Maria Diaz/ZDNET
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Virtual assistants are rapidly becoming as integral to daily life as smartphones, and in many regions around the globe, they have already reached that level of ubiquity. Nearly every modern smartphone now includes an artificial intelligence (AI)–powered assistant by default: Apple embeds Siri within its iPhones, while Android users interact with Google Assistant, now evolving into the more advanced Gemini. Within the domestic sphere, however, Amazon’s Alexa stands out as the most prominent and widely used virtual assistant, especially in the United States but also across numerous international households. Users around the world keep Alexa-enabled Echo devices in their homes, often configured in multiple languages to accommodate local preferences and household diversity.
I have personally relied on Alexa for several years, and through that experience, I’ve witnessed how profoundly this voice-powered system can enhance smart home management and transform everyday convenience. Below is a detailed exploration of how Alexa has reshaped my household routines and introduced new levels of efficiency and comfort.
1. Become a lighting assistant
Whenever I enter my bedroom’s adjoining bathroom, my Echo Dot automatically activates the lights and greets me warmly with the phrase, “Hello, gorgeous.” Its occupancy sensor, designed to detect nearby motion, triggers a pre-established routine that combines illumination with a personalized verbal message. This subtle combination of automation and personality illustrates the delicate balance between functionality and charm that Alexa can bring into a home environment. I previously depended on a smart wall switch equipped with its own motion sensor, but that setup was overly sensitive—sometimes reacting to the reflection of passing car headlights and turning the lights on at inconvenient hours, occasionally even at four in the morning. Eventually, I shifted the control to Alexa, allowing her AI routines to manage the lighting far more elegantly and reliably.
2. Streamline your nightly routines
Most people are familiar with the simple “Alexa, good night” command, which powers down smart lights at the end of the evening. Yet Alexa’s versatility goes far beyond that single example. In my household, I have created multiple personalized nighttime routines calibrated to specific areas of the home. For instance, our main living area follows a “lights out” command that simultaneously turns off lamps in the kitchen, living room, home office, and outdoor zones—all coordinated through an array of smart plugs and bulbs. In the children’s room, a distinct “it’s bedtime” routine activates when spoken aloud, triggering a soft transition: the white noise machine connected to a smart plug begins to hum, the bedside lamp turns off, and the ambient light strip glows faintly at 2% brightness, transforming into a gentle night-light. For my own end-of-day ritual, another Alexa command shuts off the bedroom’s smart lights, powers my fan via a smart plug, and places my air purifier into its quiet sleep mode. These interconnected actions make the process of winding down almost entirely hands-free.
3. Find my phone
Anyone who frequently misplaces their phone, especially when their smartwatch battery has died, knows the small panic that ensues. Alexa provides a simple resolution: utter the command “Alexa, find my phone,” and the assistant immediately initiates a call to your device, allowing the ringtone to lead you to it within seconds.
4. Make Alexa your landline
In many ways, Alexa has come to serve the same function in my household that a landline once did when I was younger. If I’m away from home and need to reach my husband but find him preoccupied with the children, I can simply call or drop in via one of our Echo devices. The assistant efficiently bridges communication gaps—whether through announcements or direct voice calls—ensuring our family stays in contact regardless of where we are in the house.
5. Prompt your kids to the next task
Mornings in any family home can be chaotic, but Alexa brings order to the rush. On weekdays, my children wake to alarms set on their Echo Show devices, which not only rouse them from sleep but also guide them step by step through their morning tasks. As I prepare lunches and snacks, Alexa transitions them seamlessly from “wake up” mode to “get dressed” mode, even brightening their lights to 100% daylight white to help them feel alert. A few moments later, another prompt announces, “Okay, it’s time to go downstairs,” keeping them on schedule without constant parental reminders.
6. Track your packages
One of Alexa’s most practical but underutilized abilities is shipment tracking. By asking, “Alexa, where are my packages?” users receive real-time updates regarding delivery progress, expected arrival times, and current shipping status for Amazon orders—all via simple voice requests.
7. Let others know when you’re busy
In my home office, I rely on a set of color-coded cues managed entirely by Alexa to signal my current work status. When I say, “Alexa, I’m making a video,” my smart lights transform to green to serve as a recording backdrop. The phrase “Alexa, I’m on a call” turns those same lights red, signaling to family members that I shouldn’t be disturbed. For focused work periods, “Alexa, it’s work time” changes the lighting to a calming soft white and activates the air purifier—crucial when sharing space with my dog and managing pet dander.
8. Multiple timers at once
The Echo Show 21 has become an indispensable companion in my kitchen. Beyond its robust speakers and expansive screen—which even doubles as a Fire TV—it excels at managing the multitasking chaos of cooking. I can request separate timers for cupcakes, chili, and other simultaneous dishes, each individually labeled and tracked. When they complete, Alexa clearly announces which timer corresponds to which dish, removing all guesswork.
9. Make your choices more fun
While Alexa is often used for jokes or trivia, it can also arbitrate minor household debates in a playful way. When indecision strikes—perhaps about dinner options—Alexa can flip a digital coin. When the children can’t agree on which game to play, Alexa can roll a die or spin a customizable wheel, turning small disagreements into moments of amusement.
10. Act as a white noise machine
For those craving restful sleep, an Echo device doubles as a white noise generator. Alexa can summon soothing audio backdrops, from thunderstorms to brown noise, either instantly upon request or as part of a recurrent nightly routine.
11. Make routines your go-to commands
Instead of giving one-off instructions like “turn on the bedside lamp,” users can design personalized routines that automate entire sequences with a single phrase. For example, saying “Alexa, I’m headed out” can deactivate all lights and devices except essential ones, while an opposite “I’m home” might reawaken lighting and temperature settings. When I watch movies, a simple command dims the living room lights and activates my Nanoleaf 4D system that mirrors the TV’s glow—creating a cinematic experience without manually toggling individual devices.
12. Substitute ingredients and measurements
In the kitchen, Alexa quickly becomes the perfect sous-chef. When recipes call for unfamiliar measurements or an ingredient runs out, the assistant can instantly convert quantities or suggest substitutes. For example, Alexa readily provides the number of tablespoons in one-third of a cup or recommends butter alternatives for baking—all hands-free, right when you need it most.
13. Read a bedtime story
Bedtime storytelling is a cherished ritual in our household. While my husband’s improvised tales about the character “Peter Pants” are always a hit, Alexa offers a rich supplementary trove of narrated stories. Through the Amazon Kids+ subscription—which is free for an initial period with the purchase of children’s Echo devices—you can enable the Hey Disney skill, unlocking a library of Disney tales and immersive soundscapes. Audible integration also allows access to professionally narrated short stories, providing screen-free entertainment ideal for winding down youngsters at the end of the day.
14. Use in case of emergency
Alexa’s capabilities extend into essential safety functions. With the Alexa Emergency Assist subscription—available for a modest monthly fee—users gain direct, voice-activated access to emergency response services twenty-four hours a day. For families with children, this feature offers crucial reassurance. My biggest concern about eliminating a traditional landline was ensuring that my kids could reach help if needed. Now, they know that saying “Alexa, call for help” instantly connects them to a trained agent who can dispatch responders to our home. Because our address and contact details are securely stored within the profile, no additional information is required in the moment. The service also alerts pre-listed emergency contacts and supports the entry of medical details, allergies, gate codes, and even pet information. In addition, Alexa can detect the acoustic cues of smoke alarms or breaking glass—further strengthening our sense of home security.
15. Handle your pet care
For pet owners, Alexa’s integrations with smart feeders simplify one more daily responsibility. My own dog benefits greatly from an automated feeding schedule, managed in part through Alexa voice commands and linked lighting cues that indicate feeding times. The system ensures consistent care, even on hectic mornings or late evenings, without me needing to lift more than a finger—or, in this case, say more than a word.
16. Be an intercom
When our family moved from a modest starter home to a considerably larger fixer-upper, I joked that we would need a full intercom system to keep everyone connected. Fortunately, Alexa and our multiple Echo devices now handle that function flawlessly. With a single request—“Alexa, announce that dinner is ready”—every device in the home relays the message simultaneously. This system also manages bedtime or departure notifications, echoing throughout rooms and floors with precision and simplicity. What once seemed like a futuristic luxury has quietly become part of our everyday communication.
In sum, Alexa’s multifaceted capabilities illustrate how an AI assistant can seamlessly blend convenience, communication, and creativity into daily life. Through careful personalization of its functions—from lighting cues to safety features—it becomes not just a helper but an integral member of the smart home ecosystem.
Sourse: https://www.zdnet.com/article/best-powerful-alexa-commands/
