Logitech Harmony Advanced Universal Remote Control, €189.99. Highs:If you have loads of equipment and are just a little net savvy then this might be the remote for you. It can control as many as seven different devices and has all manner of fancy macros you can set up. It configures itself using uncomplicated drop-down menu boxes containing codes for almost every brand of AV equipment.

Lows:You will need web access to set it up and if you don't have that, you can forget about this model. It is expensive, and while making it work may prove uncomplicated for many, PriceWatch
wasted two long and incredibly frustrating hours, failing completely to get it to talk to just three devices. And all the while the instructions cooed that set-up was the simplest thing in the world, making us feel
doubly stupid.

Verdict:For control freaks.
Star rating:***

One for All Kameleon, €179.99
Highs:"Keeping it simple", the box promises, and it's not lying. We had the whole thing set up in less than five minutes, a blessed relief when we thought about what came before it. This looks incredibly cool, and if you want your remote control to attract attention this will certainly do the job. It has a cool blue, electro-luminescent display that disappears when left idle. It can control five different pieces of kit and has a raft of advanced functions.

Lows:If you're honest, you will probably never use all the advanced functions, and it is on the clunky side. It might struggle to make a connection with a piece of equipment that is not well known - it was
not able to find a Tivoli CD player, for instance. The illuminated screen will eat batteries.
Verdict:Very cool but heavy on batteries
Star rating: ****

Sony Universal Remote Commander, €19.99
Highs:This is a cheap, no-nonsense remote control that is very easy to set up (at least on most well-known brands). It has a very large keypad, looks good and sturdy and is bright and colourful enough
to make it easy to spot in a mountain of newspapers and magazines.
Lows:When we buy a universal remote control we expect it to be slightly more universal than this. While you can control multiple appliances with the other remotes, this commander allows you to control only a single one. Setting it up on a Sony TV was easy, as you might expect, but when we tried to set it up with a more obscure brand we ran into some difficulty.
Verdict:A one-trick pony
Star rating: **

Philips Universal Remote Control, €119.99
Highs:Although this is the same price as the Sony remote and is equally easy to set up, it scores higher because it can also operate a video, DVD player and satellite box. If you're looking for a perfectly functional multipurpose remote control, then you will not go far wrong with this. It does almost exactly the same stuff as the pricier models at a quarter of the price.
Lows:When you've spent hours playing with beautifully back-lit programmable devices, this is a something of a comedown, even if it does work perfectly well.
Verdict:Cheap but dull
Star rating:***

Remotec Remote Master 560, €125.95
Highs:This is probably the best value of the lot. It is very easy to set up and works like a charm. It is a slender device and can control as many as six different devices. All the buttons are clearly marked, and some of them even glow in the dark, which we thought was a nice touch.
Lows:As with the Philips remote, this suffers from its dullness. It has a dedicated Sky button, which is all well and good if you have Sky, but if you don't it may be a bit redundant.
Verdict:Good value and functional
Star rating: ****