Our Product of the Year winners are those that, within their category, exemplify our performance-per-pound ethos. They’re the best of the best. They’re the ones that stood out during a year’s worth of testing; the ones that entertained and impressed us beyond expectation.
We have 29 Products of the Year in total this year, including our customary Temptation and Readers’ Award winners.
We're also giving out awards to a few new categories this year: Innovation of the Year, Hall of Fame and, for the first time, an Award for an individual for their Outstanding Contribution to the industry.
So without further ado, here's the full list of winners...
MORE: All the What Hi-Fi? Awards 2017 winners revealed
TVs
Tested at £3000 / compare latest prices
The most affordable LG OLED is also our pick of all the 2017 TVs we've reviewed - it delivers an incredible 4K HDR picture for the money. The B7 digs up loads of fine detail, while black levels are superb.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best TVs
Soundbars and soundbases
Tested at £300 / compare latest prices
This superb soundbase from Q Acoustics is fantastic value for money. The M2 throws out a soundfield that even feels adequate in the company of 65in screens.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best soundbars and soundbases
Stereo amplifiers
Tested at £600 / compare latest prices
The redesigned Brio is a triumph – it's the kind of amplifier we want to leave on and play our entire music collection through again and again. A well-deserved Product of the Year.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best stereo amplifiers
Turntables
Tested at £625 / compare latest prices
Rega reigns again with a fantastic upgrade to its Planar 3 turntable. The engaging musical character of the last generation hasn’t been diluted at all. Pound for pound, it's the best turntable we've heard all year.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best turntables
Stereo speakers
Tested at £530 / compare latest prices
These sophisticated Q350 speakers deliver a level of clarity and subtlety that’s unheard of at this price. No wonder they're a 2017 Product of the Year.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best stereo speakers
Smartphones
Tested at £800 / compare latest prices
Apple wins once again, not just due to its slick interface and design, but because it delivers the best sound we've heard on a smartphone this year. Bass is rich and detailed, midrange subtle and expressive, and treble superbly controlled.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best smartphones
In-ear headphones
Tested at £90 / compare latest prices
For the second year in a row, Sennheiser's Momentum in-ears remain the best value in-ear headphones we’ve heard at this price.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best in-ear headphones
DACs
Tested at £1800 / compare latest prices
Not the most affordable DAC we've ever tested, but immensely capable. There isn’t another DAC around at this sort of price that is able to communicate so torrentially, so unambiguously or so effortlessly.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best DACs
Blu-ray players
Tested at £400 / compare latest prices
If you’re in the market for a quality 4K Blu-ray player, this detailed and colourful Sony is the one we’d recommend.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best Blu-ray players
Home cinema amplifiers
Tested at £550 / compare latest prices
Packed with all the latest home cinema technology and a stunning performance to match, the Sony STR-DN1080 is a talented box of tricks.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best home cinema amplifiers
Speaker packages
Tested at £2875 / compare latest prices
Monitor Audio's new Silver range of speakers makes for an Award-winning 5.1 package. It times with military precision, driving action scenes with relentless momentum.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best speaker packages
Projectors
Tested at £3000 / compare latest prices
The most affordable 4K projector we've seen, this Optoma should keep you happy for years. A well-deserved Product of the Year.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best projectors
Wireless speakers
Tested at £230 / compare latest prices
The delightful Addon C5 has Product of the Year written all over it. It's a multi-room wireless speaker that's extremely tough to beat at this price.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best wireless speakers
On-ear headphones
Tested at £80 / compare latest prices
These affordable Y50s remain unbeaten for the fourth year in a row thanks to their detailed, open and spacious soundstage.
MORE: Awards 2017: On-ear headphones
Wireless headphones
Tested at £330 / compare latest prices
B&W gets it right first time: these noise-cancelling, wireless headphones deliver smart design and excellent sound which are second to none.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best wireless headphones
Multi-room systems
Tested at £1300 / compare latest prices
Hugely talented, offering up a big, open sound that’s full of detail and enthusiasm, the Bluesound system supports hi-res streaming across your home as well.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best multi-room systems
Music streamers
Tested at £1200 / compare latest prices
A premium music streamer with the performance to match, this Cambridge continues to entertain us with its talents and picks up another Product of the Year gong.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best music streamers
Streaming services
Tested at £20pm
Tidal stands out as a truly compelling streaming proposition, where great sound quality is matched by a strong interface and extensive music catalogue.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best streaming services
Systems
Tested at £2000 / compare latest prices
A terrific modern hi-fi proposition with source, amplification and speakers in one hugely attractive package. They're a great fit for Product of the Year.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best systems
Accessories
Tested at £400 / compare latest prices
The rPhono is a capable and informative phono stage that still knows how to have fun. An essential addition to your turntable set-up.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best accessories
CD players
Tested at £450 / compare latest prices
This tuned-for-UK upgrade to an already great CD player delivers a full dose of power, scale and drive - it's the best we've heard at this price.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best CD players
Radios
Tested at £150 / compare latest prices
This Roberts remains an enjoyable listen with both music and voice radio. Its competitive price and streaming features have seen off rivals for four years in a row.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best radios
Set-top boxes
Tested from £54pm / compare latest prices
Sky Q feels utterly contemporary, combining almost every way of watching TV - including 4K Ultra HD broadcasts - and allowing you to access them all over your home.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best set-top boxes
Portable music players
Tested at £600 / compare latest prices
A precise, dynamic and open character is very much at the core of the AK70 MKII’s sonic signature. Carry your hi-res music around in style.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best portable music players
Tablets
Tested at £560 / compare latest prices
This 2017 version gives you that elegant and intuitive tablet experience we’ve come to expect from Apple. It's a package that's tough to beat.
MORE: Awards 2017: Best tablets
Temptation
Tested at £44,000 / compare latest prices
They’re expensive - obviously - but the K2 S9900s are among the very best speakers money can buy.
Readers' Award
Tested at £1750 / compare latest prices
Our Readers' Award reflects the product that you, our readers, have been most excited by this year. From a shortlist of ten products, you voted for the stylish and talented Naim Uniti Atom - an excellent choice.
Innovation of the Year
We think it’s time to recognise the innovation happening in other aspects of the hi-fi industry, so we've handed our first Innovation of the Year Award to Bang & Olufsen’s BeoSound Shape.
This stylish, modular and bespoke wireless music system obliterates the line between traditional systems and interior design. If this is how the future of hi-fi is going to shape up, count us in.
Hall of Fame
Tested at £2000 / compare latest prices
Last year, as What Hi-Fi? celebrated its 40th anniversary, we took a nostalgic look back at four decades of hi-fi and home entertainment. In so doing, we compiled a list of our 40 favourite products of all time.
This year, we’ve introduced a Hall of Fame for products that are instant classics and exemplary in their field. The first Hall of Fame honour goes to the KEF LS50 Wireless – a superb product that seamlessly blends traditional hi-fi values and modern streaming features into one glorious package.
MORE: The What Hi-Fi? Hall of Fame
Outstanding contribution
Steve Reichert
And finally, our first ever non-product Award goes to a man who has worked harder, and with greater humour, than most. Steve Reichert has been a fixture in the UK Consumer Electronics industry for longer than decorum dictates we should mention here. (It’s 45 years...)
During long and successful stints at Arcam and Armour Home (where he’s been closely associated with Q Acoustics, Grado and QED, among other brands), Steve has never been less than committed and enthusiastic. Whether tweeting, YouTubing or demonstrating products to journalists, Steve’s passion for his subject is never in doubt.
Bestowing Steve Reichert with this inaugural What Hi-Fi? Award is our way of recognising his contribution to the industry: outstanding.
