The new Sonos Play has become my go-to desk and kitchen speaker
Key takeaways
- I work from home, so I typically listen to audio through headphones or Air Pods.
- The Play, launched in March, is Sonos s first new device in more than a year.
- While testing it, I often started a podcast at my desk and carried the Play to the kitchen while I cooked or made coffee.
I work from home, so I typically listen to audio through headphones or Air Pods. But I ve always wanted a desk speaker that doesn t take up too much space, which made the new Sonos Play a fitting first Sonos product to review.
The Play, launched in March, is Sonos s first new device in more than a year. The $299 speaker is a hybrid: part home speaker, part portable. It sits on your desk in a pill-shaped dock, but at 1.3 kilograms, with a utility loop on the back, it s easy to carry around the house or take outside.
While testing it, I often started a podcast at my desk and carried the Play to the kitchen while I cooked or made coffee. The advantage over wearing AirPods is that you remain aware of your surroundings — no more missing what someone across the room is saying. And you don t need to rely on voice commands to control playback; the Sonos Assistant and Alexa are both built in.