I replaced my Echo with a $4 ESP32-powered speaker that runs entirely on my local network

A hands-on guide to replacing an Amazon Echo with a $4 ESP32-S3 microcontroller running ESPHome and Home Assistant Assist. The setup keeps all audio processing local, eliminating cloud dependency and privacy concerns. Benefits include faster response times, no subscription upsells, Bluetooth proxy capability, text-to-speech announcements, and the ability to scale to every room for less than the cost of a single Echo Show. Both a plug-and-play option (ESP32-S3-Box-3) and a DIY option (DevKit + INMP441 mic) are covered.