> I unplug it when I don't want to listen to music or put together a shopping list.

Do the Echo devices not have a hard mute switch?

I have a Google Home mini and it's usually on mute unless we want it for the same reasons, or to play trivia.

It is muted for weeks at a time, sometimes.

Of course I wonder how much of a hard mute it is. If you touch the thing while it's on and muted it will kindly remind you it's muted and can't hear you.

It would be nice to gain more insight.