Telescope & Gear Reviews

Meade’s ETX 125 finally fixes the plastic motors and flimsy tripod of the cheaper ETX line, but the upgrades drive the price beyond what most observers should pay for a compact planetary scope.

Legacy impressions of the Meade Polaris 130 EQ reflector from 2020, highlighting its parabolic optics, deep-sky strengths, and the trade-offs of the lightweight equatorial mount and bundled accessories.

The Seestar S30 is an ultra-portable smart telescope with a 30 mm apochromatic triplet objective, automated alignment, live stacking, and solar capability, designed for beginners and astrophotographers who want results without complexity.

The Celestron AstroMaster 114EQ uses a cost-cutting Bird-Jones optical design that results in poor image quality, difficult collimation, and frustrating usability.

The Gskyer Travel Scope 70 is highly promoted on online marketplaces, but its optical performance, tripod stability, and included accessories fall short of other beginner telescopes in the same price range.

Celestron’s Inspire 100AZ offers beginner-friendly optics and smart accessories, but the plastic focuser holds it back from being a top choice among entry-level refractors.

The Meade Infinity 90mm is a budget-friendly refractor known for strong planetary and lunar performance, a sturdy tripod, and beginner-friendly features.

Celestron’s NexStar Evolution 6 prioritizes advanced mount technology and convenience features, but its modest 6” aperture limits raw optical performance.

The NexStar Evolution 8 EdgeHD integrates Celestron’s premium optics with StarSense auto-alignment and a modern computerized mount. While costly, it offers a near-complete observing platform with portability and upgradability.

A closer look at the Celestron PowerSeeker 114EQ — a telescope with solid optics held back by a shaky mount and weak accessories.

An overview of the Celestron PowerSeeker 127EQ — a budget Bird-Jones reflector with shaky optical design and low-quality accessories that often frustrates beginners.

The Celestron CPC 1100 GPS is a powerhouse Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope that delivers amazing views — but its weight, price, and bulk make it best suited for experienced observers.

A versatile Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope that delivers excellent planetary performance, but requires upgrades for deep-sky viewing and long-exposure astrophotography.

A research-based look at the Celestron NexStar 4SE — a compact, automated telescope that shines on planets and the Moon, but has clear limits for deep-sky observing and astrophotography.

Research-based overview of the Zhumell Z8 Deluxe Dobsonian, highlighting its strong optical design, premium included accessories, and thoughtful usability features.

Research-based review of the Orion SkyQuest XT8 — a powerful and affordable 8-inch Dobsonian for serious beginners.

Research-based review of the SkyWatcher 6" Traditional Dobsonian — a highly recommended all-rounder for beginners and intermediates.

The StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ promises semi-automated sky tours, but its flimsy plastic mount, average optics, and cheap accessories reveal it’s still very much a beginner’s telescope.

The William Optics ZenithStar 61 is a lightweight ED doublet refractor tailored for beginner astrophotographers, offering wide fields and solid mechanics at a great value.

The William Optics ZenithStar 73 is a compact ED doublet refractor designed for wide-field astrophotography, offering solid mechanics, quality optics, and excellent value. While it needs a field flattener for best imaging results, its portability and build make it a favorite among beginner and intermediate astrophotographers.

The William Optics ZenithStar 81 is a high-quality ED doublet refractor that balances affordability and performance, offering sharp wide-field imaging with solid mechanics, though it’s heavier and slower than its smaller siblings.

The Celestron NexStar Evolution 9.25” is a great scope bundled with a great mount and tripod - though it’s less portable than it may appear at first.

The Radian 75mm Petzval is a compact astrograph refractor with excellent optics and a flat, fast f/5.4 field ideal for astrophotography. While essentially a rebranded Askar FRA400, it still delivers superb imaging performance—though at a higher price point than its clones.

Whether you use a DSLR or a cooled dedicated astronomy camera, the Sky-Watcher Esprit 100ED is a high-quality, compact, and capable telescope ideal for deep-sky astrophotography and a superb instrument for visual use as well.

The Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED (formerly the ProED 80) is an excellent visual and astrophotography telescope, though not the fastest f/ratio or widest field option out there.

Achieving a middle ground between portability and price, the Sky-Watcher 12” FlexTube Dobsonian is a good choice for those interested in a large and capable telescope without a premium price tag.

The Sky-Watcher Virtuoso GTi 130P is a fantastic beginner or “Grab n’ go” telescope, though we do recommend the larger 150P which only costs a bit more too.

Orion’s SkyScanner BL102 takes advantage of brand and product line name confusion, poor availability of alternatives, and the assumption that most Dobsonians are good telescopes to sell.

Celestron’s StarSense Explorer 10” Dobsonian is the larger of the two StarSense Explorer 10” Dobs, and the better deal of the two.

The Orion SkyLine 6" is one of the best 6" Dobsonians out there.

The SkyLine 8 is a great scope, and comes with more features and accessories out of the box compared to the more basic 8” scopes sold at lower price tags.

The Radian Raptor 61 is sold for $1,000 and is advertised as a revolutionary telescope. In reality, it is merely a rebadged copy of the SharpStar 61EDPH.

The William Optics RedCat 51 is, to some, barely a telescope at all. In many ways, this telescope has more in common with a telephoto lens than a traditional refracting telescope.