Don't have a high-tech infotainment system in your car? With Bluetooth car adapters, you can enjoy hands-free audio on the cheap and make hands-free calls (in some cases). By simply plugging one of these adapters — most are under $30 — into the audio port in your vehicle, you can connect wirelessly to your phone and stream everything from music to podcasts over your car's speakers.
To find out which option is best, we've tested Bluetooth car adapters and evaluated them on three core features: design, wireless audio quality and ease of use. We also awarded extra points for any special features. Here are our picks for the best Bluetooth car adapters.
The Echo Auto isn't just your run-of-the-mill Bluetooth adapter. It's also one of the only ways you can add Alexa to a car that doesn't already have it. This means that not only is your phone hooked into your stereo via Bluetooth, you can use Alexa to control various features on your phone using your voice.
Music and podcasts, calls and text messages, you can even control your smart home gadgets that are sitting comfortably back in your house. All wrapped up in a sleek, miniature Echo that sticks straight onto your dash.
The Mpow BH044E was a treat to use. The diminutive device plugs in to the audio jack on your car speaker and runs on a long-lasting battery that can keep a connection to your phone all day. Connecting the BH044E to my phone was a cinch, and I like that it comes with a longer cord to use when the shorter connector made for too tight a fit between the radio and my car.
Using the BH044E was pretty simple. I connected it to my phone and could immediately wirelessly stream music to my car's speakers. The Play/Pause button is perfectly placed for easy, no-look access, and buttons on the side let you quickly increase or decrease volume.
Kinivo's BTC450 is a decent option if you want to improve call quality and don't mind placing sticky adhesive on your dash. The device is powered by an attachment that plugs in to your car lighter and comes with a USB port on the back, so you can keep your phone charging while you use the wireless connector.
I found it difficult to easily locate the buttons that control my music. And because of the company's odd decision to bundle the skip buttons on the side, I would often skip ahead when I wanted to go back, and vice versa. The wireless audio quality was solid with Kinivo's device, but the design makes the device less appealing.
The Mpow BH129 is a simple Bluetooth audio adapter that plugs in to your car's audio port and wirelessly connects to your phone. I found that the wireless connection was stable, though at times during music playback, there was some interference in the signal. I'm not sure whether this was because of the device or my phone.
Like other Mpow devices, this one is small and easy to use. And its big button on the side makes it easy to quickly play and pause audio without taking your eyes off the road. This Mpow device had solid battery life, and its call quality wasn't bad.
The Tunai FireFly is simple and sleek, but it's overpriced for what you get. On the plus side, you can pair multiple devices to the unit at the same time, so everyone can partake in the audio experience.
The Firefly is also pretty versatile in that you can plug it into your car's audio port or a stereo's USB port. Its connection quality was quite good in my time with it, but it doesn't have a microphone, so if you're hoping to place calls with the unit, you're out of luck.
