6 Top-Rated Universal Remotes (2024)

If you're looking for a high-end remote that can handle just about anything you throw at it, the Harmony Elite is what you want. Featuring a touch screen on the remote, a hub for inconveniently placed devices, a companion smartphone app, and Alexa support, this $250 remote lets you operate your gear from just about anywhere.

Of course, most of us aren't willing to drop a couple hundred bucks for a remote, so this midrange Harmony 650 from Logitech is worth mentioning. With nearly 7,000 reviews and a four-star average on Amazon, this highly customizable remote is a great value. Configure your remote exactly to your liking online, and you're off to the races.

Want a flexible universal remote designed to make pairing simple? The Inteset INT-422 learning remote comes highly recommended. Right out of the box, it's programmed to work with the likes of the Roku, Apple TV, and the Xbox One. Even if your device isn't recognized in the massive code database, this remote can be "taught" how to control it in a snap. And with the built-in backlight, it's easy to find exactly the button you need when the room is dark.

If you absolutely despise the ocean of buttons that have become the standard among remotes, this simple RCA RCR503BZ controller is a great investment. Not only is the interface minimal and straightforward, but the asking price is shockingly low. You can grab it for under six bucks, and keep your channel surfing simple.

If most of your television enjoyment comes from your Fire TV ($0.00 at Amazon) , you're probably not pleased with having to keep a minimum of two remotes around to manage the set-top box, the TV itself, and perhaps even a sound system. To streamline your life, invest in this Sideclick attachment for Amazon's own tiny remote. It's not as fully functional as a standalone remote, but it makes the Fire TV experience much more pleasant.

More of an Apple fan? Worry not, there's a Sideclick add-on for the Apple TV's Siri remote as well. So if you want to control the volume on the sound bar, quickly turn on your TV, or swap inputs, you're covered with this sidebar of buttons. It does cramp the style of this tiny remote, but the extra functionality is worth the sacrifice.