What is the Amazon Fire Stick? Your guide to how it all works
How the smart stick functions and what you can expect from it.
Technology is revolutionising just about every aspect of our lives, and even our homes are getting smarter. There are now more options than ever when it comes to TV programmes and films to watch, with practically everything available to stream from your living room or even on the go at the touch of a button.
Streaming devices are the latest incarnation of clever home tech, but just what is an Amazon Fire TV Stick, and exactly how does an Amazon Fire Stick work?
Below, we’ve put together a straightforward guide outlining what to expect from the streaming stick and why you might want to get your hands on one of your own.
For more information, you can see our Amazon Fire TV Stick review and our guides to Amazon Prime stick channels, the Fire TV Stick costs and Chromecast vs Fire TV Stick. Or, if you're already certain that you want to purchase a Fire Stick, you can see our best Amazon Fire TV Stick deals.
Thinking about upgrading your TV setup? Make sure to check out our best smart TV guide.
What is the Amazon Fire Stick?
The Amazon Fire Stick is a smart TV device, much like a NOW TV Stick, which essentially allows you to access a range of channels and platforms straight to your TV simply by plugging it in.
The Fire Stick is one of the market leaders for this type of streaming device and boasts a generous 8GB of storage for apps such as Netflix and the BBC iPlayer.
There are two versions of the Fire Stick; the standard model and the 4K version. The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K has a slightly higher price tag but will allow you to watch in higher quality, with ultra HD streaming.
If you want to see how the Fire Stick stacks up against other smart home tech, read our Chromecast with Google TV review. And if you want to use the streaming device to watch sport, head over to our guide on how to watch live football on Amazon Fire TV Stick.
How does an Amazon Fire TV stick work?
The Fire Stick allows you to watch and listen to all your favourite content with one simple device. Being portable and pocket-sized, you can take it with you wherever you go and access all your content just by plugging it into the back of a TV.
This smart stick also comes with Alexa voice control, meaning you can search for shows and control what you’re watching without having to use the remote.
You can access Prime Video content as well as a long list of apps including the ITV Hub, All4, BBC iPlayer, Hayu, Netflix and Disney+, including Star on Disney Plus. (We've got complete lists of Disney Plus Star shows and Disney Plus Star movies if you're curious.) You can also rent and buy films through Amazon with the Fire Stick and even browse the internet.
Music fans would also benefit from the device as you can listen to songs and playlists from the likes of Amazon Music, Apple Music and Spotify, all of which are available on the smart stick.
The Amazon Fire Stick essentially collates everything into one place, so you don’t need to spend time logging in to all your accounts in different locations. Plus, you can use voice control to easily control and stream everything from your favourite show to your latest playlist.
How much is an Amazon Fire Stick?
The standard price of an Amazon Fire Stick depends on the model. The price of the regular Fire Stick is usually £44.99 but you can currently get it for £24.99 on Amazon.
For the higher-spec 4K Fire Stick, the standard price on Amazon is £59.99 but you can currently get it for £44.99.
And if you're interested in buying an Amazon Echo, too, we suggest reading our Amazon Fire TV Cube review. It's Amazon's most sophisticated device and combines the Alexa voice recognition technology with a streaming device.
Planning to upgrade your television soon? Be sure to read our in-depth best TV to buy guide first. And for more Amazon devices, see our best Alexa speaker round-up.
