Herhoter Galaxy star projector review

If you're looking for a star projector that doesn't take up much space and will neatly nestle into the clutter on your bedside cabinet, then the Herhoter Galaxy Projector is well worth considering. This inexpensive projector will fill your bedroom with laser stars and cover a portion of your ceiling with colorful nebula-like projections, making for a relaxing, attractive ambience.

There is no speaker built in here, but as far as projections go, the Herhoter Galaxy Projector has all the features you'd expect: rotation, multiple colorways, stars that can be turned on and off and a sleep timer. There are some nice display options too, such as making auroras 'breathe' in and out, and the ability to increase and decrease the speed at which they rotate.

There are numerous buttons on the base of the projector itself, but you'll want the remote control to hand to access the full range of operations. For those on a budget, the Herhoter Galaxy Projector may well be one of the best star projectors you can buy; after all, it offers a pretty good package for less than $20. It's ideal if you're looking for star projectors under $100 and star projectors for kids.

Design

Image 1 of 2

• Very small form factor
• Comes with an optional stand
• Buttons are on the base of the unit

The Herhoter Galaxy Projector is smaller than a coffee mug, so nestled on your bedside cabinet, you're barely going to notice it. We love its small form factor; it's well-designed and, despite its size, it feels solid and well-built. That's a very welcome factor given that this projector currently retails for $18.99 and is frequently on offer.

In the box, you'll find two optional stands, which allow you to angle the projector towards a wall. One is set with a 25-degree angle, and the other with a 45-degree angle. It works perfectly fine without it, shooting straight up to the ceiling. It's a shame it doesn't come with an adjustable base, as it's not ideal to switch out the stands to change the angle. But we imagine most people will stick with the same angle once they've found what works best for them.

Strangely, the buttons to control the projector are on the base of the unit itself. If you're using one of the stands, they're a little more accessible, but if you're projecting straight up to the ceiling, you'll need to pick it up to change settings. Thankfully, it also includes a remote control, so you'll likely want to make use of that as it allows easier access to the full range of the projector's functions, too.

Performance

Image 1 of 4

• Limited reach
• Colorful and sharp projections
• Green laser stars

The Herhoter Galaxy Projector offers up a relaxing, rippling nebula-like projection. Multiple colors are available, including single colors (red, blue and green) and combinations. Whatever option you choose, projections are sharp and bright, and thanks to the various functions, you can fully control how they appear.

You can opt for a still image, have it pulsing in and out, or have it rotating at different speeds. This level of customization means you can create an ambience to suit any mood: a slow rotation suits a calming, meditative atmosphere, for example, while a faster-moving aurora projection might make for a more lively, party mood.

The downside is that the projections don't have the widest reach, covering only a section of our fairly small double bedroom. Turn on the laser stars, and they will reach across most of the room, but the stars here are the same green laser stars you'll find in most budget star projectors. We think the projections look much better with the stars turned off, but your own preferences may vary.

Functionality

• Useful remote control
• Sleep timer
• No speaker

Image 1 of 2

The Herhoter Galaxy Projector doesn't have a built-in speaker, which, given its MSRP, isn't surprising. It isn't a great loss, either, as any speaker in a budget projector is usually tinny at best. If you want music to accompany your projections, you can simply use your phone or a dedicated music player.

The included remote control, which comes with a battery pre-installed, is very useful for controlling the projections. You can change some settings on the base of the unit itself, but with the remote control, you can easily change the brightness, speed and color of the nebula projections. You can also turn stars on or off, and set a sleep timer.

The sleep timer built into the Herhoter Galaxy Projector allows you to choose one of five times: 30 minutes, one hour, two hours, three hours or four hours. There's a 'cancel' button, too, if you decide you want to cancel any timer you've previously set. It's a useful function to have if you plan on using the projector to help you fall asleep.

Should I buy the Herhoter Galaxy Projector?

If you are on a budget and you're looking for a simple nebula-style star projector, then the Herhoter Galaxy Projector is a great choice. You won't find scientifically accurate projections here, but you will get colourful, relaxing projections that won't break the bank.

If you do want scientific projections, then we'd recommend looking at the Sega Toys Homestar Flux, or another projector from the Sega Toys range. It's significantly more expensive, but interchangeable discs allow for realistic projections, including an accurate representation of the Northern Hemisphere night sky. If you don't want to spend quite as much but still want something with a bit more accuracy than the Herhoter Galaxy Projector, the Orzorz Galaxy Lite is also worth considering.