There was a time when a single brand dominated the universe of universal remote controls: Logitech’s Harmony–at least it was until Logitech discontinued the Harmony line and exited the space. These days, the second-generation Caavo Control Center is the most powerful universal control.
Sure, you can still find a sub-$20 “universal remote” if your regular clicker breaks, but those are little more than cheapie replacements, not true universal remotes that live up to the name. There are also uber-expensive remote controls you can buy from customer installers, but TechHive focuses primarily on the DIY market, so we’ll ignore those in this story.
Caavo Control Center — Best universal remote control
Pros
- Incredibly intuitive and easy to learn
- Ability to use mobile phone as a remote is a nice addition for some users
- Some amazing setup tricks get some devices up and running in seconds
- Sonos control and TiVo integration
Cons
- Only four HDMI inputs, so it can't support very complex home entertainment systems
- You'll need a separate subscription for each Caavo unit you deploy
Now that Harmony is off the playing field, the Caavo Control Center is the most powerful universal remote control on the market. It’s a powerful system that also lets monitor a Caavo-connected television remotely, set permissions on what can be watched based on its rating, and even send a message that pops up on the remote TV.
Author: Christopher Null, Contributor, TechHive
Christopher Null is an award-winning technology journalist with more than 25 years of experience writing about and reviewing consumer and business tech products. Previously, he served as Executive Editor for PC Computing magazine and was the founder and Editor in Chief of Mobile magazine, the first print publication focused exclusively on mobile tech. In addition to covering a wide range of smart home gear for TechHive, he is a frequent contributor to Wired, This Old House, and AAA’s Via Magazine.