So you bought a home theater setup. Congrats. Now you’re juggling three remotes that don’t talk to each other.
It’s awkward. It’s annoying.
The good news? The universal remote isn’t dead. It’s just… weird. The big brands like Logitech and Caavo have ghosted us, leaving a vacuum. Into that void stepped Sofabaton, breathing some life back into the category. Meanwhile, clever gadgets like Sideclick are letting us hack the remotes we already have.
But let’s be real. The golden age of the universal remote is over. Smart TVs handle soundbars now. Gaming consoles switch inputs with a tap. If your setup is simple, your TV remote probably does enough. The universal remote is mostly for the complicated rigs—the AV receiver folks, the people who refuse to let their old gear gather dust.
If you’re stuck with clutter, though, there are options. Just don’t expect everything to work perfectly.
The Quick Fix: Sideclick
Best for existing streaming remotes
Do you use a Roku or Fire TV stick? Great. Stop buying new remotes.
The Sideclick is a bizarre, beautiful idea. It’s a little add-on that literally clips onto your existing streaming remote. Boom. Your clicky little Roku remote just got eight extra programmable buttons.
How does it work? Old school infrared. You point your current remote at the Sideclip. It “learns” the signal. Suddenly, that basic streaming stick remote can control the volume on your Denon receiver or switch the input on your LG TV.
It’s not magic. It uses IR. Point it straight or nothing happens. Bluetooth devices? No luck.
Also, a warning: those clips are fragile. The plastic breaks. The battery covers warp. It happens. You’ll need AAA batteries, and yes, you might need to buy a replacement clip later.
But the price?
$30. Maybe $25 if you wait.
For thirty bucks, you reduce your remote pile from three to one. If that sounds worth it to you, buy it. It’s the easiest clutter-reduction trick I know.
The Sideclick turns a limited device into a modest universal tool, provided your other gear still speaks the ancient language of Infrared.
The Overlord: Amazon Fire TV Cube
Best all-in-one control hub
This thing is a mess. And it works.
The Amazon Fire TV Cube isn’t just a streaming box. It’s not just a smart speaker. It’s an IR emitter that controls your TV, your receiver, and whatever else is lying around, all from your couch via voice.
“The buttons are sparse.”
That’s an understatement. The physical remote that comes with it is basic. But the Cube listens.
Shout at your music. Ask it to lower the volume on your non-smart TV. It works because it has a built-in IR blaster and microphones sensitive enough to hear you over a party playlist.
Is it perfect?
No.
You’ll still need your old remotes for things the voice assistant can’t figure out. The setup is clunky. The buttons are weird.
But if you want a “king of the smart home” vibe, this is it. It handles the chaos of mixed-era equipment with brute force and Alexa integration. Just keep your other clickers in the drawer, ready for emergency use.
The Ghost: SofaBaton U2 (And The New U3)
Best universal remote
The SofaBaton U2 was, until recently, the king. Simple. Effective. Half the price of anything else.
Out of stock. Gone.
Replacing it is the SofaBaton U3.
It has more features. More apps. A slick interface. It costs double what the U2 did.
So. You pay twice the money for a slightly better version of what used to be a no-brainer deal. The old U2 was a bargain. The U3 is a luxury item in a market that’s shrinking.
Why Are There So Few Good Options?
Look, the category is dead to most people.
Why buy a universal remote when your $400 TV controls your soundbar? When your Roku controls your Netflix? We’re buying less standalone hardware. Less AV receivers. Less clutter to unify.
The Roku and Amazon clickers aren’t universal remotes. They’re specific. They control specific things well. The cheap plastic knock-offs on Amazon? I haven’t tested them, so I’m ignoring them. I won’t recommend trash.
So what’s left?
Not much.
If your system is complex—multiple inputs, old equipment, an AV receiver that hates modern standards—you still have work to do. The Sideclick is the smart move. The Fire TV Cube is the power play.
Everything else is a guess. Or a expensive upgrade like the SofaBaton U3, which works but makes you question your financial decisions.
Maybe keep the pile of remotes.
Maybe not.
But don’t expect the industry to save you from it. 📺🔌
