A powerful and high-performing TV antenna is the crucial point of every cord-cutting checklist. If you want to get away from your cable or satellite TV provider and save money in the long run, a TV antenna will grant you the freedom you seek. However, which one should you pick? Which models provide the best value for their price? And finally, what are the best TV antennas to buy right now?
We're going to answer all of those questions by giving you an overview of the best-selling products. All of the following TV antennas will help you tune to local TV broadcasts, completely free of charge. And of course, all of the options found in this guide are affordable with the potential to save you thousands of dollars per year. And of course, we made sure to include both short- and long-range antennas, indoor and outdoor models, and other variations that should make even the most demanding users happy.
Without further ado, here are the 10 best TV antennas to buy in 2020!
Just like other options in this article, Mohu Leaf 30 gives you free HD TV for life. Without having to pay for a subscription, you can watch ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, FOX, and numerous other TV channels. And the best thing is - Mohu Leaf 30 looks amazing as well, so you don't have to hide it behind your TV or anywhere else.
Forget about those odd-looking TV antennas from the past. This one comes with a paper-thin design. It's reversible and paintable. This means that Leaf 30 can easily fit into any room. Even better, you can hide it behind a picture, bookshelf, or television - without affecting its performance, of course.
Mohu is known for producing high-quality products. This one can pick up a TV signal within 40 miles and supports video resolutions up to 4K. To get started, you only need to plug it into your TV, power it on, and scan for TV channels. It's easy as that.
The ViewTV Outdoor Antenna is one of the best directional TV antennas available. It offers an excellent 150-mile range and is perfect for those living in remote areas and would like to tune in to the maximum number of channels possible without spending a dime on cable.
Since it is a directional antenna, you have to position the antenna in the appropriate direction but ViewTV has made life simple by allowing you to wirelessly turn the antenna from the comfort of your living room. It also comes with dual TV-out so you don’t need a signal splitter if you have multiple TVs at home. The included 40-feet cable is long enough to reach from the rooftop to your living room.
The ViewTV outdoor antenna is a great way to cut the cord but there are a few things to be kept in mind. Every time you change the direction of the antenna, you need to tune the TV to register new channels. While the remote helps in wirelessly rotating the antenna, you need to point it at the black box and cannot really be in the line of sight of the antenna itself.
Next, we have another top-rated indoor antenna made by 1byone. This company has been on the market for a long time now, and today it's known for producing high-quality TV antennas. And the model we're showing you here is no exception.
This antenna is HDTV compatible and brings both 1080p and 4K video reproduction. You can install it in no time and start searching for TV channels in a radius of 80 miles. To make sure you're getting the best picture possible, 1byone antenna comes with a 10ft premium coaxial cable. And of course, there's a built-in CleanPeak technology that fights against any kind of signal disturbance.
All in all, this is more than a solid product. You'll hardly find a more capable TV antenna in this price range, and there's plenty to like about this one. On top of all of this, it is currently one of the top-rated products on Amazon with thousands of stellar user reviews.
We didn't forget about those who need something more powerful. This is why we recommend checking out this HDTV outdoor antenna made by PingBingDing. We understand how silly the name of this company sounds - but there's nothing funny about this model, as you're about to see. In fact, this is truly one of the best TV antennas right now.
As already noted, this is an outdoor antenna that comes with motorized rotation. You'll receive a wireless remote, so you can always catch the best TV signal. There's a 40ft cable included, giving you plenty of freedom when it comes to positioning the antenna. And most importantly, you get full support for 2 TVs at the same time using a splitter.
Lastly, let's not forget that this model offers a snap-on installation. This means that no tools are required, and you'll get started with this model in no time.
The ClearStream 2V antenna is one of the best multi-directional TV antennas available. It works both indoors and outdoors but its large size makes it best suited for outdoor mounting. That way, it is also less prone to interference from other indoor electronics.
It can receive signals 60 miles away from the broadcasting station and has dedicated UHF and VHF elements. The ClearStream 2V can receive many free-to-air stations such as ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, PBS, CW, ION, and more without having to pay unnecessary cable costs. The patented loop design eliminates the need for having to rotate the antenna to get a good signal.
Mounting the ClearStream 2V is very easy and the service is known to be excellent. Apart from the times when the weather is rough, the transmission is mostly glitch-free for the most part. If your area is dominated by VHF signals, you should give the ClearStream 2V a consideration.
This antenna is best suited for outdoor use especially, on the attic or rooftop. The Sky antenna integrates 15 dB amplifier that provides a good signal boost and also a 30-foot precision low loss cable. The unique design of the Mohu Sky offers great HD quality broadcasts in both VHF and UHF spectrums and the CleanPeak filtering technology helps remove interference from FM and cellular signals.
While the Mohu Sky offers a good range, some users have found that the built-in amplifier limits the number of channels that can be received. There is a possibility that if your TV has a built-in amplifier, it can interfere with this model's amplifier. If you think that you are receiving less than the required number of channels, try removing the amplifier and connecting the Mohu Sky directly to the TV.
If you live in a city, you needn’t really worry about things like the distance of the broadcasting station or high hills. In such cases, an antenna that can receive signals in a 25-mile range should be sufficient. The Mohu Leaf Metro is one of the best TV antennas if you’re living in a large city and would like to cut the cord. It is ultra-thin so you wouldn’t be having any issues in hiding it from plain sight. It is also multi-directional so you won’t have to worry about setting the correct orientation for your signals.
There are some limitations with the Leaf Metro, though. The signal range apart, it does not come with a built-in amplifier or signal filter so you need to be sure that your neighborhood gets good signal strength from the broadcasting station. If you have good signal strength, however, the performance of the Leaf Metro is excellent.
We get it, almost all TV antennas look the same and they can be hard to differentiate. So, if you're not sure which TV antenna to pick, you can simply check its Amazon rating. And this is one of the reasons why we've included the Loutsbe Skywire TV antenna on this list.
First of all, you should know that it takes less than one minute to set this antenna up. You have several options in front of you, where the easiest method is to simply connect this antenna to your TV. Alternatively, you can use the supplied amplifier, or you can connect it to your set-top box. And when it comes to the amplifier, you can fine-tune your experience by setting it to scan the available signals in short or long-range.
This is a high-quality product that's made to last. All of its components are made of durable materials, including the supplied coaxial cable. That's one of the reasons why this TV antenna supports various video resolutions, from 720p, 1080p, all the way up to 4K Ultra HD.
The problem with even the best TV antennas is that they bring a plain design. So, if you don't want to hide your TV antenna and if you need something that looks interesting, you're going to love what Demorex offers.
This is an indoor TV antenna that comes with a very interesting flat-panel design and UV coating surface. We're sure you'll be proud to show it in your living room, as you can freely leave it to attract some looks. Of course, this antenna is also a highly-performing product, covering a range of up to 80 miles.
Depending on your needs, you can use the supplied amplifier, which comes fully detachable. A quality-made coaxial cable is also included, providing a crystal-clear picture (up to 4K UHD).
If you are looking for a compact indoor antenna that is seamless with your TV’s design, then the GE UltraPro Hover Bar is the one to get. The seamless design ensures that you don’t have to ruin your TV’s aesthetics, unlike some leaf antenna models. The Hover Bar can receive both VHF and UHF stations in compressed 1080p within a 55-mile radius. It filters unwanted noise such as cellular signals and amplifies the TV signal for better quality.
The Hover Bar works best for those living in urban areas with enough signal strength and range. Those using it in rural areas might not receive some signals due to the indoor nature of this antenna. Even indoors, you might have trouble receiving some stations but overall, the Hover Bar is great if you are living in a medium-sized city and want to cut the cord.
While we have your attention, we'll take this opportunity to answer some commonly asked questions. So, here's what else you need to know about TV antennas.
You can watch local TV without cable by getting a TV antenna. By connecting an HD antenna to your TV, you can search for available channels in your area. This means that the only cost you'll have is the cost of getting one of the best TV antennas available.
Alternatively, if you still want to watch cable TV channels (but without cable), you can sign-up for a media streaming service such as Sling TV or fuboTV, for example (which come with monthly subscriptions, by the way). This means that you can either go for an antenna to watch terrestrial (local) TV channels, or you can pay a monthly fee for any one of these best live tv streaming services (all of which come without any long-term obligations).
The best way to check which TV channels can be found in your area is by using the AntennaWeb online service. Open the website, enter your address and you'll get reliable predictions on which TV channels you can expect. Alternatively, you can use the Station Finder or NoCable.
There are many ways to improve the signal of your indoor/outdoor TV antenna. Among the most effective things you can do, moving your antenna higher up should produce the best result. You can also put it in a skylight, use a better coaxial cable, and eliminate electronic interference.
It all depends on your distance from the nearest TV broadcast tower. If you're within the 20-mile range from the nearest tower, you should be able to get plenty of TV channels without the help of an amplifier. However, if this distance is greater, you could greatly benefit from an antenna that includes a quality-made signal booster.
You've probably heard that aluminum foil can help you get better TV reception. However, this is true mostly for older indoor models that look like coat hangers. They're made of metal wires, and adding foil to those antennas increases their surface areas.
Today's modern indoor and outdoor antennas are generally able to receive TV signals from long distances, without the help of aluminum foil.
We hope that this article helped clear any confusion you may have regarding selecting the best TV antennas in 2020. As always, we are here to help if you need any further information. Post your questions and comments below and we’ll get back to you at the earliest.