Best televisions

TVs come in a variety of shapes and sizes and with specific functions to suit any home entertainment needs. Whether you want to set up your own 3D cinema or watch your favorite football team in HD, there is a television with your name on it! There are hundreds of types on the market, and deciding can leave you confused. To help search through your options and find the right match for you, we have put together this shopping guide.

Choosing a size and style will be determined by how much space your entertainment area has and what you will be watching most of. TVs are available in a range of sizes: portable, 32 inch, 40 inch, and 50 inch, being the most popular. They also differ in technology and can be categorized as follows: Plasma, LED LCD, 3D, Smart (also known as a hybrid or connected TV), and 4k (or Ultra HD) TVs. These options come in: flat screens or curved and are either standing or wall mounted. To help you choose the perfect television for you and your family we have broken them down into the various types.

LED LCD TVs: These are popular TVs, often simply called LED TVs, and give you more flexibility when choosing brands and sizes. They have matte screens which means far less glare for those brighter entertainment areas or living rooms. As a bonus, they use less electricity, which means better on your pocket in the long run.

3D TVs: With 3D TVs you are able to replicate that 3D cinema magic. These are TVs that let you watch normal 2D programing perfectly as well as all those 3D movies from the comfort of your sofa. They normally include passive or active 3D glasses. Active glasses are capable of full 1080p imagery which means amazing visuals. Passive glasses don’t need batteries and are a lightweight comfortable fit with lower image distortion.

Smart TVs: These TVs are integrated with your internet connection and are a hybrid between TV and computer technologies. Most of these televisions allow you to plug directly into your router (some offer wi-fi capabilities), making it possible to make use of popular online streaming services.

4k TVs: With higher resolutions, these give you crystal clear clarity. Even the smallest objects have more detail with these TVs. Images are lifelike and as close to the real thing as you can get. Offering you top of the range technology, they are an ideal addition to a modern entertainment set-up.

Flat Screen TVs: These are far lighter and thinner than older traditional television sets. Most modern flat screens are LED LCD technology sets and offer great resolution. Flat screen designs allow for more viewers in bigger rooms so no one will miss that winning touch down.

Curved TVs: These are said to be the TVs of the future. They are top of the range televisions that make you feel like you are in the movies. The penultimate home theatre experience, imaging has more depth and offers lifelike viewing.

Plasma TVs: Perfect for those low-light rooms, plasmas offer a wider viewing angle and accurate colours. They are great good value for money TVs that come in a variety of sizes to fit your living room and are well-fitted for dens and darker living or TV rooms.

1. Easy to use: To get the most out of your television, having one that is easy to use is key! TVs that are easy to set up as well as offering simple menu navigation and setting changes are highly rated by their owners.
2. Picture Quality: Reviewers who love their televisions love the picture quality. This is super important because it will affect your viewing pleasure, and choosing a TV with bright imaging, accurate colours and deep blacks will keep you happy for years.
3. Ports: Ports allow you to plug in laptops, hard drives, internet cables and phones, and TVs without enough of these are not reviewed as high. Having a variety of well-placed ports will add huge value to your television and give you a lot more viewing options.
4. Lightweight: Lightweight TVs are rated very high. The reason for this is when bringing your TV home for the first time, or if you plan on moving your entertainment center, a light television makes this hassle free.

• If you are going to use your TV for gaming, plasma and LED sets that are 120 HZ or faster are highly recommended as they blur less.
• If you're planning to watch a lot of sports, plasmas and LEDs (which work better against glare in brighter areas) are perfect for fast action sports.
• To make sure your TV will fit perfectly, measure the space you have before making your purchase. Wall mounted TVs are great space savers and fit neatly against your wall. There are many sizes and styles to fit any size room.
• When choosing an LED LCD TV, it is good to consider the Herz (Hz). This is how many times per second a picture is refreshed and the faster the speed, the less distortion your set will have. The standard is 120 Hz and if you are planning a lot of 3D viewing you will need something faster.
• Different sets offer different connection options for your blu-ray players, laptops, phones and tablets. A good television will come with 3 or more connection points to make your entertainment set-up efficient.
• To make sure your home cinema feels like the real thing, consider the sound quality of the set or invest in a good sound bar for the ultimate home viewing experience.
• The blacker your blacks are, the higher the contrast. The higher the contrast, the better the picture quality and more lifelike the images. Checking reviews for the black output of your television before purchasing will help you choose the best picture quality for you.
• Style is important to consider. Is the TV is going to be the focal point of your living room or do you want it hidden away? Wall mounted TVs tend to blend in more and take up less space whereas standing TVs fit nicely into or onto a TV unit for a great looking entertainment area.

Vizio: Founded in 2002 and based in Irvine, California, Vizio has made a name for themselves in the HD television market.

Toshiba: Toshiba was founded in 1938 in Tokyo, Japan. For over 135 years they have manufacturing a full range of smart digital life products and consumer electronics, designed by the best and the brightest.

Samsung: Samsung began in 1938 as a Korean trading company, and by 2013 had $327b in global revenue and is a renowned television brand.

Seiki: Though Chinese-owned, Seiki Digital is headquartered in Diamond Bar, California. They are known for manufacturing high quality HD and ultra-HD televisions.