If you have a home theater system, you know how difficult it can be to juggle multiple remote controls. However, buying a universal remote can change that. The best universal remotes power almost any device with a single click, so you don’t have to look up and down for a missing controller between your pillows or get out of your comfy couch seat.
After Logitech discontinued the Harmony remote line, it seemed like the category was over — especially since another one of our previous recommendations, the Caavo, became unavailable. But Sofabaton has breathed new life into universal remotes with its new U2 universal remote. It offers a simple — with a direct app and a Bluetooth connection — and an even better ease of use. At half the price of the Harmony 650, the SofaBaton U2 is the best universal remote for most people.
So what’s left? Among the remote controls, we can recommend, based on practical testingnot much. The outgoing Fire TV Cube is expensive and more of a hybrid Alexa speaker/transmitter than a universal remote, though it will also control your devices. And the Roku and Fire TV tuners, while great for controlling them transmission equipmentrespectively, like most TV brands, don’t really qualify as “universal” remote controls in the classic sense. A number of free replacement clickers are also available, but we can’t recommend them because we haven’t tested them yet.
Even with the emergence of SofaBaton, the universal remote control category is still less popular than before. Many entertainment systems today don’t have as many special devices as they did in the past, so you may not even need a universal remote. With a smart TV connected to a sound bar and a gamepad, for example, you can control streaming apps, audio and device switching from a single remote (on the TV), eliminating the need for a universal remote. If you have an AV receiver and multiple sources, however, it gets more complicated.
With those caveats in mind, here are our current picks for the best universal remote. Plus, with Prime Day deals now underway, many of the picks below are seeing significant savings.
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The best universal remotes of 2024
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If you have a handful of remote controls that you use regularly and you have a smartphone, then the SofaBaton U2 is the best way to tame them. The SofaBaton U2 takes up the mantle left by the Logitech Harmony remote, combining simple programming with excellent ease of use. While the more expensive Logitech 665 offers more power — including the ability to program more sophisticated macros or “activities” — the SofaBaton is the best universal remote for most people. Also note that you can save a few bucks by activating instant coupon on the product page.
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Logitech Harmony wrote the book on universal remote devices and this remote is still very good despite being discontinued. The main appeal of cheaper universal remotes, including the Sofbaton U2, is activity-based control. Press Watch TV, Play Game, or Listen to Music, and the Logitech Harmony remote turns on all relevant devices (like your smart TV, cable game console, and AV receiver), switches to the appropriate inputs, and maps keys of that activity: For example, the volume on the receiver and the up-down channel in the cable box.
Since this is an end-of-life product, it’s only available in refurbished or refurbished condition and can sell for some pretty crazy prices, but you shouldn’t spend more than $100 on it.
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If you have a Roku streaming device and it lacks the ability to control your TV, Voice Remote Pro may be worth the investment. This clicker isn’t universal — it only works with Roku streamers (and TVs) — but it will control volume, power, and mute on almost any brand of TV, so you might not need the original TV clicker at all.
The most interesting feature of Voice Remote Pro is the voice-activated remote locator. Just say “Hey Roku, find my remote” and it’ll bounce off the couch cushions (or wherever you left it). If you have a Roku TV, the Roku sound system also enables commands like “What time is it?” or “Switch to HDMI 2”. Finally, the Pro also has a headphone jack for private listening.
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Like the Roku Voice Remote Pro, the Fire TV version is designed to work with Fire TV streaming devices, allowing volume, power and mute control of connected TVs. It’s not really universal, apart from the fact that it controls most TV brands. We didn’t like the Fire TV’s remote finder feature so much — it requires a separate Alexa device to work — but otherwise the two are very similar.
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The quirky Cube is a mix of universal remote control, Fire TV 4K streamer and Amazon Echo speaker, making it the king of your smart home devices. It comes with a device, but its buttons are sparse and rudimentary; true control of the device happens through your voice. The Cube has an IR emitter to control your devices and a microphone sensitive enough to hear your commands while the music is blaring. On the downside, you’ll have to keep your old remotes (even non-smart ones) for many functions.
This universal remote control often retails for just $50 or less, so be sure to wait for a sale on this device — or Prime Day — before you buy it.
It is worth noting that the Fire TV Cube 2019 has been replaced by a new Fire TV Cube. Look for CNET’s full review soon.
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