Seven years after the original Freeview came to the UK, Freeview HD is finally here to give the free-to-air platform a high-definition sheen.

The service launches with three HD channels which are completely free to watch once you buy a set-top box or compatible television. These are: ITV1 HD, BBC HD and Channel 4 HD.

To help you decide which set-top box to go for, TechRadar has come up with the definitive Freeview HD list, showcasing the receivers and recorders which are in the market now or soon to be released.

With a little thing called the World Cup just around the corner, the time is right to plug yourself into the world of HD – especially when the service is subscription-free.

So, without further ado, here is our choice of boxes, starting with the Freeview HD receiver range.

ADB i-CAN Easy HD

The i-Can Easy HD box is a Freeview HD player set top with a difference. The difference being that it will allow Pay TV content if you so wish to pay for channels through your Freeview system.

The box is also primed for on-demand content so, in theory, you can watch things like iPlayer through the box.

Those looking for a recorder will have to look elsewhere, as the i-CAN Easy HD is a receiver-only product.

UK release date: TBC (this is the company's first time in the UK market)

Price: TBC

Grundig GUD300HD

Offering an 8-page EPG and iPlayer functionality – which is set to come late 2010 – this box by Grundig also features a Dolby Digital Plus compatibility and an Ethernet port. Alongside the HDMI port you will also find 2x Scart sockets.

The GUD300HD is being introduced by set-top box supplier Harvard International and will be available from most high-street retailers.

UK release date: Out now

Price: £149.97

Goodmans GDB300HD

This Goodmans set-top box is similar in spec to the Grundig GUD300HD. Both are being released by Harvard International, with the Goodmans GDB300HD offering iPlayer compatibility (when updated). An eight-day EPG and Red Button access.

Also on board is an Ethernet port and USB port.

UK release date: out now

Price: £149.97

Vestel T8300 STB

Vestel is a Turkish-based manufacturer who is the first to offer a Freeview HD receiver for £100. Vestel has worked with UK-based Cabot Communications to bring the receiver to the UK and is capable of on-demand streaming, 1080p upscaling and you will be able to purchase is from Argos only at the moment.

UK release date: TBA

Price: £100

Sharp TU-T2

The brilliantly titles TU-T2 is Sharp's go at a Freeview HD receiver. Offering no recording functionality whatsoever – this is a zapper only folks – the receiver does have an Ethernet connection and will be out in the shops sooner than its hard-drive packing brother.

UK release date: April

Price: £180

Philips DTR5520

The DTR5520 HD receiver offers "superior sound and picture quality of Freeview HD services for a one-off price". Which means that it is a receiver-only product which will play all the Freeview HD content you want but doesn't have the capabilities to store it. It looks pretty sleek, though.

UK release date: April

Price: £159

Humax HD FOX-T2

The HD Fox-T2 has the accolade of being the first Freeview HD box launched in the UK. Boasting the ability to upscale content to 1080p, a USB port and it has networked streaming capabilities from the outset.

Unfortunately it doesn't have recording capabilities but it did get four-stars in our HD Fox-T2 review, so that must count for something.

UK release date: Out now

Price: £159

Bush DVB680

This release from Bush is one of the cheapest around - with discounts it's available for £100. It comes with a seven-day EPG guide, will upscale to 1080p and has one HDMI slot.

The receiver also sports audio description and it also has a plain old Scart socket. There is also an Ethernet port on board, so VoD may well come to the device at some point

UK release date: Out now

Price: £150

Ferguson F02HDB

This Ferguson Freeview HD digital receiver gives you all the access to Freeview HD programming you need as well as around 50 standard definition channels and also 24 radio stations.

At a penny under £100 this is one of the cheapest ways to get Freeview HD in your home.

UK release date: Out now

Price: £99.99

Icecrypt T2200

A powerful and future-proof Freeview HD receiver that handles hi-def from both DVB-T2 broadcasts and DivX HD files could be hard to resist for many after pin-sharp World Cup action, but the T2200 will keep on giving.

UK release date: Out now

Price: £159

Metronic T2 HD Zapbox

The Metronic T2 HD Zapbox is a rather rudimentary take on DVB-T2. No bigger than a tiny, no-frills Freeview HD box, it sports a bog-standard black shell with a central red LED display that's flanked by simple standby and channel up/down controls.

UK release date: Out now

Price: £150

Technika STBHDV2010

Simple easy to use set-top box from Technika which allows you to receive all HD programming from Freeview at one of the cheapest prices ever for Freeview HD. The box features an automatic setup and programme guide.

UK release date: Out now

Price: £100

Linsar FHD1

A good, if not great, Freeview HD box that will bring you a basic Freeview HD upgrade – and in great quality – though little else. Considering the competition, we'd question whether the FHD1 currently justifies its £149 price tag.