The lowest priced system on this list, the Echo, is also the one you're most likely to see when you go to your tech-savvy friend's next dinner party. Reviews have been solid in publications of record for the tech industry (ahem ...), and with a sub-$200 price point and Amazon's vast sales reach, expect this little voice-activated speaker system to lead the charge among home personal assistants.

The Echo is a cloud-based device built around the premise that being able to make some impressive noise and respond to voice commands while connected to the internet leads to all kinds of functionality. It's being advertised as a smart music player that can remind you about stuff and look up other stuff on Wikipedia, but if utilized to its fullest it can become the central hub of your smart home, controlling lights and connected WeMo, Hue, and Wink devices. It's a DJ, a book reader, and a robust calendar, and its functionality is going to grow as Amazon continues development. One recent addition is live traffic reporting, which is particularly useful when you're scurrying around trying to get out of the house.