The 9 Best Universal Remotes
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Nine universal remotes for TVs, soundbars and streaming boxes, compared on device count, Bluetooth and setup time. The SofaBaton U2 suits most homes. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Most universal remotes talk only in infrared, and that's why so many can't run a Roku or Fire TV stick, which listens by radio or Bluetooth. Logitech left the field when it ended its Harmony line in 2021, and newer app-based remotes have taken its place. This guide is for anyone tired of juggling three clickers on the couch.
Editor's Notes
October 19, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
The SofaBaton U2 now leads this list, because the old favorites are gone. Logitech stopped making Harmony remotes in 2021, so the Logitech Harmony Elite, Harmony 665 and Harmony Companion came off, along with the Caavo Control Center, whose maker left the business, and the SofaBaton U1, which the U2 replaced.
We also dropped the RCA RCR504BR, the GE 33709 and the Sony RMVLZ620, which a backlit GE and newer learning remotes do better. The Inteset INT-422 stays for its big lit buttons. New picks cover what readers ask most: a hub system in the SofaBaton X1S and SofaBaton X2, a cradle remote for Fire TV sticks, and cheap backlit and rechargeable GE remotes.
The deciding evidence was how each remote reaches a streaming stick. We read every maker's compatibility notice against independent reviews from TechGearLab, Tom's Guide and CNET.
April 01, 2021:
We didn’t notice a lot of activity in this category since the last time we visited this list, and so didn’t find cause to make many changes. We did see some scattered availability issues surrounding the Logitech Companion with Hub, but because it’s still listed and available for sale on the company’s official website, we assumed that these concerns stemmed for sporadic supply shortages, and so decided to let this option maintain its spot on our list.
The only major modification we wound up making was introducing the Sofabaton U1 to our rankings. This unit doesn’t have a big flashy screen like the Logitech Harmony Elite, but that’s one of the only things that stopped it from dethroning Logitech’s premium model and seizing our top spot. The other big difference is that the Elite comes with a convenient charging station, while the U1 will need to have its AA batteries replaced quite regularly (according to an amalgamation of user reviews, it sounds like a charge will last from somewhere between three weeks and three months).
But, on the positive side, the U1 boasts wide compatibility (over 500,000 devices from more than 6,000 companies), and can replace up to 15 devices — just like the Elite. It also has a convenient scroll wheel to flip through services, and unlike the Elite it has a physical numerical keypad, which some old-school users will appreciate. Even though, as we mentioned, its screen can’t compete with the Elite, the U1 does have a serviceable OLED display that will make operating it much more manageable, and most importantly, the U1 is available for a fraction of the Elite's cost.
If minimalism is the name of your game, then a universal remote is likely the way to go. But, if you’re looking for something simpler to help with a specific service, we also maintain lists of Roku remotes and Android TV remotes.
January 14, 2020:
I’ve added a couple of new models here, including the Logitech Harmony 665 (as a replacement to the now-discontinued Logitech Harmony 650), which is basically the 650, with virtually all the same features, benefits and shortcomings of its predecessor. As far as I know, the only difference between the two models is that the 665 can control up to 10 devices, whereas the 650 can only control 8. The Harmony 700 is again a very similar model to the 650 and 665, but it has rechargeable batteries. However, both the Harmony 650 & 700 models are out of production.
I’ve also added the Logitech Companion, which is a more affordable version of the Logitech Harmony Elite – again, they’re virtually the same model, save for the Companion’s lack of a screen user-interface, which makes it surprisingly cheaper. I’ve also added the Logitech Express as a replacement for the Philips SRP5018, and the Caavo Control Center in replacement of an outdated RCA model we had. The Express is quite smart in that it would know, for instance, to turn on your TV, speakers and Apple TV if you were to only ask it to turn on the Apple TV - it intuitively understands that you don't just want the Apple TV on.
Now, you may think that I’ve added quite a few Logitech Harmony products to this list, but to be fair, Harmony (the company) was a first-mover on the market for universal remotes. They were very driven to create these products and they saw it as their mission to provide a simpler alternative to the hassle of using multiple remotes. Harmony was eventually bought by Logitech and they still make (a relatively large share of) some of the best universal remotes around. While there is a big price gap between the most sophisticated remotes and the simplest ones, options like the RCA RCR504BR and GE 33709 remain good, cheap choices; but, personally, I would rather invest in the Logitech Harmony Elite any day — it's made to last, and you can hook up and control virtually every smart gadget in your home with one.
Special Honors
Unfolded Circle Remote 3 The Remote 3 is a touchscreen remote with a charging dock, sold directly by its maker, that combines infrared, Bluetooth and home-network control. It is set up through a web page on your own network rather than a cloud account, and it works with Home Assistant, which appeals to Harmony owners worried about servers shutting down. It costs well above most remotes here. unfoldedcircle.com
Infrared, Bluetooth And The Streaming-Stick Problem
SofaBaton's app-based remotes add Bluetooth, so they can pair with many streaming boxes, game consoles and smart TVs directly.
Most universal remotes send infrared light, the same signal TV remotes have used for decades. Infrared needs a clear line of sight, and it can't reach streaming sticks that listen by radio or Bluetooth. That's why GE, One For All and Inteset all note that their remotes won't run a Roku Streaming Stick or a Fire TV Stick, and why TechGearLab gave a separate award to the Philips SRP2024A/27, which holds your Fire TV remote in a cradle instead of replacing it.
SofaBaton's app-based remotes add Bluetooth, so they can pair with many streaming boxes, game consoles and smart TVs directly. The U3 also copies 433 and 315 MHz radio signals, and the X2's hub adds Wi-Fi control of Roku, Sonos and Hue (SofaBaton).
Check what you already have before buying. A smart TV and a soundbar joined by HDMI often share one remote through HDMI-CEC, so a single TV remote may already handle power and volume (Tom's Guide). If your cable box or receiver sits behind a cabinet door, a remote with a hub or a separate IR remote extender carries the signal through. For sound, pick the remote after the soundbar, and set its master volume to the soundbar so every source changes the same volume.
Code Lists, Learning And Apps: How Setup Works
Basic remotes from GE, Philips and RCA use a printed code list. You look up your TV or soundbar brand, type the code, or let the remote scan until the device responds. TechGearLab found these the quickest to set up, usually a few minutes per device, and the dedicated TV, cable and audio buttons make them easy to hand to a guest. Their limit is four devices and no macros.
A learning remote, like the One For All URC7935 or Inteset INT-422, can also record a command from your original remote when its code list falls short. That's useful for an older receiver or an odd projector, as long as you still have the original remote.
SofaBaton remotes are set up in a phone app instead. You pick the brand and model, and the app pulls codes from an online library the maker says covers more than 6,000 brands. You can then build macros or activities, where one press turns on the TV and soundbar and switches inputs. Tom's Guide needed 30 to 45 minutes for the X1S and about 45 for the X2, and found the U2 harder to program than it expected. Budget an evening for a big system.
Life After Harmony: Hubs, Voice And Smart Homes
Logitech stopped making Harmony remotes in 2021 and said it would keep supporting the ones already sold (XDA Developers). Leftover Harmony stock still turns up at collector prices, and Caavo has left the market too (CNET), so the hub-and-activity setup Harmony made popular now comes mostly from SofaBaton.
The X1S and X2 pair a remote with a hub that sends signals around the room and through two wired infrared emitters. Both let Alexa or Google start an activity, and the X2 links with Home Assistant. A What Hi-Fi editor who moved from Harmony to the X1S said it restored order but didn't fully match Harmony, and tying power states to a TV's audio return channel can take some trial and error.
If you'd rather talk than press buttons, a streaming box with a built-in infrared blaster can switch on your TV and soundbar by voice. Tom's Guide lists the Fire TV Cube for that job, though it only makes sense if you also want it as your streamer.
How we researched this
We compared 18 universal remotes, hubs and streaming-remote add-ons, read the makers' specifications and compatibility notices for the nine finalists, weighed independent reviews from TechGearLab, Tom's Guide and CNET, analyzed owner feedback, and checked every brand against the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's recall records. We found no recalls of these remotes. The 3D models are built from published dimensions.
Sources (9)
- TechGearLab: Best universal remotes
- Tom's Guide: The best universal remotes
- CNET: Best universal remote
- What Hi-Fi: From Logitech Harmony to SofaBaton
- XDA Developers: Logitech discontinues Harmony remotes
- SofaBaton
- SofaBaton U3 product page
- Notebookcheck: Unfolded Circle Remote 3
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls
Frequently asked questions
Do I still need a universal remote?
Maybe not. If your TV and soundbar are linked by HDMI, the TV remote can often control power and volume for both. A universal remote helps when you have a cable box, an older receiver or a disc player as well.
Will a universal remote control a Fire TV Stick or Roku Streaming Stick?
Only if it has Bluetooth or radio, like the SofaBaton remotes, or a cradle that holds the stick's own remote, like the Philips SRP2024A/27. Infrared-only remotes from GE, One For All and Inteset can't.
Is the Logitech Harmony still available?
No. Logitech stopped making Harmony remotes in 2021. Any you find now are leftover or used units.
What is a learning remote?
It records the infrared signal from your original remote, button by button, so it can control gear that isn't in its code list. You need the original remote to teach it.
Why does a SofaBaton remote need a phone app?
The code library, macros and button assignments live in the app, which sends them to the remote. You need the app for setup and changes, not for everyday use.
