Vinyl records have seen somewhat of a resurgence recently. You might think that the advent of digital subscription services would kill off the idea of physically owning music, but actually, it seems to have encouraged lots of people to go back and consider some of the more charismatic mediums. Thankfully, the market has caught on, which means that anyone can get online and order themselves a record player because now even with $100 you can get a decent model.
Therefore, we’ve brought you this list of the 10 best record players under $100. We spent a good deal of time studying everything there is about turntables, from their size standards and speeds available to their styluses, built-in speakers, and connectivity options, so you can find a great way of playing vinyl without breaking the bank.
GOODNEW’s record player is one of the most popular low-cost options on the market. It’s well under our $100 budget but does almost everything that all of the other record players on our list do. In fact, the only feature it doesn’t have that you might want is belt drive.
This is another suitcase style turntable, finished all over in a black faux leather material, with brass hardware and accents. The inside of the lid is finished in an attractive red, though this might be a little bit intense for some. Overall, the look is pretty good, and most people will find that it fits well for most decors.
Functionality is most certainly this record player’s best asset. You get all of the connections that you might need, including Bluetooth, a full USB port, and an SD card reader. There’s also an actual display on this model that shows things like the track time, mode and more. Crucially, this is also another turntable that has a rechargeable battery, so you don’t need to be tied down by the power cable, and it’ll last an impressive three hours from full charge.
Finally, it has dual speakers which are in stereo, which is a nice touch. They aren’t as good as some of the other turntables here, but they’re reasonable, and you can always connect to a better speaker setup if you wish.
Wow. What can we say – this has to be one of the most striking record players that you can buy for less than $100. The Victrola brand has been around for more than 100 years now and has recently been revived with a bang. Coming in at a little under our budget, this Victrola packs a huge amount into an awesome package.
The way this turntable looks is obviously going to be the first thing that grabs your attention because it really doesn’t look like a low price player. It’s a tall, imposing shape with thoroughly vintage, almost antique, looks. You get a great wood effect body, with a metal plate on the front which holds a vintage dial and all the switches.
It does look very impressive, but if we were being critical, not all of the materials are of a very high quality. But for the price, it’s really well crafted. Several colors are available.
Victrola brand this unit as an entertainment center, and we’d certainly have to agree – this isn’t your average record player. In addition to having good record functionality, there’s also a CD player, cassette player, and a radio. You can even pair Bluetooth devices. Conceivably, you could replace all of your other systems with just this one.
Owing to the unit’s size, the speakers are excellent, and there are tuning adjustments too. Overall, this is a great option.
Now we’re going to take a look at another suitcase style option, but this one doesn’t have the vintage aesthetic that a lot of other ones do. Instead, this is a sleek, modern and almost minimalist unit that will appeal to a lot of people. Moreover, it is so lightweight that it’s effortless to take the turntable with you wherever you go. For more lightweight turntables, read our buying guide on the best portable record players.
The 1byone suitcase is encased in a black, leather effect, soft material that does feel like it belongs on a much more expensive product than it actually is. Inside the lid is a white finish, with the attractive 1byone logo. All of the hardware and platter is black, too.
Despite the modest price, at a little over half of our budget, this record player packs in a lot of features and is one of the most functional units on our list. Bluetooth is only the beginning – you can also plug in a USB stick and record the record directly. Perfect for people that are looking for a low-cost way of turning their stored records into digital media. We like the way the speakers sound too, which is likely because the chassis is of a good size.
1byone also offer a 12-month warranty on their devices, which means that you can buy with confidence. Though some cheap record players do carry the risk of arriving with things like blown out speakers, you don’t need to worry about that here. We do have one little complaint, which is that the briefcase style seems functional, but doesn’t have a place to store the power cable.
Next up we have a turntable from Jensen. Again, this is a lesser known company, but this particular product is one of the best-selling options on the market, and for good reason. Not only is it an all-round decent choice, it comes in at a very attractive price, at well under half of our budget. There’s really not a lot that can compete with this kind of value.
Aesthetically, Jensen have gone for a thoroughly vintage feel here, and it’s got a very cool 50s or art deco vibe, with the circular plate on the front, and slatted speaker grill. Everything is encased in a nice smooth wood box with rounded corners, which feels excellent, though the plastic lid doesn’t quite live up to the rest of the unit.
Being as cheap as it is, you won’t find things like Bluetooth here, but you do get an AM/FM receiver which means you can replace your radio with just a single unit.
This is a 3-speed turntable, so you can play all of your favorite records, and what’s more is that there is an adjustment too, so you can change things up if you want, or fine-tune if you think things aren’t quite right.
There are RCA outputs at the back if you want to hook this thing up to your home stereo system, but the incorporated speaker is perfectly good too if you’re not insistent on very loud or super high-quality sounds.
This next product has to be one of the very best on our list, and you should certainly be considering it as your next purchase. It looks good, has excellent functionality, and comes in at a really, really good price too. It’s the JORLAI rechargeable suitcase turntable, and we like it a lot.
First, the looks. This is another suitcase style record player, which is very popular these days. Rather than a wood finish, this particular product is made from a wooden chassis wrapped in good quality PU leather. The overall effect is very high quality indeed, complete with brass or chrome hardware. It’s certainly going to be hard to beat in terms of aesthetics.
Functionality, as we’ve already briefly mentioned, is extremely good. Like all good modern turntables, you get Bluetooth, aux in, and RCA and headphone outputs. There’s no SD card or USB functionality like you get on some units, but this won’t be a problem for most people, especially given that there is a PC link output. There are two speakers built in to the front, and this is also a belt drive turntable.
We also really like the fact that, as the name suggests, this is a fully rechargeable record player which means that you can use it outdoors if you wish, and generally you just don’t have to be restricted by power cables. Given the nice suitcase form and light weight, this is definitely a good option for people who want portability as well as quality.
If you’re looking for an effortlessly cool turntable, and you’re particularly hot on modern aesthetics, then this could well be the record player for you. The Musitrend LP 3-Speed Turntable is a really good looking piece of kit that looks as though it could have been released by a premium brand for considerably more money. It’s not a bad price either.
The whole thing is based around one slab of wood that sits on a black plastic chassis that’s fairly well hidden, giving a sort of floating look to the unit. Combined with the black hardware, the unit feels like a fusion of vintage and modern.
Given how minimalist things are, you won’t be surprised to find out that this Musitrend product isn’t an all-singing all-dancing turntable like some of the other entries on this list. It has aux-in, RCA outputs and a USB connection, but there’s no Bluetooth, radio or CD player. That’s not a bad thing though – this is very much designed as a record player first and foremost, and boasts good speakers and a belt drive system too.
All in all, this is a really good turntable. As with all of the items we’re reviewing here, it’s good value, but you can buy cheaper players with more functions. If you want something that looks amazing and does a great job of playing records, however, then it’s going to be very hard to beat. Especially if you’re looking for a bit of a hipster vibe.
We’ve decided to pick a second 1byone product to include on our list, this one also being a suitcase-style model, but with more of a retro feel to it and a little less functionality. It is a very low price, however, so it more than makes up for less features with some really good value.
This, of course, isn’t to say that this unit doesn’t have plenty of functions because that just wouldn’t be true. Starting with the record playing capabilities themselves, this is a three-speed unit with 45-RPM adaptor, and auto stop function, and the big selling point is that it’s belt drive, which is very uncommon on record players of this price. You also get soft damping control on the tonearm.
Connectivity is excellent, with all of the inputs and outputs you’d expect.
In terms of design, this is a nice looking suitcase unit that comes in either black or turquoise. As with the other 1byone record player we’ve reviewed, it’s wrapped in a nice leather effect finish. Being a little smaller, records do overhang on this model, but that shouldn’t be too much of an issue because you wouldn’t transport the player with a record mounted in it.
Overall, this is a really good value choice that will appeal to a lot of people. It has a nice balance of vintage and modern looks, with plenty of options.
Next, we have another product from JORLAI. This one looks completely different from the suitcase model that we’ve already reviewed, but is a great unit in its own right, and is slightly cheaper too.
While many of the products on this list go for a vintage or retro style, this one is pretty modern, despite coming in a wooden chassis. Everything looks and feels very clean and minimalist, with just one knob on the front of the unit, the speaker and outputs either side, and then the speed and arm level discreetly placed beside the arm. There’s also a removable plastic dust cover to go on the top.
Given the way this thing looks, you’d expect it not to have much functionality, but you’d be wrong. This JORLAI has virtually everything you might want except Bluetooth. You can connect it to your stereo, to your computer, or whatever you might have in mind.
And it’s also a belt drive model, which is ideal for audiophiles. For those that don’t know, this is generally desirable because it separates the motor from the plate, reducing unwanted noises.
The built-in speakers are clean and loud, so you don’t have to use an external hi-fi system, and overall the quality of this record player is pretty good. It doesn’t feel as budget as it is.
We’ve had quite a few vintage and antique style record players, as well as some that fuse older styles with modern design, but this Miric product has to be the most up-to-date and modern looking product of all the ones we’re reviewed. If you don’t want leather or wood, and you insist on cutting edge style, then this might just be the budget record player for you.
Again, Miric isn’t a brand that you’re likely to be aware of, but they’ve done a very good job on the design of this unit. It features a really attractive gloss black deck with purple illuminated volume knob surround. It certainly won’t look out of place next to your laptop or Mac.
A wear-resistant ceramic needle, along with belt drive and a DC servo motor will certainly be attractive to audiophiles and those that really are looking for a quality unit on which to play their records. What’s more is that the two built-in speakers get impressively loud – you can hook up to an external system if you want, but you really don’t have to.
There’s no Bluetooth here, but you can connect via USB to your computer, which means that this is another turntable that’s ideally suited to recording your vinyl and turning them into digital music.
First up we have this delightful looking record player from Wockoder. As you’d expect from a budget option, the brand isn’t well known at all, but that shouldn’t put you off – this is a great choice, with nice looks and some good functionality.
The first thing you’re going to notice is, of course, the way that this turntable looks. It has a great vintage or antique feel to it, with a nice wooden body, complete with brass effect corner reinforcements and handles. Closed up, it just looks like a classic record player box. It’s not super high-quality wood, but it’s not bad at all. By the way, if you are in the market for a classic-looking record player, check out our article on the best vintage turntables.
We should also note that you can actually pick from four colors, and all of them look very nice indeed. The cork effect is a particular highlight.
Now, the exterior might look very old-fashioned, but the specification on the interior certainly isn’t. With Bluetooth, SD card and USB connectivity, this is a thoroughly modern bit of kit that can play pretty much any media you want – not just records.
Of course, this wouldn’t be a good turntable if it didn’t do a good job of playing records, and we’re pleased to be able to say that it does. The stereo speakers are pretty good for a record player of this price, and you get the standard three speeds. The only downside here is that there’s no option to fine-tune the speed if you think it’s not quite right, and there have been some reports of blown speakers. The needle mechanism and switches do feel nice and robust though.
There are a number of features that are important to consider when looking at buying a new record player, even if it’s rather affordable and costs under $100. We’ll break down the main ones to look for here.
The first thing you need to pay attention to is size standards and speeds available. As we found out, most turntables for under $100 have three playback speeds – 33 1/3, 45, and 78 rpm Trusted Source Vinyl Record Sizes and Speeds - What does 33 - 45- 78 RPM means? Ever wondered what those Vinyl record RPM means? What does 33,45,78 RPM settings do for your turntable? What setting should you choose. Learn more. blog.electrohome.com , so you don’t have to worry about your new turntable not being able to play your favorite vinyl, no matter how old or new they are. The second important component of a turntable is its stylus. Of course, you wouldn’t expect any top-range styluses coming with turntables under $100, but be sure to check whether it’s replaceable so you can upgrade it. The needle doesn’t make a huge difference in sound quality, but bear in mind that sapphire needles should be replaced more often.
Speakers are an integral part of any record player, however, the quality of built-in speakers varies greatly. And although the speakers that come with a record player for under $100 may sound decent and smooth, it may be better to check whether the record player can be connected to external speakers for vinyl for even better sound.
In the world we live in today, versatile connectivity is a normal state of things. And many of the most affordable record players can be connected to your smartphone or speakers via Bluetooth. If you can’t imagine your life with those wires anymore, be sure to check whether a record player you intend to buy has Bluetooth connectivity.
The more you can get for less than $100, the better, right? So if a record player can play CDs or cassettes, or has a built-in radio, that’s a huge advantage. This turns it into a whole entertainment center with vinyl playback available.
The ability to convert your vinyl collection into digital MP3 files might be one of the best features of modern record players. This was, you can create a digital collection of your vinyl and play it on-the-go wherever you are while keeping your records safe. You can record your vinyl directly to a USB flash drive or connect your record player to a computer, depending on the features of a specific record player you choose.
And there you have it. If you’ve got a collection of vinyl records but have long since thrown out your old record player, then you’ve got plenty to choose from. Similarly, if you’re just looking to get into vinyl, but you’re not sure if you want to spend a whole lot of cash, then there are options too. Read through all of the products, give each one some good consideration, and then you’ll be in a good position to make a decision. All of the products we’ve chosen are going to be right for different people, whether you’re looking for something super modern like the Miric, full of functionality like the Victrola, or stylish like the Musitrend.
