Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) Review: Your Minimalist Mission‑Control Hub

The Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) is more than a countertop clock—it’s a sleek, 8‑inch command center that keeps my day running and my space uncluttered. I bark “Alexa, add oat milk” and the item drops straight into my Amazon list; multiple voice‑set timers juggle cooking and Pomodoro sessions; and gentle sunrise alarms nudge me awake without the jolt of a phone screen. Thanks to native support for Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Audible, and multi‑room audio, it doubles as a room‑filling speaker; it can even pair with Fire TV to act as a hands‑free remote or show quick video previews. A centered 13 MP auto‑framing camera handles Zoom and Alexa video calls, while Drop In lets me check on another Echo or say hi to family. Built‑in Zigbee, Matter, and Thread radios let the Show 8 serve as a smart‑home hub, so one screen now dims my lights, locks the door, and syncs routines with every other Alexa device in the house. All that power lives in a fabric‑wrapped shell with a physical mic‑and‑camera shutter for instant privacy. If you want one elegant slab to handle lists, alarms, music, video calls, Fire TV control, and every smart gadget you own, grab the Echo Show 8; every link here goes straight to Amazon for an easy checkout. Affiliate Note: This product is available via Amazon, and all links in this post go directly to their listing. If you buy using my link, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you.