10 Best Home Projectors

The Following are ten of our favorite home cinema projectors that offer excellent picture quality.

Flat panel HDTVs are certainly popular, but to get a really big picture, you’re talking really big money. At sizes over 100 inches, expect to pay five or six figures – and that’s before considering the cost of the hassles associated with actually installing one of these gargantuan beasts.

Home projectors, on the other hand, can offer a very large (100-inch-plus) image for under $5,000, with some 720p models actually dipping below the $1,000 mark. Throw in a projection screen and you’re talking high-quality video viewing at a fraction of the price of a similarly-sized flat-panel set.

Following are ten of our favorite home cinema projectors that offer excellent picture on a very large scale.

Optoma HD65 DLP Projector, $999

The Optoma HD65 DLP projector isn’t a 1080p model, but it does offer a great 720p image for just under a grand. One of the unit’s best features is that it’s surprisingly bright, meaning that you don’t have to watch it in a completely dark room—great news for those who do a lot of daytime viewing. The device weighs only 4 pounds too, so you can move it around with ease for use in various rooms or even outdoor settings. With this kind of flexibility, take it from us: You won’t miss those extra pixels. Check Price

InFocus X9 DLP Projector, $1,099

This is a great all-around 720p projector that offers image quality that is spot-on, while not being intimidating or overly festooned with features that can confuse the lay consumer. It uses DLP’s BrilliantColor technology, for natural, yet vibrant colors, and priced to compete with other wallet-friendly alternatives, you get a beautiful 100-plus-inch picture for relatively little money. If you want to get into the two-piece projection game, this entry-level model is a good place to start. Check Price

Sanyo PLV-Z700 3LCD Projector, $1,995

This is one of the most inexpensive 1080p projectors on the market. Given its relatively reasonable sticker price, you might expect the gadget to come with a list of “buts.” Not so here. The PLV-Z700’s picture quality is anything but disappointing, with five image modes that provide various levels of brightness and contrast. You can even program the projector based on your own image preferences. There is also an anamorphic mode, in case you want to add an anamorphic lens for watching widescreen 2.35:1 aspect-ratio films. An automatic shutter closes over the lens when you’re not using it too. And the projector is discreet enough to blend into any room (particularly those with white ceilings) without being a ceiling wart. Check Price 

Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 6100 3LCD Projector , $1,999

Bringing the big-screen experience to your home, Epson’s Home Cinema 6100 offers lots of high-def image real estate at a viable cost. It’s also capable of 4,000 hours of use in Low Lamp mode, so you don’t have to worry about replacing the costly lamp anytime soon. This projector offers excellent contrast, partly due to its Dynamic Iris system, which controls light output on-the-fly depending on the intensity of the source material. The Fujinon OptiCinema multi-lens system also allows you more placement options when installing the projector, not to mention fine optics. Better still, this baby can go big without puttering out, with screen sizes of more than 10 feet diagonal. Check Price

Mitsubishi HC6500 & HC7000 LCD Projectors, $3,495 & $4,995

We’ve included both the HC6500 and the HC7000 Diamond Series models (which look virtually the same) here for one simple reason—both are true champs and relative steals. The flagship 1080p HC7000 is not incredibly bright, so it’s better for a dark room. But what the unit lacks in brightness, it more than makes up for with great contrast and colors, as well as subtle detail. The 1080p HC6500 is bright and sharp with excellent detail, but lacks a little of the finesse of the higher-end model, as is to be expected. Both feature Mitsubishi’s Diamond Black Iris technology, which prevents light refraction and boosts contrast, while maintaining deep black levels. All this in a sexy black chassis that is perfect for a dedicated home theater – a nice bonus in our book. Check Price

Panasonic PT-AE3000 LCD Projector, $3,499

Boasting tons of great features and a beautiful 1080p image for under $4K, this model is one to consider for a truly cinematic home theater experience. One of the coolest features is Frame Creation, which interpolates new frames between existing ones for smoother motion and pans (much like in LCD flat-panel displays). There’s also a dedicated gaming mode and a nifty Lens Memory mode that makes switching between 16:9 and 2.35:1 pictures very simple—and without a costly anamorphic lens, no less. Mostly though, the model scores by offering great contrast and black levels, giving its more expensive 1080p brethren a run for the money. Check Price

Sony BRAVIA VPL-HW10 SXRD Projector, $3,500

Every home theater buff worth their weight in HDMI cables knows that Sony makes excellent projectors. But what some may not realize is that a variety of the devices can be had for under $5,000. The VPL-HW10 is one such value, offering a fabulous 1080p image at a large size without breaking the bank. This projector, while entry-level, still offers several features available on more high-end models, such as panel-alignment adjustment that aligns the red, green, and blue pixels for a more precise picture. Advanced video processing from the BRAVIA Engine 2 removes most image anomalies too. Easy on the eyes in terms of both picture and overall style, it’s a real deal. Check Price

BenQ W5000 DLP Projector, $4,999

BenQ is making a serious home theater statement with the 1080p W5000. Its image is razor-sharp, three-dimensional, and it boasts a high native contrast ratio and inky black levels. You can shelf- or ceiling-mount this model for added placement flexibility as well. While pricey, its dazzling picture is worth the extra dinero. Check Price

Runco RS-440 DLP Projector, $4,995

Given the associated cost, Runco’s notoriously expensive projectors are unlikely entry-level models. However, the RS-440 features the manufacturer’s lauded CineWide technology in a 720p edition that’s a solid value relative to the company’s other wares. CineWide lets you enjoy 2.35:1 movies without black bars top and bottom, though you’ll need an anamorphic lens to do so—an additional expense. Still, advanced video processing is de riguer on all Runco’s projectors, and that is certainly the case here. Images are spotless, sharp, and lifelike. www.runco.com

ViewSonic Pro8100 LCD Projector, $4,999

Offering a big, bright 1080p image, the Pro8100 is one of the major players in Viewsonic’s home theater lineup. Sold primarily through custom installers, you will likely have someone helping you with setup and installation if this model makes its way into your home. There’s plenty of connectivity, placement is easy with the 1.6:1 powered zoom lens, and the high lumen output makes the projector a contender when it comes to viewing during the daytime or in rooms with uncontrollable ambient light. (You can even use one of the many image modes to tone down brightness to prevent eyestrain.) While this isn’t the cheapest model rounding out the current lineup, it has some advanced functionality that nonetheless makes it worth a peek. www.viewsonic.com