Updated Aug 9, 2022 7: 21 AM
Juggling multiple remotes for TV, cable field, soundbar, recreation consoles, and the whole other devices on your living room can obtain extraordinarily traumatic. As soon as upon a time, manufacturers made third-party universal remotes, which linked to many devices so you might presumably maybe presumably presumably also navigate them all with one magic wand. Despite the truth that we now contain got more devices than ever, universal remotes are a demise breed. It’s likely you’ll presumably maybe presumably presumably also argue they’ve been replaced by smartphones but switching between a hundred numerous clunky apps just correct isn’t as super because the defunct, but silent supported Logitech Cohesion remote. Right here’s the article, though. There are silent about a corporations that manufacture universal remotes. And one of the most important dilapidated devices, in conjunction with the Cohesion remotes, silent work effectively in the event you’re interesting to design shut a dilapidated one. If your coffee desk corpulent of remotes wishes taming, the absolute most practical universal remotes can silent swoop in and lower out some remote clutter.
- Handiest general: Logitech Cohesion Elite
- Handiest top price: Logitech Cohesion Partner
- Handiest for home theater: SofaBaton U1
- Handiest easy: One for All Clear Preserve watch over 8 (URC7880)
- Handiest for Apple TV: Apple TV Siri Far-off
- Handiest with Alexa: Amazon Hearth TV Cube
- Handiest funds: GE Universal Far-off
How we picked the absolute most practical universal remotes
I even contain covered the person electronics exchange for more than 10 years for TechnoBuffalo, Gear Patrol, CNN Underscored, and iMore. The protection included stories and reports on TVs and third-party A/V equipment, in conjunction with universal remotes.
To manufacture our selections, I leaned on fingers-on attempting out, besides to broad be taught on the unusual third-party remote market. I checked look stories, user impressions, forums, and retailer comment sections to obtain a sense of what universal remotes are currently popular.
What to contemplate when picking the absolute most practical universal remotes
A upright universal remote will consolidate your sequence of remotes actual into a single tech navigation system. It could presumably maybe presumably unlit your glorious lights, swap to your TV, and commence up taking part in a movie via your streaming devices, with about a handy ebook a rough taps. Otherwise you might presumably maybe presumably presumably program it to contain all of these items straight away with a single press of a button utilizing a “macro.”
A upright universal remote might presumably maybe also just silent also feature sizable system compatibility and, love all upright system, a natty layout that’s intuitive for learners and veterans alike. Whereas a allege isn’t wanted, it’s a nice perk on fable of it enables customers to scroll via their list of customizable actions.
Gadget compatibility
You want to guarantee that your universal remote can join to all of the devices in the home the set apart you conception to place it to use. Are attempting in allege to juggle between 5-10 devices straight away (or more), spanning home entertainment, glorious home, and other kinds of medications. Enormous system compatibility will allow a universal remote to ascertain seamlessly into your day-to-day routine, and manufacture it more straightforward to obtain the most out of all of your devices.
Battery life
A universal remote can’t contain its job with a unnecessary battery. When doing our be taught and attempting out, we hunted down alternatives that might presumably maybe also final about a months between payments.
We assuredly design shut remotes that feature a chargeable interior battery to lower the doable of e-kill. For remotes with rechargeable batteries, we design shut a charging hub over a easy cable, but that is undoubtedly no longer a dealbreaker. While you’re utilizing a battery that relies on disposable AA or AAA cells, we counsel buying rechargeable batteries.
Draw
Universal remotes assuredly part the identical assemble language because the TV and cable remotes you’ve likely dilapidated all your life. In most cases, they contain got many, many more buttons. Each so continuously they truly contain a puny allege, which is mountainous on fable of it helps you design shut be aware of what you’re doing. Quiet, for the most phase, the absolute most practical universal remote shouldn’t be difficult to parse.
Beyond our picks’ general form and size, we looked out for issues love a tickled button layout. Recurrently dilapidated buttons, in conjunction with volume, pause, and play, might presumably maybe also just silent be easy to catch with out requiring somebody to hunt for them.
A mountainous third-party remote might presumably maybe also just silent also contain customizable buttons you might presumably maybe presumably presumably draw for divulge duties, love turning to your TV to a divulge enter. Remember the fact that, we also tried our simplest to catch alternatives that peer nice and in actuality feel upright in hand, too.
Trace
Strictly talking, there’s nothing well-known a pair of universal remote. It’s a luxurious intended to fabricate your technological life quite of more convenient. On condition that, each one can contain their very contain thoughts on how much they’re interesting to utilize for convenience’s sake.
Luckily, there are universal remotes for every funds. Essentially the most practical ones provide restricted efficiency, equivalent to a TV remote, but with a wider vary of efficiency. The prices lunge up from there as corporations add more sizable toughen for an excellent deal of devices, displays for better navigation, charging stations, and more. The very simplest universal remotes are assuredly about a hundred dollars.
On top of that, our picks include about a remotes that don’t appear to be any longer in production. They are silent reasonably easy to catch, original or dilapidated, but they designate draw more than you’d demand. Come by no longer agonize if our top picks aren’t your designate vary, as there are repeatedly more practical alternatives that might presumably maybe pare down your pile of remotes.
IR, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi toughen
All universal remotes utilize an IR (infrared) transmitter to send a signal to your TV, which interprets that signal to actions love reducing the volume or changing the channel. Decrease-priced universal remotes assuredly attain geared up with an IR transmitter. The absolute most practical of them might presumably maybe also just silent also toughen Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, allowing them to talk with a wider vary of fresh devices love recreation consoles and glorious home equipment.
The absolute most practical universal remotes: Opinions & Suggestions
Discovering the gorgeous universal remote will allow you consolidate your sequence and produce some expose to your living room. Even supposing the list of appealing alternatives is dwindling, there are silent about a mountainous universal remotes available.
Handiest general: Logitech Cohesion Elite
Bewitch it dilapidated or refurbished: eBay
Why it made the lower: With sizable system toughen, a capacitive touchscreen, and toughen for one-touch actions, the Cohesion Elite is difficult to beat.
Specs
- Measurement: 7.56 x 2.13 x 1.14 inches
- Weight: 0.36 kilos
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
- Battery life: 3-7 days
Mavens
- One-touch actions
- Personalized actions
- A capacitive touchscreen makes it easy to control your devices
Cons
- Very expensive
- Now not in production, so might presumably maybe also just be difficult to catch original
Despite the fact that it used to be discontinued in 2021, the Logitech Cohesion Elite remains the absolute most practical universal remote we’ve tried. It involves sizable system toughen for over 270,000 entertainment and glorious home devices, besides to customizable one-touch macros. It functions a puny capacitive touchscreen that makes navigating a potentially dizzying array of devices easy to prepare. Even supposing Logitech no longer manufactures Cohesion remotes, the corporate silent updates them, so they’re silent a viable option.
That stated, getting a Cohesion Elite for an reasonably priced designate isn’t easy. It used to be expensive from the commence up, retailing for $349. Now that there’s a restricted provide, that designate has simplest gone up. Even dilapidated fashions can designate nearly $400 or more. Quiet, in the event you’re procuring for the versatile, feature-effectively off universal remote, nothing touches the Cohesion Elite.
Handiest for home theater: SofaBaton U1
Bewitch it dilapidated or refurbished: eBay
Why it made the lower: The SofaBaton U1 affords a equivalent skills to the Cohesion Elite, in conjunction with a puny OLED allege, in a more practical equipment.
Specs
- Measurement: 7.7 x 1.9 x 1.2 inches
- Weight: 0.61 kilos
- Connectivity: Bluetooth
- Battery life: N/A (requires two AA batteries)
Mavens
- Shrimp OLED allege
- Can alter up to 15 devices
- Supports over 350,000 devices
Cons
- Can’t alter Wi-Fi-basically based devices
Even supposing we now contain got a soft set apart for the Cohesion remote, there are silent corporations making mountainous universal remotes. Case in point, the SofaBaton U1 can join to over 350,000 devices from 6,000 brands and functions a partner iOS and Android app so you might presumably maybe presumably presumably configure the remote on the flit. It could presumably maybe presumably alter up to 15 devices straight away utilizing IR blasts and Bluetooth. It’s likely you’ll presumably maybe presumably also attach buttons to plot divulge actions and even obtain shortcuts to delivery actions.
The SofaBaton U1 does all this for $69.99, far no longer up to the Cohesion remotes designate before shortage drove up the designate. Even supposing it isn’t as easy to program, and can’t alter Wi-Fi-basically based devices love glorious light bulbs, it provides the Cohesion remotes a bustle for their money. It’s a convenient, practical, no-compromise universal remote in a pretty polished equipment.
Handiest easy: One for All Clear Preserve watch over 8 (URC7880)
Bewitch it dilapidated or refurbished: eBay
Why it made the lower: The One for All URC7880 looks to be like frequent at a stare, but functions customizable buttons and controls up to eight devices.
Specs
- Measurement: 9.4 x 4.8 x 1.1 inches
- Weight: 0.46 kilos
- Connectivity: Infrared
- Battery life: N/A (requires two AA batteries)
Mavens
- Straightforward, easy assemble
- Can alter up to eight devices
- Customizable shortcut keys
- Far-off finder feature
Cons
- Doesn’t work with Bluetooth devices
The One For All Clear Preserve watch over 8 resembles a stock remote you’d obtain with a TV but can contain draw more. It could presumably maybe presumably alter up to eight devices via infrared and can just silent work with every thing from a TV to a draw-top field to a Blu-ray player. It also functions customizable shortcut keys that you just might presumably maybe presumably presumably program via a smartphone app. Our private popular feature, though, is the remote finder, which enables you to utilize a partner app to your smartphone to fabricate the remote emit a noise so you might presumably maybe presumably presumably be aware it down.
The Clear Preserve watch over 8 simplest communicates with devices via IR blast, so it’s in actuality just correct for home entertainment centers, in set apart of a corpulent suite of glorious devices. Quiet, its comparatively easy building and narrow point of curiosity manufacture a loyal, practical preference having a stare to combine about a of the remotes across the TV.
Handiest for Apple TV: Apple TV Siri Far-off
Bewitch it dilapidated or refurbished right here: eBay
Why it made the lower: The Apple TV Siri Far-off functions an improved assemble, proper D-pad, and touch-at ease jogwheel for easy alter.
Specs
- Measurement: 6.93 x 2.62 x 1.04 inches
- Weight: 0.28 kilos
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
- Battery life: Two months
Mavens
- Clicky buttons
- There’s a restful button
- Jogwheel controls
Cons
- Kind of dear in the event you’re upgrading from an older Apple TV remote
With a luscious aluminum assemble and proper D-pad, the