings, the Echo Buds (2023) are its first wireless earbuds to opt for a stem design similar to that of Apple's entry-level AirPods; all previous Echo Buds have had a rounded shape so that they fit more flush in your ears. They also cost $50 — although as of this story's publication in early July, they're currently on sale for just $35 — making them by far Amazon's most affordable wireless earbuds.
For those looking for a higher-end option, Amazon continues to sell its 2021-released Echo Buds, which have active noise-cancellation and transparency modes, for $120. (That said, at the time of writing, they're on sale for just $65.)
Amazon Echo Buds (2023): What We Think
Amazon has sold other companies' AirPod knockoffs for years — and have been presumably wildly successful at it. With the Echo Buds (2023), the brand is throwing its weight around in that same ring: widely affordable earbuds that fit the same as Apple's original AirPods.
And I have to admit, these newest Echo Buds are pretty darn good. They sound decent and fit pretty similarly to those O.G. AirPods. And you can't beat the price.
However, these wireless earbuds aren't for everybody. The fact that you need an Amazon account and you need to use the Alexa app to set them up might be a bit of a turnoff. And even though Alexa works really well on them, I have to imagine most people don't need or want it (especially if it's trying to sell you on something). But the good news is, you can disable it once the earbuds are rocking and rolling. And if you do, I think you'll be pretty happy with these $50 wireless earbuds ... especially if you buy them for $35.
They have a sound that surprises (in a good way)
It's worth keeping your expectations in check when it comes to the Echo Buds's sound quality — these are sub-$50 wireless earbuds, after all — but I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised.
For the vast majority of my testing I was listening to a mix of rock (mostly Pearl Jam and Streetlight Manifesto) and hip-hop (Ed Sheeran's newest album, Subtract) and I was impressed. They sound bright and vibrant with pretty good bass, and if you want to tweak the settings, there's a built-in equalizer for doing just that. They won't blow you away or anything, but they do deliver a good, consistent stereo sound.
Yes, they fit like the original AirPods
If you've worn Apple's original AirPods, these newest Echo Buds fit almost identically. The earbuds fit in your ears, but don't go super far-in your ear canal, and the stem hangs out. The only difference is that the Echo Buds have a silicone covering (a.k.a. an eartip) attached to each earbud that helps the headphones grip to your skin a little better. Amazon does supply an each pair of silicone eartips (presumably in case yours get nasty or break), but they're the same size as the ones attached to the Echo Buds. Just like AirPods, it's one size fits all.
The Echo Buds force you to download Amazon's app
The Echo Buds are a little different than most other wireless earbuds, in that you can't just pop them in your ears, pair them to your smartphone and start jamming out. Instead, they require Amazon's Alexa app to walk you through a quick tutorial. If you're somebody like me who has Alexa-enabled speakers in their home, this isn't an issue, as you most definitely already have an Amazon account and have the Alexa app downloaded to your smartphone. However, if you don't have these things preinstalled, this might be more than you were bargaining for.
The other thing I'm compelled to mention is that the Alexa app can be a little overwhelming — there's a lot going on. In the app you can shop for Amazon deals, see a shopping list, view your liked songs and configure devices in your Alexa smart home (should you have them). It's not solely an app for adjusting your Echo Buds settings, essentially, which is different from most companion apps for other wireless earbuds.
Once you've figured it out, however, the Alexa app does make it pretty easy to adjust settings for the Echo Buds. At the top of the Alexa app (in the Home tab) it shows you the battery life of each earbud and the charging case. You can hit the Settings wheel to adjust settings like hands-free Alexa, customizing the tap controls and even tweaking the audio via a built-in equalizer. There's actually a lot you can tweak.
Alexa is actually pretty helpful
Aside from the new design and low price, the other standout feature of these Echo Buds is Alexa. That's right: it places Amazon's voice assistant right in your ears, allowing you to use "Alexa" voice commands just like you would with an Echo smart speaker. You can ask the earbuds to play music, set timers, add things to your grocery list or answer questions about the weather. You can also ask about the battery life of your earbuds, which is neat.
The experience of actually using Alexa when wearing the wireless earbuds is, admittedly, pretty seamless. I have several Alexa smart speakers in my home, and whenever I gave the Echo Buds a voice command and the speaker heard it too, Alexa was smart enough to only answer just on my Echo Buds. You can change between the default music service — either Spotify, Tidal or Amazon Music Unlimited — that Alexa commands play from, too. So it doesn't always seem too Amazon-centric.
Yes, you can turn Alexa off if you want
If you're somebody who doesn't use Alexa, or just doesn't like the idea of a voice assistant always listening in your ear, you're not alone. The good news is that you can enable or disable "Alexa Hands-Free" whenever you like via the Alexa app. (Alexa is enabled by default, however.)
For the purpose of reviewing these Echo Buds, I mainly left this feature turned on ... but I've got to admit that most times I'm not using a voice assistant when wearing wireless earbuds. I don't need to change my music or call friends. Instead, I'm just using my smartphone. Basically, I don't think Alexa is as big of a draw in these Echo Buds as Amazon would like it to be.
Amazon did some things to keep the cost low
It's worth reiterating that these are wireless earbuds that cost $50 — or $35, when Amazon runs a deal — and definitely Amazon did some fat-trimming when it comes to features. There's no noise-cancellation or transparency modes. There's no wireless charging. They have a pretty terrible water-resistance rating — it's just IPX2 — so you shouldn't run or work out with them.
Also, Amazon doesn't even include the necessary USB-C charging cable or wall adapter in the box, so you'll need to have your own accessories to charge the Echo Buds. Again, the company did a lot to keep the cost down.
That said, these Echo Buds do have a few features that are bit surprisingly in something so affordable. I've already touched on the built-in equalizer for adjusting sound quality, but they also have Find My feature in the app that can help you locate them if you misplace them. They also have optical sensors in the buds, so music automatically plays/pauses when you put them in and take them out of your ears. And they support Bluetooth multi-point, allowing you to connect them to both your smartphone and laptop simultaneously.
Amazon Echo Buds (2023): Alternatives
If you're looking for wireless earbuds that have a stem-like design and are relatively affordable, you've got options. The obvious option is Apple's second-generation AirPods ($129), which frequently go on sale for around $99. There's also Nothing's EarStick ($99), which have a cooler design and a higher IP-rating rating than the Echo Buds. And the EarFun Air Pro 3 ($80) are another more rugged-yet-expensive alternative.
