The short answer (prices and picks re-checked 2 November 2026)
- Best value on stated brightness: the Netflix-licensed Android 14 projector at £59.99 for 400 ANSI lumens, which is 15.0p for each stated ANSI lumen.
- Brightest stated figure: 550 ANSI lumens at £89.98, or 16.4p per stated lumen.
- Cheapest that states a real figure: £49.99 for 150 ANSI lumens, though that works out at 33.3p per lumen, more than double the value pick.
- Cost per stated ANSI lumen across the six runs from 15.0p to 59.2p, a spread of 3.95 times for the same job.
- Our finding: one listing in this roundup advertises "35000 lumens" while its own specification states 550 ANSI lumens. That is a ratio of 63.6 to 1 on a single page, which is why we rank on ANSI and ignore the big number.
Corrected on 2 November 2026
We re-checked all six picks on 2 November 2026 and found four of them no longer available to buy on amazon.co.uk, with no buy box and no add to cart. Those four have been replaced with current models, every one verified on its own product page that day. The two that remain, the battery powered pick and the Aurzen BOOM Air, were both still in stock and have been repriced. Every brightness figure on this page is now the ANSI lumen figure the listing itself states.
Two notes on the live table above. Amazon's feed returns no price at all for the battery powered pick, so its price cell is blank even though the product has a working buy box at £99.99. The comparison table was also holding three products that had never appeared in this article, which we found during this re-check and have corrected, so the table and the picks now match.
Mini projectors used to be a gimmick. This summer they've become one of the things Britain is actually buying, and the July heatwave is a big part of why. Long, warm evenings are made for a film thrown onto a garden fence or a bedroom ceiling, and prices have dropped to the point where a watchable model costs less than a night out. Cheaper units now ship with Android or Google TV built in, so you no longer need a separate streaming stick to watch anything.
How this page was made
Prices and specs last checked by Look Into on 2 November 2026 · next check 28 December 2026 · how we picked
How Look Into made this guide: desk research, not a hands-on test. We shortlist on UK availability, compare published specifications and warranty terms, and read verified UK owner reviews, discounting incentivised ratings. Prices in the comparison table are pulled live from Amazon UK. Look Into has not handled these products: every figure comes from the maker, the listing or a named source, read on the date shown.
Prices in this table come from Amazon and are refreshed at least once a day, with the date of the last update under the table. The cost-per-use and running-cost figures on this page use prices Look Into read on 2 November 2026, so they can differ from today's price.
Also awarded in this guide Mini projector with WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 The cheapest projector we found that publishes an ANSI lumen figure at all instead of a four or five digit marketing number. £49.98 Ultra short throw smart mini projector A short throw lens fills a wall from close up, which is the thing that actually matters in a small bedroom or a box room where you cannot put the projector three metres back. Native 1080p and built-in apps. £89.99 Battery powered mini projector The only pick here that runs without a socket, which is the whole argument for it. WiFi 6 and a 4K input, and you can carry it to the end of the garden for a film on a sheet once it is properly dark. Affiliate links: as an Amazon Associate, Look Into earns from qualifying purchases. Prices change. These labels are Look Into editorial picks from desk research, not test results and not awards from Amazon or any third party. How we pick · See every LookInto Winner. As an Amazon Associate, Look Into earns from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability are accurate as of 12 November 2026 5:50 am and are subject to change.
Compare live prices for every pick
![[Netflix-Licensed 4K Supported]...image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51+AIgFe3TL._SL160_.jpg)
How we picked these
The mini projector market is full of wild numbers, so we ignored most of them and focused on what changes the picture you actually see. Brightness matters most, and the only figure worth trusting is ANSI lumens, an industry-standard measurement. The "20000 lumen" and "30000 lumen" claims plastered across cheap listings are not comparable to it and are best ignored. We also looked at native resolution, because a native 1080p projector is sharper than one that merely accepts a 1080p signal and shows it at 720p. After that we weighed built-in streaming, autofocus and keystone correction, battery and portability, running noise, and price.
At a glance
| Projector | Price (2 Nov 2026) | Stated ANSI lumens | Per stated ANSI lumen | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netflix-licensed mini smart projector | £59.99 | 400 | 15.0p | on stated brightness |
| 2026 smart projector, Android 14, native 1080p | £89.98 | 550 | 16.4p | Brightest stated ANSI figure |
| Mini projector with WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 | £49.99 | 150 | 33.3p | Cheapest that states an ANSI figure |
| Ultra short throw smart mini projector | £76.49 | 300 | 25.5p | a small room |
| Battery powered mini projector | £99.99 | 200 | 50.0p | garden |
| Aurzen BOOM Air with Google TV | £177.62 | 300 | 59.2p | Premium pick |
The best mini projectors in the UK
Best value on stated brightness
Netflix-licensed mini smart projector
£59.99 on 2 November 2026 · 400 ANSI lumens stated · 15.0p per stated ANSI lumen
At 15.0p for each stated ANSI lumen this is the best value on brightness in the set, and it is the only budget pick here that carries a Netflix licence rather than asking you to sideload an app. Android 14 on board, so no streaming stick needed.
The catch: 400 ANSI lumens is a dark-room figure. It will look washed out with a lamp on, whatever the box says, and the "4K supported" wording means it accepts a 4K signal and shows you less than that.
400 ANSI lumens · Android 14 · Netflix licensed
As an Amazon Associate, Look Into earns from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability are accurate as of 12 November 2026 5:50 am and are subject to change.
Brightest stated ANSI figure
2026 smart projector, Android 14, native 1080p
£89.98 on 2 November 2026 · 550 ANSI lumens stated · 16.4p per stated ANSI lumen
The brightest stated figure in this roundup at 550 ANSI lumens, native 1080p rather than an upscale, and 16.4p for each stated ANSI lumen puts it a whisker behind the value pick while giving you half as much light again.
The catch: This same listing also advertises "35000 lumens" elsewhere on the page. That is 63.6 times the 550 ANSI figure it states in its own specification. Both numbers are on one listing, which tells you how little the big number is worth.
550 ANSI lumens · native 1080p · Android 14
As an Amazon Associate, Look Into earns from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability are accurate as of 12 November 2026 5:50 am and are subject to change.
Cheapest that states an ANSI figure
Mini projector with WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0
£49.99 on 2 November 2026 · 150 ANSI lumens stated · 33.3p per stated ANSI lumen
The cheapest projector we found that publishes an ANSI lumen figure at all instead of a four or five digit marketing number. At £49.99 it is the entry ticket, and WiFi 6 means it holds a stream better than the older budget boxes.
The catch: 150 ANSI lumens is the dimmest here and it costs 33.3p per stated lumen, more than double the value pick. Paying £10 more buys you 400 ANSI instead of 150.
150 ANSI lumens · WiFi 6 · Bluetooth 5.0
As an Amazon Associate, Look Into earns from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability are accurate as of 12 November 2026 5:50 am and are subject to change.
Best for a small room
Ultra short throw smart mini projector
£76.49 on 2 November 2026 · 300 ANSI lumens stated · 25.5p per stated ANSI lumen
A short throw lens fills a wall from close up, which is the thing that actually matters in a small bedroom or a box room where you cannot put the projector three metres back. Native 1080p and built-in apps.
The catch: Short throw optics cost you brightness per pound: 25.5p per stated ANSI lumen against 15.0p for the value pick. You are paying for the geometry, not the light.
300 ANSI lumens · native 1080p · short throw
As an Amazon Associate, Look Into earns from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability are accurate as of 12 November 2026 5:50 am and are subject to change.
Best for the garden
Battery powered mini projector
£99.99 on 2 November 2026 · 200 ANSI lumens stated · 50.0p per stated ANSI lumen
The only pick here that runs without a socket, which is the whole argument for it. WiFi 6 and a 4K input, and you can carry it to the end of the garden for a film on a sheet once it is properly dark.
The catch: 50.0p per stated ANSI lumen, more than three times the value pick, and 200 ANSI lumens outdoors needs full darkness. The battery is the feature you are buying and the brightness is what you give up for it.
200 ANSI lumens · battery powered · WiFi 6
As an Amazon Associate, Look Into earns from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability are accurate as of 12 October 2026 8:05 am and are subject to change.
Premium pick
Aurzen BOOM Air with Google TV
£177.62 on 2 November 2026 · 300 ANSI lumens stated · 59.2p per stated ANSI lumen
Proper Google TV rather than a generic Android build, USB-C power so it runs off a power bank, and the build quality the budget boxes do not have. If you want the one that behaves like a finished product, this is it.
The catch: The dearest per stated ANSI lumen on this page at 59.2p, nearly four times the value pick for the same 300 ANSI lumens as a £76 short throw. You are paying for Google TV and the casing.
300 ANSI lumens · Google TV · USB-C powered
As an Amazon Associate, Look Into earns from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability are accurate as of 12 November 2026 5:50 am and are subject to change.
Frequently asked questions
Are cheap mini projectors actually any good?
For a dark room, yes. Under about £60 you get a soft but watchable picture that's fine for casual viewing. What you don't get is brightness, so they wash out in any daylight, and the built-in speakers are usually weak.
What do the lumen numbers mean?
Very little on cheap projectors. Many quote inflated "light source" or "LED" figures that can be ten times the real output. The honest measure is ANSI lumens. Around 200 to 500 ANSI is fine for a dark room, while 2000 ANSI or more is what you need if there's any ambient light.
Do I need a proper screen?
No. A smooth, pale wall works well, and a plain white sheet pulled tight is fine in the garden. A dedicated screen gives a crisper image, but it's an optional upgrade.
Can I use one outside in the garden?
Yes, once it's dark enough. Look for a model with a built-in battery if there's no socket nearby, and remember the picture only really appears once the sun is fully down.
Sources
Sources
- ProjectorCentral on ANSI lumens and reading projector specifications.
- RTINGS projector testing for how brightness and resolution translate to real picture quality.
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