Best Portable DVD Players – Every year, families across the country pile into their cars or get on planes to set out, see the sights, and participate in that time-honored tradition – the family vacation. One of the most popular diversions for kids on a long trip, are the best portable DVD players for travel that helps keeps kids entertained. Check out these top-rated portable DVD players that are tailor-made to ease the trials and tribulations of traveling, no matter how far you have to go.
Best Portable DVD Players for Travel Reviews
Coby 7-Inch Portable DVD/CD/MP3 Player
This full featured DVD player also doubles as a CD player and an MP3 player. The 7-inch screen offers a clear, concise picture and is just the right size to make viewing easy without losing portability. Don’t forget the headphones, which easily plug into the unit, so your daughter can watch The Princess and the Frog over and over without you having to listen in. It weighs less than 3 pounds and can easily be handled by children as well as teens. With a family-friendly price, this deal can’t be beat.
We bought it for a trip but now use it primarily for home. Our preschools can safely operate it to watch their videos. We have taken it with us for road trips and for airplane rides but our primary use has been to use it at home. Which our kids do almost daily!
Sylvania 13.3-Inch Swivel Screen Portable DVD Player with USB/SD Card Reader
Before we ever considered buying a portable DVD player for travel, we wanted one for home. We donated our DVD player years before having kids. After having kids, we found that sometimes we (or they) wanted to watch a video. We were out of luck until we found this portable DVD player by Sylvania. The 13.3 inch screen makes it much larger than traditional portable DVD players so we can view it from farther away than our laps. Several people can watch it at once, and we all see it fine.
Our kids mostly use the Coby (above), so we (the adults) use this for watching movies elsewhere in our home. We’ve also taken it on trips to a relative’s cabin where there isn’t internet. The kids gather around at night to watch DVDs while the parents relax without worrying about them. There is great picture quality and resolution.
We are also very happy with the sound which comes from the two internal speakers. It also comes with earbuds. The buttons are straightforward and easy to navigate. It is very lightweight and is convenient for travel.
RCA Twin Mobile DVD Players
Similar in form and function to the Philips dual player, this RCA mobile DVD player comes with two separate remotes. Ensure no one will fight over the remote controls! Both players can be mounted on the back of a car headrest and have a 7-inch LCD screen. Each unit has separate built-in speakers while the headphones or earbuds can be plugged into the convenient jack for quiet enjoyment. The package includes A/C adapters and car adapters for both units. This will enable you to split the two players up, using one it the car and one in the house. You can even use them in two different locations while traveling. All in all, these twin players are double the fun.
If your son wants to watch a different movie than your daughter or your hubby is into action and you are craving romance, each of you can watch your own movie since the player can play the same movie for both screens or a separate movie on each. It is lightweight and stores easily. It is almost like getting a two for one deal.
Sylvania 13.3-Inch Swivel Screen Portable DVD Player with USB/SD Card Reader
This portable DVD player has a 13.3-inch screen. We bought this Sylvania large screen DVD player after our beloved Coby 7-inch — after hundreds (maybe thousands?) hours of use — played its last video. It had a good run but we wanted a larger screen because most of the time we found ourselves used the DVD player for home use much more than for traveling. When we all squish together on the coach to watch a video, we have definitely enjoyed this larger screen.
It has good resolution and sound. It takes a little over three hours to fully charge. There’s a green light so you know when it’s charged. Our kids can watch DVDs for about two and a half hours before we plug it in again.
Sylvania Portable DVD Player 7-Inch, Swivel Screen
For the price, this is one of the best portable DVD players around. This model from Sylvania is easy to tote, and its no-nonsense price will make you happy too. It’s another one of the smaller ones, with a 7-inch screen, yet it includes all the bells and whistles of the more expensive competitors, including the swivel screen. We’ve taken this with us in the car 12 – 15 times and found it easy to use with the standard plug and car lighter adapter.
We’ve gotten between 4 – 5 hours of use on a charge, depending if we fully charged it before using it. The only thing that we might be critical of is the tote bag it comes with. It doesn’t offer any padding or protection.
Best portable DVD players for travel
These portable DVD players can also be a treasure for business travelers, retirees and moms and dads on the go. They would make a great addition to a summer cottage or house boat. They are great for use at home for relaxing or during an illness or recovery. Our kids love using it for watching movies at home. No matter your budget, these are the best portable DVD players available.
What’s best for you? A 13.3 inch screen or one that is 7 or 9 inches? Get one for your next trip and get through the stress of traveling easier. It will keep the kids entertained for hours while you get to finally read that book you’ve been carrying around. It may even help preserve your sanity when you’re stuck in the airport or on the tarmac. Please all the kids in the backseat or on the plane with this one while the adults enjoy some quiet time!
Whether you plan to use it in the car or in an airplane, you will be so glad you bought one.
- Best 7-inch screen: Coby 7-inch
- Best two screen DVD player: RCA 2-screen DVD player
- Excellent 13.3-inch screen: Sylvania Swivel Screen
- Great value: Sylvania Portable DVD Player