Entertainment on the Go: The Ultimate Guide to the Best Portable DVD Players for Travel

Reviewed by Greg Head

Last Updated on September 11, 2024 by Dawn Head

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.

Get the best portable DVD player for your next road trip. Top brands, including Sony, Philips, and Toshiba. DVD players are lightweight and easy to use, with features like multi-region support and high-tech touchscreens. Get the most out of your viewing experience with a top quality Portable DVD Players. Players come with features like digital sound, HDMI compatibility, and extended battery life. Enjoy movies, shows, and more on-the-go with a kids Portable DVD Player.

If you are looking for a way to keep your kids entertained on long car trips, then a Kids Portable DVD Player is the perfect solution. With its lightweight and compact design, this device can easily fit into any car’s backseat and provide hours of entertainment for your children. It also has features such as parental control settings and anti-skip protection that will make sure that your kids are always safe while watching their favorite movies and shows. With this device, you can be sure that your kids will never get bored again while on the road!

Best Portable DVD Players for Travel

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.

best Portable DVD Players

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 Kids Portable DVD Player

These kids portable DVD players can also be a treasure for business travelers, kids, 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.

Portable DVD players are a great way to keep kids entertained while on the go. They are lightweight and easy to carry, making them perfect for long car rides or plane trips. Portable DVD players come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so you can find one that fits your needs.

With features like built-in speakers, parental controls, and multiple disc loading options, kids portable DVD players offer plenty of entertainment for the whole family. Whether you’re looking for a way to keep your kids occupied on long trips or just want an easy way to watch movies at home, a portable DVD player is a great choice.

Get the most out of your entertainment experience with a kids portable DVD player. Enjoy crystal clear picture quality and sound wherever you go, with a slim profile and easy-to-use controls. Watch movies, TV shows, and more on the go – perfect!

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