With so many top quality options to choose from, it can seem to be a daunting task to select the best telescope. To help you make the right decision, we have prepared a list of the best telescope reviews. This makes the task of choosing from the hundreds of different telescope available just a little easier!
Independent telescope reviews
Best telescope reviews for all astronomers
No matter whether you are looking for a telescope for beginners, or a professional telescope, or you want to buy a telescope for kids, then we have provided a range of the best telescope reviews. From the best value telescope to the best rated telescope, we have included a complete list of best telescope reviews.
| Telescope Model | Aperture | Magnification | Type | Weight | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
  | Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker | 127 mm | 18 times | Equatorial Reflector Telescope | 17 Pounds | Click here to buy the Celestron 127 EQ PowerSeeker. |
  | Celestron NexStar 130SLT Computerized Telescope | 130 mm | 26 times | Reflector telescope | 30 Pounds | Click Here to see our detailed review NexStar 130SLT |
  | Orion 10012 SkyScanner TableTop Telescope | 100 mm | 20 times | Table Top Reflector Telescope | 6.2 Pounds | Click here to see the Orion TableTop Telescope |
  | Celestron PowerSeeker 70AZ Telescope for kids | 70 mm | 15 times | Refractor Telescope | 7 Pounds | Click here to see the Celestron PowerSeeker 70AZ |
  | Orion SkyQuest XT6 Classic Dobsonian Telescope | 150 mm | 29 times | Dobsonian Telescope | 35 Pounds | Click here to buy the Orion SkyQuest XT6 Classic Dobsonian Telescope |
  | Orion 8945 SkyQuest XT8 Reflector Telescope | 200 mm | 65 times | Reflector Telescope | 41 Pounds | Click here for detailed review of the XT8 |
  | Orion 8946 SkyQuest XT10 Dobsonian Telescope | 250 mm | 72 times | Dobsonian Telescope | 72 Pounds | Detailed Review Orion 8946 SkyQuest XT10 |
  | Orion 10018 SkyQuest XT8i IntelliScope | 200 mm | 65 times | Dobsonian Telescope | 42 Pounds | Detailed Review of the Orion 10018 SkyQuest XT8i |
Best Telescope Reviews
The following telescope reviews represent the best telescopes on the market. The nature of telescopes means that they get bigger and more expensive for every additional level of magnification, so there is a limit to how much we can spend. The larger the aperture lens of a telescope, the more light is gathered and magnified inside the instrument. The higher the magnification, the more detail you can see of the image that you want to look at. The higher the magnification, the higher the cost!
We have broken the list of best telescope reviews into a bunch of categories to make your choice just a little easier:
- Best telescope under $200
- Best telescope for beginners
- Best portable telescope
- Best telescope for kids
- Best value telescope
- Best telescope
- Best telescope reviews – live the dream!
1. Best telescope under $200:
Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker
But if you have a constrained budget, or if you just want to get started with this hobby, then the Celestron 127EQ is an excellent choice of telescope. It also a good choice of telescope for children, because it is so easy to set up and use. We discuss the best telescopes for kids a little later, where you might be interested to buy a smaller telescope for kids. The Celestron 127EQ is large and powerful enough for adults and children to use.
What we like about the Celestron 127EQ:
The Celestron 127EQ is simple to set up, and does not require tools to put it together. In fact, you can unpack it and get started almost straight away. We always include Celestron telescopes on our list of best telescope reviews because of the high quality of the components in these telescopes. The internal optics are of the highest quality coated glass components, and there has not been compromise on quality.
The Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker comes with two included eyepieces, which adds many multiples to the magnification power. The 20 mm and 4mm eyepieces provide an excellent coverage of magnifying power, depending on which subject you choose to observe. The package also comes with a software package which contains a database of hundreds of stars and nebulae to make your search much simpler.
Overall, the Celestron 127EQ is a great choice of best telescope under $200.
Click here to buy the Celestron 127 EQ PowerSeeker.
2. Best telescope for beginners:
Celestron NexStar 130SLT
The Celestron NexStar 130SLT is a computerized telescope which means that it can be programmed to locate and focus on whatever selected object you choose to look for. Rather than fusing about with the controls of the telescope, with the Celestron NexStar 130 SLT, you can let the computerized telescope do the work for you. All you need to do is focus on the wonderful view of your chosen target object, while the telescope keeps everything aligned.
What we like about the Celestron NexStar 130 SLT
The Celestron NexStar 130 SLT is one of the best telescopes for beginners because it comes as a complete package with everything you need up front. Many telescopes allow for the addition of a computerized drive system, but you need to be an expert to connect everything together. With the Celestron NexStar 130 SLT, you can be operating like a professional in no time!
Click here to buy the buy the Celestron NexStar 130 SLT
3. Best portable Telescope:
Orion 10012 SkyScanner TableTop Telescope
The benefit of buying a Orion TableTop Telescope is not just about the price. If you already own a large telescope for use in the backyard, or maybe for that occasional visit to a dark sky location, then the TableTop Telescope is an ideal second telescope, which is much easier to take with you on vacation. Likewise if you want to introduce your kids to using a telescope, it can be a fun way to spend time during a vacation.
What we like about the Orion SkyScanner TableTop Telescope
Known as a table top telescope, this handy little telescope represents great value for money as well as convenience. Ideal for teaching kids about the moon, the stars and the planets, the Orion TableTop Telescope is easy to use and quite capable. Despite its small and compact size, the 100 mm aperture allows ample magnification. The Orion TableTop Telescope is built from quality components and provides clear images and is easy to operate.
Click here to see more information about the Orion TableTop Telescope.
4. Best Telescope for kids:
Celestron PowerSeeker 70AZ
We recommend the Celestron PowerSeeker 70AZ as a suitable option as the best telescope for kids because it has quality optical components on the inside, but it easy for kids to handle on the outside. The good news is that it doesn’t cost a whole lot more than some of the so called toy telescopes for kids, which are no good at all.
What we like about the Celestron PowerSeeker 70AZ for kids
The Celestron PowerSeeker 70AZ is a great choice of telescope for kids because it is sturdy enough to handle a little rough treatment, and it is not too large for kids to aim and focus on the stars. In fact, we think this is the best telescope for kids because it offers an rewarding experience for children to learn about the joys of star gazing, as they learn to have fun with astronomy.
Click here to see more information about the Celestron Celestron PowerSeeker 70AZ.
5. Best Value Telescope:
Orion SkyQuest XT6 Classic Dobsonian
The Orion SkyQuest XT6 Classic Dobsonian is a reflector style telescope with an aperture of 150 mm, and an internal focal length 1200mm. As we have come to expect from Orion, the optical tube is constructed of solid steel tubing to protect the internal components.
What we like about the Orion SkyQuest XT6 Classic Dobsonian
The Orion SkyQuest XT6 is a great mid-range telescope that offers a compromise between the highest magnification but is not too expensive. The Orion XT6 offers excellent quality images, with the ability to see all the near sky objects such as the moon, the planets, as well as stars, galaxies and even some nebulae.
Click here to buy the Orion SkyQuest XT6 Classic Dobsonian Telescope.
6. Best Telescope Reviews:
Orion SkyQuest XT8
The Orion XT8 boasts a stunning 200 mm aperture, and magnification up to 65 times. This telescope features a high quality parabolic mirror mounted in the precision optical tube. The design of this telescope is exceptional and it is designed for bright optical images. The good thing about this telescope is that it is very forgiving, and anyone from a beginner to an experience astronomer will be impressed with the magnification of this incredible telescope.
What we like about the Orion SkyQuest XT8
The mighty Orion SkyQuest XT8 is a truly great opportunity to own a fantastic piece of technology for a reasonable price. With an incredible 200 mm aperture, the Orion XT8 Dobsonian Telescope provides an opportunity for astronomers of all levels to see far beyond what people realize is possible. From near sky objects to all corners of the universe, the Orion XT8 is one of our best telescope reviews and one of the most powerful. This package comes with a Crayford focusing tool, a precision DeepView 28 mm eyepiece and a 10 mm Plossl eyepiece, which takes the magnification levels all the way up to 65 times.
Click Here to read our in depth review of the Orion XT8 Reflector Telescope.
Make no mistake, this is a serious piece of high tech equipment, but it is available for anyone to own and experience – the viewing images are simply stunning.
Click Here to read more about the Orion XT8 Reflector Telescope at Amazon.
7. Best Telescope Reviews – Why not live the Dream?
Orion 8946 SkyQuest XT10 Classic Telescope
It goes without saying that the Orion XT10 is one of the best gig telescopes on the market. The best part is that you don’t need a mortgage to buy one. The Orion XT10 is expensive, but for less than $650 you can buy a large telescope with incredible power and magnification. The Orion XT10 offers fantastic image clarity and intensity, and you will never cease to be enthralled at the clarity of the planets, galaxies, and star clusters. Images of far distant objects that you never thought reachable, will become possible!
Live the dream – best telescope reviews
The Classic Orion XT10 has a 10 inch aperture which is double that of most of the common telescopes on the market. In reality this means that the XT10 is far more than twice as powerful, it is head and shoulders above the others on our list of best telescope reviews. The magnification of images with the Orion XT10 is up there with the standards used by professional astronomers. Sure it does cost a little more to buy, but when you are ready to step up to the next level, it is always nice to know what to aspire to!
What we like about the Orion XT10
Apart from the price, the Orion XT10 is also a little on the heavy side, as it is a very large piece of precision telescope. The Orion XT10 is not something you can easily carry around with you every day, but this should not prevent you from sharing the experience with family, and friends. That is the impressive feature of the best telescope reviews, the larger the magnification power, the larger the telescope becomes. If you are serious about astronomy, or if you plan to stick with this hobby for a few years, then we strongly recommend that you live the dream and take a look at the Orion XT10.
Click here to look at the Orion XT10 at the Amazon store.
8. Best Telescope Reviews – Keep living the Dream!
Orion 10018 SkyQuest XT8i IntelliScope Dobsonian Telescope
As suggested, the Orion SkyQuest XT8i Intelliscope Computerized Telescope provides the same magnification power as the 200 mm Orion XT8. With all the power of the high quality optical components combined with the intelligence of Orion’s computerized tracking technology, the Orion XT8i becomes a formidable telescope.
The best telescope reviews for all levels of astronomers
The purpose of designing and building such a high technology telescope is not to over complicate things, but actually to make the telescope easier to use for beginners as well as experts. With the advanced computerized technology, even an amateur stargazer can pinpoint the location of anything in the universe. Why not choose your very own tour guide to show you all the stars, the planets, and distant sights that you never thought possible. Even the experienced astronomer can appreciate the benefit of simply allowing the computerized star finder aim and focus the Orion XT8i telescope by remote control.
What we like about the Orion 10018 SkyQuest XT8i IntelliScope
The computerized star finder can track and locate up to 14,000 different objects in the universe and the database comes with the telescope to make it easy to get up and running. All you need to do is choose a target from the database, and let the computer do all the hard work for you. This incredible technology puts the Orion XT8i computerized telescope on our list of the best telescope reviews.
Or click here to browse the best telescopes on the market right now!
