The Best TV Antennas: Picked by How Far You Are from the Towers

The antenna we use at home, and the right size for most suburban homes. Its 4-bay phased array picks up towers across a 180° spread, so you don't need to aim it precisely or buy a rotator when your stations come from a few different directions. UHF gain is a strong 10 dB, it weighs just 5 pounds, and it mounts on a mast, in an attic, or on an eave. It supports ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) broadcasts.

Worth knowing: VHF gain is modest (3.5 dB), so a distant station on RF channels 7 to 13 may need a bigger antenna. It doesn't receive Lo-VHF (RF 2 to 6). The mast, mount, and coax are sold separately.

If the towers are close (generally under 25 miles, with strong ratings on our pointing map), a thin indoor antenna is all you need. The FLATenna is paper-thin and reversible black or white, so it disappears on a wall or window. Put it as high as you can on a wall facing the towers, then rescan.

Worth knowing: indoor reception depends heavily on walls, windows, and where you are in the house, so it may take a few spots to find the best one. For towers 25 to 40 miles away, the amplified Winegard FlatWave Amplified (~$60) has more reach.

The smaller 2-bay version of our top pick, for homes within about 40 miles of the towers. At 25 by 14 inches, it fits easily in an attic, which keeps it out of the weather and off the roof. It's a big step up from an indoor antenna when walls or neighbors' houses block the signal.

Worth knowing: VHF reception is weak (2.5 dB), and attic installs lose some signal through the roof, especially metal roofs or foil-backed insulation.

For homes with towers on opposite sides, the Omni+ receives from every direction at once, so there's nothing to aim. It's also one of the few compact antennas that covers all three bands, including Lo-VHF (it includes two optional VHF elements). The low-profile shape suits HOA rules and attics.

Worth knowing: omnidirectional antennas trade gain for coverage (about 4.5 dB here), so they're best when most stations are within 30 to 40 miles. Pair it with a preamp for longer cable runs or weaker stations.

A step up in reach for towers all around you, with nothing to aim. The built-in amplifier makes up for long cable runs and splitters to several TVs, and the low-profile design is wind-tunnel tested to 100 mph. It mounts on a mast, roof, wall, or railing. (The newer Elite 360 Pro adds Bluetooth app-guided placement, but it costs about $190 and owners rate it lower, so we'd stick with this one.)

Worth knowing: it doesn't receive Lo-VHF, and like any amplified antenna it needs power, so plan for an outlet near where the cable comes in.

When all your towers are in roughly the same direction, a directional Yagi gets you the most range for the money. Winegard's Classic Series design has a high front-to-back ratio, which rejects signals from behind and helps with reflections. Fold-and-lock elements make assembly quick.

Worth knowing: it must be aimed accurately (use the compass heading from our pointing map), and it doesn't cover Lo-VHF. The YA7000C version adds Lo-VHF.

The 8-bay big brother of the ULTRAtenna, for rural and outer-suburban homes where the towers are far away and not all in one direction. 12 dB of UHF gain and an 18 dB front-to-back ratio pull in distant stations while still covering a wide arc, so you can often skip the rotator.

Worth knowing: at 41 by 33 inches, it's a roof or mast antenna, not an attic one. VHF gain is better than the smaller models but still modest, and there's no Lo-VHF.

Channel Master's professional-grade antenna, made in Chandler, Arizona from aluminum with very little plastic. It's tuned for today's post-repack TV frequencies and receives every band, including the Lo-VHF channels that most compact antennas miss. It's also upgradeable: bolt on UHF or VHF extension sections later to add up to 30 miles of range.

Worth knowing: it's directional, so it needs careful aiming and works best when your stations are within about 30° of each other. The mounting pole is sold separately.

The highest-gain antenna in either lineup, built for homes 70 to 100 miles from the towers. Its rugged log-periodic design puts out 16 dB of UHF gain and 10 dB on VHF, covering Lo-VHF, Hi-VHF, and UHF. Pair it with a low-noise preamp and mount it as high as you safely can for the best chance at distant stations.

Worth knowing: it's big (116 inches long) and needs a sturdy mast. At fringe distances, terrain matters a lot, and no antenna can guarantee reception.

Watch or record four channels at once, and two of its tuners also receive ATSC 3.0 NextGen TV where your stations broadcast it. If you don't need NextGen TV, the four-tuner Flex Quatro (~$150) and two-tuner Flex Duo (~$110) do everything else for less. See our OTA DVR guide to choose.