Which TV brand to buy in 2026

In our unique longevity and customer satisfaction survey, we've asked more than 15,000 Which? members and members of the public to tell us whether they're happy with their TV and if they've experienced problems, so you can see which brands are worth investing in.

As well as showing which brands' TVs are the most susceptible to faults, our survey also reveals the brands that are the best value for money. The distance between the best and worst brands in terms of reliability, quality and value is stark, so our survey findings are invaluable for making an informed purchase. 

We review more than 150 TVs every year, so check out which we like the most in our best TVs.

Which TV brands develop the fewest faults

Of the 14 TV brands covered in the survey, just four of them manage five stars for reliability. So, if you want a TV that's less likely to switch off halfway through a thrilling season finale, or start stuttering and lagging just as an England striker is taking a vital free kick, it's important to choose the right brand.

The table below summarises this year’s results, based on TVs bought in the past six years. 

Narrow your search and find out what size TV you should buy, then see our recommendations.

Expert verdict on TV brands

As well as faults and reliability data, our survey also reveals the TV brands that TV owners feel happy with and would recommend to their own friends and family. And the ones they wouldn’t. Our experts have analysed our survey results to tell you what you need to know about TV brands.

We have exclusive information on brands including LG, Samsung, Sony, Hisense, TCL and Sky.

Only logged-in Which? members can see our analysis of our survey. If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access to this and all of our expert reviews, including our TV reviews.

The best TVs are often high-end, but that's not always the case. See the best TVs under £500.

The most common TV faults and how to fix them

TV faults can be some of the trickiest to fix yourself. Removing the back panel and the metal cover underneath to reveal the chips and sensors running the TV requires expert hands (and sometimes tools). 

Sadly, that means a faulty TV often requires a professional repair. There are still some things you can try yourself to fix common TV faults first though.

1. Problems with the picture or screen

Screen issues are tricky to diagnose. Sometimes they're caused by a hardware fault, such as a dead pixel on the screen, which shows up as a green or red dot that's impossible to remove. But sometimes a fuzzy picture can be caused by a weak aerial signal or wi-fi connection.

How to tackle screen problems If you notice a problem with the screen, try turning it off and on to see if the issue goes away. Some TVs also have screen-refresher software, which essentially tries to wipe away any picture problems. They go by different names, and not all TVs have them, but you'll find the options in the settings. 

2. Sound quality issues

Like screen problems, sound quality faults can be a variety of things, but are most likely down to some kind of unwanted crackle or fuzz. These are sure signs of a speaker breaking. Sometimes it's down to how they are connected to the motherboard (the brains of the TV) – perhaps it's got loose, or it could be the speaker itself that's failing.

Not all sound quality issues are down to faulty speakers. Many people tell us they struggle to hear their TV, particularly because voices are too quiet. This isn't necessarily a fault and more a problem with how sounds are mixed to emphasise louder sounds, or simply because the speakers aren't very good.

How to fix sound quality problems If you're struggling to hear some aspect of TV sound, probably dialogue, then try a different sound mode to try to amplify it. Most TVs have a voice boost or clear voice style option. If you're hearing crackling or all the sound is coming from one side of your TV, there's something more serious going on and your TV will likely need an expert repair. If the cost of repair is high, consider using a Bluetooth speaker or soundbar to play the audio and bypass your TV speakers altogether. Find out how to hear your TV better.

3. Hardware failure

This usually results in your TV not turning on, and it's because something inside the TV has gone wrong. It's often the motherboard, which acts as a connector for all the other bits of the TV and makes sure they can talk to each other.

How to tackle hardware failure There's not much you can do about hardware failure – you're best off calling the manufacturer or retailer to organise a repair or replacement.

If you need to replace your TV in a hurry, is a second-hand one a good option? Read our guide to buying a second-hand TV.

How we discover the most reliable TV brands

To find out how reliable TV brands are, we ask the people who know best: owners. Every year we ask thousands of Which? members to tell us about their TV – the faults they've experienced, whether they're happy with their purchase, whether they'd choose that brand again and if they feel their purchase was good value for money.

This year more than 15,000 Which? members and members of the public told us about more than 43,000 individual products, and we use this information to create our customer and reliability scores. 

We calculate our customer score based on whether customers would recommend each brand and their level of satisfaction. We also calculate which brand developed the most faults, based on products up to seven years old.

Our most reliable brand and reliability star ratings are based on how many products developed a fault, how quickly these faults occurred, and how much they impacted day-to-day use of the product.

We've got loads of advice to help you choose the right TV, how to make the most of it and what to do if you find it difficult to hear it or see the screen. Find out more with our TV advice.