My Echo Show sat on the kitchen counter for a year doing exactly two things: showing the time and playing music when I asked. I watched a YouTube video where someone used theirs to pull up a recipe, make a video call, and check their Ring doorbell — all things my device could apparently do the entire time.

I spent an afternoon exploring the settings menu. Turns out I had been using maybe ten percent of what it can do. Here are the features I actually use now.

” alt=”Amazon Echo Show smart display” style=”width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:8px”>

Digital Photo Frame Mode

The Echo Show makes a better digital photo frame than any dedicated device I have owned. Link it to Amazon Photos or Facebook and it cycles through your pictures when idle. You can select specific albums — so it is not showing random screenshots mixed in with family photos.

I set mine to show photos from a shared family album. My mom adds pictures and they appear on my kitchen counter automatically. When relatives visit, they stand in front of it watching photos cycle through like it is a museum exhibit.

Drop In for Intercom

If you have multiple Echo devices in the house, Drop In turns them into an intercom system. Say “Alexa, drop in on the living room” and you can talk through the other device. No one has to answer — it connects automatically. Creepy if misused, incredibly useful for calling kids to dinner without yelling up the stairs.

You can also drop in on Echo devices at other houses if both sides enable the permission. My sister and I use this instead of phone calls sometimes. It feels more spontaneous.

Kitchen Timer That Shows Multiple Timers

You can set named timers that show on screen. “Alexa, set a pasta timer for eight minutes. Set a sauce timer for fifteen minutes.” Both appear on the display counting down with labels. No more forgetting which beep was for what.

This single feature improved my cooking more than any gadget I have bought. I used to burn things because I set one timer that I forgot the purpose of.