Whether you're buying your first turntable having discovered the joys of vinyl, or are looking to upgrade your existing record player, you might be wondering which is the best turntable to buy for your needs and budget.
We can help you make the right choice. We've rounded up the best record players from our recent product reviews, across all budgets. Our selection features budget turntables alongside high-end decks, wireless Bluetooth turntables for streaming vinyl to headphones, turntables with phono stages built in, and even USB turntables to help you digitise your vinyl collection.
Most of the decks here are pretty much plug-and-play, and come with the tonearm and cartridge attached. You might need to balance the tonearm and set the tracking weight, but follow the supplied instructions in the box and you'll be fine. In case there is no cartridge as standard, it could be worth visiting our list of the best cartridges you can buy for some inspiration.
Our experienced What Hi-Fi? review team has comprehensively tested all of these record players in our dedicated test rooms, comparing each record player to its closest rivals in price and type in a controlled environment. So you can be sure you're getting a genuine, expert recommendation.
How to choose the best turntable for you
Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.
The source of your hi-fi system, be it a streamer, CD player or record player is a crucial component; as the saying goes, 'rubbish in, rubbish out'.
First things first, decide on your budget. It should be no more than around a quarter of your system's cost, otherwise it's unlikely your amplifier and speakers will get the most out of your deck.
Read more
Similarly, make sure you read up on the sonic characteristics of all your components – even five-star products benefit from the right partnering.
Once you've decided on your budget, decide on the features you require. Belt drive or direct drive? Do you need a phono stage built in? What about the cartridge? Wireless? USB? Make sure you have a checklist based on your needs to help you narrow the search.
Once you have chosen, it's also crucial you set up your turntable correctly. While some record players are relatively "plug and play", many require a little more time and effort to hear at their best. Want to know more? Read our complete guide to choosing the right turntable.
Pro-Ject's latest Debut Pro model celebrates the company's 30th anniversary and is the most ambitious and sophisticated Debut model yet. It's a classy-looking deck and easy to set up. Pro-Ject’s engineers have carefully developed almost every aspect of the design, from the new carbon fibre and aluminium tonearm to the dedicated Pick It Pro cartridge.
This Debut Pro turntable is terrific at digging deep into the production and revealing layers of instrumental textures that most at this level ignore. It sounds incredibly precise, crisp and taut. Its presentation is a little on the lean side, but the upside of such a balance is agility.
It produces a stable and controlled sound too, one that retains its composure even when the music becomes dense and demanding. Stereo imaging and a spacious soundstage proves admirable and we are impressed with the sonic authority on offer.
Pro-Ject isn't short of rivals at this price, but this is a superb sounding deck that is our new 2022 Award-winner and now the best value option at this price point.
Read the full Pro-Ject Debut Pro review
No turntable has dominated its category like the Planar 3, taking on all-comers since its launch in the 1970s. So if you want a step up in performance, we're only too happy to recommend the Rega Planar 3 with the factory-fitted Elys 2 cartridge you see here (although you can, of course, purchase the Planar 3 sans cartridge).
Thanks to a thorough revision and some key component upgrades – notably the tonearm and cartridge – this version keeps the legacy intact. The Planar 3 remains what it has always been: a simple, beautifully engineered deck that puts performance first. With an engaging sense of scale and good organisational skills, the Planar 3 ensures that every instrument is well-separated and composed, no matter how complex the track. It exhibits a greater level of transparency than its talented predecessor, too.
In short, this latest version is the best RP3 yet, adding extra servings of clarity, precision and insight to an already musical sound. While the price of this turntable/cartridge combo has crept up in 2022, this is still a fantastic, worthy turntable.
Read the full Rega Planar 3/Elys 2 review
The Primary E confidently nails the basics, from an even tonal balance to a delivery that’s clear and clean and spacious enough to keep things coherent. Decent body and substance cling reliably to every frequency, and that’s made all the more enjoyable by a spirited sense of drive and momentum.
For purists at the head of the beginner’s vinyl revival path who have a small budget and aren’t fussed about features such as record ripping and automatic operation, the Pro-Ject Primary E could be just the ticket.
As a first turntable, it's impossible to beat near this price.
Read the full Pro-Ject Primary E review
In an era of change, not even Rega’s best-selling record player is immune to the desire for fresh thinking. And with the new Rega Planar 1, change is unquestionably positive. Pretty much everything you see has undergone some form of modification, with the end result a clear step-up from entry-level decks.
It may be low on frills but you get an accurate performance that delivers detailed, dynamic sound. The Rega Carbon cartridge is fitted as standard, and this is the first of Rega’s entry-level turntables to house a low noise 24v synchronous AC motor with an aluminium pulley.
Sound is roomy-sounding, expressive, full-bodied. There are no obvious flaws here but if you do get the urge to upgrade this deck's capability in the future, Rega provide a Performance Pack add-on. It includes Rega’s Bias 2 moving magnet cartridge, upgrade drive belt and 100 per cent natural wool turntable mat.
Read the full Rega Planar 1 review
The rebirth of Technics has spawned another fantastic turntable. Compared with the high-end SL-1000R found further down this list, the SL-1500C is much more affordable, and it's also one of the best record players we've heard under a grand.
It uses a core-less direct drive motor with clever speed management circuitry and the company's trademark S-shaped arm. The arm is attached to an Ortofon 2M Red and the deck also comes with its own built-in phono stage. Everything is engineered with a pleasing sense of precision that matches the equally-pleasing sound. Music is delivered with a brilliant sense of dynamism and energy, alongside an impressive amount of agile, yet weighty bass.
While purists may prefer the slightly more insightful Rega Planar 3/Elys 2 (above), the Technics SL-1500C offers crisp presentation, a built-in phono stage and electric speed control, making it a great choice for those not totally engrossed in vinyl.
Read the full Technics SL-1500C review
The Planar 1 Plus is essentially a Rega Planar 1 turntable (as seen above) with the Rega Fono Mini A2D phono stage built in. Both have won Awards, and Rega thought it only felt natural to combine them together. We absolutely agree.
But Rega hasn’t simply taken the existing Fono Mini A2D as is and bolted it under the deck. It has been tweaked: the USB section has been taken out entirely, and the cost saving has gone into improving the audio quality of the phono stage.
The Planar 1 Plus sounds brilliant. It is rather lean-sounding when played straight out of the box – but the sound comes into its own after a couple of days, becoming more full-bodied and rhythmically exciting the longer you play.
Read the full Rega Planar 1 Plus review
The Pro-Ject Juke Box E is based on Pro-Ject’s well-regarded Primary turntable and is tricked out with an Ortofon OM 5E cartridge, amplification (25W per channel into 8 ohms) and Bluetooth receiver. At the back of the deck, you’ll find stereo RCA outputs at line level and pre-amp/phono level, plus a stereo RCA line-level input. There are also left/right speaker outputs, an aerial socket for the Bluetooth receiver and an IR receiver for the rather basic, but functional, remote control that comes in the box.
It’s an all-in-one system that demands very few compromises, given its price. It’s also an all-in-one system that we can’t easily argue against in favour of separates. The Juke Box E delivers convenience and backs it up with Award-winning sound that's warm and blessed with plenty of mid-range sparkle. The only real shortcoming is the bass, which isn't as solid as we'd like.
Still, if space – not to mention your budget – is tight, we'd recommend seeking out the Juke Box E.
Read the full Pro-Ject Juke Box E review
Pro-Ject has worked hard at making the Debut Carbon Evo a current class leader, but also one with the potential to morph into a steady mid-range competitor by offering a series of affordable add-ons. However, as you can see from the five stars, the basic deck is impressive enough as it is.
Among the upgrades are improved motor mounting, new height-adjustable damped feet and a heavy steel platter that weighs 1.7kg and features a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) damping ring on the inside for quieter operation.
Perhaps most welcome, though, is the addition of a rocker switch on the bottom of the deck, which allows you to adjust the rotation speed. No more removing the platter and manually readjusting the belt when you want to go from 33.33rpm to 45.
Despite the lack of branding, its identity as part of the Pro-Ject family is revealed immediately as the room is bathed in its rich, full-bodied tone.
But it is also partnered with a great deal of detail and texture. Where competitors might beef up their sound in an attempt to disguise a lack of real insight, Pro-Ject here welcomes you to explore its vast sonic range, proving its aptitude for making a deck that is both easy to listen to and prepared for deeper, more analytical sessions.
Read the full Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo review
If you're looking for fuss-free entry into the world of vinyl, this brilliant Sony turntable deserves an audition. Set-up is a piece of cake: there's no need to fit and align a cartridge, set the tracking force or set the anti-skate, so once you've put the belt around the motor pulley you're all set to spin. The presence of a built-in phono stage and Bluetooth connectivity are a welcome bonus too.
There's a healthy dose of drive and attack to music – the Sony unearths a fine level of detail and peels back enough layers of emotion to keep the listener interested. You can pair the PS-LX310BT with up to eight Bluetooth devices and, in our tests using headphones, the connection was strong enough to walk into another room.
A fully manual deck like the Rega Planar 1 does sound even punchier and clearer, but what the Sony lacks in top-quality sound, it more than makes up by being fun and feature-packed.
Read the full Sony PS-LX310BT review
You might think paying more for a deck would get you more features, but that's not the case here. What it does buy you is some key component upgrades that deliver even better sound quality – all packaged up in a smartly understated design.
The no-nonsense set-up requires minimal effort, save for ensuring the speed is set correctly (speed change is manual) and fixing the weight to balance the tonearm. Once the tonearm is in a floating position, simply set the Carbon MM cartridge’s tracking force to the recommended 2g. It's not quite 'plug and play', but it's straightforward enough.
Once primed for action, the Planar 2 delivers punchy basslines, room-filling scale impressive attention to detail and rhythmic subtlety. There's no built-in phono stage, so it needs to hook up to a stereo amplifier that has one, or you can always buy a separate one. If that's within your budget, you'll find that the Planar 2 delivers a clear step-in performance from the Planar 1 – and at a very competitive price.
Read the full Rega Planar 2 review
The Planar 6/Ania is another feather in Rega's cap, and another big step-up in performance. It’s an astonishingly refined and mature sound that convey plenty of space. Some of that is down to the upgraded cartridge and tonearm, and the benefit of the separate power supply, but either way this overall package more than justifies its high price.
Rega's engineers believe too much mass impacts the sound, hence the minimal design is a delicate balance of lightness and sturdiness. Forget vivid colours, the Planar 6 comes in a single matte grey/glossy black finish – a sign this deck is serious about sound quality.
One thing to note: there’s little in the way of isolation bar the three aluminium-trimmed rubber feet, so it’s essential the deck is placed on a sturdy support and away from any other electronics to minimise any vibrations. Once adequately positioned, you'll be treated to truly impressive levels of refinement.
Read the full Rega Planar 6/Ania review
An updated version of the Award-winning DG-1 Dynamic Groove, the new Vertere DG-1 S continues to offer a fair dose of the performance of Vertere's top-end turntables but at a far more approachable outlay. Clever construction and engineering advances further this deck's performance, which is designed to be easy to use. It even has the option of a fitted Magneto cartridge for those who want a complete package.
This new generation Vertere DG-1 S builds on the excellent original to remain at the forefront of turntables at this level. It's a terrific sounding deck that brims with energy and drive.
We’re impressed with the level of detail too. The DG-1 S is a precise and highly resolving product, one that’s able to dig up plenty of information and organise it into a cohesive and musical whole. It is a hugely entertaining sound, one that’s rhythmically surefooted and has a spring in its step when it comes to rendering dynamic nuances.
There’s no denying the fact that the Vertere DG-1 S is up against some mighty competition, but given what we’ve heard it can go into any such comparisons with confidence. The best just got better.
Read the full Vertere DG-1 S/Magneto review
If you’re not familiar with the Clearaudio Concept turntable by now, the concept is essentially getting the most exceptional sound you can from your records at this price. A trophy cabinet full of What Hi-Fi? Awards is proof that the approach works.
Unlike some rivals, which require patience, a steady hand and a calculator to get working, the Concept is a 'plug and play' product. It comes with the company's own moving-magnet Concept cartridge fitted to the Verify Direct Wire Plus tonearm (though there is also a moving-coil alternative available). Clearaudio sets everything, including the cartridge weight and bias, before the turntable leaves the factory so all you need do is supply the vinyl.
Some might prefer the more vigorous performance of the Rega RP6/Exact, but this deck delivers as clean, rhythmic, detailed and spacious a sound as you’ll find for the money, not to mention engaging and entertaining. Expensive but well worth the money.
Read the full Clearaudio Concept review
Audio-Technica’s original AT-LP5 turntable was a winner. Launched in 2016, its combination of solid engineering, useful features and fine sound was enough to make it one of our go-to recommendations for anyone wanting a sensibly priced, fuss-free record player with the added bonus of a USB output.
So it’s no surprise to find that Audio-Technica hasn’t changed its winning formula for this new LP5x model. Why would it?
There's a new cartridge that's easier to fit, the built-in phono stage can now cope with both moving magnet and moving coil cartridges and Audio Technica has added a 78rpm speed option. Those improvements aside, the LP5x's sonics mirror its predecessor closely. It sounds a touch cleaner and clearer than before, but without losing any of its composure or dynamically pleasing presentation.
The USB ripping feature remains, so you can digitise your vinyl collection is CD quality WAV files up to 16-bit/44.1kHz and 48kHz. If you're after a well-executed design that's well-built, easy to set up and sounds great for the money, the AT-LP5x is worthy of a spot on your shortlist.
Read the full Audio Technica AT-LP5x review
We’ve long felt every step up the Rega turntable ladder brings with it worthwhile sonic gains but they’ve tended to be incremental. But the performance gap between the Award-winning Planar 6 and this new Planar 8 is huge.
In contrast to the cheaper models in the range, there isn’t much carry-over of parts. The Planar 8 features a new main bearing assembly, which uses a single-piece aluminium sub-platter and hardened tool steel spindle running inside a custom brass housing. The platter is something of a work of art and made of two different types of laminated glass.
Set-up is easy thanks in part to the pre-mounted cartridge. All you need do is fit the tracking weight, set bias and you'll be free to gasp at the levels of clarity and insight, which are reminiscent of pricier turntables.
In being so ambitious with this record player’s engineering, Rega has pushed the boundaries of performance at this level and has given premium rivals positioned above it plenty to worry about.
Read the full Rega Planar 8/Apheta 2 review
How we test record players
Here at What Hi-Fi? we review hundreds of products every year, from TVs to speakers, headphones to hi-fi systems. So how do we come to our review verdicts and why can you trust them? Allow us to explain.
The What Hi-Fi? team has more than 100 years of collective experience in reviewing, testing and writing about consumer electronics – and that includes plenty of record players. We have state-of-the-art testing facilities in London, Reading and Bath, where our team of expert reviewers do all our in-house testing. This gives us complete control over the testing process, ensuring consistency across all products. We always ensure we spend plenty of time with each turntable, setting them up correctly, trying them with different partnering electronics, in different positions and playing various records and music genres.
All new turntables are tested in comparison with rival turntables at the same price level (and often cheaper and more expensive alternatives, too, where relevant), and all review verdicts are agreed upon by the team as a whole rather than a single reviewer, helping to ensure consistency and avoid individual subjectivity. That's why our reviews are trusted by retailers and manufacturers, as well as consumers, the world over.
We choose the top turntables to feature in this Best Buy from all our reviews. That's why if you take the plunge and buy one of the products recommended here, you can rest assured you're getting a What Hi-Fi?-approved product.
You can read more about how we test and review products on What Hi-Fi? here.
MORE:
