Best TV wall mounts and brackets for 2022 in the UK – Good Housekeeping

Good Housekeeping

Theres more to setting up your new TV than fiddling with the menus to get the best picture quality and downloading your favourite streaming apps to watch the latest season of Virgin River or catch up on missed episodes of Strictly Come Dancing where you place your telly in a room has a big impact on your viewing experience.

Theres no rule that it has to go on a TV stand. In fact, there are plenty of reasons not to use the feet that come in the box and instead take advantage of your wall space. Mounting your telly lets you change the angle of the screen, gives you more room for furniture and, as the set is less likely to topple over, its safer for kids too.

Wall brackets are available to fit all sizes of TV whether its an expensive 4K model or a more affordable set under 500 and are installed relatively easily using pre-built holes on the back (you will see this called VESA, more on that below). Some keep the telly in a fixed position, while others let you swivel, tilt or turn it within 180 degrees.

Interested? Heres our pick of the best TV wall brackets in 2022:

Not sure which bracket is best for you or what questions you should consider before buying? Keep scrolling to read a buyers guide under our recommendations.

We test the best TV wall brackets based on build quality, ease of installation and how well they connect to your TVs VESA mount, plus how well the TV weight is supported once fixed to the wall. We look out for extra features they offer, such as built-in cable management or spirit levels. This list is based on rigorous research comparisons of specifications, features, design quality and pricing plus hands-on experience.

Best TV wall mount overall

Best fixed TV wall mount

Best budget fixed TV wall mount

Best tilt TV wall mount

Best wall mount for small TVs

Best wall mount for small to medium TVs

Best wall mount for big screen TVs

Best wall mount for heavy TVs

The main types of TV wall mount

TV wall brackets come in all shapes and sizes, but the most common types are fixed (also called flat or low profile), tilting and full motion. As the name suggests, fixed mounts keep your TV in one place, working best if the telly is around eye level, so you wont strain your neck looking up during your next classic movie marathon. Tilting wall brackets can be moved so the screen shifts forwards slightly, and these are best for TVs higher above your eye level, such as above a fireplace.

Full motion brackets are easily the most complex of the bunch, letting you extend the telly outwards, tilt or swivel it side-to-side. These work in any room where you need to move the screen to find the perfect viewing angle, but are the hardest to install.

How to find the right TV wall mount

Once you have picked the type of wall mount that works best for your home, you will need to make sure it fits on your telly. Read the spec sheet for the bracket and make sure it handles your screen size (this is measured in inches), weight (measured in kilograms) and the size of VESA mount (measured in millimetres).

What exactly is a VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association)? This refers to four pre-built screw holes you will find on the back of your TV used to connect a mount. Lets keep this simple. If you cant find the details in the manual or online, you can measure this yourself: its the distance (in millimetres) between the two horizontal holes and the distance between the two vertical holes. So, if your result is 100 mm across and 100 mm high your VESA is 100 x 100 mm. Common sizes are 200 x 200, 400 x 400 and 600 x 400, but every telly is different so always check.

Lastly, your wall has to be strong enough to support both the weight of your TV and the bracket. Try to stick to sturdy brick or concrete walls if possible. Use on drywall or a stud wall may not be possible, or need extra support with professional installation.

Wall mounting your TV: pros and cons

For us, the biggest pro of wall mounting your TV is that it saves space getting the telly up high means you dont need a large stand or cabinet taking up valuable square inches, giving you more room for sofas, accent chairs or a childrens play area. This opens up another exciting possibility for more snug homes: using a wall means you can shop for larger screen sizes. Even better, you no longer have to lay out all of your furniture and sofas facing the direction of your TV.

If you do have children (or if youre just slightly clumsy) having the TV on the wall is safer as the set cant be toppled over and cause an injury. At the same time, using a tilted or a motion mount gives you more flexibility on how the screen is positioned, letting you swivel the display away from glare pouring through the blinds.

Of course, there are also a few downsides to mounting your telly. The biggest is that doing so usually requires more effort than just popping on the feet and setting it on a cabinet. Installation is always fairly easy, but may require a helper and you often have to use a drill. Failing to do it properly can result in damage to your TV (and wall).

Its also important to remember that you may also lose easy access to ports on the back of the TV so connecting a set-top box, streaming device or wired soundbar may be more difficult. Unless you have good cable management, you may also see wires hanging down from the telly to the power socket. And the issue with not using a larger TV cabinet in your living room? You lose the storage that comes with it.

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Best TV wall mounts and brackets for 2022 in the UK - Good Housekeeping