Products of the Year: Christmas Gift Guide 2009 >

Blu-ray Players

Vincent Lheur
Updated: November 5, 2009

Product Surveys, Tests and Guides

If you can't find the Blu-ray player that's right for you here, go ahead and check our full range of tests in our Product Survey: Blu-ray Players.

Go straight to our pick of 2009

What better accessory for your new HD television than a Blu-ray player? At the moment, they offer the very best quality video currently available. But a Blu-ray player can also breathe new life into your DVD collection, too. Moving from an older analog DVD player connected over SCART, composite or S-video to a Blu-ray player with a HDMI connection will produce better results with your DVDs.

Given the combination of a great quality image, low rental prices, a wide catalogue and the enduring appeal of owning a physical copy of your favourite movie, Blu-ray discs seem sure to have a steady future. This Christmas, sales should really take off, with prices increasingly rivalling those of regular DVDs. Prices keep on falling so now could be the time to take the plunge!

Our Icons

Best value

We love it

Green

Best of the best

Our favourite
Uncompromising quality

Pioneer BDP-320

Prices unavailable Recommended alternatives

The Pioneer BDP-320 is a Blu-ray player that produces excellent quality video, but also does an incredible job of upscaling DVDs to HD. That makes it the ideal choice for anybody with a large 1080p Full HD screen, but if you don't watch too many DVDs, you might like to try a more affordable model.

A bargain-cheap but powerful
Samsung BD-P1500

Blu-ray player & console
Sony PS3 Slim

Best value for money
Panasonic DMP-BD60

Today, you don't need to spend much more than £100 to get a Blu-ray player that was, in its day (just a year ago), one of the best of the bunch. It's a very good choice for a very low price.

If you're a gamer and you're already thinking about buying a PS3 Slim, you should know that it's also a great Blu-ray player. Its only weakness: it uses more energy and is louder than a dedicated player.

This model is the perfect compromise between quality, features and price. It's little wonder the BD60 is a best-seller!

Prices unavailable Recommended alternatives