A spread of magnifications, or four that overlap
An eyepiece set is bought for a reason that is rarely stated outright: it is cheaper than assembling the same range one piece at a time, and it arrives in a case that keeps glass out of a coat pocket. Whether it is a good purchase turns on a single question — does the spread of focal lengths cover useful magnifications in the telescope that is already owned, without repeating what came in the box with it? A set whose longest eyepiece duplicates the supplied one, and whose shortest gives a magnification the aperture cannot support, is a set of two usable eyepieces sold as six. Work the division out before buying. The second question is what else is inside. Many sets include a Barlow lens, which doubles the count of available magnifications but also doubles the chances of duplication — a 2× Barlow with a 20 mm (0.79 in) and a 10 mm (0.39 in) eyepiece produces the same figure twice. Colored filters are a common make-weight; they have genuine planetary uses and are also the cheapest thing to put in a box. Read the optical design of the eyepieces themselves rather than the count, since a set of simple Kellners and a set of wide-field designs are different products at the same nominal size. Check the barrel size and the case. We compare focal length spread, duplication risk, optical designs, included Barlow and filters, barrel size and case.
Three Plössls 4/10/25 mm · 2x Barlow with T-thread · 4 elements · 50° apparent field · fully multi-coated
Three 1.25-inch Plössls of 4, 10 and 25 mm with a 2x Barlow: four-element, 50-degree, fully multi-coated, internally blackened metal eyepieces with filter threads, and a Barlow that takes a camera T-ring.
Best for: Replacing lost or poor supplied eyepieces, where the 4 mm and the Barlow add the high powers
≈ $48
Three Plössls 6/12.5/20 mm · 4 elements · 50° apparent field · multi-coated · fold-down eyecups
Three 1.25-inch Plössls of 6, 12.5 and 20 mm: four-element, 50-degree, multi-coated eyepieces with filter threads, fold-down eyecups for glasses and dust caps.
Best for: An eyeglass wearer buying three eyepieces, where the eyecups matter more than a filter
≈ $36
Five Plössls 32/17/13/8/6 mm · 52° apparent field · 2x Barlow · Moon and planetary filters · metal case
Celestron's Eyepiece, Barlow and Filter Kit: five four-element, fully multi-coated Plössls of 32, 17, 13, 8 and 6 mm with a 52-degree field, a 2x Barlow, a Moon filter and planetary filters in a foam-lined metal case.
Best for: A telescope worth equipping properly in one purchase, where the 32 mm low-power end matters
≈ $220
15 mm Kellner and 6 mm Plössl · 2x Power Lens with T-threads · #80A blue, #25 red and Moon filters · foam-lined case
Celestron's AstroMaster Accessory Kit: a 15 mm Kellner and a 6 mm Plössl, a 2x Power Lens with T-threads, #80A blue, #25 red and Moon filters, a microfiber cloth and a foam-lined case.
Best for: A beginner telescope needing a 6 mm, a Barlow and filters rather than a drawer of eyepieces
≈ $80
Three Plössls 6/12.5/20 mm · 2x Barlow with T2 (M42 × 0.75) thread · Moon filter and red, blue, yellow filters · aluminum case
Celticbird's eight-piece kit: 6, 12.5 and 20 mm Plössls, a 2x Barlow with a T2 thread, a Moon filter and red, blue and yellow filters, in a lockable aluminum case.
Best for: A first telescope that needs filters and a camera-capable Barlow as much as eyepieces
≈ $66
Five Plössls 40/20/12.5/8/6 mm · 2x Barlow with T2 thread · five color filters, polarizing filter and Moon filter · metal case
CelticBird's 13-piece kit: five Plössls from 40 to 6 mm, a 2x Barlow with T2 threads, five color filters, a polarizing filter and a Moon filter, in a foam-lined metal case.
Best for: A first telescope being equipped in one purchase, where the polarizer and the T-thread are the extras that matter
≈ $150
Four eyepieces 4/6/12.5/20 mm · Barlow (2x in the bullets, 3x in the title) · 90° diagonal · 0.965 in throughout
CelticBird's six-piece 0.965-inch kit: 4, 6, 12.5 and 20 mm eyepieces, a Barlow and a 90° diagonal, all in the older 0.965-inch barrel size.
Best for: An older 0.965-inch telescope whose own eyepieces are lost or broken
≈ $41
Four eyepieces 6/9/15/20 mm · 68° apparent field · fully multi-coated · black anodized, internally blackened
SVBONY's 68-degree ultra-wide set: four 1.25-inch eyepieces of 6, 9, 15 and 20 mm, multi-element, fully multi-coated, internally blackened, with fold-down eyecups.
Best for: Replacing supplied eyepieces outright, with field width as the reason
≈ $135
Four eyepieces 6/9/15/20 mm · 66° apparent field · FMC coating · edge-blackened optics · aluminum bodies
SVBONY's Gold Line set: four 1.25-inch eyepieces of 6, 9, 15 and 20 mm with a 66-degree field, full multi-coating, edge-blackened optics, foldable eyecups and two dust caps each.
Best for: The same job as SVBONY's 68-degree set for less, if two degrees of field are not the point
≈ $125
The stated barrel size gives the barrel the maker puts on the set’s eyepieces.
An included Barlow multiplies the magnifications available from the same eyepieces, which changes the economics of the set.
How the set’s focal lengths are distributed between the shortest and the longest. It is published because it decides the set’s usefulness.
The likelihood that two combinations give the same magnification, notably with the Barlow. It is a published characteristic.
No, and that is published. Its presence changes the reachable range entirely.
Published filters are often colored filters. This site publishes their nature without promising any observing effect.
The published diameter has to match the instrument’s focuser. A set in the wrong barrel is unusable.
The set covers more focal lengths for the same money, with simpler formulas. This site publishes both approaches' characteristics.
It protects from dust and knocks. Its presence is published as a characteristic of the set.
The formulas used for each eyepiece in the set. They are published because a set often mixes several levels.
An eyepiece set is not worth its piece count but its focal length spread. The included Barlow doubles the range and at the same time creates the duplication that the published risk measures.
The column is shown only when four instruments in five publish the figure. Below that, it would be comparing the absence of numbers.
| Model | Price | Barrel size | Duplication risk | Filters | Focal length spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astromania Plössl set 6/12.5/20 | $36 | 1.25 in | 20 mm is a common supplied eyepiece; 6 and 12.5 mm usually are not | None included · threaded for 1.25 in filters | 6, 12.5 and 20 mm |
| CelticBird 0.965 in six-piece kit | $41 | 0.965 in (24.5 mm) throughout · does not fit 1.25 in focusers | High on a 0.965 in telescope, which usually ships with similar focal lengths | None | 4, 6, 12.5 and 20 mm, plus a Barlow |
| Astromania Plössl set 4/10/25 with 2x Barlow | $48 | 1.25 in | 10 mm and 25 mm are the two eyepieces most first telescopes ship with | None included · each eyepiece threaded for 1.25 in filters | 4, 10 and 25 mm, plus a 2x Barlow (six powers in all; the listing counts four combinations) |
| Celticbird CB081A 8-piece kit | $66 | 1.25 in | 20 mm is a common supplied eyepiece | Moon filter · red, blue and yellow color filters | 6, 12.5 and 20 mm, plus a 2x Barlow |
| Celestron 94307 AstroMaster Accessory Kit | $80 | 1.25 in | Low: neither is a common supplied focal length on AstroMaster telescopes | #80A blue · #25 red · Moon filter | 15 mm and 6 mm, plus a 2x Power Lens (Barlow) |
| SVBONY Gold Line set | $125 | 1.25 in | Low in practice: the 66° field makes a duplicated focal length a different view | None · standard 1.25 in filter thread | 6, 9, 15 and 20 mm |
| SVBONY 68° Ultra Wide Angle set | $135 | 1.25 in | Low in practice: the 68° field makes even a duplicated focal length a different view | None | 6, 9, 15 and 20 mm |
| CelticBird CB045A 13-piece kit | $150 | 1.25 in | 20 mm is a common supplied eyepiece | Red, blue, orange, green and yellow · polarizing filter · Moon filter | 40, 20, 12.5, 8 and 6 mm, plus a 2x Barlow |
| Celestron 94303 Eyepiece, Barlow & Filter Kit | $220 | 1.25 in | Moderate: a supplied 25 or 10 mm falls between the 32/17 and 13/8 here | Moon filter and planetary color filters (blue, red or orange named in the listing) | 32, 17, 13, 8 and 6 mm, plus a 2x Barlow (ten powers, stated) |
$36 – $48
3 models
Astromania Plössl set 6/12.5/20, CelticBird 0.965 in six-piece kit, Astromania Plössl set 4/10/25 with 2x Barlow
$66 – $125
3 models
Celticbird CB081A 8-piece kit, Celestron 94307 AstroMaster Accessory Kit, SVBONY Gold Line set
$135 – $220
3 models
SVBONY 68° Ultra Wide Angle set, CelticBird CB045A 13-piece kit, Celestron 94303 Eyepiece, Barlow & Filter Kit
Specifications: manufacturer sheets for telescopes and observing optics and the matching Amazon product pages. Prices and availability: Keepa. Every figure in this table names its source.
Most recent revision in this category: November 7, 2026.
Any figure written into the body of this page was true on the day it was written. The amount shown next to each instrument is requested from the retailer as the page loads, and it is that amount, not the text, that stands.
