It's not essential though. Any device that has a screen and a Bluetooth connection - your smartphone, tablet or laptop, for example - can be used to display the lyrics while you play the music through the karaoke machine's speaker. This is the smallest and lightest karaoke machine we've tested, but it outshines some of the larger ones. Once we got this karaoke machine paired up via Bluetooth it sounded good, but getting it connected wasn't always straightforward. However, the key will be to ensure the sound comes out of your karaoke machine, if you'd rather it didn't come out of the TV. To do this, you'll either need to establish a Bluetooth connection between your TV and the karaoke machine, or use an AUX cable to connect them up. Do you need a TV for a karaoke machine?

That’s fine if you’re happy to use the karaoke videos on YouTube – search for the name of a song followed by “lyrics” or “karaoke” and you will probably find something suitable. The quality can vary, though, and every now and then you might end up accidentally watching a video of some random people at a karaoke bar. It depends on how visible you'd like the lyrics to be. If you're karaoke-ing in a large room or want lots of partygoers to join in while you sing, it can be helpful to have the lyrics displayed on a larger screen so they can easily be seen. Need to know Rechargeable battery (total battery life not stated), audio effects include echo, bass and treble, LED light display, included accessories: 1x USB charging cable, 1x AUX to AUX cable, 1x remote control, 1x carry strap The speakers are where the sound comes out. Some karaoke machines have built-in speakers while others need to plug into a speaker, TV, hi-fi or PA system. Even if your machine has built-in speakers, it may still be best to plug it into a hi-fi system for better sound quality and more volume (neighbours’ sanity permitting).

If you want to take a power stance as you sing at the top of your voice and imagine the crowd going wild, we don't think there are many better home karaoke machines. But because of this key limitation we don't think it's fit for a full-blown karaoke party. As a children's toy it does the job well, but we wouldn't ask it to be more than that. Need to know Rechargeable battery (4 hours of battery life), audio effects include echo, EQ presets, LED light display, included accesories: 1x USB charging cable Microphones 2x wireless mics included (2x AA batteries required for each, none included), maximum of two mics can used at the same time

We also had no trouble establishing a Bluetooth connection between the machine and our smartphones and laptops. The FM radio had a somewhat patchy signal, even with its extendable aerial, but that's not what you're really planning on using your karaoke machine for. The screen is where the lyrics are displayed. Not many karaoke machines have a built-in display so this will normally be your TV, although you can also use a PC screen or your phone or tablet. For obvious reasons, a larger screen works better because it means that you can prance around the room and really perform the song rather than being stood in front of a small display, straining your eyes to read the lyrics.

Our pick of the best karaoke machines for adults and kids, including a detailed guide on how to choose the best one

Throw a karaoke party, perfect your pitch or sing your heart out with our range of karaoke singing machines for kids and performers.

The music sounds good from the tall speaker, which has an impressive light display that can be set to react to the music being played. However, the maximum volume wasn't quite high enough for our testers, who sometimes felt they could sing louder than it.

the Easy Karaoke, idance and accessory range

It nails the basics. It looks good, sounds good, and is easy to set up and use. The light display, although a little more understated than some more glittery competitors, still looks impressive and the amp-style appearance gives it appeal as a speaker as well as a karaoke machine. Need to know Mains powered, audio effects include echo only, LED light display, included accessories: 1x audio/video out cable, 1x tablet/smartphone holder, 1x pre-loaded karaoke disc for TV display Music sounded acceptable when we played it through this karaoke machine, and it is loud enough, but some notable ease of use and quality issues led to it finishing bottom of the pile in our tests. The short power cable also makes positioning it more challenging than some we tested, as it needs to be connected to mains electricity for it to work. We like the controls and light display of this karaoke machine, but the quiet maximum volume left us singing louder than the speaker.

Microphones 2x wireless mics included (2x AA batteries required for each, none included), maximum two mics can used at the same time Need to know Rechargeable battery (3-4 hours battery life), audio effects include echo, bass, mid and treble, LED light display, included accessories: remote control Need to know Rechargeable battery (total battery life not stated), audio effects include echo only, two LED light displays (one on front of speaker and one on top), included accessories: 1x USB charging cable

The best karaoke machines you can buy in 2023

The best karaoke machines you can buy in 2023 1. Mr Entertainer Moonbox: Best all-in-one karaoke machine Smart TVs that share the same wi-fi as your smartphone can connect via the screen-sharing function on your phone. You can then stream videos with the music and lyrics from your phone to your TV, using apps such as YouTube.