One of Kodi’s biggest strengths is that it’ll run on just about anything. However, not every Smart TV has access to the Google Play Store, so getting it up and running can be a little tricky. That’s where Android TV boxes (sometimes called Kodi boxes) come in — these are widely available, easy to set up, and usually pretty affordable.

Of course, your options are only limited by how hands-on you’re willing to get. Whether you’d rather just plug in a device and forget about it, or tinker around with “just enough OS” systems like LibreELEC, there’s hardware to suit your needs. Below, we’ll reveal the best Kodi hardware for every kind of user.

Warning: Kodi should only be used for content to which you have the legal right to access. Neither the Kodi Foundation nor Comparitech advocates the use of Kodi for piracy.

Warning: always use a VPN with Kodi

Whenever you use Kodi or any software to stream video from the Internet, you always open yourself up to privacy risks. Your ISP can log information about what shows you are watching and where you are streaming them from.

The best way of dealing with these problems is to use a VPN anytime you stream video or are connected to the Internet. A VPN will encrypt the communications between you and the websites you visit.

Not all VPNs are good for Kodi users though. Some are too slow to stream high definition video. Others keep logs of users’ activities, replacing old privacy issues with new ones. That’s why we recommend NordVPN, a fast, zero-logs provider with its own Android, Firestick, and Linux apps. This service even offers a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try it completely risk-free.

What is a Kodi box?

There are no hidden terms—just contact support within 30 days if you decide NordVPN isn’t right for you and you’ll get a full refund. Start your NordVPN trial here.

You may find some sellers offering what are known as “fully-loaded Kodi boxes”. We do not recommend you purchase or use these. Kodi boxes preloaded with the Kodi app and addons are quite often outdated and often include a large number of broken and potentially malicious Kodi addons (more on this later).

The best Kodi boxes for 2023

Here is a list of the most popular and highly rated Kodi boxes for 2023:

Another great advantage of the Fire TV Stick is that it is less bulky than its higher-priced counterpart, as it consists of only a rectangular “stick” that plugs directly into the television.

If you have a 4K television, the older version of the Firestick is probably not a good option. But if your TV only provides 1080p video or lower, it might be a good enough Kodi box for what you need it for.

Nvidia Shield

The Nvidia Shield has 4K support and runs on Android OS. The Google Play app store is available on it, making it easy to install Kodi on the Nvidia Shield. It is one of the most powerful Kodi boxes around, with a 1.9Ghz quad-core Tegra X1 processor. Many Kodi users say that menu functions on Nvidia Shield are extremely smooth, and both HD and 4K video play without interruption.

Nvidia Shield can also be used to stream PC games from a Nvidia graphics card on a nearby PC or from the Steam platform. If you want to be able to play the latest 3D games as well as stream video, the Nvidia Shield may be the right Kodi box for you.

Nvidia Shield costs around $150-$200, so this Kodi box is best for users that are willing to pay more to get high performance.

Raspberry Pi 3

The Raspberry Pi is a small, single-board computer developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation. It was originally created to teach students how computers work, but is now a go-to DIY streaming device, among other things.

Although there is a newer version of this device (the Raspberry Pi 4), these are about $20 more expensive and considering Kodi’s low system requirements, we don’t really need anything more powerful than the Pi 3. You may want to consider running a Pi-specific version of Kodi like LibreELEC to get the best possible performance, though.

A Raspberry Pi 3 costs around $35, although you can often find pre-owned systems going for cheap on Ebay. Note that you may need a Bluetooth remote and a Raspberry Pi case as well, which will push the price up a little.

The danger of “fully loaded” Kodi boxes

There’s also a strong chance that the creators have installed their own programs. It used to be common to see people offering “fully loaded” Kodi boxes that came packed full of piracy-enabling addons. These were not only illegal, but often filled with old, broken, or compromised addons.

We do not recommend using a fully-loaded Kodi box. It is always better to set up the device yourself, install Kodi, and install addons for services you personally want to stream from. This will help prevent your box from getting infected with malware and potentially being damaged.

Kodi boxes: Frequently Asked Questions

  • The first step is downloading the software from the Kodi website
  • Install the app
  • Open the Kodi addon repository
  • Start installing any addons you’re interested in
  • Use these addons to stream your favorite titles via Kodi

 

Additionally, piracy-focused addons are frequently taken down, abandoned, or broken by changes to third-party websites. You’ll often find that they’re filled with dead links and low-quality streams as well. Further, copyright holders have been aggressively targeting Kodi developers lately, so there’s no guarantee whoever runs these addons will continue to do so.

We strongly advise against using Kodi for piracy. There are dozens of great, legal addons in the official Kodi addon repo.

  • First, create a bootable SD card. We’d recommend using Raspian first, since it’s a nice, beginner-friendly operating system that’s easy to install
  • Plug the SD card into the Pi, connect the cables, and turn the device on
  • If all has gone well, you should be looking at a desktop
  • Enter your network password in the settings
  • Open up a browser and navigate to the Kodi website
  • Download and install Kodi as normal

There really isn’t much you can do about this, but don’t worry. We’ve put together lists of Kodi addons that still work so you can easily find the best addons for movies, live TV, anime, cartoons, and sports.

“Nvidia Shield TV 2017” by 之乎, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

“Raspberry Pi 3” by Sven Peterson, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0