Best media streamers and TVs for mom in 2018

Is your mom still nursing the CRT she used to watch the Berlin Wall come down? It's time to upgrade, and TCL's least-expensive Roku TVs range from 32 to 49 inches and offer a super-simple built-in streaming interface.

Another option for a lot less money is Roku's Express Plus. It offers legacy AV connections suitable for a CRT and will enable your mom to watch Netflix, Hulu and YouTube for the price of a Mother's Day meal.

Your mom already owns a flatscreen? Here's a cheap, easy way to drag it into the present day. The Express just needs a spare HDMI port to turn her TV into a streaming powerhouse. 

If your mom owns a smartphone, especially an Android, the Chromecast allows her to cast YouTube videos and Hulu programs straight to her TV -- no need to use a fiddly remote.

If your mom has an Amazon Echo, the Fire TV Stick would make an excellent complement. She can use the Echo or the included microphone remote to queue up the latest episodes of her favorite show.

If you're looking for a slightly nicer streaming gift for Mom, Roku's stick offers the invaluable convenience of controlling TV power and volume with the included remote.

As a step-up to the Roku Stick, the Roku Streaming Stick Plus is best-suited to your mom's 4K TV. The Plus is designed to deliver the highest-quality video from Netflix, Amazon and others.

What's that? Your mom doesn't own a 4K TV? Well, consider buying her one of these. The S405 is one of the least expensive 4K TVs available and comes in sizes from 43 to 65(!) inches. It also includes the regularly updated Roku TV system, so her apps won't become outdated any time soon.

If you're looking to buy something even better than the Roku TV, the Vizio E series provides some of the best picture quality for the money in larger sizes.

If your mom has a bunch of stuff on iTunes, or she just wants something that looks and feels a lot like her iPhone, the new Apple TV is just the ticket. In addition to numerous TV apps, it also works with many of the games and other apps she might already own.

At this price, however, it might make more sense to spend a bit more for the 4K version.

Take everything we said before about the Apple TV and add compatibility with the latest 4K resolution and high dynamic range TV shows and movies. 

Looking for the blend of Roku smarts, excellent image quality and an affordable price? The P series is as good as it gets, delivering all of that goodness to your mom. Too bad it only comes in one size: 55 inches.

Part music streamer, part voice assistant, the Sonos One is perfect for sitting on a bench and playing your mom's favorite music playlists or podcasts.

If you're looking to really spoil your mom this Mother's Day, there is no better TV for the money than LG's range of OLED. With HDR playback and perfect black levels, her movie watching will be better than ever before.

Looking for a movie night out among the stars? A bed sheet, a bucket of popcorn and the Epson PowerLite Home Cinema could be all you need for your next family get-together.

So what if your family really likes movie night? The step-up answer to the Epson is this Optoma, which has full 1080p resolution and a gorgeous picture for the money.