The wait is over! It’s been four weeks since we announced our 111 Best Buy Award winners, and now, as announced at the What Hi-Fi? Awards ceremony on Tuesday 5th November, we have decorated 26 of them – one from each product category – with the even more prestigious Product of the Year accolade.
The 2019 Product of the Year winners represent our absolute favourite products across all the categories we cover, from TVs to turntables, speakers to music streamers, and everything in between.
The full list of 26 Product of the Year winners, plus our five 'special' annual awards, can be found below. And don't forget, the Awards edition of the magazine goes on sale on Wednesday 6th November!
You can subscribe or buy the latest issue here, or buy the digital edition on iPhone, iPad, Android devices or Kindle edition.
So, a quick rundown…
Apple takes three POYs this year for its consistent efforts in the phone (iPhone 11), tablet (iPad mini) and video streamer (TV 4K) categories, while Sony once again wins multiple gongs – this time for its tremendous WH-1000XM3 wireless headphones, and the “scintillating” VPL-VW270ES 4K projector.
Household hi-fi names are present and correct, with the KEF LSX heralded as the best-value system you can buy; Naim’s Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation triumphing in the wireless speaker category; Audiolab taking the plaudits for its 6000N Play’s music streaming masterclass; and Cambridge Audio knocking Rega off top spot to secure the stereo amplifier accolade with its all-new CXA81.
As other tough contests go, Denon has outmuscled Sony this year to claim top honours in the AV receiver category thanks to the fruitful features and lean, punchy performance of its AVR-X3600H.
Bowers & Wilkins claims one of the most hotly contested awards, stereo speakers, with its 606 standmounts, which also won a place in The What Hi-Fi? Hall of Fame. Their big brothers, the 607s, also scoop this year's Readers’ Award – as voted for by you, our readers! Not a bad for haul Bowers & Wilkins' 600 speaker series, then.
Unsurprisingly, new kids on the block sit alongside resilient repeat winners that refuse to be outclassed. The Chord Electronics’ Qutest DAC, AKG Y50 headphones, Roberts Stream 94i radio, Tidal music streaming service, Astell & Kern A&norma SR15 portable music player and Audio Pro multi-room system all prevail once again.
Despite tough competition from Samsung’s Award-winning QLED TVs, LG’s 55in model in its C-series 4K OLED TV range (the OLED55C9PLA) gets a second POY nod in a row. And as sure as night follows day, Rega representatives followed their familiar route to the What Hi-Fi? Awards stage to claim the turntable Product of the Year trophy for its unbeaten Planar 3\Elys2.
All 26 What Hi-Fi? 2019 Products of the Year
Best wireless headphones over £250
Sony WH-1000XM3
Best in-ear headphones £50-£100
Klipsh T5M Wired
Best smartphone
Apple iPhone 11
Best portable music player £500-£1000
Astell & Kern A&norma SR15
Best portable on-ear headphones
AKG Y50
Best video streamer over £100
Apple TV 4K
Best tablet over £200
Apple iPad mini
Best home wireless speaker over £500
Naim Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation
Best radio over £100
Roberts Stream 94i
Best CD player under £500
Marantz CD6006 UK Edition
Best music streamer under £500
Audiolab 6000N Play
Best music streaming service
Tidal
Best turntable £500-£750
Rega Planar 3 / Elys 2
Best DAC £500-£1200
Chord Qutest
Best stereo amplifier £750-£1500
Cambridge Audiuo CXA81
Best standmount speaker £400-£750
B&W 606
Best all-in-one system
KEF LSX
Best budget multi-room system
Audio Pro
Best speaker cable under £15/m
AudioQuest Rocket 11
Best 55-58in TV over £1000
LG OLED55C9PLA
Best soundbar £300-£500
Sonos Beam
Best subscription box
Sky Q
Best Blu-ray player £350-500
Panasonic DP-UB820EB
Best home cinema amplifier £500-£1500
Denon AVR-X3600H
Best speaker package £1500-£2000
Dali Oberon 5 5.1 system
Best projector over £3000
Sony VPL-VW270ES
The 5 What Hi-Fi? 2019 special awards
Readers Award
B&W 607
Hall of Fame
B&W 606
Innovation of the Year
Dolby Cinema
Temptation
SME Synergy
Outstanding Contribution
Ken Ishiwata
