Your Alexa can replace about 13 things in your life. Really depending on how fancy you want to get it could replace about 50! It can even start your car for you with the right car (I am sure budget friendly). I thought I would share thirteen things we use Alexa for on a daily basis. You might not even realize that you can ditch that sound machine, your alarm clock, your timer, your bluetooth speaker and more! We shared some Instagram stories the other day of how we use our Alexa (my girls love the Alexa and use it the most). But I deleted my stories about half-way thru that day because I didn’t think anyone cared.
Well, come to find out you do care. I got SO many DM’s asking me to put the stories back in my highlights. So I thought it deserved a blog post I can refer people to.
Plus Alexa Dot was one of the top items you all bought from my blog in 2018. I figured a lot of you have one and might want some tips and tricks on how to use Alexa in your own homes.
(It is on sale for Amazon Prime Day HERE).
13 Things Alexa Can Replace- Alexa Tips and Tricks-
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Alarm Clock- “Alexa wake me up everyday this week at 7 am”. You can even tell Alexa a song to wake you up to!
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Sound Machine- “Alexa play ocean sounds on a loop”
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Timer- “Alexa set a timer for 10 minutes”
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Bluetooth Speaker- “Alexa play current hit songs” or “Alexa play cleaning the house play list” or my favorite for Finns room “Alexa play songs for toddlers”
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Home Speaker System- “Alexa tell everyone it’s time for dinner”
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Home Phone- “Alexa call mom’s cell phone.” The Ask My Buddy skill will send a notification (text, SMS or phone call) to a preselected contact when you’re in an emergency and can’t reach your phone. While this feature is not a substitute for 911, it lets you tell loved ones you need help.
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The Gym- “Alexa, Start 7 Minute Workout.”
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Personal Trainer- “Alexa, how many calories in a banana?”
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Weather Man- “Alexa tell me the weather”
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Babysitter (not really, well kind-of)- “Alexa tell a bedtime story to _____”
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Newspaper- “Alexa tell me the news of the day”
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Butler- “Alexa turn off the hall light” or “Alexa lock the door” – You can browse the smart home compatibility tool to see what Alexa works with.
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Recipe Converter- “Alexa, how many tablespoons in a quarter-cup?”
PS- an Alexa is super easy to install. You just add an app to your phone and it guides you in the process!
I have THIS white Alexa in the girls room and in our kitchen find it HERE
I love that an Alexa Dot is so small, it blends in with the decor. I actually put Finns Alexa in that basket on his dresser to keep it simple and tidy. You can still hear it just fine.
Jen says
I haven’t bought an Alexa because I have only used apple products and I wasn’t sure if they were compatible with iTunes? But we have Amazon prime and is that all I need to utilize all the features you’ve highlighted, correct? 😊
[email protected] says
yes!! We just have amazon prime!
Tiffany says
We don’t even have amazon prime and only have iPhones. You can stream music through iheart radio and Spotify. It also has “sleep sounds” loaded on it. You just have to “enable” it on the amazon. Which is still free. I share just because we were hesitant as well while only using apple products.
Erin says
Alexa is now compatible with Apple Music so that’s a win!
Letty says
How do you set up the home speaker system? Honestly, I bought the Alexa Dot based from your stories that your girls could use it as an Intercom. I have an elderly parent and would like for him to be able to just reach out to me in my room using the Alexa but I couldn’t figure it out. Do you have any tips??
[email protected] says
so you have to have a Alexa dot in the rooms you want to “talk to”. So in your elderly parents room and then get another one for your kitchen. And say “Alexa tell everyone”. Or like a reader said above you can use the app too- this is what she said-
If you have the app on your phone go to make an announcement and I can announce over alll the dots throughout the house when I’m not even home. I’ve made the announcement unload the dishwasher because I’m almost home. And my kids heard it and did it 🎉🎉🎉
Toni says
If you have the app on your phone go to make an announcement and I can announce over alll the dots throughout the house when I’m not even home. I’ve made the announcement unload the dishwasher because I’m almost home. And my kids heard it and did it 🎉🎉🎉I can also drop in on my kids rooms when I’m not home which is awesome for my little ones who don’t have phones but are home with my teenagers. My 5 year old got one for Christmas and she has it play princess bedtime music every night and I saw her putting jammies on with a Jammie song the other day. Now she even plays the rise and shine station when she wakes up. It’s like her life has a soundtrack. Oh also my husband’s favorite thing is to try to beat me on the music game 🙂
[email protected] says
ohhhhh smart!!! I have only used the announcement when I am home! Thanks for those fun ideas!!!
Madison says
I use Alexa for my grocery list. It’s so convenient if I’m in the kitchen and realize I’m ruining out of something, instead of writing it down or saying I remember. I just tell Alexa add so and so to my list Also she’s my reminder and to do list
[email protected] says
So will Alexa put it on what to-do list? I need to look into doing that! We have like 7 Alexa dots under our shared amazon account with my sisters. So I would have to figure that out! haha or my sister would be buying more eggs!
Valerie says
You can make specific lists too. I have one for Target, Trader Joe’s, etc, I wish I could help more with the sharing thing- I’m not sure. But to get to the lists you use the app. That is where I created them, and what I use at the store to check stuff off. But it is nice to not have to find my phone or a piece of paper and a pen.
Also, nerdy and no one probably cares, but there’s a new round of jeopardy everyday, you just say Alexa play jeopardy, if you have Prime you get ten new clues a day, if not just 5. If you miss days it asks if you want to play the missed ones. #imanerd
Laura says
Maybe you could name your lists with your name… “Laura’s Target List” to keep separate from your sister.
Laura says
I got this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JM8T3B3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_iIOpCbQE0EN3K
outlet mount for our kitchen Alexa. The long cord was driving me nuts!!
[email protected] says
oh good tip!! That is why I put mine high on the fridge, so the cord goes behind the fridge. I didn’t want the cord!!
Marsela says
I just ordered one for the kitchen! I can’t wait for it too arriv, mine is driving me crazy too!
Colleen says
1. Keeping up with the grocery list is the best- especially when the kids know to add anything they want or need. Fun fact- when you pull up list in the store and see the funny things ur children requested ! Another fun thing to do is when you are at your close friends house, add something crazy to their list!
2. We also have family out of state and they will send audio messages through Alexia that are sweet!
3. Can be funny as well- when family stays with you and they secretly tell Alexa to set all sorts of reminders like wake up your teenagers at 5am on Saturday for the month of January, or clean the bathrooms for your mom – we get a good laugh!
Lori says
We love after dinner to ask Alexa for the question of the day for a daily fun trivia question. Not super easy but fun to do and then there’s sometimes a bonus question. We ask ours to set timers for reading or time to stop one activity and get on another. We also play the 20 questions game. And ask her to spell words or simple math questions we can’t t remember doing middle school homework!
Gretchen says
Love the ideas! I noticed your kids don’t have the “kids edition” Alexa. Can you still filter music and other content? I’d rather not pay extra for the bright red and green ones if I don’t need to!
[email protected] says
yes! We do “clean” or “edited” music. They know to request that!
Marsela says
My kids live to have Alexa tell jokes. We even switched it to Jimmy Kimmel as the joke teller. Also they like to here Alexa blow wind. 😬
Rena Uecker says
Brooke are you able to call into your Alexa while out and about? If so what do you say to call it?
[email protected] says
yes! You have to have use the Alexa app-
To set up Drop In, open the Alexa app. Make sure you’ve already registered for Alexa-to-Alexa calling. The first time you access Drop In, you’re asked to enable it in your own profile. Tap the link for My Profile and turn on the switch to Allow Drop In.
From the Communications screen, tap the Drop In setting at the top. Tap the name of the device. If you wish to drop in on an Echo Show, you must give Alexa access to your camera. Tap the Settings button and enable the option in your device’s Settings screen. Then return to the Alexa app. You can now tap the device you wish to drop in on. To end the drop in, tap the End button.
Heather says
We have 5 Alexa’s. The Dots and the larger ones and love them. We use them mostly to play music, the radio, turn on the lights, heating or hot water. It links to the hive heating system we have.(not sure if that’s in the US as I’m in Ireland) The special bulbs and plugs are pricey but so worth it! You can set the lights/plugs to a schedule if you’re away from the house 🙂
Chris Salek says
We have a summer camp-I missed Alexa so much I got one for up there. Once you get use to “her” it is hard to give up. I send messages to my daughters who live in another state.
Tosha says
Am I correct in saying that in order to use a dot with all these features you have to have the homebase correct?
Jan Nesbitt says
I don’t have a Dot or Alexa so maybe this has been asked and answered but do you need one for every room in your house or is one in your living room/dining area enough to play music through? We have no children in the home anymore only grandchildren who visit and stay after school. This is all so new! Maybe a post with instructions would help us who no nothing about this! 😉