Are you – or, more likely, someone in your household – experiencing remote overload? Do you have more remotes than you have devices in your living room? That happens to the best of us. 

That’s because, while tech keeps marching forward, we’re still not close to getting rid of the traditional remote. If you’re a home enterainment fan, there are probably a half-dozen in your living room right now.  

A universal remote is what you need. 

They cut down clutter in your living room by taking on the role of several standard remotes. Some phones can even act as a universal remote. 

If you’re here, however, it’s because you need someone with the background and experience needed to help you reduce the remotes, clean up your living room and bring audiovisual nirvana to your humble abode. 

You’ve come to the right place. 

What is a universal remote?

Before we get down into the nitty-gritty of dissecting all the different types of universal remotes, it would perhaps be fitting to get into what exactly the best universal remotes do. Well, to put it simply, they’re remote controls – like the ones that come with your TV – that can imitate the signals sent by the original remote of your TV, AV receiver or whatever device you own that uses an infrared signal.

Wondering why you should buy one? There are two main scenarios where they’re ideal: either you’ve lost your original remote, and your TV provider wants nothing less than your first-born child to pay for the replacement, or you’re looking to have fewer remote controls because you want to streamline your AV experience. The best universal remotes are the answer to both of these scenarios. 

Pretty much every universal remote uses infrared, or, IR. Which is the same signal used by manufacturer remotes.

Cheap vs expensive

If you’re considering shopping for a cheap universal remote, such as the One For All Essence (only available in the UK), you’ll use a pattern of button presses to program the remote, selecting the right set of instructions for your hardware. Manufacturers like Panasonic and Sony have only used a couple different patterns of instructions over the last decade or so for most of their TVs. You can just cycle through them until you find the set of instructions that lets you operate the TV in question.  

Many mid-tier universal remotes boast companion apps and large databases that let you just select the TV or receiver you have on your mobile device. It’s quicker, easier and less of a hassle to add new devices, in case your AV setup ever changes.

Generally speaking, the more devices you’re looking for your universal remote to support, the more money you’ll be spending. Logitech’s Harmony Elite is compatible with up to 15 devices with just the one remote, while low-end models, like the One for All Simple, only support one. Just like most things in the tech world, it just comes down to that classic use-case question: are you replacing a lost remote or do you just want to use just one remote instead of a half dozen unique ones? 

When you start getting to the High end of the spectrum, you’ll start seeing remotes that allow you to set up custom macros, or ‘activities’. These ‘activities’ will let you make a single button or touch screen press send off several commands. 

One remote, called ‘Watch TV,’ for example, may turn on your cable box, audio receiver and TV, change the receiver to the right channel and switch your TV to the right HDMI input. Another classic is to turn all of your equipment off with a single press of a button.

Who makes universal remotes?

There are two main players in the universal remote control game, and they’re the ones we’ve listed out thus far. Logitech makes all the best high-end remotes, in the shape of its Harmony models, while One for All is the best brand for more inexpensive remotes. 

In the US, you’ll also see a plethora of low-price remote controls from RCA. And if you’re buying for an elderly relative, or want a super-simple remote that only covers the TV basics. The Doro HandleEasy lets you change volume and channels. It has been around for years, but is a great lo-fi gadget.   

 Phones that are universal remotes

Some phones will also function as universal remotes, although perhaps not the models you may think. They need to have a feature called an IR blaster, which enables them to transmit the same signals as a normal remote control.

These used to be somewhat common, but have become quite rare, with the feature regarded as unloved and generally useless in the phones that had it. Current phones with an IR blaster include the Honor 9 and Huawei P20 Plus. Some Xiaomi phones have one too. The common thread? These are Chinese companies. 

The most recent mainstream phones to feature IR blasters were the LG G5 and LG V20, while the last flagship Samsungs with IR were the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, and those came out almost three years ago. These phones have apps that let you configure your own setup, with on-screen buttons for (almost) all your remotes’ functions. 

We actually know people who owned phones with IR blasters a few years ago, but who ended up spending a significant amount of cash on a universal remote, oblivious to their phone’s abilities.

Have a phone with an IR blaster? You might want to check out a third-party remote control app like Peel or Sure, as these have a smarter interface than most built-in apps

Controlling consoles and smart homes

A weakness that the vast majority of universal remotes share is that they can’t control most smart home devices, or Sony’s PS3 and PS4. This is because they use either Bluetooth, RF or Wi-Fi instead of IR. The answer is a hub that supports these other standards, and right now you have two major options. 

Logitech offers the best, and the most popular one. The Logitech Home Hub is compatible with Microsoft and Sony game consoles, and a wide range of smart home gadgets including Philips Hue lights. It connects to your home Wi-Fi network, and can be controlled either by a mobile app or one of Logitech’s higher-end remotes.  

Using one of the Harmony series’ tasty macro activities, you could therefore set the lighting level for movie night, as well as turning on your AV setup, with a single press. 

Elsewhere, the Broadlink RM and RM Pro are hubs that can control IR and RF (Pro model) devices through a mobile phone app. They’re significantly cheaper than the Logitech Home Hub, although as they don’t use Bluetooth you can’t use them to control a Sony PS4. 

It is a low-cost way to make up for the lack of an IR blaster, though. 

Voice control

One additional benefit of the Logitech Home Hub system is that you can already control it through Amazon’s digital assistant Alexa.

If you have an Amazon Echo or Echo Dot you can add a Harmony ‘skill’ to it, and using this you can say “Alexa, tell Harmony to turn on the TV”, and it’ll do so. We’ve tried it out as part of our research for this guide, and it works rather well. 

One day we’ll be able to control everything over Wi-Fi, but until that day it’s reassuring to see that universal remotes aren’t content to become ‘retro’ gadgets; they’re keeping up with the times.

Logitech Harmony at a glance

As the Logitech Harmony series is easily the most important range of universal remotes for people looking for an experience to suit a high-end setup, let’s take a quick look at what’s on offer. 

The Harmony family has two main lines – there are newer remotes that work with the Harmony Hub, and older pure IR remotes that don’t.

The newer kind includes the Elite, Ultimate, Touch, Ultimate One and 950 models, all of which have screens. Logitech’s Companion remote supports the hub but doesn’t have a display, making it a little more affordable. 

Those after something even less pocket-draining should check out the Harmony 650, which has a display but no Hub support, and the Harmony 350, a basic £35/$38 remote that’s a classic universal remote but can still combine the functions of eight remotes. 

So, what is the best universal remote?

Logitech Harmony Elite

At $250 (£99, AU$449), the Logitech Harmony Elite obviously no small investment – and if you’re not absolutely serious about the form and function of your home entertainment setup, then you needn’t bother. But for anyone who wants one remote to control just about everything, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything that is both this functional and relatively easy to use out of the box.   

If your setup is complex and you’re seeking some automation in your routine, or you just can’t stand the sight of a handful of differently-shaped remotes laying on your couch, then the Logitech Harmony Elite might be a luxury worth splashing out for. Despite the occasional hitch, it’s a powerful remote that can wrangle your audio/visual madness, plus it looks and feels pretty good doing so. 

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Best Speakers Buying Guide: Welcome to TechRadar’s round-up of the best wireless, connected speakers and speaker systems in 2018. 

Speakers are the conduit to music in the home. Sure, headphones might be handy if you don’t want the world to know what you’re listening to – but if your goal is to replicate the scene from Risky Business, you’re going to need a speaker.

Thankfully, we have a few ideas on where to start.

Ideally, the speaker that you pick will have been made with a number of built-in amps and DACs and then custom-tuned to replicate music as close to the source as possible. On top of pristine audio playback, you should be looking for speakers that pack in a plethora of features like smart assistant support, a built-in battery and Spotify Connect, all of which will help your speaker last you until the next big innovation in audio that will come a few years down the road.

While we can’t know for sure what’s going to come next for wireless speakers, we can help you pick out the best wireless speakers thanks to the dozens of world-class reviews on this website and our team of audio experts. 

To that end, what you’ll find below is a list of the 10 best wireless speakers, ranked by their price-to-performance ratio.

[Update: Remember that next-gen speaker tech we mentioned? Well, one possible route for wireless tech is called Tempow TAP – a Bluetooth-based audio standard that would allow a source to send multiple audio streams to up to four devices. That would allow you to send different audio tracks to different headphones or even allow you to use your wireless speakers as stand-ins for a proper surround sound system. The technology is still in development, however, but it’s something we’ll definitely be keeping our eyes on in the coming months.]

1. Best Wireless Speaker: Sonos One

Weight: 1.85kg (4.08 lbs) | Size: 6.36 x 4.69 x 4.69 in | Drivers: 1 x tweeters, 1 x woofer | Supported Connectivity: AirPlay, Bluetooth 4.2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, 3.5mm, RCA | Ethernet: No | Aux-in: Yes | USB: No

If you’re in the market for a cleanly designed, exceptional sounding connected speaker, you’ll find none better than the Sonos One. Offering the best of both Sonos’ multi-room speaker platform and Amazon’s smart home prowess, the Sonos One is the pinnacle of connectivity. 

Want to hear your favorite song from Spotify? All you need to do is ask! Want every speaker in the upstairs to play the same song? Group them together via the Sonos app and you’ll have a house party in minutes. 

While there are more powerful (and more expensive) speakers listed down below, for the vast majority of folks, the Sonos One is the best deal in 2018.

Read the full review: Sonos One

2. Runner-up: Sonos Play:5

Weight: 6.3kg | Size: 204mm x 364mm x 154mm | Drivers: 3 x tweeters, 1 x woofer | Supported Connectivity: AirPlay, Bluetooth 4.2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, 3.5mm, RCA | Ethernet: No | Aux-in: Yes | USB: No

Sonos was one of the first companies to get into the connected speaker business, and as a result has one of the most seamlessly integrated speaker systems on the market. 

The Sonos Play:5 is the company’s flagship, and has the 

Unlike solutions which rely on Bluetooth or Google Cast, Sonos’ speakers are controlled directly from its own app, which has built in integration for a number of streaming services, including Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music, Deezer, TuneIn a whole range of smaller services.

Since this is a multi-room setup, you can also add additional speakers such as the Sonos Play:3 and Sonos Play:1 to built up a complete surround sound system, but if you want to keep it simple, then you should find the Play:5 to offer more than enough sound. 

Read the full review: Sonos Play:5

3. Best Stereo Replacement: Pure Evoke C-F6

Weight: 4.2kg | Size: 380 mm x 145 mm x 223 mm | Drivers: 2 x 3″ full range | Supported Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Ethernet: Yes | Aux-in: Yes | USB: No

The Pure Evoke C-F6 isn’t a flashy speaker – its modest (but refined) looks let it slip unassumingly into any decor, although it doesn’t boast the premium multi-room options of pricier competitors on this list.

But that’s also not really the point of the Evoke C-F6 – it’s positioning itself to be the one-room, one-shop stop for all your audio playback needs. There’s a dazzling array of audio source options on offer here, with the biggest draws being Spotify Connect, DAB, Internet radio, Bluetooth and old faithful CD playback.

With a solid app letting you control the speaker from across a room, and the Evoke C-F6 offering a warm and natural soundstage from its stereo speakers, it’ll take pride of place on whichever bedside table or living room shelf you decide to pop it on.

Read the full review: Pure Evoke C-F6

4. Best Bluetooth Speaker: Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Wireless

Weight: 6.5kg | Size: 188mm x 660mm x 183mm | Drivers: 2 x Tweet , 2 x Mid-range, 1 x Subwoofer | Supported Connectivity: AirPlay, Spotify Connect, Bluetooth aptX | Ethernet: Yes | Aux-in: Yes | USB: No

It’s a tough call between this speaker and the Mu-So Qb for the best looking music player on this list, but the Zeppelin is certainly the most striking.

But as with all these speakers, the proof is in the pudding, and the Zeppelin sounds absolutely stunning no matter what volume you play it at. Its bass is distortion free, and its mid-range is nice and punchy. 

It’s also backed by a complete swath of connectivity options, so you’ll have no problem getting your more obscure apps playing through the speaker. 

The only problem is its price: $699 (£499 / AU$999). But while the sticker price ensures that only serious audiophiles will give it some consideration, it’s a lot less pricey than the Mu-So Qb, and you get a similar level of sound quality. 

Read the full review: Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Wireless

5. Best Hi-Fi Speaker: Mu-So Qb

Weight: 5.6kg | Size: 210mm x 218mm x 212mm | Drivers: 1 x Woofer, 2 x Mid-range, 2 x Tweeter, 2 x Passive Radiator | Supported Connectivity: UPnP, AirPlay, Spotify Connect, Bluetooth aptX | Ethernet: Yes | Aux-in: Yes | USB: Yes

You might not have heard of it before, but Naim audio is a company that produces some of the most stylish connected speakers in the business, and we think the Mu-So Qb is the best they’ve put out yet. 

It comes will a full suite of connectivity options including aptX Bluetooth, Spotify Connect and AirPlay, which means all of your music should be supported at its maximum resolution, no matter what device you’re using. 

But even if you don’t have your phone in hand, the speaker is still controllable using its sleek touch-screen which allows you to access internet radio stations, for example. 

It’s got a premium price, but if you pluck for the Qb then you won’t be disappointed. 

Read the full review: Mu-So Qb

6. Best Wireless Speaker for your TV: Samsung HW-MS650

Weight: 3.6kg | Size: 1060 x 78 x 130mm (W x H x D) | Drivers: 3 x custom units | Supported Connectivity: Single 4K/HDR HDMI loopthrough, one optical audio input, 3.5mm audio port, 2-way Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | Ethernet: Yes | Aux-in: Yes | USB: Yes

Not content with dominating the TV world, Samsung now seems to have its sights set on becoming the number one brand for home entertainment audio, too. All this effort has already delivered outstanding results in the shape of both the HW-K850 and, especially, HW-K950 Dolby Atmos soundbars, as well as a range of ground-breaking multi-room wireless speakers.

But, above everything stands the South Korean manufacturer’s HW-MS650. No other one-body soundbar has combined so much raw power with so much clarity, scale and, especially, bass, or excelled so consistently with both films and music. It’s the sort of performance that only genuine audio innovation can deliver – and with that in mind, it’s well worth its $450/£599 price tag. 

Read the full review: Samsung HW-MS650 Soundbar

7. Best Google Assistant Speaker: Google Home Max

Weight: 3.2kg | Size: 209 x 294 x 166 mm | Drivers: 2x Tweeters, 2x Woofers | Supported Connectivity: DLNA, Spotify Connect, Bluetooth, USB, 3.5mm | Ethernet: Yes | Aux-in: Yes | USB: Yes

When it comes to stuffing a small apartment with Google Home devices, is too much of a good thing bad? As the Google Home Max proved to us, the answer is no. 

Although absolutely massive, the Home Max makes for a surprisingly versatile addition to a space of any size, thanks to its balanced, awesome sound delivery and Smart Sound function that helps it adjust to any environment you set it in. 

Google’s big speaker is more elegant than it has any right to be, what with clever touches like the moveable resting pad and orientation-friendly touch functions. It’s also appreciated that its looks stand out if you choose to notice it, but blend into the scene during everyday use. 

The only problem? It’s just available in the US for now.

Read the full review: Google Home Max

8. Best Bookshelf Speakers: KEF LS50 Wireless

Weight: 6.12kg | Size: 420 x 198 x 192 mm | Drivers: 2x Mid-to-high range, 1x Woofer | Supported Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth aptX, USB, Toslink/3.5mm | Ethernet: Yes | Aux-in: Yes | USB: Yes

If you’re looking for a pair of bookshelf speakers that handle wireless audio as well as having the traditional connections for your vinyl player, check out the KEF LS50 Wireless. While KEF’s flagship speakers don’t support every wireless standard on the market, they do support Tidal or Spotify, plus standard Bluetooth 4.0.   

In terms of sound quality,  they are staggeringly detailed and their stand-out sonic feature is their holographic imaging and instrumental layering: We could hear exactly where each instrument was coming from and each instrument sounded distinct and never blurry. Soundstage was expansive with good space to the side and above the listener. Resolution is excellent as the speaker can dig for the micro-details that get lost in lesser audio systems.  

If you’re an audiophile who wants the convenience of wireless audio – whether that’s directly from internet streaming services like Tidal or Spotify or from a home server – the KEF LS50 Wireless should be at the top of your list. 

Read the full review: KEF LS50 Wireless

9. Most Stylish Wireless Speaker: Marshall Stanmore

Weight: 4.70kg | Size: 350 x 185 x 185 mm | Drivers: 2x Mid-to-high range, 1x Woofer | Supported Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth aptX, USB, Toslink/3.5mm | Ethernet: Yes | Aux-in: Yes | USB: Yes

Of its trio of new multi-room speakers, the Marshall Stanmore is the middle child. However, that doesn’t mean it’s the unloved sibling. 

While the larger Woburn is just a little too big for most rooms, and the smaller Acton has a number of connectivity issues, the Stanmore strikes a nice balance between the two with a sound that’s big and punchy, without straying too far into ‘overkill’ territory (although mark our words, it will if you want it to). 

It features its own app for controlling it, but we were fans of how nicely it integrates with a host of other services including AirPlay, Google Cast and Spotify Connect, meaning you can stick to the apps you’re familiar with while still controlling your new toy. 

But it’s the on-board controls that impressed us the most. You’re able to set presets from a number of different services, meaning you can happily switch between pre-defined Spotify playlists and internet radio stations with a twist of a vintage Marshall-styled brass knob. 

It’s not got the most refined sound out of the speakers on this list, but the Marshall Stanmore is intelligently designed and simple to use. 

Read the full review: Marshall Stanmore

10. Best Wireless Speaker for iOS lovers: Apple HomePod

Weight: 5.5 lbs (2.5kg) | Size: 6.8 x 5.6 inches (172 x 142mm) | Drivers: 7 x tweeters, 1x Woofer | Supported Connectivity: AirPlay | Ethernet: No | Aux-in: No | USB: No

If we only rated the Apple HomePod on the merits of sound performance, the HomePod would likely hold the top spot on this list. But, as a connected speaker, it has a long way to go.

Overall, it delivers rich, clear sound that will impress anyone who listens to it, and every facet of the way it’s designed and delivers audio has been well thought through. But there are still a few little bumps in there that remove some of the gloss – Siri not being able to search the web, a lack of Bluetooth streaming, or being able to control your Apple TV or iPhone directly from the speaker are omissions that many would like to have. 

Once it builds out these features, we’ll definitely revisit it and possibly award it a higher spot on this list. Until then, however, it’s a speaker that only serves a niche audience – and even then not very well.

Read the full review: Apple HomePod

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Free cloud storage has really taken off thanks to fast, reliable internet connections. The appeal is understandable: you can store your files online and then access them from any device that’s connected to the internet, including desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones.

You can also back up important files to a remote location (essential in case your own hardware is damaged or stolen), and share files with friends, family and colleagues by simply sending them a link.

The only problem is choice. There are so many free cloud storage services to choose from, it can be hard to decide which is right for you.

Size isn’t everything, so as well as capacity, we’ve also considered the security offered by each service, multi-platform support, ease of use, and any limitations on file size or bandwidth. On with the evaluation…

1. Google Drive

Free storage allowance: 15GB (expandable)

If you’re a Google user, you already benefit from Google Drive integration, such as the ability to save email attachments from Gmail. However, anyone can sign up for the free cloud storage, even if they don’t have a Gmail address, by creating a new Google account.

With 15GB of space for new users, Google Drive is one of the more generous cloud offerings, and there are occasional ways to boost this capacity free of charge. The catch is that this Google storage space is also shared with a user’s other Google services including Gmail and Google Photos.

Mobile apps are available to allow easy access for iOS and Android users, and Google’s Backup and Sync desktop app lets you synchronize files from your PC to the cloud. Google Drive also includes online office tools for word processing, spreadsheets and presentations which can makes sharing files with others effortless.

2. pCloud

Free storage allowance: 10GB (expandable)

You might not recognize the name, but if you’re looking for a decent chunk of cloud storage free of charge, pCloud could be just the ticket. To kick things off, you’re given a fairly generous 10GB to play with, and there’s a bandwidth allowance of 50GB of downlink traffic per month.

While we’re primarily interested in the free version of pCloud, note that you can upgrade to 500GB of space for a monthly plan of $4.99 (£3.70), or 2TB for $9.99 (£7.50) a month – both of which are great deals for storage. You also have annual and lifetime plans, which are a cheaper option in the long run.

The initial 10GB free offering can also be expanded up to 20GB via an additional 4GB for completion of offers, as well as referrals that add 1GB each. It’s also worth noting that pCloud offers well-designed desktop and mobile apps that supplement the website for seamless integration into a user’s workflow.

With no limit on file sizes, and simple sharing options, pCloud is a great way to send large files to friends and colleagues – it’s even possible to share with people who aren’t using the service themselves. Add in decent streaming options and a neat online interface, and pCloud is well worth a look.

3. Microsoft OneDrive

Free storage allowance: 5GB

Coming from Microsoft – a company with plenty of money to throw at the cloud – it’s a little disappointing to find that OneDrive doesn’t include more space free of charge. Free users get a mere 5GB of storage, although it’s relatively inexpensive to increase this to 50GB.

If you have Office 365, you’ll automatically get boosted to 1TB of space, but not everyone wants an Office subscription.

Like Google Drive’s appeal to Google users, OneDrive will be a good fit for anyone who is committed to using Microsoft’s services. There’s neat integration with Outlook.com, for instance. OneDrive also ties in nicely with Windows 10, and there is a selection of reasonable mobile apps to facilitate access on the move.

It’s possible to share files with other people even if they aren’t OneDrive users (complete with customizable permissions), and the ability to edit files online without downloading them is a welcome touch.

4. Dropbox

Free storage allowance: 2GB (expandable)

Dropbox is a stalwart of the free cloud storage world, with a web interface that remains streamlined and easy-to-use.

Despite its popularity, Dropbox actually has one of the least generous free packages for new users (just 2GB), but there are various ways to boost this space without paying, including inviting friends to join (you get 500MB per referral up to 16GB), completing the Getting Started guide (250MB) and contributing to the Dropbox forum (which elicits 1GB per ‘Mighty Answer‘ provided).

DropBox really comes into its own when you start delving into the service’s extra features. There’s a great collaborative working tool called Dropbox Paper that acts as a group workspace, and – if you install the desktop app – you can back up photos automatically. The File Requests feature also allows you to request another user to upload a file to your Dropbox account.

There are desktop apps for Windows, Mac and Linux, and mobile apps including Android, iOS and even Kindle. This gives Dropbox broad appeal, as does the support for third-party apps and services.

The web version of Dropbox lets you edit files without needing to download them, and really the only thing that counts against the cloud storage service is that most alternatives offer more space to free users.

5. MediaFire

Free storage allowance: 10GB (expandable)

MediaFire has been around for over a decade, and those years of experience really show. You’re given 10GB of free space initially, but you can boost this by an extra 40GB through activities like referring friends and following MediaFire’s social media accounts. Few people would disagree that 50GB of free cloud storage is impressive. Free accounts carry ads, but this is a small sacrifice to make.

There’s support for large files up to 4GB, and the sharing options are very impressive, even allowing sharing with non-users.

The web-based interface is excellent too, and MediaFire offers mobile apps for convenient uploading and downloading on iOS and Android. These make it easy to access files you’re storing in the cloud, and include convenient features such as automatic photo syncing.

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