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Technology.

24 June 2021

Top five best Blu-ray DVD players for 2021

Blu-ray players are no longer only about watching in 1080p Full-HD; 4K Ultra HD is upon us. We've picked out some of the best Blu-ray and 4K UHD players we've tested.

Callum Tennent

Blu-ray players bring high-definition films from the cinema to your living room. The step up from DVD to Blu-ray 1080p (Full-HD) picture is noticeably different: colour, detail and sharpness is better - ideal for large screen TVs and projectors.

But the benefits don't end there - most Blu-ray players also come with Smart TV apps such as BBC iPlayer, Netflix and Amazon Video. Some support 3D and 4K playback too, with 4K or Ultra HD (UHD) offering up to four times the detail of Full HD pictures. The first Ultra HD are now available but unless you own a 4K TV, there is no need to buy into the format just yet.

The best Blu-ray players will all make your favourite films look crystal clear and sound great without the buffering you can experience when streaming online video.

To that end we've picked out five of the top models available right now from top brands like Samsung, Sony, LG and Panasonic; we've also highlighted some that scored abysmally in our tests, and you should steer well clear of.

Only logged-in Which? members can view our recommendations in the table below. If you’re not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Top five Blu-ray DVD players

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73%
£179.00
Featuring Dolby ATMOS audio to give you that cinema experience in the comfort of your own home, this smart-enabled player also has built-in wi-fi and can play a range of audio or video files - it could be your home entertainment hub for years to come.
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72%
£279.00
If you're looking for a blu-ray player to watch 4K UHD content, this model is a great choice. Its picture and sound quality is good and its impressively easy to use. It also has some smart enabled, giving you access to streaming services (subscription required).
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69%
£129.00
This model just misses out on being a Best Buy but still wowed us in our tests. For a very reasonable price, this model plays 3D discs, offers great 4K video and has excellent sound quality.
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66%
£89.00
This Blu-ray player is a solid conventional model, and certainly one worth considering. It delivers pretty good picture and sound quality and comes with heaps of smart features including Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Do bear in mind that you are missing out on being able to play 4K Ultra HD discs with this model and for a bit more, you can get that feature with others in this table.
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61%
£136.97
If you're looking for a Blu-ray player that has the basics covered, this affordable model is a good choice. It's easy to use and has good sound quality. Its picture quality isn't anything to write home about and it misses out on smart features, but overall it's a fairly good option for the price.
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Not found the product for you? Browse all of our Blu-ray DVD player reviews.

Blu-ray DVD players to avoid

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49%
£149.00
We are definitely disappointed with how this blu-ray player performed. It’s not easy enough to use, and it struggled with picture quality when playing DVDs. It produces unsatisfactory sound as well and while 4K content is good to watch, it’s not enough of a reason to buy it.
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52%
£59.00
This Blu-ray player isn't the worst model we've ever seen. But it's pretty unimpressive and you'll be far happier if you spend your money on a better device. Picture quality when watching DVDs is blurry and Blu-rays look dull. Sound quality could be better too while the lack of wi-fi connectivity means you'll have to plug the player in via an ethernet connection if you want to use any of the internet streaming features.
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What makes a brilliant Blu-ray DVD player

When we test Blu-ray players we make sure that we've got all angles covered, so that when you buy one you can do so with confidence. Of course we rate the picture and sound quality, but Which?'s unique testing goes deeper than that.

We watch a variety of movies to see how different colours and shades of light are depicted. We measure how well each player deals with motion blur during hectic scenes and whether you can tell where a regular Blu-ray has been upscaled to 4K, as well as what the standard definition and 3D picture looks like.

As you can see from the tables above, price is no indicator of a good Blu-ray player, and there are some bargains to be had - just as there are enticing, expensive pitfalls to avoid. Our testing also demonstrates just how big the gap between a good and bad Blu-ray player can be: just like TVs can drastically vary in quality, so can Blu-ray players.