The Amazon Echo (4th Gen) was Amazon’s big 2020 redesign — the tall cylinder became a fabric ball that fires sound in 360°. Gadgetping reviewed it back in 2023, but that post was machine-translated ("Amazon Reverberation", "interior regulator"), it had a floating "Buy Now" with no real link, and it never told you the price. So the question in 2026 isn’t really whether it’s good — it’s whether it’s still worth buying when Amazon has quietly moved the line on. Here’s the honest check, with real owner quotes and current street prices.

Amazon Echo 4th Gen: what the old review got wrong

The 2023 post had the concept right and the details badly garbled. Here’s what it claimed versus what’s actually true:

The Echo (4th Gen) specs, checked

This is everything that still holds up today:

The temperature sensor and Zigbee hub are the two things today’s little Echo Dots still don’t have — and they’re the reason plenty of owners keep the 4th Gen around.

Is the Echo (4th Gen) discontinued?

Mostly, yes. Amazon wound down the full-size 4th Gen and handed the "big speaker" slot over to the Echo Dot Max (~$99.99, released October 29, 2025) — a bigger Dot with the same fabric-ball look, more bass, and a clock on some variants. On amazon.com the 4th Gen still shows In Stock at $99.99, but that’s the remaining new units, and the page itself points you toward the newer models. So it’s not gone, but it’s no longer Amazon’s current big-Echo either. For the full breakdown of what’s still on sale, see our Amazon Echo Dot (2026) review.

What owners actually say

The r/amazonecho threads are where the honest review lives. Here’s the real split:

The good:

• "It has zigbee so it can act as a smart home hub… temperature sensor that can trigger Alexa routines… sound is pretty decent, much better than the Echo Dot." — Watashifir, r/amazonecho thread
• "Certainly puts out $80 worth of sound… wait for a good price." — fompas11, same thread
• "I’ve owned every version… Gen 4 is fine… I like that I can stereo pair them." — r/amazonecho thread
• "Not bothered by the shape and the sound is fine… 4th gen blows it out of the water." — r/alexa thread

The cons:

• "I highly prefer my third generation echo to my fourth… richer with more base." — dirrtyharry12, r/amazonecho thread
• "NO WAY to get around Alexa’s annoying interruptions and ads." — GreatTao, same thread
• "Terrible design, goofy as f*ck. Who wants a big ol’ ball." — azlights, r/alexa thread
• "Sent the lot back… deaf as a bloody post." — bigj2552, same thread

The pattern is clear: people who care about sound and want a smart-home hub love the 4th Gen; people who hate the ads or the ball shape, or who upgraded from the richer-sounding 3rd Gen, don’t.

Which Echo should you buy in 2026

Because it’s near end-of-life, the 4th Gen is one rung on a bigger ladder:

If you want a smart-home hub behind the price. The Echo (4th Gen) is the cheapest Echo with a built-in Zigbee hub and a temperature sensor — a genuinely useful combo for routines like "turn the lights on when the room drops below 68°F." Check the current price on Amazon

If you just want a good new Alexa speaker. Don’t chase the retired 4th Gen. The Echo Dot (5th Gen) at $49.99 is the sensible buy, fresh with a warranty — and we covered it in our Amazon Echo Dot (2026) review. Check the Echo Dot price on Amazon

If you want the biggest sound. The Echo Studio is the one to beat at $199.99 (often ~$154.99 on sale). And if you’d rather have a screen, the Echo Show 8 at $149.99 is where most buyers land.

If you need a portable one. The 4th Gen’s Made-for-Amazon battery base (~$32.99) makes it genuinely portable — a niche the Dots don’t fill.

Where to find the Echo (4th Gen) in 2026

• Amazon US: still listed at $99.99 new as of this check — grab it while stock holds.
• Refurbished / used: roughly $59–75, the realistic way to buy it today.
• Accessories: Made-for-Amazon battery base (~$32.99) and wall mount (~$20.99).

Search Amazon for the Echo (4th Gen)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Amazon Echo 4th Gen discontinued?

Not entirely — but Amazon has wound it down. The full-size 4th Gen now sells mostly refurbished, and the "big Dot" slot went to the Echo Dot Max (~$99.99, released Oct 29, 2025).

Does the Echo 4th Gen have Zigbee?

Yes — that’s one of its two headline features. The built-in Zigbee hub controls a wide range of smart-home devices without a separate hub, and the temperature sensor can trigger Alexa routines.

Is the Echo 4th Gen good for music?

Good, not great. It beats an Echo Dot on midrange and treble, but owners who moved up from the 3rd Gen say it lost some bass. For serious sound, go for the Echo Studio.

Should I buy a new Echo 4th Gen or the Echo Dot Max?

If you want the Zigbee hub and temperature sensor, the 4th Gen is the value pick. If you’d rather have a current, louder Dot with a clock and a full warranty, the Echo Dot Max is the safer buy at the same ~$99.99.

So the honest verdict on the Amazon Echo (4th Gen): it’s still a capable $99 smart speaker and the cheapest Echo with a Zigbee hub plus a temperature sensor — but it’s a 2020 product Amazon is quietly retiring. Snag one refurbished for $59–75 if the hub and sensor are worth it to you; otherwise the Echo Dot (5th Gen) at $49.99 or the Echo Dot Max at ~$99.99 is the smarter 2026 buy.

Over at Gadgetping we test gadgets from Amazon, AliExpress and Flipkart so you buy the right one — not the loudest one: real prices, real diagnostics, owner consensus over the spec sheet. We did the small-sibling round in our Amazon Echo Dot (2026) review, the Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 8 for the screens, and the rest of the connected-home gear lives in our smart home and security reviews.