The 10 Best TV Antennas For Cord Cutters, According To Reviews
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With the rise of cheap, worthwhile streaming services and higher internet speeds, it has become more feasible — and downright logical for most people — to join the ever-growing cord-cutting community. Paying a premium for a cable network subscription doesn't seem all that necessary anymore. With a simple press of a button, you can access streaming services that are more than worth your money when you check out their stocked library. Waiting for the perfect time until a movie airs on a cable channel feels downright archaic in comparison. Still, some people miss the nostalgia of browsing channels on their TV until they find what they're looking for — something that is missing in an age when people are subscribed to numerous streaming services where everything they love to watch can be accessed effortlessly.
If you want to channel the golden age of television and surf channels without having to pay for a cable network subscription, a digital antenna can be a great solution for you. After all, it's not like smart TVs come with built-in antennas. With this one-time investment, you can place a TV antenna in an optimal location – depending on whether said antenna supports indoor or outdoor configurations — and scan for any available channels. Depending on where you live, you can either find a few paltry channels or access a sizeable local TV network that can justify an investment in this device. According to reviews, these are some of the best digital TV antennas you can get your hands on.
Mohu Leaf 50
For $49.99, the Mohu Leaf 50 has a decent suite of features and can serve as a competent antenna for your TV setup. It's very easy to install, boasting multi-directional functionality to completely do away with the headache of manually making an antenna face the correct direction to optimize signal strength. This, coupled with its excellent 60-mile signal strength, means that the Mohu Leaf's reception will be strong and reliable, projecting high-quality 1080p images with ease. If you want even better picture quality, then this antenna's support for 4K/8K UHD and NextGen TV will help your viewing experience look and sound incredible. Newcomers in the realm of the digital TV antenna space will find the Mohu Leaf to be a great way to stream local TV channels virtually free of cost — a sentiment that both consumers and users agree with.
Reviewers piled on a ton of praise on this antenna, with the Mohu Leaf netting a great score of 4.5 out of 5 stars on CableTV.com, along with a respectable 4-star rating on Tom's Guide. User aggregate scores out of 5 on both Crutchfield and Best Buy are equally glowing, with consumers giving it 4.5 stars on the former and 4.2 on the latter. The Mohu Leaf 50 comes packaged with a solid 12-foot detachable coaxial cable, a Jolt Switch USB in-Line amplifier to boost your TV signal's strength, and a USB adapter — along with a 6-foot cable — to power this antenna. It may be a bit too large for some, but its competent performance more than makes up for this minor size issue.
Channel Master Flatenna 35/CM-4001HDBW
If you want a digital antenna that gets the job done without having to shell out an unreasonable amount of money, then the Channel Master Flatenna 35 is a great pick. It gets this moniker from its 35-mile range, which is good enough to pick up on numerous local channels if you live in an area with a decent number of over-the-air TV broadcasts. It doesn't require any power to operate and features a reversible black and white finish, helping it easily blend into your living room with its sleek, ingenious look. Like most other modern digital antennas, the CM-4001HDBW features multidirectional design to make setting up this device as easy as can be. For the low, low price of $29, the Flatenna 35's suite of features is incredible.
Suffice it to say, critics were amazed by this nifty antenna's performance. The 8.5 out of 10 score on CNET and a 4-star rating on Tom's Guide speak volumes. Consumers were just as wowed, with a 4.84-out-of-5 user aggregate score on the brand website being quite impressive. While a 3.9-star rating on Walmart may be slightly more restrained, it's a minor blip and nowhere near a dealbreaker for this beautiful antenna. For an entry-level device, the Channel Master Flatenna 35 is a perfect choice.
Antop AT-800SBS HD Smart Panel
An antenna that's both indoor and outdoor-friendly, the Antop AT-800SBS HD Smart Panel is a great all-in-one solution for all your digital TV antenna needs. For $169.99, it's definitely one of the more expensive antennas on the market, but if you're serious about enjoying high-fidelity cable TV with a versatile antenna setup, then you can't go wrong with this device. The AT-800SBS HD Smart Panel comes with both an indoor stand and a wall/pole mounting kit, ensuring that you have everything you need to set up this antenna wherever you want. Keep in mind that this antenna is a bit on the bulkier side, so be doubly sure about its sweet spot inside or outside your house before installing it.
A power-boosting dial, an in-built 4G LTE filter, Antop's exclusive Smart Boost System, and a range of up to 80 miles all help improve the Antop AT-800SBS' signal strength, guaranteeing the highest picture quality possible. Tom's Guide was full of praise for this device, giving it a respectable 4 stars out of 5. Consumers who took the plunge and shelled out the big bucks for this device were more than pleased by its service, as seen by its excellent user aggregate scores. Out of 5 stars, it got 4.89 on the brand website, 4.5 on Walmart, and 4.4 on Best Buy. The cherry on top of this tantalizing package is that this antenna can connect to two devices at once, making it easier than ever to enjoy cable TV on multiple televisions.
Antennas Direct ClearStream Eclipse Amplified
A reversible black-white antenna that easily sticks to a flat surface and provides a strong signal strength, the Antennas Direct ClearStream Eclipse Amplified is one of the best indoor digital TV antennas you can check out. For $49.99, you'll get an antenna with a 50-mile range, an amplifier to boost signal strength, and compatibility for NextGen TV, 4K/8K UHD, and Full HD 1080p. The Sure Grip strip makes it easy for you to fix this antenna on a wall, although it may make things trickier if you have to remove the ClearStream Eclipse and place it somewhere else.
Still, this is a minor problem for what is otherwise an excellent TV antenna. Reviews agree that the Antennas Direct ClearStream Eclipse is brilliant, with this device boasting a score of 4.5 stars out of 5 on TechRadar and 8 out of 10 on CNET. User aggregate review scores aren't that far behind, with a 4-star rating on Best Buy coupled with 4.1 stars on the brand website, showing that this antenna's performance has pleased consumers.
Mohu Gateway Plus
Dropping $79.99 on an antenna can be a sizeable ask, but the Mohu Gateway Plus' litany of features makes it well worth this price. This is yet another excellent product from Mohu with all the bells and whistles you'd expect from a state-of-the-art digital TV antenna. It boasts a range of 60 miles and Mohu's FirstStage amplifier to improve signal strength. An LED signal indicator that shows where you can get the strongest signal possible for your home TV, coupled with its multi-directional UHF and Hi-VHF elements, makes it easy to set up this device and get the best signal strength possible.
Like most other Mohu antennas, the Gateway Plus supports 1080p, 4K/8K UHD, and NextGen TV. All of this combines to make this antenna a great device to let you browse cable TV with minimal fuss. A rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 on Tom's Guide is proof enough of how strong this device's performance is. A 4-star rating on Best Buy and 4.1 stars out of 5 on the brand website are also great indicators of the Mohu Gateway Plus' quality.
Winegard FlatWave FL-5000
With an 8-out-of-10 rating on CNET, it's clear that the Winegard FlatWave FL-5000 has a lot of things going for it. The 40-mile range is impressive, and a 15-inch coaxial cable makes it easier to set up this antenna without any major issues. It's also a great solution to improve your living room's aesthetics, looking slim and sleek with its 0.2-inch thickness. The reversible black-white finish helps it blend into your living room without looking out of place, and a simple setup is all it takes before you can browse cable channels in no time after using your TV to scan for available networks.
Customers concur that this antenna is a great purchase at $35.99, which can be seen in the user aggregate scores of 4.3 stars on Best Buy and 4 stars on Amazon. While a permanently attached coaxial cable may not be ideal, this is a minor issue that shouldn't get in the way of setting up the FlatWave FL-5000.
Antennas Direct ClearStream Max-V Pro
There's a reason why the Antennas Direct ClearStream Max-V Pro costs $119.99. This large, bulky TV antenna boasts an incredible range that can reach upwards of 70 miles, making it easy for your television to scan and telecast a wide array of TV networks. While it may be marketed as an indoor/outdoor antenna, the size of this antenna is so huge that you're better off placing it outside... that is, if you don't mind a big, chunky piece of metal taking up space in your living room. You'll have to pay extra for a mast to facilitate an outdoor installation, but it's worth the extra dollars to ensure that this antenna is properly set up. With the optional RF signal amplifier, you can unlock an even greater array of channels to surf by improving the ClearStream Max-V Pro's range.
TechRadar was full of praise for this antenna, exemplifying this with their 4.5-star rating. User reviews aren't lagging behind, with the aggregate score of 4.4 stars on Walmart being especially noteworthy. If you have the budget and space to accommodate the ClearStream Max-V Pro, you will be pretty satisfied with this purchase.
Best Buy Essentials Thin Indoor HDTV Antenna
There's nothing wrong with buying a cheap digital antenna to help you browse cable TV on a budget, which is why the Best Buy Essentials Thin Indoor HDTV Antenna can be a great choice in the right circumstances. If a lack of DVR and an undetachable cord isn't a big deal, then this double-sided black-white indoor antenna will be a great and non-intrusive addition to your living room. For just $19.99, you get decent signal coverage with a range of 35 miles.
It helps that setting up this antenna is pretty simple, with a 10-foot coaxial cable and the two-sided foam tape making it easy to stick this antenna on a window or wall and let it work its magic. Pocket-lint loved this budget antenna, giving it a solid 4-star rating. On Best Buy, their in-house antenna has been a major hit with a respectable 4.3-star user aggregate score out of a possible 5.
Antop HD Smart Bar AT-500SBS
One of the most unique-looking digital TV antennas on the market, the Antop HD Smart Bar AT-500SBS is the only device on this list to receive a perfect rating from a publication. TechRadar gave it 5 out of 5 stars, which is quite impressive given how it isn't exactly the cheapest antenna around. However, for $99.99, what you receive is an advanced TV antenna that's jam-packed with the latest tech to make your cable TV experience smoother than ever. Antop's Smart Boost System is as impressive as ever, letting you tinker with an adjustable gain knob to optimize signal quality. For an indoor antenna, it may be quite large, but its striking design will help it blend into your living room instead of standing out. You can also wall-mount it horizontally or vertically to save floor space.
A range of up to 80 miles will let you access a wide array of local channels, a 4G LTE Filter blocks unwanted signals that can hamper the antenna's reception, and multi-directional functionality means that you don't have to point the device in any one specific direction. With all these features, it's easy to see why cord-cutters are having a blast with the Antop HD Smart Bar AT-500SBS. Out of 5 stars, user aggregate scores are pretty high, coming in at 4.62 stars on the brand site and 4.2 stars on Walmart. Best Buy's 3.8-star rating may lead you to worry, but this is more of an anomaly and shouldn't deter you from getting one of the best indoor TV antennas.
Antennas Direct ClearStream Flex
The Antennas Direct ClearStream Flex has received great user and critic scores, making this $49.99 antenna a worthwhile investment for digital TV antenna enthusiasts. Out of 5, both TechRadar and Tom's Guide gave this device a respectable 4-star rating. A similar user aggregate rating was given to this antenna on Walmart and the brand website, while customers gave it a 4.2-star rating out of 5 on Amazon. A range of 50 miles and multi-directional reception mean that you can surf a wide array of channels after an easy, tool-free setup. These are just a few of the many perks of the ClearStream Flex that make it so reliable.
Like most other quality TV antennas, this device supports NextGen TV, 4K/8K UHD, and Full HD 1080p to help you enjoy the best picture clarity possible. The Jolt Switch 18dB USB inline amplifier can be triggered with a simple switch, letting you turn on this amp to improve signal range and enjoy a greater selection of over-the-air channels for you to browse. Finally, the flat, ergonomic design means that you won't struggle with placing this indoor antenna in your living room, with its reversible black-white look helping it effortlessly blend into its surroundings.
Methodology
Any TV antennas with both high critic ratings and user aggregate scores have qualified for this list. Publications taken into account for the former include CableTV.com, Tom's Guide, CNET, TechRadar, and Pocket-lint. Meanwhile, user ratings have been pulled from Best Buy, Amazon, Crutchfield, Walmart, and relevant brand websites.