# Amazon Fire TV Stick

19 Hacker News commenters recommended Amazon Fire TV Stick and 29 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 10 of 13 months; owners who said how long report a median of 1 years (3 owners).

**Verdict:** People recommend it as a cheap way to add streaming and sideloaded apps to an older TV, with the Fire TV Stick 4K Max as the top model; critics mainly object to ads and data collection by Amazon.

## Why people recommend it

- Cheap way to upgrade TV (3 comments): "you can buy an $40 Amazon Fire Stick and use and upgrade with your TV until it physically dies" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47803293)) "I only have to buy a new media player for $30 and not a whole new TV" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46370897)) "My $30 firestick will play them" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46346368))
- Runs sideloaded apps like Moonlight (2 comments): "was able to sideload the open source Moonlight client app to stream 4K HDR10+ / 60fps from my server PC" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48692276)) "Video ads on the home screen, but at least you can currently install custom apps." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47324300))
- Simple remote and reliable (3 comments): "the advantage is that the FireTV has a simple cute little remote control device" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46599158)) "we're all happy with them, as they do what they say on the box." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47817508)) "they do what they say on the box" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47818179))

## What people warn about

- Ads and Amazon data collection (4 comments): "Aren't you just letting amazon collect and monetize your viewing habits while allowing them to push ads at you?" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47532330)) "Using a firestick means amazon collects data on what you watch regardless of the platform you view it on." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47532462)) "the Amazon FireStick which just contains all the same spyware that the LG TV would've had but sends it to Amazon instead" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49708969))
- Slow UI and laggy button response (2 comments): "the Firestick UI is horribly slow. Sometimes it takes 30 seconds or more for it to give any response to a button press" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46600881)) "the FireTV GUI is quite snappy thereafter" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46662464))
- Heavy push of Amazon content (2 comments): "works with other services but heavily promotes Amazon stuff" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48544154)) "it was atrociously add-riddled and often showing things inappropriate for the kids in the middle of the day" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48774220))
- Locks users into Amazon ecosystem (3 comments): "Now, it becomes a jail break necessity for reusing and freeing locked-down corporate garbage." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47819036)) "easily replace Fire TV sticks, AppleTV boxes, Rokus and other similar proprietary garbage" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48700119)) "a fire tv stick just locks you into a "your internet is down so you're screwed" screen" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46999475))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Apple TV 4K](https://hackerapproved.com/p/apple-tv.md): 323 recommend
- [Nvidia Shield TV](https://hackerapproved.com/p/nvidia-shield-tv.md): 113 recommend
- [Apple TV 4K](https://hackerapproved.com/p/apple-tv-4k.md): 93 recommend
- [Roku streaming player](https://hackerapproved.com/p/roku.md): 20 recommend
- [Roku streaming device](https://hackerapproved.com/p/roku-streaming-device.md): 14 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Amazon+Fire+TV+Stick+4K+Max&tag=YOURTAG-20) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Amazon Fire TV Stick", https://hackerapproved.com/p/amazon-fire-tv-stick/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).