Over-the-air TV seems like a well-kept secret even though it's been with us for 90 years. You can watch some of the best TV shows, sports and specials for free with a decent signal, without paying a cable company or streaming subscription. Well, it's almost free. You'll need a TV and a very important piece of equipment: a TV antenna. TV antennas have come a long way since the rabbit ears of yesteryear.
Read more: Best TVs in 2020
An OTA antenna feed is great for those events you want to watch live -- NFL football, the Oscars, the evening news and more. Depending on where you live, you can watch anything on the following stations: ABC, CBS, Fox or NBC, as well as PBS and other channels like The CW and My TV. (Disclosure: CNET is a division of CBS.) While a roof-mounted antenna or outdoor HDTV antenna would do the job, your TV already has a built-in tuner, and adding an indoor antenna costs less than $20 shipped.
The downside is that in some places, the TV signal of some channels is spotty or nonexistent due to either your proximity to broadcast towers or obstructions that break up the signal. Unlike a live TV streaming service, OTA TV is restricted to a single television and the signal won't work on phones or other devices. Unless, of course, you kick it up a notch with an OTA DVR.
Watch this: How to cut the cord for $10: installing an indoor antenna
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We tested six different indoor antennas with prices ranging from $10 to $90. The best TV antennas were able to pull in more channels than the others and delivered stronger, more crystal clear TV signals, even better TV signals on "problem" channels. We tested in two different locations: Urban Manhattan and suburban New Jersey. Here are the six TV antennas we looked at:
We also tested the highly rated U Must Have Amplified High Definition Digital TV Antenna, but it appears to have been discontinued. We have removed it from our recommendations as a result.
The best TV antenna we tested
- Detachable coaxial cable? Yes
- Number of channels: 50 in Manhattan, 61 in New Jersey
- Number of watchable channels: 9 out of 13 checked, both locations
The Flatenna 35 has been upgraded with a removable antenna since our original test two years ago. It seems that signal performance has also improved -- it is now the best of our seven models at pulling in channels, beating our previous recommendation, the Antennas Direct ClearStream Eclipse.
And yes, the best TV antenna is just $10 (plus $7.50 shipping) from Channel Master's website or on Amazon. It's called either the Flatenna 35 or Duo depending on where you buy it from. Best reception and cheapest price? We have a winner.
- Detachable coaxial cable? Yes
- Number of channels: 41 in Manhattan, 64 in New Jersey
- Number of watchable channels: 8 out of 13 checked, both locations
The $20 AmazonBasics ran neck and neck with the Channel Master Flatenna. It has an eerily similar design and also includes a removable coax. Only a higher price prevents it from beating the Flatenna. But maybe you want something in white.
- Detachable coaxial cable? Yes
- Number of channels: 39 in Manhattan, 65 in New Jersey
- Number of watchable channels: 9 out of 13 checked, both locations
Maybe you've tried the other two with so-so results and want to give it another shot. The $38 Antennas Direct Eclipse won our shoot-out two years ago and performed very well again this time around.
With its ankh-like looks and multi-directional reversible compact design, the ClearStream antenna is definitely unique. It comes with sticky tabs to attach it to your window, which is handy. And if you need more signal oomph, there's a $20 amplifier available as well.
The rest
- Detachable coax? No
- Number of channels: 34 in Manhattan, 49 in New Jersey
- Number of watchable channels: 6 out of 13 checked, both locations
The $20 1byone is one of two antennas in this list with a non-removable coax cable, and at only 10 feet long, it may not work in some rooms. The black plastic feels a little cheap compared to the others, though the model does come with a powered gain amplifier. It was towards the bottom of the pack in terms of signal performance -- but it was the only one to pick up CBS at our Manhattan location (see below for details).
- Detachable coaxial cable? Yes
- Number of channels: 29 in Manhattan, 66 in New Jersey
- Number of watchable channels: 6 out of 13 checked, both locations
The $35 Mohu ReLeaf is a retread of the original Leaf, constructed from recycled materials. This Mohu antenna comes with small mounting holes on the top, for thumbtacks, but it lacks sticky applicators and the paper construction tears easily. It works fairly well, is multi-directional and gives you good reception, but it's expensive.
- Detachable coaxial cable? Yes
- Number of channels: 31 in Manhattan, 53 in New Jersey
- Number of watchable channels: 5 out of 13 checked in Manhattan, 3 in New Jersey
This upgrade to the original Smartenna is basically a completely different model. The old one was an indoor-outdoor antenna, but the $59 Plus is indoor-only, with an onboard amplifier/processor designed to "automatically select the best reception pattern."
Based on our testing in numerous locations it didn't work so well, though. Even in a poor reception area, it didn't pick up any more tv stations than the cheaper models. It may thrive in some very specific circumstances, but it didn't work for us.
Best antennas compared
| Price | No of channels (Manhattan) | No of channels (NJ) | No of watchable channels (out of 13) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Master Flatenna 35 | $10 | 50 | 61 | 9 |
| AmazonBasics Ultra Thin Indoor TV Antenna | $20 | 41 | 64 | 8 |
| Antennas Direct ClearStream Eclipse | $39 | 39 | 65 | 9 |
| 1byone Upgraded 2019 Digital Amplified Indoor HD TV Antenna | $25 | 34 | 49 | 6 |
| Mohu ReLeaf | $40 | 29 | 66 | 6 |
| U Must Have Amplified HD Digital TV Antenna (no longer available) | $28 | 28 | 62 | 6 |
| Channel Master Smartenna+ | $89 | 31 | 53 | 5 |
How we tested the TV antennas
Much like real estate, how well a TV antenna works is based on location, location and location.
We tested the antennas in two main locations: in midtown Manhattan just a half-mile from the broadcast antennas on the Empire State Building -- albeit obscured by other buildings -- and in suburban New Jersey, 9 miles from the closest broadcast towers. Depending on your location, you might receive broadcasts from multiple antennas. Hills or large buildings in the way will have an effect on frequency range and reception.
We situated each antenna in the same spot and connected it to the Channel Master DVR Plus, which gives signal strength data as well as a total channel count. We used two different metrics to determine which TV antenna performed best. The first was a raw measure of the number of channels it could detect, while the second involved a number of predetermined "problem channels." For these, we consulted a list of channels culled from various forums, for both testing areas, and gauged how well the antennas pulled in each channel.
Our list of "problem" channels in Manhattan was WABC 7.1 (ABC), WNET 13.1 (PBS), WPIX 11.1 (CW -- Manhattan only) and WNJB 58.1 (PBS -- NJ only). In addition we added popular channels CBS 2.1, WNBC 4 (NBC), and WNYW 5 (Fox).
While the results will vary depending on where you live, and how far you are from TV towers, we found that the best tested models received more of the most popular channels as well as additional radio broadcasts and Spanish-language stations.
Most of the TV antennas are based around the same rectangular design, but there was one important consideration: the cable. Did the antenna have a long, high-performance coaxial cable or, even better, a detachable one? You'll be sticking one of these in your window, which could be a long way from your TV, so longer is better.
It's worth noting that some of these antennas -- the 1buyone and the Channel Master Smartenna Plus -- include gain-boosting amplifiers. While 1buyone will also work without the amp attached, the Channel Master won't. Based on our experiences in a number of locations, however, amplifiers offer a wildly unpredictable benefit. If you can't get TV reception with an indoor antenna, a gain amp may not actually help you, and in other cases, it could make your reception worse by overloading channels that already have a strong signal.
Installing an indoor antenna
Unlike our original 2016 crop, most of these antennas include some form of adhesive to attach them to your wall or window. If for some reason they lack this option you could try packing tape or poster putty instead.
You will definitely need to experiment with the placement. A wall may actually be better than a window, depending on the orientation of your living area. Also, if possible keep the antenna away from magnetic metals such as security bars or the like since they can interfere with your signal.
If you buy a model with a short, captive lead like the 1byone, be aware that you may need to buy a male-female extension lead, and more coaxial cable, to get it to reach your equipment.
Finally, if you live in a poor coverage area, with weak signals, an indoor antenna may not be for you. We tried using the antennas at a location in the Hudson Valley and none of them worked at all, even the signal-boosting Smartenna. That's why it's best to test the waters with a cheap antenna first, instead of spending a hundred bucks on something that might not work in your location.
Originally published two years ago and updated at various dates for performance, pricing and availability.
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