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Best Portable CD Players

Updated September 2023
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Sony Portable Bluetooth Digital Turner AM/FM CD Player
Sony
Portable Bluetooth Digital Turner AM/FM CD Player
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Customer Favorite
Bottom Line

Sony’s best portable CD player is the best model for playing your favorite CDs at a party due to its slim design and strong bass.

Pros

Plays CD, CD-R, and CD-W discs. Bluetooth connectivity. AM and FM radio. Deep bass. Records CDs. USB playback. Compact. Lightweight. Convenient handle.

Cons

Its maximum volume is not as loud as you may expect.

Best Bang for the Buck
Studebaker SB3703PB Retro Joggable Personal CD Player
Studebaker
SB3703PB Retro Joggable Personal CD Player
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Most Stylish
Bottom Line

If you need a portable CD player that is as reliable as it is easy on the eyes, this retro-styled model is a must-have.

Pros

Smooth performance, even while jogging. Inexpensive. FM radio. Includes wired earbuds. USB, AC-adapter, and battery power options. Stylish. Available in pink, mint, and black.

Cons

Does not include 2 AA batteries.

GPX Personal CD Player with FM Radio
GPX
Personal CD Player with FM Radio
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Feature-packed
Bottom Line

This solidly made portable CD player is revered because of its radio feature and bundled earbuds.

Pros

Affordable. Built-in FM radio. Skip-free playback protection for the first minute. Includes pair of earbuds. Simple volume and CD playback controls. Power and radio indicator lights.

Cons

A poor choice for joggers.

Jensen Portable CD Player
Jensen
Portable CD Player
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Durable & Rugged
Bottom Line

Simple, but effective, the Jensen portable CD player is the best model for anyone who enjoys listening to their favorite music in shuffle mode.

Pros

Large LCD display. Features AM and FM radio with 20 preset station options. Simple playback controls. Random track button. Compact. Includes premium earbuds.

Cons

Only available in black.

Toshiba Y-CKM39(G) Portable MP3 CD Cassette Boombox
Toshiba
Y-CKM39(G) Portable MP3 CD Cassette Boombox
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Most Versatile
Bottom Line

This versatile portable CD player is the best option for people who appreciate and regularly plays a variety of music formats.

Pros

Plays CDs and cassette tapes. Features AM and FM radio. Backlit LCD display. Powerful speakers. Telescoping radio antenna. Carrying handle. Available in green, blue, red, and black.

Cons

No bass mode.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

30
Models
Considered
205
Consumers
Consulted
18
Hours
Researched
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Buying guide for best portable CD players

It's never a bad time to listen to your favorite songs, and with a portable CD player, you can hear those notes ring out whenever you want. Whether you're into Metallica or Mozart, Beyoncé or Brahms, a portable CD player allows you to enjoy your music on the go.

If you're going to spend money on a new portable CD player, you want to make sure you're getting a quality product that does what you want it to do and offers good value for your money. We aim to help you find the portable CD player that makes your heart sing.

At BestReviews, our in-depth shopping guides and product reviews are here for you when you need to make a purchase, whether big or small. All the products we test come straight off the shelves, bought with our own money, to avoid any potential bias that could arise from accepting free products.

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A good portable CD player should allow you to repeat tracks, skip forward and backward in the track listing, and fastforward and rewind songs.

Why buy a portable CD player?

It’s true that technology has moved on a bit since the days when every self-respecting teenager wore a Discman on her belt.

But that doesn't mean portable CD players are dead. You can still find plenty of good reasons to use a portable CD player.

  • Playing old CDs: Portable CD players are ideal for playing old music that you have on CD but don't have digitally.

  • Familiar technology: If you're not up-to-date with new technology, you may find a portable CD player easier to use than an MP3 player.

  • Portability: All-in-one portable CD players are for outdoor use, whether in your backyard, at the beach, or at a picnic in the park.

  • Versatility: Some personal CD players can be plugged into a car stereo, which is useful if yours only has a radio or cassette player.

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Did you know?
Most portable CD players have a small display screen that lets you see the track number and other useful information. Some portable CD players are able to read the title tags embedded into a CD, so that the name of each song will be displayed on the screen as it plays.
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Types of portable CD players

Personal CD players

A personal CD player is a Discman-style player that you carry around with you to listen to music via headphones while you walk or on public transport.

Pros:

  • Personal CD players are extremely compact and lightweight, making them suitable for on-the-go use.

  • You listen to a personal CD player via headphones, so you don't disturb people around you.

Cons:

  • Personal CD players don't have speakers, so they're only useful for listening to music by yourself.

Price: An average personal CD player costs between $25 and $60.

"Large buttons make a portable CD player easier to operate, especially if you have poor eyesight or issues with manual dexterity."
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All-in-one portable CD players

An all-in-one portable CD player is like a mini boombox with built-in speakers.

Pros:

  • All-in-one portable CD players run on battery power, so you can take them anywhere you please.

  • Due to their compact size, all-in-one portable CD players are small enough to take on a picnic or camping trip.

  • Since they have built-in speakers, all-in-one portable CD players are ideal for group listening or for when it's not convenient to use headphones.

Cons:

  • All-in-one portable CD players are larger than personal models and aren't suitable for listening as you walk.


Price: Expect to pay between $20 and $100 for an all-in-one portable CD player. The cheapest models are often of poor quality, but you can find some decent models starting around the $50 mark.

Considerations for selecting a portable CD player

Battery life

Before you buy a portable CD player, be sure to find out its average battery life and decide whether it fits your needs.

For instance, if you want a CD player that you can listen to all day at work, there's no point buying a model that only has a six-hour battery life when you work eight-hour shifts.

It's also worth looking at the type of batteries your chosen model takes. Some use regular AA or D batteries; others have proprietary battery packs, either internal or removable.

"Portable CD players with internal battery packs tend to recharge using a USB cable, which may or may not be included."
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Size

The main point of a portable CD player is that it’s just that – portable. There's no point buying a portable CD player that's too large to easily take from place to place.

Personal CD players are the most compact option for carrying around with you – most have a diameter just slightly larger than that of a CD and are around an inch thick.

All-in-one portable CD players are larger, but they aren't really designed for carrying around all day. Rather, most users take them from room to room or to another location, set them down, and listen to them.

"The "bass boost" feature is a good one to have if you enjoy music with heavy bass."
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Anti-shock system

A personal CD player should have a built-in anti-shock system to avoid skipping.

The trouble with personal CD players is that, if they get jolted or shaken around too much, the CD can skip. This can be a particular problem if you wear your CD player while running, jogging, or engaging in any other exercise that might shake the disc around.

A CD player with an anti-shock system actually reads and saves the information on the disc a few seconds in advance, so if the CD player gets jolted, the saved information will play and the listener won't notice that the CD skipped.

"Look for a portable CD player that makes it easy to adjust the volume on the body of the appliance."
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Disc formats

Some portable CD players can only read regular CDs, whereas others can read CDs in a range of formats.

If you have a collection of CDs that have been "burned” from your computer (rather than original CDs), you'll need a model that can play CD-Rs and CD-RWs.

You may also want a CD player that can tackle MP3 CDs, which let you store 100 to 150 songs per disc rather than around 80 minutes of music, which is the maximum a basic CD can hold.

Many all-in-one portable CD players come with a remote control for easy operation.

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Tips

  • Think about the weight of your chosen portable CD player. Make sure it's not too heavy to comfortably carry from point A to point B. Otherwise, the point of buying something portable will be defeated.

  • Look at quality and durability. Nobody wants to buy a portable CD player only to have it fall apart within several weeks. Look for a model that's well-constructed and durable enough to withstand a few knocks.

  • Consider where you'll be using your portable CD player. If you mainly want it for home use, size will be less of a concern than if you want to regularly take it out and about.

  • Check the warranty on your chosen portable CD player. While a warranty doesn't guarantee quality, it does give you some peace of mind. However, it's worth noting that you often have to register your purchase on the manufacturer's website in order to validate your warranty.

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Some portable CD players can run off of electricity or battery power; it’s your choice. Conveniently, you can conserve battery power if you're listening at home or somewhere you have easy access to a power outlet.

FAQ

Q. Are headphones included with a personal CD player?

A. Some personal CD players come with basic headphones, but we generally recommend using your own headphones for better sound quality. Quality headphones will mean the difference between rich sound and tinny sound, so it's worth using a decent pair.

Q. Are portable CD players easy to use?

A. Most portable CD players are very easy to use. The majority have separate buttons for each function – play/pause, stop, skip forward, skip backward – so you just need to press the relevant button and the player will do your bidding. That said, if you're ever unsure how to use your portable CD player, just check the manual for in-depth instructions.

Q. How easy is it to damage a portable CD player?

A. Some portable CD players are more rugged than others, but they're still far from indestructible. While most should be able to withstand a few bumps, be careful not to drop them from any height, as it's likely they'll break or at least suffer some nasty scrapes. With the exception of some weather-resistant models, most portable CD players don't take kindly to getting wet, so stow yours away safely if you're using it outside and it starts to rain.

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