Our readers keep the lights on and my morning glass full of iced black tea. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.7 Best Cheap DVD Player | Plays Any Region, Any Room

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The all-rounder that handles PAL, NTSC, and your USB collection without a fuss.

This Delleson takes your old DVD’s image and sharpens it to 1080p resolution (making it look less blurry on a big modern HDTV), and it plays discs from any country because it ignores region codes 1 through 6. It connects to your TV via the included HDMI cable, and there is an RCA cable in the box if your TV is older. The compact body — 8.89 by 7.87 by 1.96 inches — fits on a crowded nightstand or in a shelf nook without sticking out.

The USB port reads MP3 music and JPEG photos from drives up to 32GB, though buyers report it only works with FAT or FAT32 formatting. A couple of owners noted that after a year, the remote can stop responding, making you get up to press the tray button. The remote itself does not come with batteries, so grab a pair of AAAs before setup.

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The tiniest player on this list that still delivers 1080p and region-free playback.

At just 0.31 kilograms and measuring 6 by 5.3 by 0.98 inches, this mini Delleson weighs 0.31 kg versus the standard model’s 0.75 kg, and its dimensions are 6 by 5.3 by 0.98 inches compared to the standard’s 8.89 by 7.87 by 1.96 inches. That makes it a natural fit for an RV, a cramped dorm desk, or a backpack. It sharpens your DVDs to 1080p resolution (so they look less blurry on a modern HDTV) and plays discs from all regions (1 through 6) in both PAL and NTSC.

Buyers mention that the first unit they received was a returned and defective item, but the replacement worked fine. The breakpoint memory function is handy — it resumes your movie from where you stopped. The built-in speakers are weak, so plan to use the HDMI audio to your TV instead.

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A metal-shelled value pick that saved one buyer hundreds on a van repair.

The Desobry’s metal shell feels more durable than the all-plastic body of the Delleson standard model, and it sharpens your DVDs to 1080p resolution via HDMI. Like the others, it ignores region codes 1 through 6, so it plays discs from any country, and it supports CD, VCD, and SVCD formats. One reviewer noted it “works perfectly as replacement for broken overhead DVD player in van; full use of overhead unit for kids, saved hundreds.” That kind of real-world versatility is hard to ignore.

It plays MP3, WAV, AVI, JPEG, and MPEG files from a USB drive. Some owners mention it is very easy for seniors to use, and the compact design stores away in a drawer when not in use. The main trade-off is that some owners wish it included a dedicated CD player mode — it plays CDs but the interface leans toward DVD operation.

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The one with coaxial digital audio for hooking up a surround-sound system.

Most cheap DVD players only offer stereo audio, but the FlexaPlay adds a coaxial digital audio output so you can connect to a surround-sound receiver. It sharpens your DVDs to 1080p resolution, plays discs from all regions (1 through 6), and supports NTSC and PAL. The USB port handles drives up to 128GB (FAT32 only), though it only plays MP3, WMA, and JPEG files — no video files from a thumb drive.

Customers note the remote has “a lot of awesome functions” and that setup takes under 5 minutes. A few noted the feet lack grip and slid on slick surfaces, but silicone pads fixed it. It also includes advanced features like anti-shock technology and progressive scan for smoother playback.

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An audio-focused player that reads discs fast and keeps the noise down.

The JOVELL DVD-168 uses an imported Sanyo drive core and progressive-scan technology to read discs quickly while keeping the motor noise low. It sharpens standard DVDs to 1080p via HDMI and plays discs from all regions (1 through 6). The USB port supports AVI, MPG, MPEG4, and VOB files but does NOT handle MP4 files. USB 3.0 drives are also not supported — only USB 2.0 up to 64GB.

Buyers love how compact it is — one owner said “it is so small you can barely see it.” The remote works well for most, though a few reviewers point out you sometimes have to press the buttons a little firmly for them to register. It includes a 12-month return policy with no questions asked.

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The big-brand option that plays discs from every region (0 through 9) right from the start.

Philips brings its name and Cinema Plus processing to this multi-region player, which covers every region from 0 through 9. It sharpens your DVDs to 1080p via HDMI and supports PAL and NTSC systems. The remote is intuitive and has Easylink to control other HDMI-CEC devices with one remote. It also plays DivX, MP3, WMA, and JPEG files.

Buyers appreciate that it plays non-US discs without any extra steps, though some report that after a couple of months it gave a region error for US DVDs. The listed dimensions on Amazon are wrong — the actual unit is about 7.5 by 8.75 by 2 inches. One buyer mentioned the HDMI cable was not included, despite the listing suggesting otherwise.

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The heaviest, priciest pick — built for owners with PAL discs and a good stereo system.

The Panasonic DVD-S700P-K is a region-free player that covers regions 0 through 9 and includes a built-in 3-way converter for PAL to NTSC and NTSC to PAL, so it works on any TV anywhere. It sharpens your DVDs to 1080p via HDMI and supports CD, DVD, CD-R/RW, MP3, WMA, JPEG, and MPEG4 formats. It weighs 3 pounds — noticeably heavier than the 0.68-pound mini Delleson — giving it a solid, premium feel.

One long-time reviewer gave it 5 stars, writing “the Panasonic S700 kicks butt” and comparing its CD audio quality favorably to a dedicated NAD-based audio system. However, some shoppers say that it randomly gives region-error messages on some American DVDs, and the remote is small with buttons close together. It also lacks an S-Video or component video output — only HDMI and composite are available.