Best DVRs for cord cutters

When you decide to cut the cord, when you drop your cable and satellite services, you may believe you need to give up on all your favorite TV shows — but that’s not true.

You can still stream all your favorites with services like Netflix or Hulu, but streaming services don’t offer every show. Tap or click for the best streaming devices and smart TVs.

There are still plenty of television shows you can access on your smart TV, but how can you record them without your cable or satellite company-owned DVR?

Best DVRs and an expander

The answer is simple. Just invest in your own DVR. One of the original digital video recording companies, TiVo, is still around. You can get the TiVo EDGE for antenna or over-the-air (OTA) TV here from Amazon.

If you’re more comfortable with Amazon, check out these three digital video recorders. For more TV show storage, scroll down to see our top DVR extended storage pick.

1. Alexa-enabled recordings

Fire TV Recast

The Fire TV Recast is a popular DVR for sports fans. Now, you can go out for the day without worrying about missing the big game. You can watch and record over-the-air (OTA) TV using this device, and you can record up to two shows at once. This single device can store up to 75 hours of HD-quality shows. This is the best DVR for those who already use Alexa to control various aspects of their home.

Promising review: "Love it! No more running cords and antennas to your TVs. Just plug in a fire stick and you get live TV with a browse menu and no monthly fee! Plus it’s a DVR and will allow you to watch TV on all your devices including your phone. Picture quality is perfect! ..."

Buy Now

$154.99 on Amazon.com

2. Auto skip all the commercials

Tablo Quad Over-The-air

This Tablo Quad Over-the-Air DVR allows you to record up to four channels at once and connects to your internet router. There is no onboard storage, but it supports up to 8TB USB hard drive or 8TB internal 2.5" SATA drive storage. This will enable you to browse, record and stream live TV to any of your devices. This DVR also has dual-band AC Wi-Fi and allows you to access TV recordings and playback functions without paying any subscriptions. The best part? You can auto skip all those unwanted commercials. This DVR is best for those who have the knowhow to add their own storage and need hundreds of hours of storage.

Promising review: "Easy to install and works really well with Roku (using the Tablo channel) I bought an internal hard drive and connected it to an outdoor antenna. The picture quality is excellent ... Until I got this, I wasn't all that happy being a cord cutter. This DVR changed everything! I really couldn't be happier with it!"

Buy Now

$171.00 on Amazon.com

3. Double the storage

Silicondust HDHomeRun Scribe 4K DVR

Looking for something simple to use? This Silicondust HDHomeRun Scribe DVR records in 4K and connects to your existing internet router. Just download the free Live TV app and register the DVR, then you're good to go. Save up to 1TB of high-quality TV shows or connect with your computer and gaming devices to access the live TV show options. This DVR is perfect for families that use multiple streaming and gaming devices, but want access to OTA TV shows.

Promising review: "This was an easy setup on my Synology Nas. I waited a month before I gave it a rating. Works fantastic. Just make sure to pick the right antenna. 5 stars no problem."

Buy Now

$279.99 on Amazon.com

4. BONUS: Extra DVR storage

FD 2TB DVR Expander External Hard Drive

When you're looking for a little extra DVR storage, turn to the Fantom Drives 2TB DVR Expander. It is available in black or white and you can record up to 2,000 hours of content. To ensure it's the right expander for you, check out your DVR system and consider contacting the company to see if the two devices are compatible. Transfer content to and from the expander with ease using the 3.0 port. This gadget is great for anyone who wants to take their DVR'd shows with them to secondary locations.

Promising review: "I needed a disk with an external power supply to use with the DVR function of our Wally. This drive was plug and play and works great."

Buy Now

$109.97 on Amazon.com

By clicking our links, you’re supporting our research. As an Amazon Associate, we earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. Recommendations are not part of any business incentives.

Best DVRs and an expander

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