Ad blockers: what actually works
Two approaches, different strengths
Ad blocking mostly happens in one of two places. A browser extension sees the page as it loads and can hide elements precisely, which makes it the most thorough option for desktop web browsing. Network-level blocking works earlier and lower down — it stops requests to known ad domains for every app and device on your network at once, but it cannot reach inside a page to tidy up what remains.
Because they work at different layers, the two are complementary rather than competing. A common effective setup is an extension on the desktop for precision and a network-level blocker to cover phones, smart TVs, and apps the extension can never touch.
Why no blocker is perfect
Blocking is an ongoing contest. Ads served from the same domain as the content, or stitched into a video stream, are genuinely hard to remove without breaking the page. Any product promising to block everything is overselling; the honest goal is removing the vast majority while keeping sites working.
Two practical cautions. Choose blockers that are transparent about funding — a blocker that sells an 'acceptable ads' allowance is making a trade you should at least know about. And keep a quick way to disable blocking per site, because some sites genuinely break and a few ask you, fairly, to turn it off.