The One For All URC7880 Smart Control 8 is a simple, affordable remote for people who can control all their gear via infrared (IR). But despite these issues, the U1 is the best option we’ve found for people who have a mix of IR and Bluetooth devices. And there are no dedicated activity buttons for grouping different devices together to perform tasks like “Watch TV” or “Watch a Movie.” You can still create activities and assign them to whatever buttons you choose, but you have to figure out all the programming yourself-and we fear the app’s learning curve may be high for someone who has never programmed a universal remote.

It lacks backlighting and a Help function to fix any messed-up commands. You can program the U1 using a convenient setup app for iOS and Android, and the app provides a lot of customization options to reassign what the remote’s buttons can do. It has an intuitive button layout that includes most of the control options you’ll need, and the OLED screen makes it easy to switch between the different AV devices you want to control. So it’s more flexible than many of the lower-priced remotes on the market. It can control up to 15 devices, including both infrared- and Bluetooth-based AV devices.

The SofaBaton U1 Universal Remote Control is a well-designed universal remote that offers a lot more features than you might expect for $50.

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