Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsGreat until it’s not
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2024
Bought this at the very end of November 2023. 5th gen. Needed the clock so as a present for hubby bought it for him as surprise. Even though it was preset to our system (Eero router, etc., Echo Show, plus security system), it hooked up and then immediately unhooked. Couldn’t get it to rehook to the system, nor would it change time zones. One problem after another. Starting after the first of the year, starting having all kinds of problems with it. I’m told my warranty - remember I ordered and received it 11/30/23 - expired March 4, 2024. That’s your warranty. I started in April trying to get it to continue being what it said it was - a WiFi extender - to work again. Nope, it would not. 45 days later, after many, many emails with tech support, many, many calls to Amazon, they decided to “make an exception” and send me a replacement which was refurbished. One rep told me I was getting a refurbished device because it wasn’t coming from the warehouse and he was positive of that. I not only received a refurbished device but it was the 4th generation, not the 5th generation that I had. It did the same issues as my original one but wouldn’t even stay connected to my system. I was told to keep that unit and reorder another device and send it back (my original one) and they would credit me. The device I had bought when they had their Thanksgiving sale so this device is $20.00 more -lugs the one to keep the 4th gen that wouldn’t work, of course was shipped without a cord and I still had the problem of Amazon charging me if I didn’t send my original back within 30 days because they had sent me a non-working device that wasn’t even equivalent to what I had. So now I’m out $59.00, more dollars, have two defective units, one completely unworkable, even tech support could not get it to work - the original - so if you want a device that has a 60 day warranty and a hope that it continues to work, then by all means purchase this unit. There is a reason, Amazon had only refurbished units for sale for a while. Plus CSR only offered a 15% discount for a new one, and the website had a 20% trade in, that I tried to use when I broke down and ordered a new one, but when I selected that offer/option, it only pulled up a blank screen and went no further. All my other devices were working fine. This one never did. One of the most disappointing and frustrating experiences I have ever had with Amazon, and I have spent thousands of dollars with them and have their credit card to be treated the way they have with this device. So buyer beware. Let’s hope yours works. By the way, I purchased the extended warranty this time, for what good it will get me. Good luck! Works til it doesn’t.
Update - ordered another new Echo Dot with clock. Also ordered another WiFi extender from Ring that matches my mesh system. Before I installed the new extender, (because it was suggested), Brian with Tech Support called as promised and got all of it back up to running. It seems my system between the two different platforms (needed) had some “garbage” in my connection that needed to be resolved. Simple restart was required and all was as it should be. After installing the new extender near the new Echo Dot with clock, the internet extender function on my new Dot was no longer needed so the larger extender disabled automatically the WiFi extender on the Dot. It also sent and posted the reason why it had disabled the WiFi extender capabilities and if I moved it further away the capabilities of WiFi extender would/could be enabled again. All in all, both of my Echo Dots with Clock are back up and working correctly and seamlessly again. Love it all over again.
