
If the remote fails to perform a task you expect it to (such as turning up the TV's volume), you can use the remote's Help button to resolve the problem quickly. It's capable of controlling up to 10 AV devices, it features an easy-to-read, backlit color display, and the built-in Remote Assistant function is great for troubleshooting.
#Harmony home control best buy Bluetooth#
If all of your devices can be controlled by standard infrared technology (as opposed to Bluetooth or Wi-Fi) and you don't need smart-home control, the Logitech Harmony 665 is a great choice.

You can disable notifications at any time in your settings menu. The remote lacks backlighting, and Logitech's app-based setup can sometimes be frustrating, but this system still delivers the best combination of features, flexibility, and control that we've found for the price. The Harmony Companion integrates with Alexa, Google Assistant, and several do-it-yourself home-automation hubs and smart devices, such as lights, locks, thermostats, and motorized shades. You can also use a smartphone/tablet app to control your system. The two-piece Logitech Harmony Companion system, which consists of a hub and a handheld remote, can control up to eight AV components, and it works with IR, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth devices, which gives it more flexibility than is available with most budget remotes. While no single DIY universal remote is perfect for everyone, the Companion combines a good physical design with the flexibility to control a variety of devices. If your home entertainment system is more complex than the typical media player/TV/soundbar combo and you need a universal remote to control all your gear-including a few smart-home devices-we recommend the Logitech Harmony Companion.
#Harmony home control best buy full#
Read the full guide to universal remote controls. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. The best of the best extend beyond your home entertainment system, controlling things like lights, window shades, and temperature.This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter.

In our comprehensive evaluations - which collected more than 100 data points on a dozen models, covering such factors as ease of setup, whether or not full functionality was achieved, operating range, ergonomics, and durability - we found that some universal remotes are better than others, often with attributes that make them particularly well-suited to certain households. The concept might sound too good to be true (it controls all my remotes? really?) but after putting dozens of these handheld devices through their paces, the tech experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute confirmed that the best universal remotes really do live up to the promise. The good news is there’s a cure for this all-too common modern condition: A universal remote. There’s the big one for the TV, the small one for the sound bar, and the funny-looking that you can’t for the life of you remember what it does.

Coffee tables are meant for coffee table books (and maybe a place to kick your feet up after a long day), but in too many homes, the family room furnishing has been overrun by remotes.
