Our Verdict

The Amazon Echo Buds (2nd Gen) are a significant improvement over their predecessor, offering excellent active noise cancellation, improved sound quality, and a more compact design at a competitive price point. With hands-free Alexa integration and solid battery life, these earbuds are an outstanding value for anyone seeking premium wireless earbuds without the premium price tag.

Design and Comfort

Amazon has completely redesigned the Echo Buds for their second generation, resulting in a 20% smaller form factor than the original. The sleeker, more ergonomic shape makes a noticeable difference in comfort during extended wear. Available in either Black or Glacier White, the earbuds have a minimalist, professional appearance with a subtle Amazon logo on each bud.

The redesigned case is equally impressive – compact, well-built, and equipped with strong magnets that securely hold both the buds and lid in place. Individual LED indicators for each earbud and the case make it easy to check charging status at a glance. The case dimensions are 66.8 x 28.6 x 39.1mm, comparable to a small TicTac box, making it pocket-friendly and travel-ready.

Finding the right fit is crucial for both comfort and sound quality, and Amazon provides four sizes of silicone ear tips (XS, S, M, L) and two sizes of wing tips for a secure fit during exercise. What sets the Echo Buds apart is the ear tip fit test in the Alexa app, which analyzes the seal quality and suggests the optimal tip size for your ears. We found this feature incredibly useful for achieving the best sound experience.

The IPX4 water and sweat resistance rating means these earbuds can handle workouts and light rain without issue, though they're not designed for swimming or submersion.

Sound Quality and Noise Cancellation

The Echo Buds (2nd Gen) deliver impressive audio performance, especially considering their price point. The 5.7mm dynamic drivers produce clear, balanced sound with respectable bass response and detailed highs. While audiophiles might notice some limitations in the soundstage compared to more expensive options, most users will be more than satisfied with the rich, full sound these earbuds provide.

One of the most significant improvements in this generation is Amazon's proprietary ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) technology, replacing the Bose noise reduction used in the first generation. The new system effectively reduces ambient noise like office chatter, air conditioning hum, and transportation sounds. A quick press-and-hold on either earbud toggles between ANC and Passthrough mode, which uses the external microphones to amplify ambient sounds when you need to be aware of your surroundings.

The combination of proper-fitting ear tips and active noise cancellation creates an immersive listening experience that punches well above its price class. We were particularly impressed with how well the Echo Buds handled complex musical arrangements, keeping vocals clear while preserving instrumental detail.

Call quality is another strong point, with the beamforming microphones effectively capturing your voice while reducing background noise. Several test calls in various environments confirmed that these earbuds perform admirably for both personal and professional communications.

Alexa Integration and Smart Features

As expected from an Amazon product, Alexa integration is seamless and represents one of the Echo Buds' strongest selling points. The always-on voice assistant responds quickly to commands, allowing you to control music playback, check the weather, set reminders, or control smart home devices completely hands-free.

The Alexa app offers extensive customization options for the Echo Buds, including EQ adjustments, touch control customization, and the ability to remap the press-and-hold gesture to summon Siri or Google Assistant instead of toggling noise cancellation. This flexibility makes the Echo Buds compatible with any smartphone ecosystem, though the experience is naturally most cohesive with Alexa.

The touch controls on the earbuds are responsive and intuitive: single tap for play/pause, double tap for next track, triple tap for previous track, and press-and-hold to switch between noise cancellation modes. Volume control isn't enabled by default but can be added through the app.

An unexpected but welcome feature is the workout tracking capability, which can monitor basic exercises like running and walking while providing stats on steps, calories burned, and pace. While not a replacement for a dedicated fitness tracker, it's a nice addition for casual exercise monitoring.

Battery Life and Connectivity

The Echo Buds offer up to 5 hours of playback with ANC and Alexa enabled, extending to 6.5 hours with these features disabled. The charging case provides an additional 10-12 hours, bringing the total to approximately 15 hours of usage before needing a power outlet. While not class-leading, this battery performance is adequate for most daily use cases.

Quick charging capability is particularly useful – a 15-minute charge delivers up to 2 hours of playback, perfect for those times when you're about to head out and discover your buds are running low.

Amazon offers the Echo Buds with either a standard USB-C charging case or a wireless charging case (for about $20 more). The wireless version works with any Qi-certified charging pad, adding convenience if you've already embraced wireless charging for your other devices.

Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity provides a stable connection with support for multipoint pairing, allowing you to connect to two devices simultaneously and seamlessly switch between them – for example, transitioning from watching a video on your laptop to taking a call on your phone without manual reconnection.

Key Features

• Effective active noise cancellation
• Excellent value for the feature set
• Compact, comfortable design
• Seamless Alexa integration
• Customizable fit and controls
• Good call quality with beamforming mics
• IPX4 water and sweat resistance
• Multiple device connectivity
• Battery life up to 5 hours (15 hours with case)
• Quick charging (15 min for 2 hours of playback)
• Available with wireless or wired charging case

How Echo Buds Compare to Other Wireless Earbuds

Feature	Amazon Echo Buds (2nd Gen)	Apple AirPods Pro	Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro
Price	$119.99	$249.99	$199.99
Active Noise Cancellation
Battery Life (earbuds only)	5 hours	4.5 hours	5 hours
Battery Life (with case)	15 hours	24 hours	18 hours
Water Resistance	IPX4	IPX4	IPX7
Voice Assistant	Alexa (hands-free)	Siri	Bixby/Google Assistant
Wireless Charging Case	Optional (+$20)
Customizable Fit	4 ear tip sizes + 2 wing tips	3 ear tip sizes	3 ear tip sizes
Quick Charging	15 min = 2 hours	5 min = 1 hour	10 min = 1 hour
Buy Now	Amazon	View	View

The Amazon Echo Buds (2nd Gen) offer exceptional value compared to similar premium earbuds. While they don't have the longest battery life with the case, they provide comparable active noise cancellation at nearly half the price of competitors. The customizable fit options and Alexa integration make them an excellent choice for most users.

Final Thoughts

The Amazon Echo Buds (2nd Gen) represent an impressive value proposition in the competitive wireless earbuds market. They successfully deliver on all the key features most users care about – good sound quality, effective noise cancellation, comfortable fit, and reliable connectivity – at a price point that undercuts many competitors with similar features.

While they may not quite match the absolute premium sound quality of top-tier options costing twice as much, the difference is subtle enough that most listeners would be hard-pressed to justify the price gap. For Alexa users, the seamless voice assistant integration adds significant value to an already compelling package.

Whether you're looking for your first pair of wireless earbuds or upgrading from an older model, the Echo Buds (2nd Gen) deserve serious consideration. Their balanced combination of features, performance, and price makes them one of our top recommendations for wireless earbuds in 2025.