While almost every modern car gets hands-free phone technology, you’re not guaranteed Bluetooth connectivity in second hand cars. Thankfully, you can retrofit a Bluetooth receiver so you can wirelessly connect your smartphone for calls or music.
Seeing as it’s an offense to use your phone while you’re driving, they can also save your driving license. Get caught and you could get six points on your license and a £200 fine, or a driving ban if you’ve just passed your test. Many Bluetooth devices including the ones on this list let you legally make and take calls when you’re on the road.
There are various types of Bluetooth devices including those that plug into the stereo, clip to your ear, or have their own built-in speaker. Keep reading for our top buys.
Here are the best four hands-free Bluetooth car devices you can buy:
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The Best Bluetooth Device: Anker Soundsync Bluetooth Receiver
If your car has an AUX port, or you’ve got an aftermarket stereo with one, this small, easy-to-use device is a great option. Charge up the battery, sync your phone, and then plug it into the port and you’re away, the Soundsync streaming music and taking phone calls well. A 12-hour battery life should be enough to cover the longest of drives, too.
Pros:
• Simple to set up and use
• Endurance
Cons:
• Mic likely to be far from your mouth
The Best In-ear Hands-free Bluetooth Device: New Bee Bluetooth Headset V5.0
Instead of a Bluetooth device that plugs into your car, you could always get a good old-fashioned clip on earpiece as favoured by business people and cab drivers everywhere.
This New Bee device delivers a stonking 24-hour talk time, or 22 hours if you’re listening to music. We’d rather listen to music through both ears ourselves, but it’s good to know you can. You even get a choice of black, white or gold.
Pros:
• Impressive battery life
• Streams and takes calls
Cons:
• Other options less hassle
The Best Hands-free Bluetooth Device With a Speaker: Avantree CK11 Hands-Free Bluetooth
What if your car’s stereo is knackered and you can’t or can’t be bothered to fix it? Maybe you’ve got a classic or flyweight sports car that just doesn’t have one. If that’s the case and you don’t want to stick something in your ear, the CK11’s built-in speaker means you can still listen to music and talk on the phone via Bluetooth.
Clip it somewhere ideally near you, connect your phone and you can enjoy chatting with friends or listening to your tunes. It works with Google Assistant and Siri too, so you can safely access them, too.
Pros:
• Decent speaker
• Easy to place
Cons:
• No user interface
The Best Budget In-ear Hands-free Bluetooth Device: AA Bluetooth Earpiece
Like the New Bee, this is a clip-on earpiece but for less than a tenner. It’s simple and small making it great for those who struggle with tech and easy to stash in your car. You can also stream music, although don’t expect thumping bass and perfect clarity. Another advantage of its small size is that it won’t get in the way of glasses.
Pros:
• Cheap
• Simple
Cons:
• New Bee more capable