The 8 Best Universal Remotes of 2021

Best Overall: Logitech Harmony Elite

4.3

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For most people, the very best universal remote is the Logitech Harmony Elite and, while it may be the most expensive, it’s well worth the price. Essentially, the Harmony Elite connects to a base station that is connected to your entertainment console, which allows the use of the remote anywhere in your home (even without direct line of sight). Our reviewer was able to use it with Amazon’s Alexa devices, and there’s full voice control for up to 15 home entertainment and connected home devices. The full-color touchscreen allows easy swipe and tap for control of volume, movies, 50 favorite channels and even smart home devices such as LED lighting for automatic dimming when a movie starts.

Options such as “one touch activity” allows for automatic power on and switching to the right devices with the right settings. Additionally, features such as closed cabinet control let the Harmony Hub assist in controlling devices that are stored behind closed doors in cabinets. The Harmony smartphone app (Android and iOS) doubles as a separate universal remote, which is convenient in case you are charging the Harmony Elite in its charging station. While the pricing might turn some potential buyers away, if you want the most feature-rich universal remote on the market, the Harmony Elite is the one to own.

Best Smartphone Control: Logitech Harmony Smart Control

3.8

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Featuring control of up to eight devices, the Logitech Harmony smart control works with over 270,000 devices from 6,000 brands, including cable TV boxes, Apple TV and Roku. The connectivity doesn’t stop there since the Harmony Smart offers a smartphone app for both Android and iOS that offers up to 50 favorite channel icons, volume control and media playback.

Gone are the days of irritating on-TV keyboards. Instead, voice control is handled directly from your smartphone or tablet and speech recognition will help find your content faster. Beyond voice control, the Harmony excels at working with devices that are hidden in closed cabinets through its IR (infrared) and Bluetooth connectivity. Our tester did point out however, that while overall performance and software was good, it wasn't always consistent.

Best Streaming: Inteset INT-422 4-in-1 Universal Backlit IR Learning Remote

3.7

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Pre-programmed right out of the box for Apple TV, Xbox One, Media Center and Roku, the Inteset INT-422 four-in-one universal remote is well worth a look. While streaming is the Inteset’s claim to fame, added features such as volume and channel lock allow an added layer of security from children, roommates or spouses who might want to change things around.

When it comes to connecting directly to the television itself, the Inteset features a worldwide database of device codes for connecting to all the top television manufacturers by completely replacing their default remote controls. Our reviewer especially liked how easy it was to program different commands with one button. Inteset takes its unique feature set up another level with macro programming that allows you to program up to 32 commands to a single button, so you can turn on/off all devices, switch inputs or change to a favorite channel.

Best Smart Home: Logitech Harmony Companion

3.7

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Controlling a total of eight devices, the Logitech Harmony Companion universal remote is a top pick for buyers looking to add monitoring of smart devices, too. Our reviewer didn't like its lacks a touchscreen or backlit buttons, however, the Harmony Companion does include Amazon Alexa certification. Beyond Alexa, the Harmony Companion works fantastically with other smart home devices such as Philip’s Hue lighting or Nest’s learning thermostat. The included Harmony Hub allows for even more device control, including those gadgets hidden between cabinet doors or walls (read: video game consoles). After a simple setup on the computer, the Harmony Companion is ready to work with more than 270,000 devices, including Apple TV, Roku and Sonos audio players. 

Best Budget: GE 33709 Universal Remote Control

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Available in a multitude of colors, the GE 33709 four-device universal remote is so budget-friendly you might just want to purchase it as an extra remote around the house. It can control up to four different audio and video components, including TVs, Blu-ray and DVD players, as well as streaming media players and soundbars. The expansive code library works with all major television manufacturers such as Samsung, Sony and Sharp. Powered by two AAA batteries, the GE can work for months on end before requiring battery replacement. Furthermore, the inclusion of features such as master volume control allows the GE to control the volume on every device that’s connected to the remote. One last highlight are the multicolored A, B, C and D buttons that let you easily access hardware favorites.  

Best Compatibility: Logitech Harmony 665

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If you have lots of devices from lots of different brands, you’ll want one universal remote that can rule them all. The Logitech Harmony 665 is compatible with a growing list of over 6,000 brands, which means it works with more than 270,000 different devices. From TVs to audio systems to gaming consoles and more. This remote is also great for saving your favorite channels and device configurations. There are buttons at the top for “Watch TV” or “Watch a Movie” that automatically change your input and switch to your preferred settings for that activity, i.e. changing over to your streaming device and turning on your soundbar. You can also create shortcuts to your favorite channels and easily access them from the remote’s screen.

Another advantage to the screen: it includes step-by-step troubleshooting help. If you have a problem, you can follow instructions right on the Harmony 665 to resolve it. In terms of customizability and user-friendliness, this remote is hard to beat.

Best Value: Logitech Harmony 700

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With a comfortable ergonomic design, the Logitech Harmony 700 reduces the need for multiple remote controls while working with six different devices simultaneously. The 23 programmable channel icons for selecting your favorite stations makes it simple to rapidly find your favorite channels. Past programming, the backlit controls allow for easy nighttime remote navigation that’s powered by AA batteries for months of activity before requiring replacement. All totaled, the Harmony 700 works with more than 225,000 devices from 5,000 plus brands (and more are always being added). Updating with new brands and devices is easily done through a connection to both PC and Mac computers and, while it won’t connect to smart home appliances, the Harmony 700 is an easy to use remote that won’t break the bank.