Every Roku Remote You Can Buy, Ranked From Worst To Best – BGR

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Roku streaming devices and smart TVs make up one of the most popular streaming ecosystems on the market. Whether you’re thinking about buying a Roku Streaming Stick to add Netflix and Hulu to an older TV, or you want to grab a 65-inch Roku Pro Series 4K TV, there’s a Roku device for just about every budget and household. Considering the company has been producing tech since 2008, this also means there are a lot of Roku remotes out there.

As you can guess, you’ll be hard-pressed to get your hands on a Roku-branded replacement remote for one of the company’s legacy devices unless you’re shopping on eBay or other third-party sites. You may also be able to purchase replacement bundles with two or three Roku remotes, but you’ll need to make sure the controllers are compatible with your Roku hardware.

Right now, there are four Roku remotes you’ll be able to purchase brand-new: the Roku TV Remote, the Roku Voice Remote, the Roku Voice Remote Pro, and the Roku Voice Remote Pro (2nd edition). We’re going to rank Roku’s current remote lineup from worst to best, based on important criteria like picture and sound features, price, and overall performance.

The $10 Roku TV Remote is as barebones as they come, and it’s compatible only with Roku-powered smart TVs. Even if you own a Roku-branded streaming device or audio product, the Roku TV Remote isn’t going to work with it.

In terms of features and customization, the remote is pretty plain across the board. Powered by two AAA batteries, the Roku TV Remote can be programmed to control TV power and volume, and also includes four shortcut buttons for popular apps like Netflix and Disney+.

On Amazon, the Roku TV Remote scored a 4.5 out of 5 stars — based on over 8,000 reviews — with many users enjoying the intuitive setup and quality of the controller. Some folks were aggravated that the remote isn’t compatible with Roku streaming devices, though. As for our own ranking, we’re placing the Roku TV Remote in last place. While it’s fully functional and affordable, it lacks voice command support and doesn’t include a rechargeable battery.

Sitting one rung above the Roku TV Remote is the Roku Voice Remote. Selling for $20, the Voice Remote adds compatibility for Roku streaming devices and audio products, and has a mic button you can press and hold to issue voice commands to your Roku hardware. Other than that, the Voice Remote supports all the same features as the Roku TV Remote, down to the two AAA batteries it requires.

On Amazon, the Roku Voice Remote scored a 4.6 out of 5 stars — based on over 19,500 reviews — with many users reporting a quick and easy setup and solid functionality. That said, some users indicated that the volume buttons aren’t able to raise or lower their TV sound. Others mentioned the remote completely dying after only a month, with the company providing lackluster customer support.

If you’re looking to get the most out of your Roku streaming experience and need a new remote, we’d recommend the Roku Voice Remote over the Roku TV Remote every time. To that end, we’re giving third-place honors to the former.

Released in 2022, the Roku Voice Remote Pro was once the golden standard for Roku remotes, and it’s still a great choice if you’re looking to connect a pair of wired headphones or earbuds. Confusingly, the OG Voice Remote Pro is the same price as the Voice Remote Pro (2nd edition) on Roku’s site. This might be because of the 3.5mm auxiliary port.

Speaking of which, the original Voice Remote Pro features a built-in headphone jack. Most Roku products let you pair a set of Bluetooth headphones through the Roku mobile app, but it’s going to be tough to find any other streamer remote with a direct line-in. Many premium pairs of headphones are wired only, making the 3.5mm port a rare but genuinely helpful feature.

The Roku Voice Remote Pro also includes a built-in, rechargeable battery (Micro USB), hands-free voice commands, a lost remote finder, and a handful of shortcut buttons. Scoring 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon — based on over 16,500 reviews — we’re awarding second place to the Voice Remote Pro. We also wouldn’t be surprised if the Voice Remote Pro was available for only another few months.

Earning first place in our Roku remotes breakdown is the Roku Voice Remote Pro (2nd edition). Scoring a 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon — based on over 6,200 reviews — the Voice Remote Pro Gen 2 is designed to work with all Roku TVs, most Roku streaming devices, and popular Roku accessories like the Roku Streambar and Roku Wireless Speakers. The remote costs $30 and can be purchased at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, or directly through Roku.

There aren’t many differences between the Voice Remote Pro Gen 2 and the original Roku remote, but the Gen 2 enhancements are probably worth buying the second edition of the Voice Remote Pro. These include USB-C recharging (instead of Micro USB), backlit buttons, a Live TV guide button, and a programmable quick launch button. Roku also claims that the Gen 2 remote should deliver 50% more battery life than the previous model, giving users about three months on a full charge.

Like the first Voice Remote Pro, the 2nd edition also supports hands-free voice commands and Roku’s lost remote finder. Most Amazon reviewers praised the Voice Remote Pro (2nd edition) for its ease of use, reliable voice controls, and backlit buttons. However, some users reported issues with the rechargeable battery, noting that it sometimes held a charge for only about an hour.

We’ve spent years covering streaming devices, smart TVs, and home entertainment gear. Not only do our recommendations draw from our own hands-on testing, as in the Roku Ultra, but we also put value into what consumers are saying. Most of Roku’s products are available on Amazon and at stores like Best Buy, Walmart, and Target, and we looked through numerous user reviews to hone in on what makes Roku hardware great, as well as where improvements can be made.

This also helped us create a worst-to-best hierarchy, based on criteria like web performance, picture quality, price, and special features, like the Ultra’s lost remote finder. It’s also worth pointing out that none of our Roku selections have a rating lower than 4 out of 5 stars on Amazon and other retailer sites with similar customer review systems.