Best Telescope for the Money Reviews for 2024

If you want to see what’s in the space while having your feet on the ground, there isn’t any good way than to use telescopes. That’s why I have researched the best telescope for the money in 2023 for you.

Initially, telescopes were mainly used by professional astronomers to observe the space. Over time, telescopes have gained a prominent place in all kinds of genre. And are now used by pretty much everyone including kids, youngers and the elders equally.

A telescope magnifies the real image many times so you can see the object with clarity. Be it the blue sky in the morning or shiny stars at night, the best telescope will always show you every bit of it like a crystal clear diamond.

Finding the best telescope for planets requires a lot of research though. As we are discussing the best telescopes for the money, our prime goal is to bring you affordable telescopes.

How to choose the best telescopes for the money?

Choosing an ideal telescope that is affordable, isn’t an easy task. Our main criteria for choosing the best telescopes are mainly based on

• High magnifying power
• Durable construction
• Reasonable budget and
• Positive user ratings.

Here are our unbiased reviews of the best telescopes brands to make it easier for you to choose any. Let’s have a look at them:

Best telescopes for the money reviews

1. Celestron 76mm Classic FirstScope Telescope – best telescope for the money 

The first telescope on our list has been termed as the best telescope of 2022 and is from Celestron. The telescope enables you to look into the sky with extreme magnification so that you can enjoy the stars and moon in the sky at night.

The compact size makes it easy to move this telescope anywhere with much ease. There is a highly sized reflector present in this telescope which is ideal for maximizing the image quality easily. The best telescope under 100 bucks has got a gorgeous design and will look quite cool at night time as well.

Let’s talk about some of its technical features in detail below:

Technical Features:

• The best telescope for the money comes with special Dobsonian style stand on which it can be placed easily. With the help of a 76mm reflector optical tube, the telescope can be used as a professional astronomical device.
• This telescope has got a portable and lightweight design at the same time. With such a small size, it is easy to store or transport from one point to another. Setting it up also becomes easy with a lightweight design.
• The observing operation of this telescope is very easy. What you need to do is to just navigate the tube for seeing a specific object in the sky and Celestron telescope will do the rest of the job for you.
• With the help of stylish and decorative design, this telescope is attracting many customers from all across the world. In case you are interested in astronomy, this might be an ideal choice for you.
• Last but not least, the best telescope for the money has got a very affordable price. In only under 40 bucks you will be getting this professional scope which is quite exceptional.

Reasons for liking it

The main reason to like this telescope is its affordable price range. Other reasons include 76mm reflector optical tube, a portable design, and a lightweight shape which enables a person to explore the night sky without any issues.

Celestron 21024 is one of the best telescopes in 2019 with an ideal magnification and a decorative design. You must buy it if you are interested in exploring and surfing the night sky.

Some ups and downs offered by this telescope are as follows;

Pros

• Lightweight design.
• Portable telescope.
• Ideal for exploring the night sky.
• Provides high magnification.
• 76mm reflector tube.
• A special stand is available.

Cons

• Some parts are non-adjustable.
• Build quality is average.

2. Meade Instruments – Best Telescope Under 200 Dollars

Meade Instruments is a brand specialising in making high-quality telescopes on an affordable budget. The brand new model allows you to surf the sky in an awesome slow-motion feature so that you can keenly observe the sky without any worries.

The best telescope under 200 bucks has got a lot to offer as well. It is loaded with high-quality features and that’s why it is the second-best on our list. The use of high-quality materials allows you to use this scope for a long period of time.

Meade Instruments is an ideal choice for people who are interested in astrology and want to surf the night view without any issues. The best telescope for the money offers a variety of features and you should not miss it.

Some of its technical features are discussed in detail below:

Technical features:

• The best telescope for the money comes with a wide aperture. It has got a 102mm aperture with a focal length of almost 600mm. Options like Rack and Pinion circles plus latitude controls are also available.
• The mount and stand of this telescope are what will offer you a slow-motion feature. This telescope comes with a German mount that offers you to track celestial objects with smooth motion control.
• There are three different magnification eyepieces available within the telescope. Low, medium and high magnification eyepieces allow you to see a variety of situations with ease.
• There is a red dot viewfinder available within the best telescope for the money that enables you to focus on different objects in the sky easily. You can also observe different objects easily with this viewfinder.
• The best telescope also comes with astronomical software and an instructional DVD. If you don’t know much about setting up a telescope, these two accessories might help you a lot.

Reasons for liking it

One of the multiple reasons to like Meade Instruments telescope is the availability of so many features in an affordable price range. The wider focal length, German-made mount and variety of magnification eyepieces are some other reasons to love this scope.

Some pros and cons are as follows:

Pros

• 102mm aperture.
• German mount.
• Slow-motion control.
• Three eyepieces.
• Red dot viewfinder is available.
• Durable construction.

Cons

• Not easy to assemble.
• Requires proper instructions.

3. Celestron Regal – Best Portable Telescope

The next best telescope on our list is Celestron Regal. The telescope, as usual, comes in a very compact size and has got a unique design as well. The best portable telescope can be transported easily as it has got a lightweight construction.

All things aside, it has got special technologies that enable you to surf the sky with each and every little detail at the same time.

Some important features offered by Celestron Regal are as follows:

Technical features;

• The best telescope for the money comes with an ED objective lens. The function of this type of objective lens is to minimize chromatic aberration and produce accurate colours with an increased resolution.
• The telescope also comes with XLT coatings. Fully multi-coated optics provide enough brightness to the images that enhances the resolution of different particles in the sky.
• There is a special Zoom eyepiece available that offers the telescope to zoom for 16x to 48x without any issues. Only one 1.2″ eyepiece is available that can be used to surf the night stars easily.
• With the help of magnesium alloy body, the chances of breaking down become reduced. The alloy material is strong as usual and provides ultra durability while keeping the weight as less as possible.
• A branded new tripod is available within the telescope. In order to see the best view, you should place the orientation of the eyepiece in an ideal viewing position.

Reasons for liking it

Celestron Regal has got many awesome features. The ultimate zooming option, a high-quality tripod, and magnesium alloy body are some of the reasons that increase its value in the market.

Celestron Regal is an ideal choice for people who are more into astrophotography. The best telescope for astrophotography offers you to do the photography of space and sky in an ideal way. It’s better to buy it if you are able to invest that much on a telescope.

Some pros and cons offered by the best telescope for the money are as follows:

Pros

• ED objective lens.
• Reduced chromatic aberration.
• XLT coatings for scratch-free optics.
• Rotating tripod mount is available.
• Zooming eyepiece is available.
• Durable magnesium alloy construction.

Cons

• A bit pricey.
• Slight issues with the camera mount.

4. Orion Telescope – Best Telescope for Beginners

Orion 10033 is an ideal gift for kids and beginners. In case you want to present something new to your kid on his birthday, this telescope can be an ideal choice in this regard. The best telescope for beginners is available on a very reasonable budget and is very easy to navigate at the same time.

A beginner can easily enjoy surfing the night sky and looking at each detail from a very close look. The build quality of this telescope is also awesome. The best telescope for the money has got premium material construction and will serve you for a longer span.

Some technical features offered by Orion 10033 are as follows:

Technical Features

• The telescope is only meant for beginners. It can become an ideal device for your family and friends if they want to enjoy the stargazing of the dark sky with a close look.
• The best telescope for the money is able to magnify the moon and show each and every detail on it. You can also see the bright solar system with different planets and nebulas etc.
• There is an Orion map 260 available that allows you to explore different places on the moon and other areas of space so that you can locate them easily. Lunar features can also be seen with the help of this telescope.
• The scope comes with a 76mm wide aperture and has got 60 percent more light than that of other beginner telescopes. The high light range is ideal for showing images in an increased resolution easily.
• Last but not least, this telescope is absolutely light. It weighs only 4lbs and has got a compact size range to make sure that your kid can easily navigate it whenever he wants.

Reasons for liking it

Well, the telescope is meant only for beginners. It can be a special gift for your kid on his birthday or any other special day. The telescope has got 60x more light than any other typical beginner scope and is that’s why rated as an ideal choice for beginners.

Orion 10033 is one of the best telescopes available on the market for beginners. The telescope can be an ideal choice for your kids or family members. Better buy it as it has got a very affordable price.

Some pros and cons are as follows:

Pros

• Affordable price range.
• For beginners.
• Moon Map 260 is available.
• Easy surfing of the sky.
• Lunar features can be seen easily.
• 76mm diameter.

Cons

• Not meant for professionals.
• Mount is not rotatable.

5. Orion 8945 SkyQuest – best mid-priced telescope

Orion 8945 SkyQuest is a refractor telescope with an ideal price range. The telescope is meant for both beginners and professionals. It facilitates the professionals to closely track the movements of objects in space.

The best telescope for the money has got a wide aperture which helps in showing a magnified object with an increased resolution at the same time. The construction is durable and sturdy. It will continue to serve you for a long period of time easily.

Let’s talk about some of its technical features in details below:

Technical features

• The best telescope for the money features a larger aperture. Classic Dobsonian reflector tube offers you to easily see the milky galaxy without any worries in an affordable price range at the same time.
• The diameter of the reflector is 8″ that allows you to view the moon and other planets with a closed detail. The light-capturing feature is also awesome and helps to easily catch faint nebulas and star clusters.
• The telescope comes with ideal durability. All premium used in its construction helps it to serve you for a long period of time. It can be a really good choice for a home or a family.
• The Dobsonian base that comes with this telescope is ultra-stable which keeps the reflector rube in a sheer balance for a perfect point and view position.
• The special Crayford focuser of this telescope accepts two different sized eyepieces easily for an ideal magnification. The special EZ finder is also available that helps you to focus on specific objects easily.

Reasons for liking it

There are many reasons to like this telescope. One among many is the availability of a large aperture that helps to see the things more clearly. On the other hand, features like 8″ diameter reflector, ultra-stable Dobsonian base are the reasons to keep this telescope on top in the best telescope for the money category.

Orion 8945 SkyQuest is an ideal telescope with an affordable price range. The best telescope offers you to stargaze the sky without any issues. Better buy it before it runs out of stock.

Some pros and cons are as follows:

Pros

• Large aperture.
• 8″ diameter reflector.
• Ideal for watching faint nebulas.
• 2″ Crayford focuser.
• Two eyepieces for zoom.
• Affordable price.

Cons

• Some parts are missing.
• No other cons.

6. Celestron PowerSeeker 127EQ telescope

The name Celestron PowerSeeker itself indicates that this telescope has got a high magnification power through which different objects can be seen very closely. The best amateur telescope offers a wide selection of views of the sky, especially at night. Different planets and moon can easily be seen with the help of the wide aperture that this telescope comes with. The telescope also features durable and sturdy construction. The design is gorgeous at the same time.

Some features offered by Celestron PowerSeeker are as follows:

Technical features

• The 3x Barlow lens used in this telescope helps to easily see distant objects with clear visibility. The lens also helps in focusing on a specific object easily.
• The German equatorial mount offers small motion easily which helps you to track and analyze different star clusters easily. The optical tube of this telescope has got 20″ size.
• With the help of a wide 127mm aperture, all images can easily be shown with an increased resolution. The aperture also helps in viewing a clear image without any pixel crashing.
• The 1000mm focal length of the telescope helps to focus on the objects easily. The reason for so much high focal length is to clearly focus on a star cluster or different areas of the moon easily.
• The best telescope for the money also comes with a durable aluminium tripod with two separate eyepieces as well in order to allow better-zooming quality.

Reasons for liking it

The telescope comes with 3x Barlow lens. With the help of 127mm aperture and a 1000mm focal length, seeing distant objects with clear visibility could not be a problem anymore. All these reasons are enough to choose this telescope with closed eyes.

Celestron PowerSeeker 127EQ is one of the best scopes available on the market with an ability to show you the other side of the world easily. It is a bit difficult to use. So, before buying it, make sure that you have got enough knowledge about how to use a telescope.

Some pros and cons are as follows:

Pros

• 3x Barlow lens.
• Affordable price range.
• Special German mount.
• An aluminium tripod is available.
• 1000mm focal length.
• Two eyepieces.

Cons

• Not easy to assemble.
• Navigation is not easy.

Also Read: Are Binoculars a good gift for kids?

7. Orion 10014 SkyQuest telescope

Orion 10014 is a telescope with wonders. It offers a variety of features yet in an affordable price range. With the help of a compact and lightweight design, this telescope is pretty easy to navigate at the same time. The telescope with its wide aperture and large focal length is able to show you a whole new world of the solar system and different planets easily. The ideal mounting system allows you to analyze different start clusters easily.

Some technical features offered by this telescope are as follows:

Technical features

• The best telescope for the money comes with a compact and lightweight design. This telescope is perfect for travelling and for the backyard of your home.
• The 4.5″ wide aperture and a focal length of almost 900mm allow you to see a clear view of a different phenomenon occurring in the galaxy such as lunar craters and plains on the moon and the bright nebulas.
• The base of this telescope is sturdy and durable at the same time. There is a special handy navigation knob available which allows an ideal direction of the reflector tube for clear visibility.
• The best telescope for the money is able to collect 260% more light as compared to the typical reflector telescopes allowing you to see a whole new view of the sky.
• There are two eyepieces available within this telescope having 25mm and 10mm focal length each. Other accessories, like a shiny rack, pinion focuser and starry night astronomy software are also available.

Reasons for liking it

There are many reasons to like Orion 10014. The ability to show a bright and clear view of the sky with such a compact size and lightweight design is the aesthetics of this telescope.

Orion 10014 is an ideal choice for people who have got almost 300 bucks in their pocket. Better buy it before it runs out of stock.

Some pros and cons are as follows:

Pros

• Compact shape.
• Lightweight design.
• 5″ aperture.
• 900mm focal length.
• Collects 260% more light.
• A clear view of the planets and galaxy.

Cons

• A bit pricey.
• No other cons.

8. Celestron 21036 PowerSeeker telescope – best telescope under $100

Celestron 21036 is a cheap budget telescope with many features to offer. The best telescope for the money allows you to enjoy milking galaxy with a lot of objects easily and conveniently. All important accessories are available within the telescope and it is very easy to use at the same time. The affordable budget of this telescope is to make sure that everyone can enjoy the space for a long time with a clear view.

Some technical features of this telescope are as follows:

Technical features

• The best telescope for the money comes with an easy setup feature. It doesn’t require any tool and can set up in a couple of minutes easily.
• The slow-motion controls are also available within the telescope that helps to track the objects with smooth control easily.
• The telescope comes with special erect image objects that help professionals in astronomical use easily.
• The glass optics are fully coated in order to provide a higher brightness of images with an ideal clarity at the same time.
• With the help of 3x Barlow lens, the magnifying is increased to three times as that of the typical astronomical telescopes to see the images with a clear resolution for a longer period of time.

Reasons for liking it

One of the many reasons to like this telescope is its capability to be used by both beginners and professionals at the same time. The best telescope for money is packed with features that are not ignorable at any instance.

Celestron 21036 is a perfect telescope for beginners and professionals can also get help from it. However, the build quality is not as ideal as one would think but that’s what you can get in only under 100 bucks.

Some pros and cons are as follows:

Pros

• Quick Setup.
• Requires no tools.
• Erect imaging for astronomical use.
• The accessory tray is available.
• Extra astronomy software is available.
• Affordable Price.

Cons

• Build quality is not so good.
• Some objects cannot be seen.

9. Celestron 21035 – Best travel telescope

In case you are looking for a short budgeted telescope with almost all premium features, Celestron 21035 must be the choice for you in this regard. The best telescope for the money is available with a variety of features and allows you to enjoy the galaxy from a whole new level. This telescope also comes with a durable and compact design which helps you to take it anywhere you want while you are on a travel.

The features offered by this telescope are as follows:

Technical features

• The best telescope for the money comes with a 70mm refractor and has got fully coated optics for enhanced and bright image quality at the same time.
• There s a custom backpack available that comes with this telescope in which you can store it with ease and comfort.
• The telescope comes with very easy operation. You can easily observe objects like moon and star clusters in no time with its quick setup.
• There are two eyepieces included within the best telescope for the money. The sizes of these pieces are 20mm and 10mm respectively.
• Panhandle that comes with tripod helps you to easily track the objects with smooth acceleration at the same time.
• The tripod though is adjustable in height and can be adjusted according to your preferred position.

Reasons for liking it

One of the many reasons to like Celestron 21035 is its compact size and lightweight design. Celestron 21035 is the choice of many short-budgeted people. It can be an ideal choice for your kid’s birthday present as well. So buy this telescope to surprise your child with a perfect present.

Some pros and cons are as follows:

Pros

• 70mm refractor.
• Lightweight frame.
• Durable design.
• Sturdy look.
• Adjustable height tripod.
• Panhandle is available.

Cons

• Not for professionals.
• Limited magnifying options.

10. AW 70mm Astronomical Refractor Telescope

The last best telescope on our list is from AW70. The best refractor telescope does come with many features in yet a very affordable price. This is, in fact, one of the cheapest telescopes available on the market. The scope is meant for small children and for people who are interested in astronomy and want to take a close look at the moon and stars.

Let’s have a look at what it has to offer in details below:

Technical features

• The telescope comes with a 70mm aperture and a focal length of almost 400mm which is ideal for seeing objects clearly in the sky with bright visibility.
• There are 2 eyepieces available within the telescope i.e. 6mm and 25mm for magnifying the objects easily.
• With the help of an adjustable aluminium tripod, the balance becomes an easy task, The tripod has got an adjustable height and can rise up for about 50″ easily.
• The design is compact and lightweight at the same time. It is easy to store and carry for your travelling adventures.

Reasons for liking it

The reason that this telescope has got a very affordable price with so many updated features allows it to be a prominent telescope on the market.

AW 70 mm telescope is a fine choice for small kids. They can enjoy watching the moon or other awesome objects with a close view. So, buy it if you are going to present something special to your kid on his birthday.

Some pros and cons are as follows:

Pros

• Affordable price range.
• 2 eyepieces available.
• Easy to carry and store.
• Aluminium tripod is adjustable

Cons

• Not for professionals.
• Hard to stabilize.

Also Read: Can you see the planets with Binoculars?

Conclusion

We have tried our best to discuss every aspect of all kinds of telescopes including the best telescope for the money. Now, we feel it’s the right time for you to pick one for yourself or for someone you believe is interested in astrophotography.

If you are still facing it hard to choose, we will wrap up with our top 3 recommendations;

• Orion 10033 telescope – best for beginners
• Orion 10014 telescope – best for professionals
• Meade Instruments for long-term investment.

Last update on 2024-11-22 at 05:05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API