Aussies have rated Sony as the top pick in Canstar Blue’s latest TV ratings, with the brand rated five stars for performance, features & functionality, design, user friendliness, durability and overall satisfaction.
Our review compares TVs on customer satisfaction, so you can find out what other Aussies think about the compared brands before you go ahead with a purchase. Think of it as like asking hundreds of your closest mates which TV they think is best!
Canstar Blue surveyed 1,263 Australians for their feedback on the television(s) they’ve purchased in the last three years.
The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.
Find more detailed information on our Most Satisfied Customer methodology.
Not sure which TV to buy? Check out our buying guide below.
Sony was rated five stars for performance, features & functionality, design, user friendliness, durability and overall satisfaction, with four stars for value for money.
Sony is a Japanese multinational consumer and electronics company, and is a longstanding brand in the TV world. It mainly features smart OLED, 4K, LED, and HD TVs, and frequently boasts some of the most eye-catching new technologies. Its newest units are said to be powered by Sony’s Cognitive Processor XR syncs colour, contrast and detail to create a closer-to-reality feeling and offers users a more immersive experience. The recently-released A95 line-up includes features such as Acoustic Center Sync for additional audio immersion, along with a huge colour palate with the XR Triluminos Max for a variety of hues and improved visuals, with the Cognitive Processor XR to deepen contrast to help you get all the details on the screen.
LG was rated five stars for features & functionality, with four stars in all remaining categories, including performance, value for money, design, user friendliness, durability and overall satisfaction.
South Korean multinational electronics company LG boasts a large range of TVs, ranging from traditional HD TVs to high-end 4K TVs, as well as its signature OLED series and NanoCell TVs. In fact, LG’s 4K series claims to boast 20% more colours than regular LED TVs. With plenty of models available, LG splits its range into sizes, with screens available from 42inches up to 75inches and above, allowing households to find the best fit for the room. Some of LG’s top of the line models additionally feature Quantum Dot Nanocell technology, which allows for a varied spectrum of colour for increased visuals, along with Ultra Contrast and Dimming Pro functionality to further immerse you in your TV show or movie. Most TVs also include smart functionality, allowing you to further relax and enjoy your time on the couch.
Samsung was rated five stars for features & functionality, with four stars for durability, user friendliness, design, value for money, performance and overall satisfaction.
South Korean brand Samsung is perhaps one of the most popular TV brands out there, and its range of innovative and quality TVs ensures it remains a fan favourite. Its flagship technology is its ‘Quantum Dot’ display, which aims to create richer and deeper colours. Samsung is also behind the popular ‘The Frame’ smart TV series which allows users to switch to Ambient Mode, transforming the TV screen into an artwork (instead of having a boring black screen), with customised colour frame options available to match your decor. The brand’s Lifestyle TV range also features ‘The Terrace’ – an outdoor TV for your deck or patio space, ‘The Serif,’ defined by its stylish capital ‘I’ shape, and the innovative ‘The Sero’ which features a mobile-optimised screen that rotates depending on your content.
Hisense was rated five stars for value for money, design and user friendliness, with four stars for durability, features & functionality, performance and overall satisfaction.
Hisense is a multinational white goods and electronics brand based in China. Apart from refrigerators and washing machines, televisions are one of its leading product lines, and as a result, there is a large range to choose from. Models are split into OLED, ULED, 4K, Laser and HD line-ups, with screen sizes available from 30inches up to 75inches and above to help you find the best option for your needs. Hisense’s top of the line Laser TV is an 100inch behemoth, featuring TriChroma X-Fusion laser technology for improved colours, along with Dolby Atmos for an audio to match the visuals. It also includes an ambient light rejecting screen to ensure that the light in the kitchen doesn’t ruin the picture.
Bauhn was rated four stars for durability, design, value for money, features & functionality, performance and overall satisfaction, with three stars for user friendliness.
One of the smaller brands available in Australia, Bauhn TVs are interestingly only sold in ALDI stores, and are most often sold during select Special Buys promotions, meaning you won’t be able to get your hands on a Bauhn TV every grocery trip. However, when they are available, they do offer a cheaper alternative than most brands, allowing you to binge your favourite shows on a budget. Bauhn TVs range from 40inch to 70inch, and come with 4K Ultra HD picture quality, along with HDMI and USB media playback, a smart remote, 60Hz refresh rate as well as Wi-Fi capabilities for additional smart technology functionality.
TCL was rated four stars for performance, features & functionality, value for money, design, durability and overall satisfaction, with three stars for user friendliness.
TCL is a Chinese multinational electronics brand, which offers not only TVs and audio-visual accessories, but also mobile phones and appliances including fridges and air conditioners. Generally a more affordable brand, TCL may represent a great option for those on a budget, or those looking for a second TV for the kids’ room. The range includes LED, QLED, plus 4K and 8K smart TVs, with sizes starting out with 24inch models and maxing out at 100inch. Its QLED 4K TV features ‘Quantum Dot’ technology for enhanced image quality and colour volume, while the 8K model additionally features a Variable Refresh Rate of up to 120Hz, along with IMAX Enhanced audio, with a built-in subwoofer for a more intense and immersive experience.
Kogan was rated five stars for value for money and user friendliness, with four stars for durability, design, features & functionality, performance and overall satisfaction.
Online super retailer Kogan is probably best known for its range of cheap, grey-market electronics, as well as prepaid phone plans. But it also has its own brand of televisions. Kogan has a modest range of TVs, from regular HD to 4K quality. Most feature smart capability as standard, with built-in Netflix apps, and also run on the Android operating system, so you’re afforded familiarity and thousands of apps on Google Play. Some of its units also feature a parental lock function and sleep timer, giving you an option for the kids’ room. TV sizes are available from 22inch models through to 98inches, although full capabilities and functionality vary between ranges.
JVC was rated three stars across all categories, including performance, features & functionality, value for money, design, user friendliness, durability and overall satisfaction.
A Japanese brand known across a variety of electronics areas, JVC currently focuses primarily on TV and audio products and solutions. Its range of TVs includes both flat and curved models, along with HD, QHD and 4K resolutions, with sizes varying from 24inches through to almost 70inch. Some JVC models include Edgeglass to allow for the screen to take up almost the full face of the TV, along with smart functionality such as Wi-Fi and streaming apps available, in addition to traditional features such as USB and HDMI ports.
Not all brands in the market qualify for our ratings (based on minimum survey sample size), but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth considering. Here are several more brands to check out before making a purchase decision.
So, what should you look for in a new TV? Between screen size, technologies and price, there’s a lot to consider. We cover the main factors below.
A smart TV is a television that can connect to the internet, as well as connect with other devices – such as your phone – via Bluetooth or additional connectivity functionality. The majority of TVs available for purchase have some type of smart functionality, with many coming pre-installed with internet connectivity and apps for streaming services, but are also priced slightly higher than traditional TV units as a result.
TVs are measured diagonally, with sizes displayed in inches, meaning that if you’re looking at a 42inch model, the TV screen will measure 42inches from one corner to the diagonally opposite corner. However, if you’re looking to find a space for your new TV, be sure to incorporate any additional edges the TV may have, as well as the traditional measurements of length, width and depth, as these may all impact where you can display your TV.
Cleaning your TV screen only requires a few steps, along with a microfiber cloth and screen cleaning solution. After unplugging your TV and letting it cool down, you can place a small amount of screen cleaning solution on the microfiber cloth, which you can gently clean your TV with. Learn all the steps involved with our guide to cleaning your TV screen.
There are a number of different TV technologies available on the market, which can be overwhelming for the uninitiated. Here is a quick list of what these TV technologies (and acronyms) mean:
Alongside TV resolution, you also need ‘High Dynamic Range’ (HDR) for the TV to be able to produce increased contrast, colour, and brightness. There are three different types of HDR technologies, including:
TVs can range in price depending on the brand, size and features, but can cost anywhere from $200 up to $7,000 for the top-of-the-line models. If you only need a TV that can do the basics, you should be able to pick up a cheap model, while those looking at larger models should also take into consideration how energy efficient it is, as watching hours of TV could also add to your electricity bill.
This report was written by Canstar Blue’s Site Editor, Dean Heckscher. He’s our resident expert on all things automotive, health & fitness, streaming and more. Dean is also one of Canstar Blue’s customer research report producers, helping to turn complicated subjects into easily-digestible information for our readers. He’s passionate about helping consumers make better-informed purchase decisions on all manner of consumer goods and services.
Samantha Howse is Canstar Blue’s Consumer Research Specialist, coordinating the consumer research program behind our customer satisfaction awards across Canstar and Canstar Blue in Australia and New Zealand. Sam has earned a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Griffith University and, with seven years in market research and 2 years in marketing, she is experienced in survey design, implementation and analysis, coupled with an understanding of marketing principles and best practice.
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