If you think the Echo Show is just a fancy smart speaker with a screen, you're missing most of what it can do. For families spread across the Twin Cities — or across the country — it has become one of the most genuinely useful devices I set up in people's homes. And it's not because of Alexa's jokes.
The real magic is in how it handles staying connected with people who matter to you. Whether you're trying to check in on a parent who lives alone, help your kids call grandma without fuss, or just want a hands-free way to video chat from the kitchen counter — the Echo Show handles all of it remarkably well.
What Is the Echo Show, Exactly?
The Echo Show is Amazon's tablet-style smart display. It runs Alexa, has a built-in camera and screen, and sits on a countertop or nightstand. You can talk to it hands-free, tap the screen like a tablet, or do both. It comes in a few sizes — the Echo Show 8 is the most popular for family use, and the Echo Show 5 is a good smaller option for a bedroom or guest room.
What sets it apart from a regular smart speaker (like an Echo Dot) is that it can do video calls, show photos, display the weather, and act as a digital photo frame when you're not actively using it. That last part alone makes it a hit in most homes I visit.
Video Calling — Easier Than FaceTime, Really
This surprises people, but the Echo Show is often easier for video calling than a phone or iPad. Here's why: you don't have to pick it up, unlock it, find an app, and tap a contact. You just say "Alexa, call Mom" and it rings her.
That assumes a few things are set up correctly:
- Both people need to be in each other's Amazon contacts (this is the part I usually help with)
- The person being called needs either an Echo Show, the Alexa app on their phone, or both
- Your Amazon account needs to have calling enabled
Once that's done, video calling is genuinely hands-free. If you're cooking dinner and your hands are covered in flour, you can still answer a call from your daughter by saying "Alexa, answer."
Drop In: The Feature Families Actually Love
Drop In is one of those features that sounds a little invasive until you understand how it works — and then families can't imagine living without it.
With Drop In enabled between two devices, one person can connect directly to another's Echo Show without the other person having to "answer." It's like walking into a room rather than knocking. The screen on the other end frosts over for a couple of seconds first, giving a visual heads-up that someone is dropping in.
The most common use I see: adult children who want to check in on a parent living alone. Instead of calling, worrying when there's no answer, and then catastrophizing, they just Drop In for 20 seconds to make sure everything is fine. The parent sees their child's face on the screen and waves. Done.
Important: Drop In only works between people who have explicitly enabled it for each other. You can't Drop In on a stranger — both sides have to opt in. I always walk through these privacy settings when I set up an Echo Show in someone's home.
Alexa Reminders and Announcements
Beyond calls, the Echo Show is excellent for reminders. You can set a medication reminder that announces out loud at the same time every day — "It's 8 AM, time for your morning medication." You can set a reminder for a doctor's appointment, a birthday, or even just "the news is on."
The Announcements feature is great for households with multiple Echo devices. Say "Alexa, announce that dinner is ready" and every Echo in the house says it simultaneously. Beats yelling up the stairs.
The Photo Frame Feature Most People Don't Use
When the Echo Show isn't actively being used, it can display a rotating slideshow of your photos. Connect it to your Amazon Photos account, an iCloud shared album, or even just a curated set of family pictures, and it becomes a digital photo frame on your counter.
I've set this up for a family in Plymouth where the grandparents get new photos from their grandkids' soccer games automatically — because the parents share the album and Amazon Photos syncs it. The grandparents didn't have to do anything after the initial setup.
Which Echo Show Should You Buy?
- Echo Show 5 — Good for a nightstand or small counter. 5.5-inch screen. Budget-friendly.
- Echo Show 8 — The sweet spot. 8-inch screen, good camera, sounds great. Best all-around choice.
- Echo Show 10 — The screen rotates to follow you around the room. Nice feature, higher price point.
- Echo Show 15 — Designed to mount on a wall like a family hub. Large 15-inch screen. Great for kitchens.
For most families, I recommend starting with the Echo Show 8. It hits the right balance of screen size, sound quality, camera quality, and price.
What About Privacy?
This comes up in nearly every conversation I have about Echo Show. A few things worth knowing: the camera has a physical shutter you can slide closed when you don't want it active. The microphone also has a mute button. Amazon has added a visual indicator light that shows when the microphone or camera is in use. Are there tradeoffs? Yes. But the same is true of a smartphone in your pocket — and most people have made peace with that one.
Want It Set Up Right the First Time?
Setting up an Echo Show for video calls and Drop In involves more than plugging it in — contacts, privacy settings, calling permissions, and photo sharing all need to be configured. I come to your home, get it working exactly the way you want, and make sure everyone in the family knows how to use it.
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