Move Your Amazon Echo Speaker Immediately If It’s in These 5 Places

Amazon Echo speakers come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and types, making them great for placement throughout your home… and even in your car. With so much flexibility when it comes to where you can use Alexa, it’s easy to slip up and place your speaker in a spot that could spell disaster for smart speakers and smart displays.

You may know that it’s not safe to place your Alexa device near water, but did you know that intruders can gain access to it? smart home device from outside if placed too close to a window? Not only could you damage your Echo, but you could also be taking a serious privacy risk.

Don’t worry, because we’ve got a handy list of where not to put your Echo devices, as well as the best places to put them. (For more Amazon Echo tips, head over to which Alexa settings you should change ASAP AND five useful Echo features.)

1. Keep Alexa away from the toilet

Putting an Echo near a toilet is just plain gross. Think of all the germs that circulate in that area, even in super clean bathrooms. If you must have an Echo in your bathroom (and we see the point), try to place it as far away from the toilet as possible.

If you can, mount on the wall with a sticky strip or nail. Just make sure it’s secure so it doesn’t fall off, and be sure to place it near an outlet so you can plug it in. Also, keep it out of the bathtub. You don’t want to fry your Echo… or anything else.

2. Avoid placing Alexa near the sink

If you’re trying to drown out the sounds of Alexa’s voice, be sure to place your precious Echo by the sink. If you want to keep it in pristine condition, never place it near water.

You don’t want to risk your kitchen water sprayer malfunctioning and getting your Echo device wet, or having your tall device fall into the sink. Instead, place it on another countertop, like a kitchen island, or tuck it into a corner where it’s away from splattering spaghetti sauce and water. It’ll be cleaner and may sound better, too.

Read more: 7 Places You Should Never Install a Home Security Camera

3. Don’t place Alexa near windows

Keep your Echo away from all windows in your home. The location could potentially give anyone outside access to your Echo, which could give access to other smart home devices. For example, if your car is connected to a smart speaker, someone could be able to unlock and run.

4. Alexa should not be under the TV

How many ads are there that say, “Alexa, play…” and activate your echo? Or if the TV says something that sounds very similar to “Alexa,” guess what gets activated. Not only does it interrupt the program you’re watching, it also starts recording what was said after the command. If you’re in a private conversation and Alexa gets activated, risking your privacyPlacing it on your nightstand makes more sense, and the voice assistant is more likely to be muted until you give a command.

If you really want to place your Amazon Echo device close enough to your TV for it to hear, you might want to consider changing the wake word for the device. There are five wake word options for non-Alexa Echo devices in total, so you’ll have options that fit your home. There’s even a way to access fun Disney content!

5. Never place your Echo device in front of a radiator

Never expose your Amazon Echo device to heat sources, Amazon says. This includes radiators, heater vents, heaters, and stoves. This could potentially cause fire or damage to your Echo device.

Instead, make sure it’s clearly positioned away from the direction the radiator is pointing to avoid potential disaster. For example, if you have a radiator in your office, place the Echo on your desk and away from the radiator.

So where to place the Amazon Echo?

• On a mantel or shelf
• On your bedside table
• Mounted on a wall not facing the window
• In the corner of your living room (away from windows)
• On the edge of your kitchen counter far from your sink
• A highly visible spot so you can see when the light ring lights up

You can also read our story on The four best uses for an Amazon Echo device in every room of your home to help you decide where to place your Echo.

Ready for more tips on what to do with your Amazon Echo? Check out these surprising things you didn’t know your Amazon Echo could do AND six things you haven’t tried with your Amazon Echo yet.