Best budget turntables 2024: The best cheap record players to make your vinyl sing (2024)

Despite the popularity of music streaming sites, vinyl sales continue to rise as more people return to collecting and playing records. And with the demand for vinyl growing, more music fans are looking to buy good quality record players, including the best budget turntables on the market. Our experts regularly test a wide range of cheap record players in all key areas including sound, build quality and set up, and only the top-performers make this guide.

Many Bluetooth record players cost a considerable amount of money and may also have too much tech for your needs. So if you want a great-sounding budget turntable that's easy to use, we have you covered with this expert guide to 2024's top-rated options. In short, these are the best cheap record players we've tested for saving you a bundle of money while still sounding great (for the lower price).

Some of the most recent models includeUSB, while the best budget Bluetooth turntables will give you everything you need to convert vinyl records into digital files to play on your phone, tablet or laptop. These are a fantastic option to complement your music streaming service subscription.Let's dig into our top-rated options now, including stunning budget record players from Sony, Rega, and Audio Technica.

The quick list

Best overall

If you’re looking to marry old-school hi-fi with new-school cool, this Sony is the turntable for you. The big draw is Bluetooth, which you can use to send that rich, analogue audio via the digital, wireless domain to a pair of Bluetooth headphones or a wireless speaker. Wires? Straight in the bin.

On top of that the tonearm action is automatic, so the needle will find your record’s groove via a button-press and will extricate itself at the end with no intervention necessary.

Crucially, the PS-LX310BT also sounds great. Detailed, punchy and direct, this is a deck that reveals the details lurking in the depths of those black disks and brings them to the surface in fun, bubbly fashion.

Read our full Sony PS-LX310BT review

Best for sound

If you want features such as Bluetooth and USB recording, this Rega isn’t for you. It’s one of the only turntables on this list that doesn’t have a built-in phono preamp, which means you’ll need an amplifier that has one or will need to budget for an external unit.

That said, I think it's the best-sounding turntable available in this price bracket. If you want to hear your just-bought or much-cherished vinyl records just the way the artist intended, the Rega is how you do it.

And don’t go thinking this is a cold, complicated deck. On the contrary, it produces a really fun sound and is pretty straightforward to set-up. If you’re prepared to be just a bit adventurous, this is the deck to buy.

Read our full Rega Planar 1 turntable review

Best for beginners

It looks like a kid’s toy – and is almost as cheap – but the Lenco L-85 is actually a semi-automatic, belt-driven turntable with a built-in phono stage and the ability to record via USB. It’s as plug-and-play as vinyl gets.

It's old school enough – it comes with a pair of RCA cables so you can plug the L-85 into your stereo amplifier and get started straight away – but it's 21st century enough too: a USB port means you can convert your vinyl into MP3 files.

A really do think this is a great starting point for anyone who's just getting into vinyl or digging out their old records from the garage.

Read our full Lenco L-85 turntable review

Best for recording

Audio Technica’s long-running AT-LP120USB was recently replaced by this updated model. The original was without doubt one of the best budget turntables you could buy on account of a clean, solid sound, integrated phono stage and USB recording.

Many features that made it a top deck have stuck around on the 120X, including quality USB recording, switchable input and 78rpm speed (the only turntable in this list to offer that option).

Key changes include an improved, slimline design, plus updates to the motor and anti-skate control that have been introduced to improve overall performance.

This budget turntable is direct drive, so there’s no belt to worry about and, like its predecessor, setup is super-simple and beginner-friendly.

Read our full Audio-Technica ATLP120XBT-USB review

Best automatic

Those suitcase turntables you see all over Amazon, Argos and even Urban Outfitters are designed to bridge the gap between vinyl enthusiasm and analogue actuality by building everything in and making it as hands-off as possible.

Better is the Audio-Technica AT-LP3, which has a completely automatic action (start the record at the touch of a button and finish it without lifting a finger) but sounds downright excellent for the money in my view, with a balanced, natural sound that won't mask your tune of choice.

Read our full Audio Technica AT-LP3 turntable review

Best eco-friendly budget turntable

House Of Marley’s distinctive audio gear comprises speakers, headphones and, of course, turntables - all finished with sustainably crafted bamboo. Not only that, but their products also utilise reclaimed organic cotton, reclaimed hemp and recycled plastic. This is great to see, and fortunately, their Stir It Up turntable is a great-sounding product too and available for a really good price.

This double-speed turntable has a built-in pre-amp which can be switched on and off - and it can connect wirelessly to Bluetooth speakers, so you won’t have to shell out more money if you already have one or two in your home. There’s also a headphone jack which is something I thought was a great idea.

Another plus is the fact you can rip your vinyl to digital using your PC or Mac, adding another positive for the House Of Marley Stir It Up.

Read our full House Of Marley Stir it Up review

Best for deep bass

If you’re keen that your affordable turntable has a premium look and feel, the new Pro-ject T1 could be the one for you. This entirely plastic-free deck is brilliantly solid and weighty, and it comes more or less ready to rock – you need only place the platter and belt yourself.

The T1 is light on fancy features – there’s no Bluetooth or USB recording, and you’ll need to add a phono preamp, but that’s because sound quality has been prioritised.

While the Rega Planar 1 is the no-frills deck to choose for sheer clarity and detail, this Pro-ject counters with a smoother, weightier, bass-heavy sound that'll suit a lot of the rock and metal vinyl you’ll be spinning.

Read our full Pro-Ject T1 review

Best premium

While the Rega Planar 1 features high in our list of budget turntables, let’s not forget about the audio firm’s Planar 2. It’s a wee but more expensive, so what do you get for your money? In general terms, I found a meatier sound, with solid bass levels and ear-bending audio.

Bear in mind that the Rega Planar 2 doesn’t come with a phono pre-amp built in so you’ll need to factor that in when buying, but it’s straightforward to set up and is worth a look if you have a bit more cash in your back pocket.

Read our full Rega Planar 2 review

Best sound balance

While it’s a basic deck, the belt-driven Primary E does its job very well. Set up is a breeze and I found everything from Led Zeppelin to Rush sounded well-balanced and clear with enough body to do the bottom end justice.

If you’re looking for your first turntable, not only would this look great as part of your setup, but it sounds great, is built to last and won’t cost you the earth.

Read our full Pro-Ject Primary E review

Budget turntables buying advice

How we test budget turntables

Budget turntables are subjected to no less rigorous testing than their pricier counterparts. In fact, if a record player can truly claim to be budget, we need to make sure that it passes muster. So, our tests cover the following categories:

• Sound - the most important one for us. At Louder we’re music fans first and foremost, so budget decks need to scratch that itch. If it takes too much away from the classic albums we know and love inside and out, then it doesn’t make the list.
• Set up - how quickly can we get the deck up and running? We prefer plug and play decks in this sector, but if there’s any set up of manual mechanisms, we’re looking for an easy ride.
• Build quality - We expect to find shortcomings in budgets decks - such as more plastic components, or a flimsy dust cover - but if the important components such as the tonearm, cartridge or platter don’t measure up, then we don’t include the product in the guide.
• Other features - does the deck offer additional features such as computer connectivity, automatic tonearm or Bluetooth? If so, how well do these features work, or are they simply set-dressing for a mediocre product that takes budget away from more important components?

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