Small thermometers that you can buy and hang anywhere are pretty cheap, but you do not need to get one if you have an Amazon Echo. That is, if you own one of two types of Echos: a fourth generation Echo of a second generation Echo Plus. Both have temperature sensors built into the smart speakers; you just have to look at your phrasing to make sure you get the result for your room, rather than outside.
The surest way to test this is to ask Alexa to tell you the temperature, point. Assuming everything is set up correctly on your device, you get the temperature for your current location – just as you normally would. Remember the number and instead ask Alexa to tell you the inside temperature. Specifically: “Alexa, what’s the temperature inside?” Using the word “indoors” instead of “indoors” does not work. Do not ask me why.
(I also found that if you designate a room for your Echo device, via the Devices in the app, you should also be able to ask Alexa: “What is the temperature? [name of room]? ”)
The number you tell must be the current temperature of the room in which you put Echo. And you can double check this figure via the Alexa App> Devices> Echo & Alexa> “Name of your Echo device.” Scroll down until you see the “Temperature sensor” field:
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Tap on it, and you can even start creating automated routines based on temperature.
Obviously, it’s a perfect routine to turn on a fan if it gets too hot, but you’re only limited by your imagination (and the number of Alexa compatible devices you own). I? I just wish my Echo would shout out the temperature once an hour. I wonder if I can build a routine for that.