The 7 Best Portable CD Players of 2023

Best Value

Gueray CD Discman

The Gueray CD Discman looks and feels classic, with a familiar circular shape and easy-to-find control buttons right on the top. But, without any flashy features like in-depth MP3 controls or over-the-top display tech, you’ll save a bit of money over some of the more involved competitors.

For a budget-friendly price, you get a reliable CD player with a USB-rechargeable 1400 mAh battery (which charges in about four hours), reliable playback functionality, and a sleek, unassuming black design. This setup also brings you modern-leaning wired earbuds with a handy inline remote, a charging cable, and a carrying bag to get you started listening right out of the box.

_{MP3-capable: No | Skip protection: 100 seconds | Rechargeable battery: Yes | Included accessories: Earbuds, charging cable, and carrying bag}

Best Option With Radio

GPX PC332B

Many of the once upgrade features on CD players are now available at really budget-friendly price points. The GPX PC332B is undoubtedly on the low end of the price point, but you still get the option to listen to FM PLL radio as well as CDs. This option offers tremendous versatility for those who want to use a CD player in the car or while working out.

You’ve also got the option for CDs, but nothing flashy like MP3 compatibility. There are 60 seconds of skip protection built-in, so this isn’t the best model for jogging or bouncy workouts. But, all of this is likely an acceptable trade-off if a simple CD player with FM functionality is your goal. And the price is compelling here.

_{MP3-capable: No | Skip protection: 60 seconds | Rechargeable battery: No | Included accessories: Earbuds}

Best for Kids

Craig Electronics Personal CD Player with Headphones

The Craig Electronics CD2808 gives the aesthetic impression that it’s straight out of 1999. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The light blue color with contrasting black edges and the matching Koss-style headphones scream nostalgia and the classic CD era. This portable CD player is excellent if you’re looking to buy a unit for kids. Because it’s got a resilient color that likely won’t collect a ton of scuffs, and it’s got straightforward controls.

It lacks some step-up features; there’s no advertised skip protection, no MP3 compatibility, and the display is extremely simplistic. But none of that matters if you’re looking for a small portable player that you don’t have to worry about knocking around. And the price point is just right for that use case.

_{MP3-capable: No | Skip protection: None | Rechargeable battery: No | Included accessories: On-ear headphones}

Best All-in-One

Lukasa Rechargeable Portable Bluetooth CD Player

One of the major drawbacks of a portable CD player is that you typically need to plug in a speaker or a pair of headphones to hear any sound. Thanks to modern speaker driver technology, we can fit sound-producing modules inside tiny enclosures. That’s exactly what this rechargeable CD player from Lukasa brings to the table with CD and MP3 CD support and the ability to play sound right from an onboard speaker setup.

If you’d prefer more powerful sound, you can use the auxiliary output to feed your CD playback to whatever sound system you want. There are also rechargeable capabilities here, so you won’t be fishing for new AA batteries, and you can even use the Lukasa as a Bluetooth speaker, bypassing the need to play CDs. This model is on the expensive side as far as portable CD players go, and the thick, white design feels just a bit dated. But all in all, this is a really nice all-in-one device.

_{MP3-capable: Yes | Skip protection: 100 seconds | Rechargeable battery: Yes | Included accessories: Earbuds, charging cable, AUX cable, carrying bag, protective case}

Runner-Up, Best All-in-One

Arafuna Portable CD Player with Dual Stereo Speakers

Putting speakers right inside a portable CD player gives you a lot of versatility for many different use-cases. This Arafuna CD player puts a decently capable pair of stereo speakers right inside the same frame you’re used to in Walkman-style devices. This black, circular build is just a couple of inches thick and otherwise takes up the space of one single CD.

The built-in 1400 mAh battery provides about 12 hours of listening and takes about four hours to recharge with the included charging cable. You can play standard CD formats, plus MP3 and WMA format discs. The screen is pretty basic, and even though there are some added options like speed controls and A/B repeats, it’s otherwise a pretty basic CD player. It certainly isn’t the most full-featured option, but it delivers solid value for a player that is ready to go right out of the box.

_{MP3-capable: Yes | Skip protection: 100 seconds | Rechargeable battery: Yes | Included accessories: Earbuds, charging cable, and AUX cable}

Best Rechargable

Monodeal Portable CD Player

These days, a portable CD player that’s rechargeable is pretty standard, but this Monodeal CD player brings with it a few extra options that make it a bit better than the rest of the field in that category. The 1400 mAh battery delivers 15 hours of listening time and takes about four hours to charge up fully—pretty competitive numbers for the space.

While most rechargeable CD players tend to hover around 12 hours of usage, the 15 available here means you’ll be able to listen a lot longer. The oversized backlit display also gives you plenty of visibility and control of the device, even in dark rooms. The price is a little high for a portable CD player, and the design isn’t the most cutting-edge, but it’s a solid buy on battery life alone.

_{MP3-capable: Yes | Skip protection: Yes, time unspecified | Rechargeable battery: Yes | Included accessories: Earbuds, charging cable, AUX cable, and carrying bag}