Updated November1, 2024
As perhaps the most crucial piece of equipment for a scuba diver, you want to make sure that your regulator is safe and has the features and qualities you need for the type of diving you have in mind. As you start the research you quickly realize there is a huge number of models available that run from only a few hundred dollars to thousands.
A low price, however, does not necessarily indicate low quality or a lack of features. It does signal that if you want to get the most for your money you need to be very careful.
To help you find a safe, high-quality, multi-faceted scuba regulator at a budget price, some excellent models have been chosen to introduce to you. The pricing ranges from just over $300 up to just under $450 for a first-stage, second-stage, and low-pressure hose. To start there is a comparison table highlighting key features. Following that, each is described with photos and videos, and finally, a review of what you need to consider generally is presented in a buying guide.
Please use the comments section at the bottom if you have any questions or concerns. I’d love to know your thoughts.
For other scuba regulator reviews, please check out these popular posts:
Best Regulators Best Cold Water Regulators
Best Budget Scuba Regulator Reviews
- Scubapro MK2 EVO/R195
- Aqua Lung Calypso QC
- Aqua Lung Core Supreme
- Mares Rover 15X
- Apeks XL4
- Cressi Ideal MC9 Compact
- Seac DX200 Ice
- Zeagle Envoy II
Best Budget Scuba Regulator Comparison Table
| Photo |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regulator | Scubapro MK2 EVO/R195 | Aqua Lung Calypso QC | Aqua Lung Core Supreme | Mares Rover 15X | Apeks XL4 | Cressi Ideal MC9 Compact | Seac DX200 Ice | Zeagle Envoy II | Regulator |
| 1st Stage Type | Unbalanced Piston | Unbalanced Piston | Balanced Diaphragm | Balanced Diaphragm | Over-Balanced Diaphragm | Balanced Diaphragm | Balanced Diaphragm | Balanced Diaphragm | 1st Stage Type |
| Ports | 1HP/4LP | 1HP/4LP | 2HP/4LP | 2HP/4LP | 2HP/4LP | 2HP/4LP | 2HP/4LP | 2HP/5LP | Ports |
| Adjustable Inhalation | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | Adjustable Inhalation |
| Adjustable Venturi | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Adjustable Venturi |
| Cold Water Rated | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Cold Water Rated |
| Price | $ | $ | $$ | $ | $$ | $ | $$ | $ | Price |
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.5 | Rating |
| Regulator | Scubapro MK2 EVO/R195 | Aqua Lung Calypso QC | Aqua Lung Core Supreme | Mares Rover 15X | Apeks XL4 | Cressi Ideal MC9 Compact | Seac DX200 Ice | Zeagle Envoy II | Regulator |
Durable, Simple Design, Good for Beginners & Dive Shops
The Scubapro MK2 EVO R195 is the most recent updated version of a tested simple design that beginners and dive shops have been relying on for years.
With a durable and easy-to-service unbalanced design, it is rated for cold water, has an adjustable Venturi that can limit free flows at the surface and increase breathing ease, and is lightweight for travel.
- 1st Stage: unbalanced downstream piston
- Ports: 1 high-pressure, 4 low-pressure
- Adjustable Venturi
- Coldwater rated
- Nitrox ready to 40% O2
- Weight: 2 pounds 4.9 ounces
- Rating: 4.5
- Price: $
Ultra Low-Priced, Durable, Easy to Maintain, Great for Entry-Level & Dive-Shop Use
The Aqua Lung Calypso is another long-time favorite of divers on a budget and dive shops.
With its simple unbalanced piston design, it still delivers easy breathing and is a durable low-maintenance regulator.
Aqua Lung indicates that it is cold-water rated but with the unbalanced design warm water use is recommended.
It has a Venturi system with a large switch to control free flows at the surface that maximizes airflow at depth.
Extra lightweight for travel it is also ultra-low-priced.
- 1st Stage: unbalanced piston
- Ports: 1 high-pressure, 4 low-pressure
- Adjustable Venturi
- Cold-water rated but regarded primarily as a warm-water regulator
- Weight: 2 pounds
- Rating: 4.4
- Price: $
Cold-Water Features, Balanced Diaphragm, Easy Breathing
In this review of budget scuba regulators, the Aqua Lung Core Supreme is moderately priced with a number of features you would look for on high-end models.
It is environmentally sealed to keep out contaminants and cold water and has other features as well to enhance coldwater performance.
The balanced diaphragm design is durable and it has an adjustable Venturi for ease of breathing and free-flow control, and an unusual Auto-Close Device that closes the opening to the first stage as soon as it is removed from the tank valve.
- 1st Stage: balanced diaphragm
- Ports: 2 high-pressure, 4 low-pressure
- Adjustable Venturi
- Cold-water rated
- ACD (Auto-Close Device) keeps unwanted water and other contaminants out of the first stage when removed from the tank
- Environmentally sealed
- Ergonomic, comfortable mouthpiece with a lip guard for coldwater use
- Weight: 3 pounds
- Rating: 4.7
- Price: $$
Compact & Lightweight, Easy-Breathing, Great Low Price
The Mares Rover 15X is a lightweight, compact, balanced diaphragm regulator that is inherently environmentally sealed against debris and muck.
It has a vortex assist design in the second stage to make breathing easier, and the first stage has Dynamic Flow Control that guarantees a steady flow of intermediate air pressure for breathing even under extreme conditions.
Good for warm to moderate temperature water, it is Nitrox ready (to 40% O2) right out of the box and is priced at the low end
of the models reviewed here.
- 1st Stage: balanced diaphragm
- Ports: 2 high-pressure, 4 low-pressure
- Vortex assist design for ease of breathing
- DFC (Dynamic Flow Control)
- Environmentally sealed
- Not cold water rated
- Nitrox ready to 40% O2
- Compact size
- Weight: 2 pounds 3.45 ounces
- Rating: 4.4
- $
Great for Cold Water & Technical Diving, Lightweight, Compact
The Apeks XL4 is a good model for all-around use but great for cold water and technical diving.
Lightweight and compact it has an over-molded endcap to assist in the prevention of ice build-up.
The over-balanced diaphragm design allows medium-pressure gas in the hose to increase at a faster rate than ambient on the descent for better performance at depth.
The lightweight second stage leads to less mouth fatigue and the flexible rubber exhaust tee does a good job of bubble diversion.
Nitrox-ready out of the box, the pricing is especially reasonable considering the performance capabilities.
- 1st Stage: over-balanced diaphragm
- Ports: 2 high-pressure, 4 low-pressure
- Over-molded first-stage endcap and environmentally sealed diaphragm design for prevention of ice build-up
- Cold-water rated
- Nylon braided hose for better performance in cold water than rubber
- Lightweight second stage for less mouth fatigue
- Flexible, durable rubber exhaust tee for good bubble diversion
- Nitrox ready to 40% O2
- Compact size
- Weight: 2 pounds
- Rating: 4.8
- Price: $$
Lightweight, Low-Priced, Easy Breathing, Solid Performance
The Cressi Ideal MC9 is a versatile high-performance regulator that is fairly lightweight with a featherlight 2nd stage of techno-polymers.
It is cold-water rated and environmentally sealed with a balanced second stage that has a downstream valve design and a hyper-balanced diaphragm that provides excellent breathing performance making Venturi adjustment little needed.
The pricing is at the lower end of the scale in this review and it comes with a 2-year limited warranty.
- 1st Stage: hyper-balanced diaphragm
- Ports: 2 high-pressure, 4 low-pressure
- Featherweight 2nd stage of techno-polymers eliminates jaw fatigue
- Environmentally sealed
- Adjustable Venturi
- Big purge button
- Weight: 1 pound 8 ounces
- 2-year limited warranty
- Rating: 4.6
- Price: $
High Performance, Great in Cold Water, Lightweight, Durable Ergonomic Construction
The Seac DX200 Ice is lightweight and durable, set up for cold water use.
Using double seals the first stage is environmentally isolated from ice, debris, and other materials and has a second stage housing of technopolymers for resistance to bumps and abrasions.
It has a flexible braided hose with a higher burst pressure and easy-to-manipulate controls for adjustable inhalation and Venturi, effective with gloves in frigid conditions.
In addition, ports on the first stage are ergonomically positioned for low stress and minimal drag.
- 1st Stage: balanced diaphragm
- Ports: 2 high-pressure, 4 low-pressure
- Technopolymer second-stage housing with abrasion-resistance
- Braided hose – flexible and a higher burst pressure
- Environmentally sealed
- Adjustable inhalation
- Adjustable Venturi
- Cold-water rated
- Weight: 1 pound 8 ounces
- Rating: 4.8
- Price: $$
Low-Priced, Solid Performance, Nitrox Ready, Suitable for Cold Water, Durable & Reliable
The Zeagle Envoy II has a tried and true balanced diaphragm design using quality materials including marine brass, thermoplastics, and elastomeric polymers that deliver reliable performance.
Nitrox ready right out of the box, it has a built-in heat sink and is environmentally sealed making it a good choice for cold water.
It also has an adjustable Venturi for free-flow control at the surface and 5 low-pressure ports for a large range of options.
A little heavier than other models reviewed here, it is durable and comes in at the bottom end of the pricing range.
- 1st Stage: balanced diaphragm
- Ports: 2 high-pressure, 5 low-pressure
- Environmentally sealed
- Adjustable Venturi
- Nitrox ready to 40% O2
- Built-in heat sink for freezing resistance
- Cold-water rated
- Weight: 3 pounds 4 ounces
- Rating: 4.5
- Price: $
Best Budget Scuba Regulator Buying Guide
Yoke or DIN
Most regulators use one of these two systems for attaching the first stage of the tank to the regulator.
- Yoke Valve – Yoke valves are the prevalent system in North America or where North Americans tend to dive. This system involves an A-clamp to make the connection with an O-ring used to make the seal. The hardware in this system is durable with the O-ring being the weakest point. It is popular for recreational diving in warm water.
- DIN Valve – This system is the preferred system for most Europeans and has advantages for technical, wreck, cave, and cold water diving. It involves screwing the valve directly onto the tank creating a more secure and solid seal than a yoke valve. Care needs to be taken to avoid damage to the threads.
Adapters are available for mixing systems. All of the regulators reviewed here use a yoke system but are available with the DIN system, as well.
Warm Versus Cold Water
If you dive in cold water there is a concern about the freezing of the first stage which would impede function and could be dangerous.
- Unsealed Regulators – These are open so that water can enter the first stage. When it is warm this is not inherently a problem.
- Sealed Regulators – At temperatures much lower than 75°F (24°C), water that flows into an unsealed first stage could start to freeze and inhibit the mechanics, decreasing or stopping airflow with potentially deadly consequences. An environmentally sealed regulator will prevent this as well as the entry of other contaminants like sand, sediments, salt, or other muck.
Diaphragm or Piston
Regulator first stages have two basic designs to choose from. As the gas passes from the tank into the first stage it will force either the diaphragm or piston to open and close with each breath taken. Some divers have expressed a preference but ease of breathing is very similar between the two designs. Diaphragm models are often inherently environmentally sealed offering that advantage that is especially useful in cold or dirty water.
Balanced or Unbalanced
A balanced regulator has consistent airflow regardless of how much air is left in the tank or the depth. As you go deeper and the air supply decreases it will become harder to breathe when you use an unbalanced model.
Unbalanced models often have much simpler and easier-to-maintain designs as well as being cheaper, making them the choice of many dive shops. Frankly, unless you are doing deep technical dives and draining your tank down to the dregs you may not even notice the difference in ease of breathing.
Number of Ports
A standard setup for a recreational scuba regulator has one or two high-pressure (HP) ports and four or five low-pressure (LP) ports. 2 HP ports are useful when you use an air-integrated dive computer with a transmitter in addition to the basic connection to the pressure gauge. The LP ports serve for the inflation of BCDs, drysuits, and second stages. As your gear acquisition mounts, the more you will want as many ports as possible.
Weight
The lighter the regulator the easier it is to take it on trips. If you can find a budget-priced regulator under 3 pounds, that can be considered lightweight. Many models lighter than that use ultralight materials like titanium or carbon fiber that take the regulator out of the budget price range.
Diver Adjustable Features
There are a couple of useful features that are often included even on low-priced regulators that add to safety, convenience, or ease of breathing.
- Inhalation Adjustment – This involves a control on the second stage which allows you to increase or decrease breathing resistance. You can select a comfortable amount to avoid fatigue and conserve air.
- Venturi Switch – This operates a Venturi inside the second stage that can enhance ease of breathing at depth. On the surface, you can use the same switch to close the Venturi to prevent free-flows.
Designs that have knobs that are easy to grasp and operate even with gloves on are best.
For other scuba regulator reviews, please check out these popular posts:
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