Why You Can Trust CNET Improve your home Wi-Fi with the excellent Eero Mesh 3-pack for $169, plus free Echo Dot (Update: Expired)
That's the lowest price ever for this bundle. Plus, two great Bluetooth speakers priced under $10.
The Eero three-pack is a terrific deal at $169. The Echo Dot is just icing on the cake.
I hope to never touch another router as long as I live. Since deploying an Eero mesh network a few years ago, I no longer concern myself with Wi-Fi or the myriad mysterious settings therein. I have strong signal in every corner of the house, a guest network for visitors and support for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz devices. (Some products, like certain security cameras and smart locks, work only with the former.)
Sound good? Then don't miss this deal: For a limited time, and while supplies last, Amazon has the Eero Mesh Wi-Fi System three-pack for $169, a price that includes a free Amazon Echo Dot , because doesn't everything? (Yesterday's Insignia Fire TV deal, for example.) This normally sells for $249; it once dipped to $159, but that didn't include the Dot. Prefer to shop elsewhere? Best Buy has the Eero three-pack and free Dot for $169.99.
This is the current-generation Eero hardware. Instead of a base station and nodes, you now just have three nodes -- each with two Ethernet ports, great for adding things like smart-home hubs or media streamers .
Easy setup is a big part of the appeal: You just connect one of the nodes to your modem, fire up the Eero app and walk through a simple series of steps. Read CNET's Eero review to learn more, and to see why it easily made our list of the best mesh Wi-Fi systems.
I own any number of Echo devices, and I can't say I've ever bothered using one to control my Eero -- mostly because I don't need to. You could issue a command like, "Alexa, turn on the guest network," but mine is just on all the time. Indeed, once you have everything configured to your liking, there's a good chance you'll rarely, if ever, have to futz with the Eero again. That's certainly been the case for me.
So if you have Wi-Fi dead spots in your house or your router is more than three or four years old, this would make an ideal upgrade. And if $169 still feels pricey, consider this: Most mesh-network systems cost $400-$500 when they first hit the scene.
Your thoughts?
Read more: The best mesh Wi-Fi systems for 2020
Two great Bluetooth speakers priced at $10 or less
Sing in the shower (with accompaniment) for just $10.
On a recent episode of the Cheapskate Show podcast (see below), Dave Johnson and I talked about great Bluetooth speakers priced $40 or less. Ever wonder just how much less they can be? Amazon seller Patazon has two amazing answers to that question. (As always, both are for a limited time and while supplies last.)
First up: The Mpow Q2 Shower Speaker for $9.99 when you clip the on-page $2-off coupon and then apply promo code HTTRHXRR at checkout.
This is a fully waterproof 10-watt speaker that can accompany you into the shower (it includes both a lanyard and a suction cup) or anywhere else. It promises up to 18 hours of play time on a charge and even has a microSD slot if you want to spin up tunes stored on a memory card.
How can this thing be just $8.49? Don't ask questions.
Next, the Vtin R4 Portable Bluetooth Speaker drops to just $8.49 with promo code XQHBTCC9. (That's only for the blue model, and only from seller Patozon.) It's a 12-watt speaker that's water-resistant, with a battery good for up to 24 hours, according to Vtin.
The R4 has been around awhile; it always sells out quickly when there's a deal like this (though I've never seen it priced this low, FYI), and people always seem pretty happy with it.
Not every situation demands a premium speaker. If you just want to, say, listen to a podcast while gardening or have a bit of music in the background while you work, this is eight measly dollars and change well-spent.
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