9 Best Home Projectors for a Theater-Like Experience
Ditch the flat-screen TV's "black box on the wall" effect with a slick new projector.

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In an age of cord-cutting and streamable content, the need for an actual TV is less appealing for many of us — and the trend is driving huge interest to home projectors. These compact devices make it possible to watch movies and TV shows simply by hooking up your laptop or streaming device (Roku, Fire Stick, Apple TV — you name it) and projecting the picture onto a screen or blank wall. It gives you the potential for a massive theater-like picture, while eliminating the “black box effect” that design-minded homeowners have complained about since flat-screens TVs took over living room walls.
In seeking out the best home projectors, the tech experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute certainly caught up on their binge watching. But what they were really looking for were factors like ease of setup, image and sound quality, and overall value. They also made sense of the alphabet soup of lingo you’ll encounter as shop for a home projector — DLP vs. LCD, HD vs. 1080, and so on.
By the time the electrostatic dust had settled, our experts had collected hundreds of data points across more than a dozen home projectors. As with our other smart home product reviews — from smart locks to universal remotes — the following roundup is based upon comprehensive categorical testing, road testing of newer models and reviewing updates to past favorites.
Here are the top projectors for home use that the Good Housekeeping Institute recommends:
- Best Overall Home Projector: Epson Home Cinema 2150
- Best Value Home Projector: Optoma HD146x High Performance Projector
- Best 4K Home Projector: Vava 4K UST Laser TV Home Theatre Projector
- Best Short-Throw Home Projector: BenQ HT2150ST 1080P Short Throw Projector
- Best Ultra-Short Home Projector: Samsung Premiere Projector
- Best All-in-One Home Projector: LG U80KA 4K UHD Laser Smart TV Home Theater CineBeam Projector
- Best Compact Home Projector: Anker Nebula Capsule II Smart Mini Projector
- Best Home Projector for Alexa Users: Optoma UHD51A 4K UHD Smart Home Theater Projector
- Best Home Projector for Kid's Entertainment: Hachi Infinite M1 Magic Box
Having written thousands of product reviews and how-to articles on all aspects of home ownership, from routine maintenance to major renovations, Dan (he/him) brings more than 20 years of industry experience to his role as the director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. A one-time roofer and a serial remodeler, Dan can often be found keeping house at his restored Brooklyn brownstone, where he lives with his wife and kids.
Rachel Rothman was the chief technologist and executive technical director of the Good Housekeeping Institute for over 15 years, overseeing testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. She also managed GH's research division and the analysis of applicants for the GH Seal and all other testing emblems.


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