Logitech Harmony 520 Advanced Universal Remote Review

Here’s an honest Logitech Harmony 520 Advanced Universal Remote review: It may not be the best bet for your money. Let’s review why…

First, it appears that aside from Amazon, nobody else is carrying stock of this particular model # anymore. That means the manufacturer has come out with better options for you – and at cheaper prices, I might add. The Harmony 520 Remote got great reviews. But is there a universal remote that might be better suited for you?

The Logitech Harmony 880 Advanced Universal Remote Control is cheaper than the 520, and yet it seems to do more! It’s the most popular Logitech universal remote selling online right now.

It has almost 2,000 consumer reviews touting how wonderful it is. Let’s look at what real customers have had to say about it:

“This is the best universal remote control I’ve ever owned or ever seen. one of the best features of this remote, besides it’s true universal application, is that it lights up when you pick it up so you can read everything on it, including the buttons (they’re backlit). And it has a clock on the display. Don’t forget it has its own rechargeable battery and charger stand.”

Another reviewer had this to say:

“I have been through a large number of universal remotes. This remote is light years ahead of the previous models Harmony has come out with, and really delivers outstanding bang for the buck. I say this from an ergonomics as well as functional standpoint. Some notes on programming. The initial setup could not be easier, you just type in your equipment model numbers and it adds them to your remote. It found every piece of equipment I own easily, and some of my stuff is obscure. Then, you set up activities, like “Watch TV” and the website creates that activity instantly.”

Want one more review?

“I received this as a Christmas gift from my husband because I have been annoyed with the 5 remote controls that clutter up our coffee table. As a newlywed using all of HIS equipment (TV, DVD, Amplifier, etc) I would get frustrated trying to figure out all of the settings that things needed to be on to play a DVD, for example. Don’t even get me started on how to watch HDTV! I had figured all the tricks out – but I don’t like having to use three remotes to change what I’m doing.

Programming the 880 was basically a piece of cake – I needed his help programming the VCR, but it turned out that was because it wasn’t plugged into the TV! :-) We had it set up and running in a 30-45 minutes. If you make a mistake, you can re-add the device later (we put the wrong TV model in but were able to change it later).

The devices the 880 controls in our living room are as follows: TV, Direct TV R-10 DVR, Pioneer Receiver, PlayStation 2, VCR, and DVD player. It’s SO nice. I am also going to set up extra activities (i.e. Watch TV #2) for our bedroom. It will work ceiling fans, lights – all kinds of devices. If you have a remote that currently performs a function, it can learn that function via infrared transfer.

There are a few separate options on this remote. The first is activities – that asks you what you want to do, i.e. “Watch a DVD”, “Watch TiVo”, etc. The next is the devices button. That brings up a list of your devices – you select one (i.e. TV) and then it gives you options for that device. For example, our TV device has 12 pages of commands you can scroll through – so you never need your old remote again.

If you program a device and it’s not correct, you can actually use the on-remote Harmony assistant to try to correct the problem – you DON’T have to run back up to your computer right away to figure it out.

The screen is very easy to read in the dark, as are all the buttons. The buttons are a bit on the small side, but that’s what allows the remote to be so compact and fit in your hand nicely. I’ve had this remote for about 2 weeks and I’m already getting the feel of it.

Since there is a docking station that charges it, I always know where the remote is. I consider myself a lover of technology and can usually figure out remotes if I have to. However, this takes all the guesswork out. The most important thing is that I wouldn’t be afraid to let a relative or friend use the remote without messing up all of my configurations. If you have the means to obtain this remote and an hour of spare time to set it up and learn the remote, I highly recommend it! ”

Plus, you save 44% AND get Free Shipping when you order the Logitech Harmony 880 Advanced Universal Remote instead of the Harmony 520 – which costs more and doesn’t have free shipping.

Logitech Harmony 520 Advanced Universal Remote Price

Are you looking to compare the Logitech Harmony 520 Advanced Universal Remote price to other brands or models – or compare prices among the places selling this particular remote control? I’ll do the work for you…keep reading!

First of all, the best place to buy the Logitech Harmony 520 Advanced Universal Remote is Amazon.com – look at the box in the upper right corner to find that. You can buy a brand new one for a little over $224, a used one for $90, and a refurbished one for $79.99.

That’s the best price on the net. Now there’s one problem. It’s out of stock in many areas. One alternative that many consumers are opting for is the Logitech Harmony 880 Advanced Universal Remote Control – which is cheaper, selling at only $138, but more stylish with almost the same features.

Then there’s the Logitech Harmony One Universal Remote with Color Touch Screen – which ships free and has over 1,000 almost perfect five star reviews from consumers! It sells for $147 but you get free shipping when you order through that link.

Another popular option is the Logitech Harmony 900 Rechargeable Remote with Color Touch Screen – selling for $305.49 (again with free shipping) and securing over 140 five star reviews.

And lastly, the very unique Logitech Harmony 1100 Universal Remote with Color Touch Screen at $277.71 which looks very different from other universal remotes but still is a fan with consumers (over 150 4 star reviews).

The Logitech 520 Harmony might have been what you were first searching for, but once you do a little comparative shopping and read the reviews on Amazon, you might be inclined to go with a different model that better suits your style.

Buy the Logitech Harmony 520 Advanced Universal Remote

If you’re looking to buy the Logitech Harmony 520 Advanced Universal Remote, you want to make sure you order online from a place you can trust. A household name. That would be Amazon (I’ve linked there for you above in the product name and in the sidebar here to your right).

Many stores have very strict return policies and poor customer service. But with Amazon, only the best performing sellers rank up with four and five star reviews. Anyone who treats customers badly gets pushed right out of the marketplace.

The Logitech Harmony 520 Advanced Universal Remote is one product that’s received over 130 shining reviews. Customers are ordering from Amazon and getting exactly what they want. They basically rank the universal remote based on four criteria:

Features
Software
Ease of Setup
Value for Money

Each one has a 4.5 review by consumers! That’s exceptional for a technological product, where finicky buyers tend to post negative reviews whenever the slightest thing bugs them. What I love most about the Logitech 520 Harmony Remote is that it has a built in help feature. Look what one reviewer wrote when he had trouble figuring something out:

“The remote also has a built in “Help” feature. If something’s not working properly when you select “Watch TV” from the activities list, a short questionnaire asks if certain components are on (‘Yes’ or ‘No’) and turns them on if they aren’t, and then you’re good to go.”

How cool is that!? No turning to the manual or calling a help desk – it will diagnose it for you and help you get moving in the right direction again. My advice is that you go to Amazon to read the Logitech Harmony 520 Advanced Universal Remote reviews (click on that link and it’ll take you straight there) and make the decision yourself.