'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?
ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.
When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.
ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form.
I've been testing the giant Echo Show 21 for weeks - here's who should buy it (and who shouldn't)
ZDNET's key takeaways
- The Echo Show 21 is a $400 smart display designed to be mounted
- It includes a 13MP camera for video calls with a privacy shutter and Fire TV integrations.
- If you choose not to wall-mount the Echo Show 21, you'd have to buy a separate stand.
A great smart display is a sight to behold, but it doesn't need to be huge to be outstanding. I love the idea of a great display for smart home control and everyday home management, like keeping my family's calendars, to-do lists, reminders, shopping lists, and more updated, easy to find, and visible for everyone.
Also: Change these 5 settings to make your Echo Show less annoying
I have several Echo Shows around my home, so I've become familiar with the platform and functionality. This made me excited to learn of the new Amazon Echo Show 21 and even more to test it.
Unboxing the Echo Show 21 is a series of awe-inspiring moments, mostly due to its huge smart display. At 21 inches, the Echo Show 21 is imposing and striking. The large display can double as a Fire TV, where its size shines most.
This Echo Show is built to be wall-mounted, with the hardware included in the box. This type of device is meant to be multifunctional -- a kitchen companion that functions as a smart home hub, a family organizational hub, and a small television for entertainment while cooking or as a recipe source.
Like other Amazon Echo Show displays, the Echo Show 21 features hands-free Amazon Alexa, serving as a communication channel for the virtual assistant. You can ask Alexa to trigger your smart devices with reliable results or request jokes, stories, or music.
If you'd like to leave your Echo Show 21 on a tabletop, you'll need to buy a separate stand, which can cost up to $100. I received an Amazon Premium Adjustable Stand with my review unit to test. It's a flexible, aluminum-built stand that swivels 360 degrees and tilts up to 30 degrees.
Also: 5 Amazon Alexa privacy settings you should change right away
While it doesn't include a stand, the Echo Show 21 works well mounted on a wall, as its black-and-white border resembles a picture frame. Along the top edge, a camera at the center of the display features a physical privacy shutter that you can toggle closed as needed.
The 13MP camera supports auto-framing, 3.3x zoom, and noise reduction technology. This has worked perfectly whether I'm calling someone in my contacts list or my kids' Echo Show 5 upstairs.
For smart home integrations, the Echo Show 21 is a Zigbee hub that supports Matter and functions as a Thread border router. You can also set up multiple user profiles to customize content for each user.
Also: The best TVs to buy
The Echo Show 21 performs as a Fire TV, with an Alexa Voice Remote control like you'd get with a Fire TV unit or streaming device. But don't expect it to win any awards for its audio performance. While it can get boisterously loud, it doesn't offer the crisp sound quality you get from an Echo Studio.
The large display functions well for casual streaming and smart home controls, but it is quite expensive at $400.
Still, Amazon has wasted a huge opportunity to make the Echo Show 21 a family hub and smart display in one. For years, I've been hoping to have a smart display that combines smart home capabilities and voice control from an Echo speaker with the family calendar and organizational features you get with a Skylight Calendar.
However, Amazon continues to use small widgets that don't offer as much information as I need from my calendar and cling to ads and featured content that clutter half of the screen.
ZDNET's buying advice
I'd recommend the Echo Show 21 if you're looking for a family hub, smart home hub, and small television for your kitchen. However, it's not going to show a large, full-screen view of your calendar so you can glance at this week's events, and it's not a game changer if you already have a smaller Echo Show in the same room.
The Echo Show 21 is so large and imposing that I wouldn't recommend any installation other than wall mounting. I've kept mine on a table with the swivel stand, but its 21-inch frame takes up about half of a small desk, so I'll be mounting it on a wall to enjoy it better.
Also: The best Alexa devices you can buy
At $400, it's a very expensive smart display, so I'd only recommend it if you don't already have an Echo Show and want the TV functionality.