For the same price as one month of basic cable, the Mohu Leaf 50 over-the-air (OTA) TV antenna gives you every local broadcast channel and subchannel within a 60-mile range in sweet, crisp HD. That makes the Mohu Leaf 50 easily the best indoor TV antenna for distant suburban and closer rural areas.
But the Leaf 50 isn’t as low-profile as Mohu makes it sound, and like all antennas, it gives you live TV channels only. So there’s no channel guide, no pausing for potty breaks, and no rewinding your favorite The Office moments (unless you get a separate DVR). Even so, we still recommend the Mohu Leaf 50.
Mohu Leaf 50 pros and cons
Pros
- Large, 60-mile radius
- Beautiful HD picture
- One-time purchase price
Cons
- Only local channels
- Low aesthetic appeal
- Higher price
- No channel guide
- Commercials
Mohu Leaf 50 deals and promotions
Mohu TV antennas don’t typically have special deals or promotions, but if you have Amazon Prime, you can get free shipping with purchase. And bargain hunters might even be able to find the Mohu Leaf 50 on sale.
Mohu Leaf 50 vs. the competition
| Product | Price | Range | Resolution | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mohu Leaf 50 HD Indoor Antenna Best for suburbs |
$59.99 | 60 miles | 1080p HD; 4K-ready | View on Amazon |
|
GE Ultra Edge Indoor TV Antenna (Amplified Flat Leaf) Best for cities |
$21.50 | 50 miles | 1080p HD; 4K UHD | View on Amazon |
Data as of post date. CableTV.com uses paid Amazon links.
Amazon.com Prices as of 10/9/23 3:41 p.m. PT. Read full disclaimer.
The first thing you’ll probably notice is the price difference; Mohu Leaf is more than twice as expensive as other similar indoor antennas—including some with much wider ranges.
We have two guesses that could explain the Mohu Leaf 50’s higher cost:
- The Mohu Leaf 50 is made in the USA, while competitor antennas seem to be made in other countries, and manufacturing costs are typically higher in the US.
- Mohu Leaf is a brand name in the industry, so this model, like a pair of jeans at Hollister, could cost more moolah just because of the company’s good reputation.
Only you can decide if these reasons justify the higher price. We just know that after more than 60 hours of testing, we found that the Mohu Leaf 50 is a solid product that gets more channels and has better reception than our last $15 antenna.
Mohu Leaf 50 equipment, setup, and testing
If you have a TV with a digital tuner inside (most TVs do, nowadays), hooking up a Mohu Leaf 50 should be painless and easy. But we’ll still walk you through it, just in case.
Mohu Leaf 50 equipment
Mohu includes everything you could possibly need to set up your antenna in the box. Seriously, it even includes the pins you need to mount it on the wall. And there are optional tabs to keep it from knocking against the paint, too.
Mohu Leaf 50: What’s in the box?
- Antenna
- 16-foot coaxial cable
- Amplifier and power cord
- Pins and tabs for mounting
- Instruction booklet
Mohu Leaf 50 remote
Antennas don’t have their own remotes—not that you need any more clickers to wrangle. You’ll use your TV (or universal) remote to flip through the channels.
Mohu Leaf 50 setup
“Installing a TV antenna” sounds complicated, but the Mohu Leaf 50 is so easy to install. Here’s how to set it up.
1. Attach the coaxial cable and amplifier
You’ll recognize the Mohu Leaf 50’s 16-foot coaxial cable right away because it’s the most common TV cable. The amplifier is the triangular-shaped piece of equipment (included in your package), which gives your indoor antenna the largest range possible.
Attach one end of the coaxial cable to the amplifier, then connect the coaxial end of the amplifier to your TV via the antenna/cable-in port.
Fortunately, the wires are labeled, so you’ll know exactly where each one goes.
2. Mount the antenna
Once all the cables are connected, mount your antenna to the wall using the included pins.
We got the best reception when we placed the antenna high on a wall. But the gleaming white antenna (or its black side—it’s reversible) and cable stand out more than Mohu’s product description lets on, so we recommend mounting the antenna behind your TV.
The Mohu Leaf 50 works great—but don’t let it touch your metal TV mount or the TV itself, or you’ll get interference. Also consider using cable management sleeves to conceal the cables from the Leaf 50 and your other devices.
Alternatively, you can paint the Leaf 50 to match your wall. We didn’t try this because, even if you can match the color exactly (good luck with that), the antenna and coaxial cable won’t blend in. Concealment is the way to go.
3. Scan for channels
Now that your antenna is installed and mounted, turn on your TV and use your remote to navigate to the antenna/cable-in input (it’s typically in the Settings menu). Run a channel scan to gather all your local channel options.
When the scan is complete, you’re ready to go. But if you run into problems, you can get help from Mohu Leaf customer support at 1-855-446-6648.
Mohu Leaf 50 testing
We tested the Mohu Leaf 50 on two TVs: a 2015 LG 4K Smart TV and a 2009 Panasonic Viera.
The LG TV is located in our basement family room. Given the location and the surrounding concrete walls, we didn’t expect great results. Surprisingly, the Leaf 50 received 11 channels—some with excellent reception—just lying on the floor. And, when we put the antenna high on the wall near a window, it picked up 52 channels with even better reception.
Naturally, the reception improved dramatically on the Panasonic TV upstairs. The Leaf 50 found 67 channels, and roughly 75% of them had a crisp, clean picture. The other 17-ish channels are likely almost out of the Leaf 50’s range—or blocked by buildings or mountains.
We should note that, even on the clearest channels, there’s occasional interference—but that’s to be expected with antenna TV. Fortunately, it doesn’t happen often.
More Mohu Leaf 50 specs and features
- Price: $59.99
- Size: 1.75 x 12.5 x 11.5 in
- Video: 1080p; 4K-ready
- Range: 60 miles
If $60 seems a little steep for an antenna, we get it. Just keep in mind that you have to pay that price only once, and then you get free channels forever after.
Mohu Leaf antenna models
The Mohu Leaf 50 HD isn’t the only model available from Mohu. Check out a sampling of our other favorites below.
| Model | Price | Unique perk | Mileage range | Resolution | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohu Leaf Metro | $24.99 | Designed with black and white reversible sides | 25 miles | 1080p | View on Amazon |
| Mohu Leaf 30 | $34.99 | Designed with black and white reversible sides | 40 miles | 1080p | View on Amazon |
| Mohu Leaf Supreme Pro Amplified Indoor TV Antenna | $69.99 | Reversible, with signal detector and UHF/Hi-VHF multi-directional elements | 65 miles | 1080p; 4K-ready | View on Amazon |
Data as of post date. CableTV.com uses paid Amazon links.
Amazon.com Prices as of 10/9/23 3:41 p.m. PT. Read full disclaimer.
To be clear, since their ranges are too small, we don’t recommend most of these other Mohu HDTV antenna models if you live far from a big city. The Mohu Leaf 50 is still the best indoor TV antenna for distant suburban and closer rural areas because of its range and price.
Final take: Is the Mohu Leaf 50 worth it?
The Mohu Leaf 50 is absolutely worth its higher price if you’re into quality and live within at least 60 miles of a TV broadcast station.
If you live closer to the city, you can save a few bucks by going with a Mohu antenna that has a smaller mileage range—and a cheaper price.
Mohu Leaf FAQ
Which TVs are compatible with the Mohu Leaf 50?
The Mohu Leaf works with all TVs that have an ANT/Cable-in setting or USB plugin (that should be every TV made in the last 10–15 years).
Which Mohu antenna is best?
What Mohu antenna is best for you depends entirely on you and your circumstances.
If you’re living in a small apartment in the city, the Mohu Leaf Metro’s modern design, cheap price, and 25-mile range is great.
If you live so far from town that the mailman has a hard time finding you, don’t settle for anything less than the Mohu Leaf 50’s 60-mile range. Read through our review above for more details.
How many channels does Mohu Leaf get?
You can find out how many channels you get with a Mohu Leaf by checking out the FCC’s reception map to see what local channels are available in your area.
Can I put the Mohu Leaf behind my TV?
You could certainly put the Mohu leaf behind your TV—and we’d recommend it, actually, as it’s the best place to hide the antenna and its thick cable.
But make sure to test your indoor HDTV antenna placement in a few areas around your living room to get the best channel number and strength of signal. But if better channel quality is more important to you than hiding the antenna, most people find that an antenna gets a more reliable signal near the ceiling or up by a window.
Can a TV antenna pick up cable channels?
We love the way your cost-cutting mind works, but we’ll be the first to tell you—you can’t pick up cable channels with a TV antenna.
This is because an OTA antenna works by catching free signals carried through the air from your local TV station. Cable and satellite channels are encrypted, so you’d need to subscribe to a pay-TV service to gain access to them.
How does Mohu Leaf connect to TV?
The Mohu Leaf connects to your TV through a coaxial cable, which should be included in its package. Read the setup section of our Mohu Leaf review above for more detailed info.
Methodology
We’ve logged more than 60 hours of hands-on testing and dozens more hours of research on the Mohu Leaf 50. In our tests, we compared it to similar antennas based on price, range, design, features, and functionality in order to make sure it’s solid enough to recommend to our readers. For more on our process, see our How We Rank page.
Disclaimer
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. CableTV.com utilizes paid Amazon links.
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