The coolest Amazon accessory is finally back in stock—and it's crazy cheap right now
The Echo Wall Clock is Amazon's best-kept secret.
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Amazon
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If you own an Amazon Echo smart speaker, you need to keep reading.
Last last year, Amazon started teasing the Echo Wall Clock, an Alexa-connected device that syncs with your Echo to display visual timers and alarms. Considering that alarms, timers, and reminders are easily the most useful things Alexa does day-to-day, having a visual way to keep tabs on things is a serious game-changer. And now it's back in stock for $30, but there's also a $5 discount right now to make it nearly half as much as it was originally.
More: Everything that works with Alexa and Amazon Echo devices
The Wall Clock was announced in September last year, and it immediately piqued my interest and I managed to get my hands on a model right when it launched. But when it shipped, it was met with harsh and critical reviews from me complaining in my kitchen to other reviewers complaining online, and quickly became unavailable for purchase. Why? This seemingly amazing device was a serious battery-eater.
The light-up countdown timer makes it so much easier to make sure you get up off the couch and get your pizza rolls out of the oven.
When I got my review model to test out, I loaded up the 4 AmazonBasics AA batteries that came with it, easily synced it to the Echo Show in my kitchen, and fell immediately in love. I asked Alexa to set a 10-minute timer and watched in awe (told you I fell in love) as the minute markers on the clock face lit up. When the timer reached one minute, All 60 markers lit up and began to tick down one by one. When the timer hit zero, the lights flashed until I told Alexa to dismiss the alarm. But within just a few days, the status light started blinking red to indicate a low battery. I swapped the batteries and, lo and behold, I had the same issue a few days later.
However, it appears Amazon deployed some sort of bug fix or software update that makes it less of an energy-zapper. I now have the Echo Wall Clock set up in my living room, synced to an Echo Plus so I can see how long I have before I need to take food out of the oven or switch my laundry or whatever else, all without getting off my couch. The ultimate in lazy people hacks. And I haven't had to swap the batteries in over a month!
If you already have an Echo device, and you ever use it for timers, YOU NEED THIS CLOCK—especially while it's on sale.