6 Affordable Turntables That Are Worth Buying In 2026

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Vinyl is, as you’re probably tired of hearing by now, huge. Driven by megastars such as Taylor Swift, vinyl sales broke past the $1 billion mark in 2025, capping a meteoric rise in sales of $800 million since 2016. It’s undoubtedly the vanguard of the general resurgence of physical media, and it looks like the format is merely going from strength to strength: According to MusicWeek, vinyl sales grew 16.4% year-on-year in the first half of 2026, setting the stage for another massive 12 months.

This is not a new phenomenon, of course. Vinyl has been back for nearly two decades as of 2026. This means that, unlike the modern cassette player market, which is much smaller, there’s a dizzying number of new turntables out there. From big-name, legacy brands like Technics and Rega to newer entrants like Fluance and U-Turn, there really is a turntable out there for everyone. It just depends, as ever, on how much you’re willing to spend.

Thankfully, you don’t actually have to part with that much cash to get a solid, reliable turntable. There are a handful of great options under the $600 mark that can do a great job and will serve as a solid upgrade, be it from an old thrifted turntable or a cheap all-in-one record player. And while, yes, you could go with one of the latter to really save money, there are plenty of reasons to prefer turntables to record players, and so we’ll focus on the former.

I spent over five years working part-time at a record store, and one of our most common recommendations when a customer asked for a starter turntable was the Audio-Technica AT-LP60. While it’s still a great option for absolute beginners, it has some limitations that mean it won’t be for everyone, not least the lack of a significant upgrade path due to its lower-quality fixed cartridge.

The newer Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT does not, admittedly, resolve that issue entirely, as it still has a tonearm with an integrated cartridge. The difference is that it uses the brand’s VM95 styli, which are higher quality than the ones available to the LP60. They also include higher-end variations like the Shibata-equipped VMN95SH, which is a very capable stylus for the price. The 95C stylus it comes with isn’t amazing, but it’s honestly not that bad, either, and the LP70 sounds good enough to serve most vinyl hobbyists well. Sure, it’s pricier than the LP60 at around $300, but you could conceivably use the LP70XBT as it is for a while and focus your energy on, say, getting acquainted with the quirks of shopping for used vinyl instead.

The LP70XBT has, as the final two letters suggest, Bluetooth connectivity, but those of you interested in wired operation will appreciate the inclusion of a defeatable phono preamp that sounds surprisingly good. It’s also a fully automatic turntable, which is a good newbie-friendly feature. You press a button to start, and it does the rest, including lifting the tonearm once the record ends.

Sony’s PS-LX310BT does not immediately stand out, at least not based on its specs. This isn’t to say that it’s a bad turntable — far from that — but what it offers is not, on paper, unique. It has Bluetooth connectivity and is automatic, both of which are quite common. It also has a not-insignificant downside in the form of an integrated cartridge without any adjustability, which means you can’t really tweak it or get a better cart once your tastes evolve. This makes the Sony essentially plug-and-play, though, which some of you will appreciate.

The reason the PS-LX310BT is on this list is that it sounds remarkably good for the price, and has a decent phono stage as well. No, you’re not getting audiophile-grade output from the Sony, and putting it side-by-side to a higher-end turntable (especially one with a better cartridge) will show up its deficiencies, but what audio it does pump out is very enjoyable. I’ve spent time with one and, while I would never take it over my Technics SL1200, I wouldn’t say it’s leagues worse either.

Sony’s offering is also one of the most living-room-friendly turntables in its $450-ish price bracket, too. While most will probably accept that a turntable will never fully blend into the furniture, the PS-LX310BT’s sleek, unobtrusive lines and minimalist cool do at least mean it won’t stick out like a sore thumb in a modern living space either. Not everyone wants their Hi-Fi setup to be the center of attention, after all.

There are quite a lot of options for the buyer seeking a longterm solution and willing to spend $600 to do so. Pro-Ject and Rega have some appealing options in this price range, but we think that the one to go for, and one of the best turntables overall, is the Fluance RT85 or RT85N — especially given its availability in the U.S. and $550 MSRP.

The RT85 is, spec-wise, probably one of the best deals in its price bracket. The standout is the cartridge: The 85 ships with an Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge, which, in my experience, is noticeably better than almost every other cartridge you’ll get on a comparably priced new turntable. It’s not the greatest cart ever, but it’s a detailed performer that’s a cut above carts like the Ortofon 2M Red on the U-Turn Orbit Special, which costs about the same. The Fluance RT85N swaps the Ortofon for the similarly great Nagaoka MP-110, my entry-level cartridge of choice.

Both versions have auto-stop, an MDF plinth and acrylic platter combo, speed control, a fully adjustable tonearm, and a removable headshell for easy cartridge swaps — all features that I guarantee you will find useful if you stick with the vinyl hobby for a few years. No, you don’t get a phono preamp, which means will have to spend more than the RT85’s $550 MSRP, but that’s a small price to pay in the long run. Either way, once you figure that out, though, you’ll be treated to a great-sounding turntable that makes good use of the cartridge it comes with.

Most affordable turntables are belt-driven, which means that the motor spins a belt, which then pulls the platter around. It’s a perfectly adequate technology present on cheap and high-end decks alike, but having choice — and the chance to go with an alternative — can only be a good thing. That’s what the Audio-Technica AT-LP120XBT offers. And a lot more besides, of course.

The AT-LP120 is a direct-drive turntable, which means that it has a motor that spins the platter directly. This has some benefits, such as better torque and more stable rotational speed, at the cost of noise from the motor potentially being transmitted to the stylus. As a dyed-in-the-wool direct-drive turntable user, though, I feel that said drawback is somewhat overstated — especially in this context, where you’re not likely to be pairing a $450 turntable with a setup that’s revealing (and expensive) enough to expose any noise issues.

Admittedly, the LP120 isn’t the biggest and best-sounding turntable ever, but it is perfectly adequate for the price, with solid sound quality and an easy upgrade path. You can either swap new VM95 stylus onto the included Audio-Technica cartridge or install an entirely new cartridge, thanks to the standard cartridge mount and fully-adjustable tonearm. You also get a pitch control, support for 78s, a built-in phono preamp, Bluetooth connectivity, and a USB output — although the latter is a bit noisy. None of these are must-haves, but they’re all great value-adds that make the LP120 quite compelling.

If you’re looking for turntables with the potential to serve you well for a very long time and don’t mind compromising on features to hit lower price points, U-Turn’s Orbit turntables are worth considering. The starter model, the Orbit Basic, comes in at just $249. It’s as basic as turntables can get, with manual switching between 33 and 45 RPM, no tonearm cue lever, fixed tracking weight, and non-adjustable anti-skate.

Not everyone will like the no-frills design, but it delivers on the sound quality front and is a significant upgrade over bad turntables like the $280 Victrola Automatic. Of course, you can get better-sounding turntables, but the Orbit Basic will give you a fine taste of what vinyl can offer — and that’s more than enough for the price. If you’re willing to spend a bit more, you can step up to the $400 Orbit Plus or the $550 Orbit Special. These have better cartridges — an Ortofon OM5E on the Plus and a 2M Red on the Special — and upgraded materials, such as an acrylic platter on the Orbit Plus (versus the MDF platter on the Basic).

If you can afford it, the Orbit Special is the U-Turn product to consider. Not only does it sound genuinely good, it also includes creature comforts like a cue lever and convenient speed switching via a dial. The value proposition does diminish slightly, given that anti-skate and tracking weight are still fixed (not an issue on, say, the Fluance RT85), but it’s a fine purchase if you like U-Turn’s vibe.

To put together this list of affordable turntables, we first had to decide on a definition of “affordable.” We settled on a $600 ceiling, which, while not outright cheap, is relatively affordable considering that higher-end turntables can easily cost $2,500 or more. After setting a cutoff point for price, we then selected a handful of turntables based primarily on professional reviews from reputable publications, combined with hands-on experience.

Generally speaking, we made sure to choose turntables with a reputation for good build quality, enjoyable sound, long-term viability, and solid functionality for a wide range of users with no major deal-breakers. Sub-$600 turntables will never be the final word in terms of vinyl reproduction, materials, or premium design cues, of course, and there will always be compromises, but a good one can and will serve as a great starting point for new record collectors and budding Hi-Fi enthusiasts.