Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

We purchased the 1st Gen Echo as a refurbished unit for $127.00 Nov 9th 2016. Could not tell it was a referb and we enjoyed it, asking Alexa silly and meaningful questions. We also used the 1st Gen unit for music and enjoyed the fidelity the Echo provided and the Amazon music and Ihart music stations. We would have purchased more units for other rooms had Amazon included multi room music sync.By the time Amazon offered music sync between units word was out that Gen 2 was on its way so we waited. In Dec 2017 we ordered 3 more Echo's, two for the house as gifts for each other and one as a gift for a neighbor. Come Chrismas we were excited to get our new 2nd gen Echo's up and running. It was quite simple to do so and after setting up the Everywhere group via the Alexa app we had 3 rooms playing the same music, now we could have the music through out the house with out it blasting in any one room...nice. The new Echo's were a lot less expensive, even then our refreb Gen 1 Echo, They are a bit shorter and we opted for the grey fabric wrapped on the Gen 2. While I do miss the Gen 1 volume control where you counld just spin the Echo's top left or right to adjust the volume I find the Gen 2 to have the same fidelity with maybe a touch more base. All other features seem equal with the Gen 1 as Amazon keeps updating (automatically over the air) features to the entire line of Amazon Alexa devices. We have now started integrating "Smart Home" devices. We started with a couple of the TP plugs Amazon was providing at a greatly reduced price with the Echo purchases in Dec 2017, then I found the Sonoff WiFi switches that can be hardwired into circuits. Now our electric fireplace has a Sonoff inline and we can just say "Alexa fire place on" and the lighting system of the fireplace comes on or off when we tell it to. I've also hard wired Sonoff' switches to some of the exterior lighting circuits to control them either with Alexa or the app's timer feature and finally added one to the attic lights where the switch was practically inaccessible, now I just say "Alexa turn on (off) attic lights" before I enter the attic and I'm no longer stumbling through the pitch black attic looking for the switch. These Sonoff devices are less than $8 each! Its cheaper to use the Sonoff WiFi switches than the cost just in parts and wire to run a new light switch! Home automation is not coming, its here with devices such as the Echo and Sonoff that are scalable, easy to set up, easy to use, work well and are affordable for the average American. Thank you AMAZON for bringing home automation to our home. CON's: Wish Echo's could be grouped on more than one group. Be sure to indicate any Alexa device your buying from Amazon AS A GIFT if your giving it away, otherwise Amazon sets the device to be on your Alexa network and the gift recipient will end up with your Alexa options and info such as your shopping lists ect until deleted from your account.