(Image credit: Amazon)

This cheap and overlooked Amazon accessory is a must-buy for Fire TV Stick owners this Black Friday

Don't underestimate a good remote

by · What Hi-Fi?

I've reviewed enough TVs to appreciate a good remote. Clicky buttons are a must, a backlight will always win me over, and any additional features will score bonus points in my books.

With that in mind, I'd like to direct you towards a lesser-known Amazon Fire TV accessory that ticks all of the boxes I mention above. It's called the Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote Pro, and it's compatible with Amazon's full range of current Fire TV streaming devices, including the Award-winning Fire TV Stick 4K Max.

This isn't one of those life-changing Black Friday purchases by any means, but this affordable accessory, which is currently down from £35 to £20 at Amazon, brings a handful of creature comforts and AV functionality to your Fire TV experience that I think makes it worth splashing out for.

Amazon Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote Pro : at Amazon

While the Alexa Voice Remote Pro is a totally optional add-on for any Fire TV device, it's one that genuinely elevates the experience, especially if you use your streamer frequently. It might seem like a frivolous extra but take our word for it, this is the best Fire TV accessory you can buy.

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So what improvements does the Alexa Voice Remote Pro actually bring? First of all, the Pro remote is a bit larger; it features slightly squared-off edges, and the plastic feels higher quality, resulting in a more premium construction and feeling in the hand.

Personally, my favourite feature of the Pro remote is its backlit buttons, which make operating any Fire TV device in a dark home cinema room a breeze and have subsequently made me resent the Apple TV 4K and Chromecast with Google TV remotes for not having backlit buttons.

Speaking of buttons, you get the same Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Music shortcuts as on the standard remote, but this time they're accompanied by two programmable buttons for personalised app shortcuts, which you can designate to your most used apps.

You also get live channel buttons and a Bluetooth headphone button for quickly accessing the connected audio devices menu without having to exit out to the home page and navigate to the settings menu.

Best of all, you get a "find my remote" feature, which means that when it inevitably slides between the couch cushions, you won't need to tear your living room apart to find it.

Instead, just ask Alexa to find your remote, and it will play a sound to help you locate it. Speaking of Alexa, you also get a microphone on the remote to interact with the voice assistant, much like on the original remote.

If you've rolled your eyes at the thought of paying for an additional remote for your Fire TV Stick, then I don't blame you. However, the Alexa Voice Remote Pro is still (in my mind) the best accessory you can buy for your Fire TV, especially while it's this cheap.

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