There's a good thread about using the Google Home Mini for 'home automation sounds' and I think it applies to this conversation as well when compared to the Dots.
I have 3 Echo's. Dot gen2, Dot gen 3 and an Echo 2nd gen. I had them working as TTS etc but the cookie problem always got in the way and just as I was about to start building the automated version of fetching the cookies I got a 'free' Google Home Mini
Plugged in, slide the mic off and it's good to go via the Chromecast integration. Really couldn't be simpler and Google isn't listening, although Amazon is. 
That's a whole different thread
