TV Antenna Review: Top Picks From Our Experts for Free Over-the-Air Channels

The antennas we tested range from $20 to almost $100. As in previous tests, we often found little correlation between price and performance.

How many channels you receive will depend on your location and such factors as local topography as well where you place the antenna. In one instance, when we moved an antenna from near a window to a nearby chair, it picked up an additional 20 channels.

Over years of testing, we’ve found that the antenna that works best in one location may not be the top performer somewhere else. That means you may need to try several models—and we strongly recommend purchasing from a retailer with a no-hassle return policy.

We included some amplified TV antennas in our review. These models have the potential to boost signal strength to help pull in stations that might otherwise be on the fringe. But our tests show that amplified antennas aren’t always more effective than nonamplified models. They can also amplify noise and distortion, and overpower reception from closer stations. Some amplified models actually did better with the amplifier turned off.

Also, it’s a good idea to regularly rescan for channels because you may have missed some the last time you scanned. And use our tips on where to place your antenna to get the best reception.

For this year’s project, Consumer Reports tried each antenna in two locations. The first was in an apartment in Riverdale, N.Y., a neighborhood in the Bronx that’s about 12 miles north of the heart of Manhattan. We had an unobstructed view to the south where the city’s broadcast towers are placed, and found little difference among the antennas. All were able to pull in between 90 and 100 primary and digital subchannels.

Next, we moved our tests about 20 miles further north to White Plains, N.Y., a city in Westchester County, where we did find reception differences among the antennas. We attached the flat antennas to a window on clear days and placed one model with a different design on the windowsill. We also put each antenna outside the window on a balcony. Only one model we tried is actually rated for outdoor use, but the results were overwhelmingly better outside for every antenna. So you might consider using an indoor/outdoor model if you’re able to place or mount it outside. In general, we advise trying a few locations to see whether reception improves.

In the rankings below, you’ll see three figures, all recorded in White Plains: the number of VHF channels received, the number of UHF channels pulled in, and the number of NextGen TV channels the antenna could get.

The first two numbers include both the primary broadcast channels—such as the local ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC stations—and the digital subchannels. (Back in the early analog TV signal days, most major broadcast channels were in the lower-frequency VHF band—channels 2 through 13. Now they’re scattered across both bands.)

Most of the antennas were able to receive at least some NextGen TV channels, which mainly use the UHF band. (A total of 11 NextGen TV channels are currently available in our New York area.)

To earn a mark for reception, a station had to have a relatively stable, viewable TV picture. The amplified models in this group were tested with the amplifier turned on and shut off. We gave credit to those models that had marginal reception if they were able to provide a more stable, viewable picture at another time during the test.

Our test results should be useful for pointing you in the right direction to models you might consider, but there are a number of variables that can affect antenna performance in your home.