The 10 Best Guitar Effects Pedals as of July 2026

How we ranked these guitar effects pedals

Each pick earns a score out of 10 from weighted criteria:

Performance (35%) — how well each guitar pedal does its core job.
Value (25%) — quality and features for the price.
Build & reliability (20%) — materials, longevity and warranty.
Features (20%) — meaningful extras that improve the experience.

We also weigh real-world owner reviews — star ratings and how many people left them — and whether each product has the features you'd expect in its class.

At a glance: top 10 compared

Swipe across to see all columns, including Amazon links →

#	Guitar Effects Pedals	Score	Best for	Type	Approx. Price	Amazon links
1	Strymon BigSky	9.1	Best reverb	Reverb	£450	View Price
2	Boss DD-8 Digital Delay	8.9	Best delay	Delay	£180	View Price
3	Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9	8.8	Best overdrive	Overdrive	£110	View Price
4	Boss DS-1 Distortion	8.7	Best distortion	Distortion	£45	View Price
5	TC Electronic Hall of Fame 2	8.7	Best value reverb	Reverb	£130	View Price
6	Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi	8.6	Best fuzz	Fuzz	£75	View Price
7	Boss GT-1 Multi-Effects	8.6	Best multi-fx	Multi-effects	£180	View Price
8	MXR Dyna Comp	8.5	Best compressor	Compressor	£110	View Price
9	Donner Yellow Fall Delay	8.2	Best budget	Delay	£25	View Price
10	Behringer UV300 Ultra Vibrato	8.1	Best cheap modulation	Modulation	£30	View Price

The full ranking

Best reverb

Strymon BigSky

9.1Our number one pick.

The Strymon BigSky is a studio-grade reverb offering lush, endlessly tweakable spaces from rooms to shimmering ambience, a benchmark for serious players. It is expensive, but the sound quality and depth are excellent.

Sound: 9.6Build: 9.2Controls: 9.0Value: 8.2

Pros

Gorgeous, deep reverbs
Highly tweakable
Preset storage

Cons

Expensive
Lots to learn

Check price on Amazon≈ £450

Best delay

Boss DD-8 Digital Delay

8.9A superb runner-up.

The Boss DD-8 packs versatile, high-quality delays and looping into a rugged, easy-to-use pedal that suits any board. It is digital rather than analogue-warm, but the range and reliability are excellent.

Sound: 9.0Build: 9.4Controls: 8.8Value: 8.8

Pros

Many delay modes
Built-in looper
Rugged Boss build

Cons

Digital character
Small secondary controls

Check price on Amazon≈ £180

Best overdrive

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9

8.8Rounds out our top three.

The Ibanez TS9 is the classic mid-focused overdrive used on countless records, brilliant for pushing an amp or tightening a lead tone. It is a one-trick pedal, but that trick is excellent.

Sound: 9.2Build: 9.0Controls: 8.6Value: 8.8

Pros

Legendary overdrive tone
Great amp push
Simple controls

Cons

One core sound
Mid hump not for everyone

Check price on Amazon≈ £110

Best distortion

Boss DS-1 Distortion

8.7A standout in the upper half.

The Boss DS-1 is an affordable, iconic distortion with a punchy, cutting tone that has featured on decades of music. It is simple, but the classic dirt and value are excellent.

Sound: 8.8Build: 9.0Controls: 8.6Value: 9.2

Pros

Iconic distortion
Very affordable
Tough build

Cons

Can sound fizzy
Basic controls

Check price on Amazon≈ £45

Best value reverb

TC Electronic Hall of Fame 2

8.7A well-rounded mid-table pick.

The TC Electronic Hall of Fame 2 offers excellent reverbs and clever MASH footswitch expression at a fraction of boutique prices, superb value. It is less deep than a BigSky, but the sound and value are excellent.

Sound: 9.0Build: 8.8Controls: 8.6Value: 9.2

Pros

Great reverbs for the price
Expressive MASH switch
Compact

Cons

Fewer options than flagships
App for TonePrints

Check price on Amazon≈ £130

Best fuzz

Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi

8.6Great value in the middle of the pack.

The EHX Big Muff Pi delivers thick, singing fuzz and huge sustain that has defined many classic tones, at a fair price. It is a big, bold effect, but the fuzz and value are excellent.

Sound: 8.8Build: 8.8Controls: 8.4Value: 9.0

Pros

Massive, singing fuzz
Great sustain
Affordable

Cons

Large footprint
Can dominate a mix

Check price on Amazon≈ £75

Best multi-fx

Boss GT-1 Multi-Effects

8.6A dependable pick if the price is right.

The Boss GT-1 packs a whole board's worth of amps and effects into one battery-capable unit, ideal for beginners wanting everything at once. Editing is fiddly on the unit, but the versatility and value are excellent.

Sound: 8.6Build: 8.8Controls: 8.4Value: 9.0

Pros

Huge range of effects
Battery powered
Great starter board

Cons

Fiddly onboard editing
Menu diving

Check price on Amazon≈ £180

Best compressor

MXR Dyna Comp

8.5Solid, if outshone by pricier rivals.

The MXR Dyna Comp is a simple, classic compressor that adds sustain, punch and that signature snap loved for country and funk. It has minimal controls, but the effect and build are excellent.

Sound: 8.8Build: 9.0Controls: 8.2Value: 8.8

Pros

Classic compression tone
Adds sustain and snap
Rugged

Cons

Only two knobs
Can colour the tone

Check price on Amazon≈ £110

Best budget

Donner Yellow Fall Delay

8.2A budget-friendly option worth a look.

The Donner Yellow Fall is a tiny, cheap analogue-voiced delay that sounds great for the money and saves board space. It is basic with no tap tempo, but for the price the value is excellent.

Sound: 8.4Build: 8.2Controls: 8.2Value: 9.4

Pros

Very affordable
Warm analogue voice
Tiny footprint

Cons

No tap tempo
Basic build

Check price on Amazon≈ £25

Best cheap modulation

Behringer UV300 Ultra Vibrato

8.1Rounds out our top ten.

The Behringer UV300 offers vibrato and chorus-style modulation at a rock-bottom price, a cheap way to add movement to your sound. The plastic build is basic, but for the money it does the job.

Sound: 8.2Build: 7.8Controls: 8.2Value: 9.2

Pros

Very cheap modulation
Usable vibrato tones
Light

Cons

Plastic build
Basic feel

Check price on Amazon≈ £30

Frequently asked questions

What's the best of the guitar effects pedals in 2026?

Our top overall pick is the Strymon BigSky, which leads on our combined score for performance, value and features. The Boss DD-8 Digital Delay and Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9 are excellent alternatives depending on budget and needs.

How did we choose these?

We weight performance, value, build quality and features, drawing on hands-on use and independent testing. See the methodology box above for the full breakdown.

Are these prices accurate?

Prices are approximate UK figures at the time of writing and change frequently. Click through to Amazon for the current price.

The bottom line

If you just want the best guitar effects pedals without overthinking it, the Strymon BigSky is our top recommendation — it earns the highest overall score for performance, value and features. Have a look at the current price and see what you think.

Check price on Amazon ≈ £450

Our top picks at a glance

Strymon BigSky

TC Electronic Hall of Fame 2

Boss DD-8 Digital Delay

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How we ranked these guitar effects pedals

At a glance: top 10 compared

The full ranking

Strymon BigSky

Pros

Cons

Boss DD-8 Digital Delay

Pros

Cons

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9

Pros

Cons

Boss DS-1 Distortion

Pros

Cons

TC Electronic Hall of Fame 2

Pros

Cons

Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi

Pros

Cons

Boss GT-1 Multi-Effects

Pros

Cons

MXR Dyna Comp

Pros

Cons

Donner Yellow Fall Delay

Pros

Cons

Behringer UV300 Ultra Vibrato

Pros

Cons

Frequently asked questions

The bottom line

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