Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Can Alexa be used in the garden?

52 replies

EachandEveryone · 02/05/2021 12:43

My mum has a long garden and needs something simple but with a good sound. Im trying to look for her. Im not even sure if the wifi stretches that far. Any advice on which one to buy?

OP posts:
Youdontknowwhatyoureonabout · 02/05/2021 12:44

Does she live on a small holding in a couple of acres?

FelicityPike · 02/05/2021 12:46

They can.
My wonderful next door neighbours use they’re one frequently, loudly and without giving a damn for other people!

WisestIsShe · 02/05/2021 12:46

I use mine in the garage sometimes, which is at the far end of my garden. Wi-fi works fine. Not sure the neighbors would love me if I started using it in the garden.

FelicityPike · 02/05/2021 12:46

Their*

KaleSlayer · 02/05/2021 12:53

Oh dear OP. Mumsnetters require silence at all times in the garden. 😬

EachandEveryone · 02/05/2021 12:55

Shes nearly 80 and wants to listen to abit of Tom Jones whilst shes gardening. Its a huge long garden the neighbours wont even hear it😀

OP posts:
TheQueef · 02/05/2021 12:55

It needs Wi-Fi.

TheQueef · 02/05/2021 12:56

Would headphones be ok?
Alexa in kitchen + Bluetooth will work.

TheQueef · 02/05/2021 12:57

Or a portable Bluetooth speaker, it doesn't have to be headphones.

EachandEveryone · 02/05/2021 13:00

Im not thinking about wifi boosters i reckon she will need two. Some of them are really cheap but im not sure how reliable they would be.

OP posts:
chesirecat99 · 02/05/2021 13:08

You would need a power supply for Alexa and wifi that has a reliable signal in the garden.

We have a portable rechargeable speaker dock (better sound quality) for an echo dot that we use for barbecues. You could get something like that if the wifi is good enough.

A bluetooth speaker to play music from her phone might be a more reliable solution:
www.aldi.co.uk/boost-mini-speaker/p/708306413660300?gclid=CjwKCAjwm7mEBhBsEiwA_of-TMl2J6NYz7Fx8bVyxL4NHP5DKfuR92fgR2BsYskukQ8ZycXkMvmESBoCXUMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

LittleRa · 02/05/2021 13:10

Alexa needs to be plugged in to the mains. You can get chargeable Bluetooth speakers.

ForThePurposeOfTheTape · 02/05/2021 13:12

Wireless headphones paired with a device playing in her house would be a solution.

Alexa needs mains power.

EachandEveryone · 02/05/2021 13:21

Why would she need headphones? I cant imagine her using them at all I think they would frighten her.

OP posts:
Tuesdaysintheazores · 02/05/2021 13:53

Wireless headphones so the neighbours don't have to suffer listen to Tom Jones?

My neighbours use it, it makes me cringe when I hear them but then I think talking to Alexa is quite cringey anyway

PomegranateQueen · 02/05/2021 13:56

They can.
My wonderful next door neighbours use they’re one frequently, loudly and without giving a damn for other people!

Mine too, although my son has now worked out that he can talk to their Alexa so they may be changing it soon 😂

EachandEveryone · 02/05/2021 14:05

Well they live next door to a church yard and a house with three under seven year olds who they bought the land with. Funnily everyone is at work all day appart from my mother and her allotment patch so I dont think anyone will be complaining about The Arcgers and Tom Jones. Im glad im not any of your neighbours 😃

OP posts:
MustBeThin · 02/05/2021 14:05

Sonos Move is a portable speaker with Alexa, charge up indoors and take anywhere you want as long as you have Wifi (also able to play music via Bluetooth if you take it away from a WiFi source but I don't think Alexa works if using a Bluetooth connection) it was made specifically to be used outdoors. It's pretty expensive but Sonos also do a "cheaper" new device (around £150) called Sonos Roam which I think works the same but I don't know too much about it.

EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall · 02/05/2021 14:06

Mine does and the gardens fairly long. I have a wireless speaker for it as well but that's the old echo dot gen 2. Not sure if they do them for the newer generations

EachandEveryone · 02/05/2021 14:07

Thanks I will look at that. I suppose Wifi is the key. Its a big garden so Im not sure if its doable.

OP posts:
blue1000 · 02/05/2021 14:12

I just bought a Sonos Roam and am delighted with it.

Sparklfairy · 02/05/2021 14:27

Does she have a smartphone at nearly 80? I have amazon music on my phone and bluetooth headphones and a bluetooth speaker. She can then still command Alexa through the phone. The speaker was about £15 I think and is really handy.

chesirecat99 · 02/05/2021 15:25

Does she have a smartphone at nearly 80?

More than half of over 65s have a smartphone @Sparklfairy. An 80 year old would have still been in their fifties in the 1990s when email became commonplace, hotmail etc and google were launched, and around retirement age when the first iphone became available in the UK in 2007.

Mumof1andacat · 02/05/2021 15:28

Does she have a smart phone? If her wifi signal stretches down the bottom of the garden she could have the spotify app on it and keep it in her pocket. Radio apps are good too like tune in.