To each their own, but the good ones last a long time even if they’re a little pricey. As an example, the original Apple TV 4K which was released in 2017 is still quite serviceable and continues to receive updates even now. A unit purchased in 2017 for $179 will have worked out to $18/year assuming they’re still using it in 2027.

The cheapest Roku player at this moment is selling for $16, the plush model for $80.

So, you do have to eat that financial hit for the least-bad privacy option.