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Channeling your inner rock star has never been easier.
Maybe you’re an aspiring singer looking to hone your chops, or perhaps you’ve just got an inner American Idol that comes out after a few drinks. Whatever the case, a home karaoke machine is a fun way to liven up any party or family night. And with many machines packing vocal effects like auto-tune, you don’t even need to be a great singer to put on a convincing performance. Additionally, many karaoke machines can serve multiple purposes, as they work well for other occasions (conferences, presentations, etc.) where you need to amplify your voice.
While karaoke machines can come with all sorts of bells and whistles (sometimes literally), there are several things you’ll want to consider before making your purchase.
Connectivity: It’s commonplace these days for karaoke machines to use Bluetooth to connect to your phone, tablet, or laptop as the musical source. If the machine doesn’t have Bluetooth, be sure there is a suitable alternative for providing your musical backing, like a USB port.
Power: Many machines have rechargeable batteries so they can be used anywhere. If yours require an electrical outlet, make sure that won’t be a problem where you plan to use it.
Mics: The number and type of microphones you require will depend on how you plan to use your machine. If you don’t want your movement to be hindered, look for a machine with a wireless mic. If you want to be able to sing duets, look for a machine that can accommodate more than one mic.
Effects: Many karaoke machines come with vocal effects to enhance your performance. This adds a lot of fun, especially if you’re not the best singer because no one likes to sound bad.
We read through reviews from a number of respected publications including Wirecutter, Lifewire, and Rolling Stone to suss out the best karaoke machines on the market. Then, taking factors like ease of use and price into consideration, we chose the best machines for a variety of uses so you will be able to find one that meets your needs and budget.
This all-in-one machine comes with everything you need to get your karaoke party started. It outputs 540 watts through its 3-inch tweeters and 10-inch subwoofer housed in a stylish black cabinet.
It comes with two wireless microphones and its rechargeable battery works for up to three hours on a single charge, so you can keep the party going until your guests are ready to head home (or until the neighbors complain).
Even better, with colorful LED lights built right in, it provides a fun light show to accompany your crooning. You will, however, need to provide your own music source (such as a phone or tablet), either via Bluetooth or an auxiliary cable, though you can also plug in a USB flash drive or a micro TF card.
With wheels and an adjustable handle, the whole thing is easily portable, so you can take the party with you wherever you go.
If you want to indulge your inner Beyoncé but don’t have a Beyoncé-style budget, this Singing Machine model is just the ticket. Like other karaoke machines, it can stream music via Bluetooth, but it also has a built-in CD player capable of playing karaoke CD+Gs.
It’s equipped with 54 LEDs for putting on a light show and has echo effects for adding ambience to your performance. It only comes with one wired microphone, but has an extra input for adding a second mic. Best of all, though, is the price tag, which is just under $73 at the time of this writing.
If your budget allows for it, you can really take your karaoke performance to the next level with the Singtrix Party Bundle. Created by the makers of the Guitar Hero video game series and made famous on Shark Tank, the Singtrix Party Bundle may not be as flashy as other models, but its powerful studio console makes up for its barebones appearance, packing more than 375 vocal effects. These include auto-tune, effects to mimic specific artists, a death metal growl, auto back-up singers to do four-part harmonies, and more.
It also has a voice cancellation feature, so you can remove the vocals from any recording with which you want to sing along. Customers praise the included microphone's professional audio quality, and the 40-watt speaker has a rich sound with plenty of bass from its subwoofer. You can even plug in actual guitars and keyboards for a full-band experience . The only drawback is that you will need to connect a mobile device or TV to the console for your backing as it isn’t equipped with Bluetooth.
Although it's marketed towards kids, this Singing Machine karaoke system is nearly as sophisticated as most other machines on this list. (And face it, no matter what model you purchase, your kids will probably figure it out more quickly than you.) However, its disco lights and low price tag do make it particularly kid-friendly.
It’s equipped with Bluetooth so they can easily connect their phones and play songs from YouTube, and it also has a CD player able to play CD+Gs and RCA outputs for connecting to a TV to display lyrics. It only comes with one wired mic, but it does have an input for a second.
For those looking to take their karaoke machine camping or to the beach, the Earise T26 is a rugged, portable option. Weighing only 5 pounds and featuring a built-in handle and 4.5-hour battery life, it’s easy to take this model just about anywhere.
It includes one wireless mic and is equipped with Bluetooth, making it easy to use a phone or tablet as your music source. Plus, it comes with a remote control so you can control the volume and make other adjustments from your impromptu stage.
It also lets you record your vocals for reviewing later and honing your singing. At only 12 watts, it’s not as loud as other options, but it still gives you a lot of bang for the buck.