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Ranking 235 US Telescopes Price-wise

Rank & ratings last updated on

2024 August Update: Orion Telescopes & Binoculars's retail website went offline on July 31st and their storefronts are all shut down from mid-July. We're in the process of removing Orion's and Meade's (Orion owns Meade) telescopes from our recommendations and rank lists.
We recommend avoiding Amazon for telescopes that cost more than $500 USD or so. Amazon has been known to fail to ship the second box of a multi-box order, like a Dobsonian telescope tube and its base. Reclaiming either the other half of your order or a full refund can be difficult. They can also be negligent with your item and damage it, or even ship a returned item as a different one. Instead, consider ordering from a reputable astronomy vendor. Of all the US retailers, High Point Scientific and AgenaAstro are the community favorites.
All Altitude-Azimuths
Freestanding Dobsonians Only
Tabletop Dobsonians Only
All Equatorials
All Reflectors
Reflectors on Tripod
Reflectors on Tabletop Dobsonian
Reflectors on Dobsonian
Refractors
Catadioptrics (MCT, SCT, e.t.c.)
Schmidt-Cassegrains
Maksutov-Cassegrains
Manual
Computerized
Partially Computerized (PushTo)
Fully Computerized (GoTo)
$150
$200
$300
$450
$650
$1000
$1250
$1750
$2500
$4000

Rank Category: Telescopes Around ~$75

Telescopes priced under $100 make significant quality and utility sacrifices, reducing them to little more than fun toys for casual glances at the Moon, planets, and other bright targets. However, if it’s all you can afford, the scopes below still beat having nothing. We highly recommend investing in a good pair of astronomy binoculars for the price, or consider increasing your budget to at least $150.
List Price: $79
Celestron FirstScope 76 or Moon Version
Check Price at Amazon
While not particularly useful overall, the FirstScope offers a super-cheap introduction to the world of telescopes in a diminutive package. It’s not a serious observation tool by any means. The views through this instrument at even low powers are mushy, and the eyepieces feel like looking through a drinking straw. The FirstScope Moon version is identical but with a different optical tube decoration.
National Geographic 76mm Compact Reflector
Rank 2
3.1/5
Little more than a rebadged FirstScope with low-quality Huygens eyepieces and a higher price, the NatGeo 76mm is a poor deal when you can get FirstScope versions that come with acceptable-quality accessories (though the same flawed optics) at its price range.
Check Amazon Price
List Price: $94.95
Rank 3Carson JC-200 76mm f/3.9 SkySeeker Reflector2.9
Rank 4Gskyer Telescope 70mm Refractor2.5
Rank 5Celestron Powerseeker 70AZ Refractor2.2
Rank 6National Geographic 70mm AZ Refractor2.2
Rank 7Hexeum Telescope 70mm Refractor2.2
Rank 8Honslis Telescope for Kids Adults,70mm Aperture 500mm2.1
Rank 9Barska Starwatcher 525 Power Telescope2
Rank 10Celestron Travel Scope 70 Refractor1.9
Rank 11Celestron PowerSeeker 60 EQ Refractor
1.9
Rank 12Celestron PowerSeeker 60 AZ Refractor1.9
Rank 13Celestron Travel Scope 60 DX Refractor1.8
Rank 14Celestron AstroMaster LT 60AZ Refractor1.7
Rank 15Zhumell 60 AZ Refractor1.6
Rank 16Celestron PowerSeeker 50 AZ Refractor1.4
Rank 17iOptron iExplore 70AZ Refractor1.4
Rank 18ToyerBee Telescope 70mm Refractor1.3
Rank 19Zhumell Z60 Refractor1.3
Rank 20Zhumell Z50 Refractor1.3
Rank 21Celestron Travel Scope 50 Refractor1.3
Rank 22Barska 300 Power Starwatcher1.2
Rank 23Discover with Dr. Cool NASA Lunar Telescope1

Rank Category: Telescopes Around ~$150

Even the best telescopes in the $150 range are limited by their small aperture. Additionally, upgrading to nicer accessories with any of these scopes places you in a higher price bracket where there are better options. As such, it’s worth still considering binoculars and saving your money for a bigger scope if this is all you have to spend right now.
Zhumell Z100
List Price: $159
Zhumell Z100 Tabletop Dobsonian
Check Price at Amazon
The Zhumell Z100, unlike most other smaller sub-$150 scopes, has a truly parabolic primary mirror that allows for sharp images. Z100, being a tabletop Dobsonian reflector, is great for looking at the deep sky due to its inherent wide field of view, and it returns okay results with planets as well. It’s also extremely portable, fitting into even a moderate-sized backpack.
Sarblue Maksutov 60 telescope with dobsonian type of mount
List Price: $159
SarBlue Mak60 with Dobsonian Mount
Check Price at Amazon
It won’t win any prizes for stunning deep-sky vistas if it competes with the Zhumell Z100, but the Mak60 and Dobsonian mount package provide a tremendously portable scope with even sharper views of the Moon, planets, and double stars than the Z100. It has a reasonably useful set of included accessories and a steady, easy-to-aim mount.
SarBlue Mak60 with Freestanding Tripod
Rank 3
3.8/5
The Mak60 configuration, which has a standard photo tripod, works well. But we find aiming and tracking targets at high magnifications with the provided tripod frustrating and challenging. This scope is still great for viewing the Moon and planets, though.
Check Amazon Price
List Price: $159.99
Sarblue Mak60 with Tabletop Tripod
Rank 4
3.6/5
The Mak60/tabletop tripod combination is the cheapest available. But we found it extremely hard to aim and that is worsened by the lack of a dedicated finder scope. While usable, this wasn’t exactly a fun package for us. However, if you already have a sturdy, high-quality standard photo tripod and can get used to the tiny nibs on the optical tube for aiming, this package will save you a few bucks.
Check Amazon Price
List Price: $129.99
BRESSER National Geographic NT114CF Reflector
Rank 5
3.3/5
The NT114CF’s optical quality is questionable, and the mount is not the best we've found in the price range. However, it is acceptable, and the 114mm aperture combined with the short focal length make it great for viewing deep-sky objects as well as the Moon and planets.
Check Amazon Price
List Price: $109.99
Explore Scientific FirstLight 90mm Doublet Refractor with AZ Mount
Rank 6
3.1/5
The FirstLight 90mm doublet provides pleasing low-magnification views and is easy to use. However, we've felt that the included tripod is less-than-stable. Also, like most other cheap refractors we've tested, this scope also suffers from chromatic aberration on bright targets such as the Moon and planets.
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List Price: $129.99
Celestron PowerSeeker 80 EQ Refractor
Rank 7
3.1/5
We see the PowerSeeker 80EQ as an okay telescope, but its equatorial mount isn't the best and the supplied eyepieces and finderscope are nearly unusable, making it a less-than-decent choice in our eyes. However, we need to mention that it does have adjustable tube rings, which allow us to balance and rotate the tube more freely.
Check Amazon Price
List Price: $199.95
Celestron PowerSeeker 80AZS Refractor
Rank 8
3.1/5
The PowerSeeker 80AZS is almost useless for planetary and lunar observing thanks to its high amounts of chromatic aberration and abysmal included 4mm eyepiece and Barlow. But we confess that it makes for a great wide-field instrument for viewing large deep-sky objects with its 20mm eyepiece.
Check Amazon Price
List Price: $179.99
Celestron AstroMaster 76 EQ Reflector
Rank 9
3.1/5
If we take away the fact that the AstroMaster 76EQ reflector has significantly less light-gathering ability than even a 70mm refractor, it offers potentially the sharpest images of any of the scopes in its price range on a relatively sturdy mount.
Check Amazon Price
List Price: $170
Rank 10Galileo G-80DB Tabletop Dobsonian3
Rank 11Celestron PowerSeeker 70 EQ Refractor3
Rank 12Bresser Callisto 70mm EQ Refractor3
Rank 13Celestron AstroMaster 70EQ Refractor
2.9
Rank 14Carson RedPlanet RP-100 76mm Reflector2.8
Rank 15Abotec 80mm Aperture 500mm Refractor2.7
Rank 16Celestron AstroMaster LT 76AZ Reflector2.7
Rank 17Celestron Travel Scope 80 Refractor
2.5
Rank 18Explore FirstLight 70mm Refractor AZ Mount
2.5
Rank 19National Geographic StarApp70 Refractor2.5
Rank 20Celestron PowerSeeker 114 AZ Reflector2.3
Rank 21Celestron PowerSeeker 114 EQ Reflector2.3
Rank 22Celestron AstroMaster LT 70AZ Refractor
2.3
Rank 23Hexeum Telescope 80mm Refractor2.2
Rank 24Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ Refractor2
Rank 25Celestron Travel Scope 70 DX Refractor1.9
Rank 26Celestron ExploraScope 114AZ Reflector1.8
Rank 27HSL76mm Aperture 700mm Reflector1.5

Rank Category: Telescopes Around ~$200

A $200-$250 budget will get you a 4.5" (114mm) tabletop Dobsonian, which offers slightly better views at the eyepiece than a 4" (100mm) due to adjustable collimation, better quality control, and, of course, the larger aperture. A few acceptable, if sub-par, tripod-mounted options are also available at this price.
Zhumell Z114 tabletop dobsonian telescope
List Price: $239
Zhumell Z114 Tabletop Dobsonian
Check Price at Amazon
With a 4.5” high-quality primary mirror that’s easy to collimate, a simple Dobsonian mount, and quality accessories, we declare the Zhumell Z114 as one of the best beginner scopes available, especially for its price, and is a significant step up from the smaller 100mm dobsonian unit, the Zhumell Z100.
Sarblue Maksutov Cassegrain Mak70
List Price: $199
SarBlue Mak70 with Tripod
Check Price at Amazon
A scaled-up version of the nifty Mak60, the SarBlue Mak70 comes with a decent alt-azimuth mount and tripod and an acceptable, if basic, set of accessories. It also has razor-sharp optics, as we expect with any Maksutov-Cassegrain type of telescope. However, like the Mak60, you don’t get a lot of aperture for your money, and this scope is only good for the Moon, planets, and double stars; not deep sky objects.
Explore One Aurora 114 AZ Reflector
Rank 3
3.8/5
The Explore One Aurora 114 is marketed mainly towards kids but makes for a surprisingly good scope for adults too. The optical tube is identical to the Zhumell Z114’s, the full-sized mount/tripod has slow-motion controls, and the included eyepieces are quite good. However, the Aurora’s red-dot finder is very poorly made, and overall, the scope has a relatively cheap feel to its construction.
$179 at ExploreScientific
Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 80AZ Refractor
Rank 4
3.7/5
The StarSense Explorer LT 80AZ Refractor has decent optics and a pair of quality eyepieces included. We also find it very easy to aim, thanks to Celestron’s StarSense Explorer Technology. However, due to its pitifully small 80mm aperture, there are probably only a dozen practical targets where the StarSense Explorer app might be of any benefit.
Check Amazon Price
List Price: $229.95
Explore Scientific FirstLight AR80 White Refractor with Twilight Nano
Rank 5
3.7/5
The FirstLight AR80 is cheap and lacks a good set of accessories, but it's hard for us to argue with its good optics, simple and sturdy mount, and almost unmatched convenience. We judge it as great for travel or as a "grab n' go" scope. Because of its moderately high focal ratio of f/8, it doesn't have too much chromatic aberration that's inherent in cheap refractors and can thus provide thrilling views of the Moon and planets. Its wide field of view makes it great for viewing large, deep-sky objects, too.
Check Amazon Price
List Price: $239.99
National Geographic NG114mm Reflector w/ Equatorial Mount
Rank 6
3.6/5
NG 114 is essentially identical to the Zhumell Z114 optically, but on a different mounting. In our view, this is a decent telescope, though the accessories are not the best and the price can often be too high to make sense. Also, this is perched atop a rather spindly EQ-1 equatorial mount. While there is a bit of a learning curve to using the EQ-1, you’re rewarded with a full-sized tripod, equatorial movements, and the ability to upgrade to motorized tracking later on.
Check Amazon Price
List Price: $209.99
Celestron Inspire 80AZ Refractor
Rank 7
3.4/5
The Inspire 80AZ has good optics and comes with decent accessories, but we don't see it offering neither a wide field of view nor an equatorial mount with fine adjustments. Also, we felt that the included red dot finder could be confusing to get used to.
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List Price: $269.95
Explore Scientific FirstLight 114 Twilight Nano Reflector
Rank 8
3.1/5
The FirstLight 114mm Twilight Nano features a full-sized alt-azimuth mount and tripod—but why? If it was a Dobsonian mount, it would have been cheaper, more stable, and easier to aim. If it was an equatorial mount, it would've been more versatile. Also, as with all of the FirstLight scopes, we believe you aren't getting a good deal on the provided accessories, either; they’re basically decorations.
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List Price: $249
Gskyer Telescope 80mm Refractor
Rank 9
3/5
The Gskyer 80mm refractor package certainly has a lot going for it, but we think the low-quality 45-degree prism diagonal is a major detriment to the value of this scope when a new diagonal costs nearly ¼ as much as the whole thing. The included eyepieces are functional but we see them suffering from narrow fields of view on our usage, and an 80mm short refractor isn’t going to provide views to write home about in the first place.
Check Amazon Price
List Price: $248
Rank 10Celestron AstroMaster 90AZ Refractor2.6
Rank 11AstroMaster 80AZS Refractor
2.6
Rank 12Tasco Spacestation 4.5"/114mm Reflector2.5
Rank 13Carson RedPlanet 114mm Reflector2.5
Rank 14StarSense Explorer LT 114AZ Reflector2.4
Rank 15BanJoo 114/900 EQ Reflector2.2
Rank 16Carson RedPlanet 80mm Refractor2.1
Rank 17SOLOMARK 70mm Aperture and 700mm Refractor2
Rank 18Celestron Ambassador 50 Table Top Refractor1.3
Rank 19Celestron PowerSeeker 127EQ Reflector1.3

Rank Category: Telescopes in the $250-$400 range

6” tabletop Dobsonians and 4” refractors, often considered to be the minimum “serious” telescopes to start out with by many amateurs, including myself, are available for $300 and up, offering much better views and capabilities you’re less likely to immediately get tired of compared to a smaller instrument.
SkyWatcher Heritage 150P tabletop dobsonian
Skywatcher Heritage 150P Tabletop Dobsonian
$310 at HighPoint
The SkyWatcher Heritage 150P has a whopping 150mm (6") of aperture, includes a pair of great eyepieces, and also allows its optical tube to be collapsed allowing it to fit into smaller spaces. This collapsible tube feature does create the disadvantage of stray light being able to easily enter the tube, which can be (mostly) remedied by creating or buying a foam shroud. However, we firmly believe that the compactness, cheaper price, and light weight are more than worth this minor inconvenience.
SkyWatcher Heritage 130P tabletop dobsonian
List Price: $275
Sky-Watcher Heritage 130p Tabletop Dobsonian
Check Price at Amazon
The Heritage 130P is essentially a smaller version of the above-ranked 150mm Heritage, with the same user-friendly tabletop Dobsonian mount and collapsible tube but approximately 25% less light-gathering capability.
Zhumell Z130 tabletop dobsonian telescope
List Price: $349
Zhumell Z130 Tabletop Dobsonian
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The Z130 is the best of the Zhumell tabletop Dobsonians, featuring even more aperture than the Zhumell Z114 and a slower focal ratio of f/5, which makes it less demanding on collimation and the quality of eyepieces that can be used. The Z130 comes with tube rings and a nicer focuser when compared to the Heritage 130P. Also, unlike Heritage 130P, Z130 doesn't need a light shroud due to its closed tube design. The downsides are that, at over 20 pounds, you’ll be hard pressed to find a suitable surface for the scope to rest on, and also, the pricing is sometimes a turn-off when compared to that of Heritage 130P.
Popular Science by Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 100AZ
List Price: $349
Popular Science Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 100AZ Refractor
Check Price at Amazon
Sporting the same great features as the $400+ Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ, the Popular Science branded version of the scope is quite a bargain for what you get at the price and compares favorably in view quality to 114mm reflector telescopes like the Zhumell Z114. The StarSense Explorer technology, which helps you in finding objects using your smartphone, is a nice bonus that’s included for essentially no extra-cost.
Celestron StarSense Explorer 114mm Tabletop Dobsonian
Rank 5
4.1/5
Essentially a Zhumell Z114 with the StarSense phone dock added on, the Celestron StarSense Explorer 114mm Dobsonian includes the same 17mm and 10mm Kellner eyepieces as supplied with the $200 Z114. We think of it as a capable but pricey pick. While we consider StarSense Explorer technology to be extremely helpful in locating targets throughout the night sky, for the money, you could get a larger scope instead.
$349.95 at HighPoint
Gskyer 130EQ Reflector
Rank 6
3.8/5
The lack of a well-known brand may be off-putting to some, but the GSKYER 130mm EQ features a tremendously nice 1.25” all-metal Crayford focuser, and the optics, which we tested, were just as good as the other 130mm f/5 reflectors on the market. The included (though mislabeled) set of three 1.25” Kellner eyepieces isn’t bad either. However, the scope’s equatorial mount is not the steadiest, especially compared to a good Dobsonian mount.
Check Amazon Price
List Price: $329.99
Explore FirstLight 100mm Mak-Cassegrain with Twilight Nano Mount
Rank 7
3.7/5
While we find it poorly accessorized and lacking slow-motion controls on its mount, the FirstLight 100mm Maksutov has tremendously good optics. Its compact tube and a lightweight mount make it easy to bring it out in a hurry, or even fly with on a plane. We like that there’s no electronics to worry about either.
$379.99 at ES
Explore FirstLight 80mm EQ3 Refractor
Rank 8
3.7/5
The FirstLight 80 has rock-solid refractor optics with a long enough focal ratio to mostly escape the troubles of chromatic aberration, along with a sturdy equatorial mount. But we don't like the fact that the included accessories are somewhat lacking.
$329.99 at ES
Celestron Inspire 100AZ Refractor
Rank 9
3.5/5
The Inspire 100AZ is admittedly not our favorite choice in its price range due to the chromatic aberration. But its refractors optics offers relatively sharp views and super-low maintenance, plus the potential for terrestrial viewing that reflectors lack. We've also npticed it sporting some nice conveniences, such as a lens cap doubling as a smartphone adapter and some ergonomic improvements to the accessory tray. But it has a significantly inferior mount and an often higher price tag than its competitors.
Check Amazon Price
List Price: $359.95
Explore Scientific FirstLight 130mm EQ3 Reflector
Rank 10
3.3/5
The FirstLight 130mm Newtonian revealed to be undermounted when we tested it. We also came to realize that its secondary mirror is undersized, which in practice, stops down the aperture from the declared 130mm to around 120mm. The included accessories are not very good either. We’d steer clear—the 130mm equatorial scopes from GSKYER is much nicer, and a Dobsonian is still better than these all.
Check Amazon Price
List Price: $349.99
HSL 150EQ Reflector
Rank 11
3.3/5
This generic 150mm f/5 Newtonian reflector comes with a cheap but serviceable set of accessories, along with a sturdy German equatorial mount. However, setting up equatorial scopes can be a bit confusing and we also believe that a decent optical quality is not a guarantee with this maker.
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List Price: $349.99
Sky-Watcher StarTravel 102 AZ3 Refractor
Rank 12
3.3/5
The StarTravel 102AZ3's optics quality is great, and its short 500mm focal length and 2" focuser make it great for wide-field deep-sky sweeping, but the scope's fast f/4.9 optics make it unsuitable for lunar and planetary viewing. Its supplied mount and star diagonal are also far from good for the price.
Check Amazon Price
List Price: $400
Celestron AstroMaster 90EQ Refractor
Rank 13
3.2/5
We see AstroMaster 90EQ as a fairly good instrument, and the included mount holds it adequately. But the included accessories are rather poor, and the equatorial mounts in general can be frustrating for beginners.
Check Amazon Price
List Price: $299.95
Explore Scientific FirstLight 114 Reflector EQ3
Rank 14
3.1/5
The FirstLight 114mm EQ3 is a fine scope, but the included accessories are low-quality and the price tag is quite high for what you get. Consider the Zhumell Z114 or Zhumell Z130 instead if you want a similar reflector.
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List Price: $279.99
Explore FirstLight 102mm Doublet Refractor with EXOS EQ Nano
Rank 15
3.1/5
The 102mm f/9.8 refractor offered by Explore Scientific and Bresser excels in its optical quality, as we've observed. The Exos Nano EQ-3 mount is adequate, though we think weighing it down somehow might be a good idea. You’ll want to replace the accessories, and maybe the focuser too. Think of this one as a blank canvas to turn into a Picasso.
$379.99 at ES
Gskyer 90mm Refractor 
Rank 16
3/5
As with most of Gskyer’s other refractors, the 90mm refractor package comes with a poor-quality erecting prism instead of a 90-degree star diagonal, the tripod is a simple pan-tilt affair that’s not easy to aim, and the included eyepieces feel like you’re looking through a soda straw. You could certainly do a lot worse for the price, but you can also do a lot better by picking any of the scopes ranked above this one in our list.
Check Amazon Price
List Price: $319
Rank 17Explore Scientific FirstLight AR102 Twilight Nano Refractor 3
Rank 18Celestron AstroMaster 102AZ Refractor 2.9
Rank 19Carson RedPlanet 90mm Refractor2.9
Rank 20Konusmotor-130 5" f/7.7 Reflector 2.5
Rank 21KonusNova-114 f/3.8 AZ Reflector2.5
Rank 22Celestron AstroMaster 130 EQ MD Reflector
2.4
Rank 23Celestron AstroMaster 130 EQ Reflector2.4
Rank 24HEXEUM Telescope 130EQ Reflector 2.3
Rank 25ESSENWI 114EQ Reflector2.3
Rank 26Celestron 80 LCM GoTo Refractor 2.2
Rank 27ESSENWI 130mm Reflector 2
Rank 28Celestron AstroMaster 114 EQ Reflector1.7
Rank 29Skyoptikst 1400x 150 mm Reflector 1.5

Rank Category: Telescopes in the range of $400–$550

A budget of $400 allows you to get into the full-sized 6” Dobsonian reflectors. These are the entry-level “grown-up” telescopes. Various options for 5–6” reflectors on a variety of different mounts, as well as decent 4” refractors and catadioptrics, are available at this price. Computerized pointing capabilities (GoTo) are also starting to become a serious option in this price range, with a tabletop computerized Dobsonian being the most highly rated item in this price range.
Sky-Watcher Virtuoso GTi 150 Tabletop GoTo Dobsonian
Sky-Watcher Virtuoso GTi 150P Tabletop Dobsonian GoTo
$470 at HighPoint
The Sky-Watcher Virtuoso GTi 150P is a fully computerized 6” tabletop dobsonian telescope in a compact, lightweight package. With quality optics, well-made included eyepieces, and the ability to be used manually even while the mount’s electronics are powered on and aligned with the sky, it’s hard to argue against this fabulous instrument, especially at a price on par with most manual-only telescopes of its aperture.
Apertura AD6 dobsonian telescope
Apertura AD6 Dobsonian
$499 at HighPoint
A free-standing 6” f/8 manual Dobsonian, the Apertura AD6 sports the same 2” dual-speed focuser as its larger counterparts (AD8, AD10, AD12) and offers a decent bundled accessory package too. If you don’t like the idea of a tabletop dobsonian telescope like the above-mentioned SkyWatcher Virtuoso 150P or don't want to pay for an 8” dobsonian, the Apertura AD6 is indeed an excellent scope. However, before you make a final decision, we want to convey to you that if you can scale up to the Apertura AD8, you’ll get all of the benefits of the AD6 in a similar weight/volume but with vastly greater light-collecting and resolving power.
Sky-Watcher Virtuoso GTi 130P tabletop dobsonian telescope
Sky-Watcher Virtuoso GTi 130P Tabletop Dobsonian GoTo
$435 at HighPoint
The Virtuoso GTi 130P is the smaller aperture version of the above-mentioned 150mm model, the Virtuoso GTi 150P, which is only a bit more expensive. The usefulness of the 'computerized' feature with a wide-field and relatively small instrument like the GTi 130P is questionable, especially when a similar-featured, larger scope could be purchased for hardly 10% more money.
Sky-Watcher 6" Classic Dobsonian
Rank 4
4.4/5
What we don't like about the Sky-Watcher 6” Traditional or the Classic 150 is that it has a poorly-designed “brake” for its altitude bearings, its rack-and-pinion focuser is inferior to the Crayford design of the Apertura AD6, and the scope’s secondary mirror is too small to fully illuminate 2” eyepieces despite the focuser’s ability to take 2" eyepieces. However, on our tests, the included Super eyepieces were quite good, and optically, the scope is as good as any other 6” f/8 Dob out there.
$460 at HighPoint Check Amazon Price
Best non-Dobsonian GoTo (Computerized)
Celestron Astro Fi 130 Reflector GoTo
Rank 5
4.1/5
The Astro-Fi 130 is optically identical to the Zhumell Z130 (our $300 manual telescope pick), but is fully computerized and sports a 2” plastic rack-and-pinion focuser. The Astro-Fi’s fully computerized GoTo mount is controlled by our phone or tablet, and once we choose an object through our phone/tablet, the scope automatically slew to and track it in the sky. However, the scope is a bit of a battery guzzler, and the free SkyPortal app is lacking. For optimal use, we recommend you get a rechargeable power supply and a copy of SkySafari Pro, both of which increase the price of this gizmo by quite a bit.
Check Amazon Price
List Price: $549
Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ Reflector PushTo
Rank 6
4/5
The StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ uses the same optical tube as the above-mentioned Astro-Fi 130 and other 130mm f/5 reflector telescopes. But unlike the fully computerized Astro Fi system, DX 130AZ is mounted atop Celestron’s StarSense Explorer mount, which assists in locating targets with our smartphone but don't track them as it moves in the sky. The Astro-Fi 130 is almost similar in price and its GoTo system is vastly preferable to the simple Push-To system of the DX 130AZ.
$479.95 at HighPoint Check Amazon Price
Celestron StarSense Explorer 130mm Dobsonian
Rank 7
4/5
The Celestron StarSense Explorer 130mm Dobsonian shares optics with the StarSense Explorer DX130, Astro Fi 130, and other 130mm f/5 Newtonians. But unlike most other 130mm f/5 tabletops, it features only a 1.25” focuser, and cheap plastic rack-and-pinion one at that. The DX130 is more versatile with its 2” focuser, while you could also get the Sky-Watcher Virtuoso GTi 130mm tabletop Dobsonian or Celestron Astro Fi 130 with full motorized GoTo and tracking for around the same price as the StarSense 130mm scopes.
$449.95 at HighPoint
Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ Refractor
Rank 8
3.8/5
Like the DX130AZ, the StarSense Explorer DX102AZ has a smartphone-aided PushTo system that allows you to easily locate almost any object in the sky. However, with a relatively small aperture and a price tag big enough to obtain a larger and/or fully computerized instrument, it is not the most economically justifiable scope.
$469.95 at HighPoint