We recommend the DISH Hopper 3 DVR/receiver as the best option for most readers. That’s because it stores 500 hours of HD content, records up to 16 shows at once, supports 4K, has Bluetooth, quad split-screen, built-in streaming apps (Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube), the DISH voice remote, and whole-home TV functionality (with add-on Joey receivers).
DISH also recently lowered the Hopper 3’s cost by 33% to $10 a month, making the box even harder to beat.
| Device | DVR cost | HD storage | Simultaneous recordings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DISH Hopper 3 | $10.00/mo. | 500 hrs. | 16 | View plans |
| Cox Contour Record | $13.50–$30.00/mo. | 250–1,000 hrs. | 2, 6, or 24 |
View plans Read Cox Contour Review |
| DIRECTV Genie | Included with package | 200 hrs. | 5 |
View plans Read DIRECTV Genie Review |
| Xfinity X1 | $7.50–$8.50/mo.* | 150 hrs.* | 6 |
View plans Read Xfinity X1 Review |
Data as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*Varies by location and package. Xfinity also charges an additional $10-$20 per month for additional cloud storage.
To show you just how much better the Hopper 3 is, we’ve compared it to other providers’ DVRs in this table. The numbers are devastating for the Hopper 3’s rivals.
Sure, the Cox Contour Record 24 can record up to 24 movies or shows and store 1,000 HD hours of content, but it costs 50% more than the Hopper 3. DIRECTV’s Genie comes included with your TV package, but it has less than 50% of the Hopper 3’s storage capacity and 67% fewer simultaneous recordings. And Xfinity’s X1 gives you so little, but charges much more if you want additional cloud storage.
DISH Hopper 3 with voice remote. Image credit CableTV.com.
We’re tempted to stop here and tell you to just sign up for DISH, ‘cause the service is also our editorial pick for the best overall TV provider (and the best TV provider for kids). So go ahead and do that if you want—or stick around to learn other cool things about the Hopper 3 and DISH’s other TV boxes.
| Device | DVR service price | HD storage | Supported TVs | Simultaneous recordings | Built-in streaming apps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hopper 3 DVR/receiver | $10.00/mo. | 500 hrs. | Up to 7 | 16 | Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube, YouTube Kids |
| Hopper Duo DVR/receiver | $5.00/mo. | 125 hrs. | Up to 2 | 2 | Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube, YouTube Kids |
| Wally receiver | $5.00/mo. | N/A | 1 | 1 | Netflix |
| Joey/Wireless Joey/4K Joey | $5.00/mo. | N/A | 1 per device | Depends on receiver | N/A |
Data as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
It’s worth mentioning that DISH gatekeeps the Hopper 3 until you connect four or more TVs—three or fewer will stick you with the Hopper Duo for $5 per month or the Hopper 2 for $10. With a four-TV plan, you’ll also need a Joey receiver to connect with each screen in your house, bringing your equipment fees up to $25 per month.
If you have only one TV, you might have to settle for a measly 125 recording hours for your shows—but hey, at least you’ll be saving $20 a month.
For more information on the full range of DISH hardware, head over to our DISH roundup.
And what does the Hopper 3 do, exactly? Aside from recording and storing content? I’ve been testing the Hopper 3 for months now, so I can give you the scoop on its main features.
Does anyone watch enough TV to warrant 500 hours of storage? ‘Cause only the GOAT couch potato—or an entire family of couch creatures with divergent TV tastes—could fill up that 2TB hard drive. In our tests, we’ve used only 11% of that storage (and we’re great at watching TV).
If the Hopper 3 DVR’s 500-hour storage, 16 tuners, and $10 price are too much for you, consider signing up for DIRECTV instead. The DIRECTV Genie DVR/receiver has much less storage (200 hours) and only 5 simultaneous recordings. And it has no monthly rental fee—it’s included with your TV package.
Only the most dedicated couch creature (or a family of them) could find enough conflicting movies and shows to warrant 16 simultaneous recordings—I’ve used only three. If that’s you, the Hopper’s 16 tuners are a good thing. Everyone gets to watch what they want. Eventually.
You might still bicker over who gets to watch their thing live, but even that’s avoidable if you have multiple TVs with DISH Joey receivers.
If you thought picture-in-picture was cool, this is a whole ‘nother level of multi-slacking, and we’re here for it. The Hopper 3 has quad split-screen so sports fans can watch four games at once. We asked John Sportsball, a dude we totally made up, what he thought and he said, “That’s . . . that’s awesome.”
The DISH Joey receivers let you do everything the Hopper 3 can do on the other TVs in your house, but your DVR recordings will be stored on the Hopper 3’s hard drive. You can order up to 7 Joeys, which cost $5 a month per device and come in three versions:
The Joey also works with the Hopper Duo DVR ($10 a month), but it supports only two Joey-connected TVs. Unfortunately, the Wally receiver doesn’t work with the Joey.
Also, look out for the leased receiver fees DISH charges for Joeys at signup. If you order more than three Joeys (plus the Hopper 3), you’ll be charged a one-time fee of $50. The fees are even spookier with the Wireless Joey ($25 per device) and 4K Joey ($50 per device). Good thing that most of us have only one or two TVs.
Fortunately, if you have DISH on only one or two TVs in your house and someone is hogging them, you can watch DISH on your smartphone or tablet with the DISH Anywhere app.
Screenshot of DISH Anywhere app. Image credit CableTV.com.
Available on Amazon Fire TV, Android, and iOS devices, the DISH Anywhere app allows you to watch live, on-demand, and recorded movies and shows on your mobile device—but for only one user at a time.
You can also set and manage DVR recordings and parental controls within the app from—wait for it—anywhere. Just remember that it’s better to use an app like this over Wi-Fi, ‘cause it uses your mobile data (I learned this the hard way).
If there’s a con to DISH Anywhere, it’s that it allows only one stream at a time. But that’s not so bad when you consider everything else you can do with the app.
To learn more about this helpful DISH app, check out our DISH Anywhere App guide.
While we’re on the subject, DISH has the best parental controls—and the Hopper 3, along with DISH Anywhere, are how you wield this awesome power.
But DISH parental controls, designed with Common Sense Media, aren’t just about preventing your kids from watching video nasties. You can also use them to guide your kids toward educational programming and positive role models.
The Hopper 3 comes with the DISH voice remote with Google Assistant, so it can control your DISH Hopper 3, your TV, and your smart home devices.
DISH voice remote at our tester’s home. Image credit CableTV.com.
The DISH voice remote control also has backlit, soft-rubber buttons (a tactile delight), a remote locator feature, and programmable hotkeys. And, of course, it harnesses the awesome power of your voice. That’s our favorite feature, by the way—it understands everything I say and returns search results super fast.
The feature-rich DISH Hopper 3 is almost too powerful, with 500 hours of HD storage, 16 simultaneous recordings, quad split-screen, support for up to 7 TVs (with Joey extenders), tons of built-in streaming TV apps, powerful parental controls, the DISH voice remote, and mobile viewing with the DISH Anywhere app. And it’s now only 10 bucks a month, which makes the Hopper 3 not only the best DVR out there, but also the best DVR deal.
Needless to say, we highly recommend the DISH Hopper 3 for most people.
Our TV experts have logged hundreds of hours using the DISH Hopper 3 in order to give you a first-hand assessment of its cost and features. For more information on our research and testing practices, see our “How We Rank” page.
The DISH Hopper 3 is the newest version of the Hopper DVR/receiver. It costs $10 a month in addition to your plan price.
The DISH Hopper 3 costs $10 a month. But if you don’t need its 500 hours of HD storage and 16 simultaneous recordings, you can get the Hopper Duo (125 hours, 2 recordings) for $5 a month.
You can’t get the DISH Hopper 3 for free. But people have started GoFundMe campaigns for more trivial things . . .
The DISH Hopper remote can control up to three devices including your Hopper 3, your TV, and your smart home devices. It also has backlit keys, a remote locator feature, and programmable hotkeys. And it comes with Google Assistant, so you can search with your voice—and get incredibly accurate results quickly.
If you currently have a Wally receiver, you’ll pay an extra $5 a month to upgrade to the Hopper 3. Same deal with the DISH Hopper Duo, which is now $5 a month (it used to be free).
Yes, you can buy—instead of rent—a DISH Hopper 3 receiver/DVR, a Wally receiver, a Joey receiver, and even DISH voice remotes. That doesn’t mean you’ll get free DISH TV service, though. You’ll need an OTA adapter to use the Hopper 3 with your TV antenna, or you can use it to pick up free-to-air satellite TV networks.
Unfortunately, the DISH Hopper 3 doesn’t support Disney+, but you may already have a device that does support Disney’s popular streaming app. Read our Disney+ review for more information.
The Hopper Duo is a receiver/DVR just like the Hopper 3, but it’s not as powerful. Check out the table below for details.
| Device |
| DISH Hopper 3 |
| DISH Hopper Duo |
| Price | HD storage | Simultaneous recordings | 4K support | Built-in apps | Supported TVs | Bluetooth | Internal Wi-Fi |
| $10.00/mo. | 500 hrs. | 16 | ✓ | Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, YouTube Kids | Up to 7 | ✓ | ✓ |
| $5.00/mo. | 125 hrs. | 2 | ✗ | Netflix | Up to 2 | ✓ | ✓ |
Data as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
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