Logitech Harmony Elite Review: The Ultimate Universal Remote?

The universal remote has evolved from a simple device that consolidates your various controllers into a smart gadget that intelligently operates your home theater setup. And with Logitech's Harmony Elite, you can add smart home devices like lighting and temperature control to the mix, too. Whether or not you need those functions will determine if it's work the asking price.

At $350 MSRP, the Harmony Elite isn't a cheap device. Just the opposite, we suspect many people will find it cost prohibitive no matter how fancy the features are. It just so happens that the feature-set is pretty darn fancy and, if you're a home entertainment enthusiast with a complex A/V setup, it's worth every penny.


Some would argue otherwise -- it is, after all, still a remote. But labeling it just a remote is like calling a Ferrari just a car. The Harmony Elite is a universal smart home controller that adds a level of convenience to your home theater setup. It also makes your complicated setup accessible to less savvy users in your home -- not being able to figure out how to switch from watching Netflix on your game console to watching TV through your satellite box with surround sound turned on might be a first world problem, but it's a problem for kids and many significant others nonetheless.

What if you already own a Harmony Ultimate? There's probably not enough here to warrant a $350 upgrade, not unless you can't live without the dedicated smart home buttons and can't stand the top placement of the playback buttons. The Harmony Elite is more of an incremental update than a major overhaul.

For everyone else, the Harmony Elite will make a wonderful addition to your home theater and smart home alike.