Over 1.6 million car accidents each year involve a driver on a cell phone. If only those drivers were using a Bluetooth car speakerphone. They would have been able to pay closer attention to the road.
A Bluetooth Speakerphone helps drivers make calls and talk on the phone hands-free. It's important now with the hands-free laws taking effect across the country. These laws are making it illegal to be holding your phone while driving.
Keep reading for our picks of the best portable Bluetooth speakers for the car. Put one in your car today and avoid expensive fines.
What Are Portable Bluetooth Speakerphones for the Car?
These nifty little gadgets connect to a cell phone or GPS device. They let drivers enjoy crystal clear communication hands-free.
They are compact and clip to your visor or windshield. Some units have extra features such as storage of contacts and Siri compatibility.
Safety Features of a Bluetooth Car Speakerphone
The whole point of using a speakerphone with Bluetooth is to allow for more focus on the road while driving. The right speakerphone will have the features that make the driver's life easier.
Lights
Some Bluetooth speakers have a ton of lights while others have none. This is helpful for some drivers, and distracting to others.
Consider whether the lights are distracting while driving. If opting for a unit without lights, make sure the buttons are recognizable by touch alone.
The controls should be easily found without the driver looking away from the road. Placement of the Bluetooth should be just inside the driver's field of vision.
Ease of Setup
A Bluetooth car speaker should have the capability for quick and easy setup. This also comes in handy when parking in a public place.
It's best to move the speaker out of sight while parked. Most kits require that the user push a button to turn on pairing.
Once users activate the pairing feature on the speaker, a Bluetooth enabled device should find it. Once paired the two devices should recognize each other in the future.
Windshield Mount
Certain states do not allow anything mounted on the windshield. Drivers who live in these states should avoid Bluetooth speakers that have this sort of setup.
Features to Consider
When looking at different models, consider which features are vital and which are unnecessary. Consider things like button sizes, battery life, call quality, and mute options.
Price
Speakers come in a wide range of prices, starting at $20 and going up to $100. Do not expect a lower priced model to perform the same as a higher price model.
It is best to determine a price range before shopping. Depending on the driver's needs, a top of the line model may not be necessary.
Button Sizing
The button sizing varies on different models. Driver's should keep their eyes on the road, so the controls need to be identifiable without looking.
If pushing buttons doesn't sound appealing, look for a model that offers voice control. This feature is ideal since it allows the driver to stay focused on the road.
Battery Life
The lowest battery life found on lower-end models is 10 hours of talking time. The higher-end models will offer up to 45 hours of talking time.
Look for even longer times when in standby mode. The shortest battery life worth getting is a week of standby time. Some of the higher end models will be able to go a few months in standby before requiring charging.
Charging Options
Some Bluetooth speakers charge by solar power. This is a great solution for someone who lives in an area that gets a large amount of sun.
If solar charging isn't an option, choose a speaker that has accessory jack charging. The third option for charging is a USB cable. Check which accessories come with the speaker.
Call Quality
Look for a speaker that offers a frequency range of 50Hz to 7kHz. You will get the most natural sound out of these speakers.
The other part of call quality is noise cancellation and reduction. This will screen out the background noise that happens while you are driving.
Mute Option
Mute is an option that is often not thought of but will be handy in certain situations. Look for a speaker that offers a hands-free mute option as a safety functionality.
Customer Support & Warranty
It is the industry standard for car speakerphones to come with a one year warranty. Some companies will offer more than this with an app or available downloads.
The Best Bluetooth car kit
The best car Bluetooth speaker will let the driver control it with minimal distraction from the road. The sound quality will be superior. Finally, it will come with a long-lasting battery.
Jabra Freeway
For those who are looking for an all-around decent car speaker model, the Freeway is a good choice. The setup is quick and easy, pair the phone in thirty seconds and done.
This model comes with a strong noise filter. This gives it the ability to respond to voice commands.
The Jabra has vicinity sense to know when the paired phone is near. Automatic connection happens when paired devices come within range of the unit.
It will automatically turn on and be in standby mode. The battery will last for about a month before it needs recharging. The speakers are high enough quality to handle music.
For those who use Siri, hold down the big button for two seconds. Siri will respond and you can talk to her.
Motorola Roadster 2
The Motorola stands out with its FM transmitter feature. It will scan your radio for a free frequency and broadcast your music on it. This model is perfect for drivers who want to stream their phone's music through their car's stereo system.
The pairing process is an easy five-second process. There is even an option for double pairing so two phones can communicate with the speaker at the same time.
This model has clear voice recognition aided by a one process noise filtration system.
For those with an Android phone, download the "find my car" app. The app will connect with the speaker to help driver's find their car.
Jabra Drive
For drivers who are looking for a more durable Bluetooth speaker, the Jabra Drive is perfect. The hard outer plastic shell withstands drops and bangs.
This makes it perfect for those who are planning on taking their speaker from one car to another often. Additionally, the battery life in this speaker is impressive.
It will last up to a month before it needs recharging. Slide the garage door opener sized speaker onto your visor and forget about it. When it does need to charge, use the included cigarette lighter cable for a quick boost.
Setup is a breeze with easy pairing abilities. It will also auto-connect and disconnect when you get in and out of your car.
The noise cancellation in this model isn't as advanced as others on this list. This is also not the ideal speaker for listening to music.
SuperTooth Buddy
This particular brand isn't as well known as others on this list. They make high-quality products and receive some of the best reviews.
Push the green button for thirty seconds and both the driver and passenger can pair their phones at the same time. The large buttons are color coded for easy use while driving.
The battery will last for a total of twenty hours of talk time. Standby time will total around 1,000 hours. When the battery does run low, it will recharge in only three hours.
The speakers are large for the unit's size. The sound gears towards bass and lower treble. This is great for audio like music, not so good for calls.
The microphone is omnidirectional, meaning the person on the other end of the call can hear everyone in the car. This is an advantage over other speakers who require you to be in front of the device.
Avantree 10BP
For those who are looking for a speakerphone with Bluetooth and no fancy features, the Avantree is it. There is one button to answer and hang up calls.
The rocker button next to it controls the volume. There are no audio features.
The battery will last twelve hours while talking on a call. This should be plenty for the no-frills driver. The volume is quite loud on this little speaker, and the sound doesn't distort which is impressive.
Avantree SOLAR
This Bluetooth hands free kit charges by solar power. It is voice-controlled allowing the driver to keep their hands on the wheel.
This unit offers pairing abilities of two phones at the same time. Other apps such as GPS directions are also supported.
There is a two-year warranty offered on the device. Unfortunately, this unit requires manual powering on and off.
SOAIY S-32
The voice-controlled SOAIY-32 has automatic connection and disconnection from nearby phones. For quick powering on, shake the device.
It is compatible with any Bluetooth enabled device. Users can also use the device to access GPS directions and voice assistant systems such as Siri.
The battery will last for a full eight hours of talking time. The one complaint from users is that the microphone isn't as powerful as others on this list.
Motorola Sonic Rider
If echo and noise reduction is a concern, the Motorola Sonic Rider is the answer. The 2-watt speaker ensures that you will be able to hear your callers.
This speaker is hands-free. Drivers will get audible confirmation of connection, battery life, and other functions. The talk time is impressive at 45 hours.
You can pair two different phones to the Sonic Rider at one time. You can also store up to six connections in the device.
The downside is this unit will not auto connect. It also does not recognize callers.
SOAIY S-61
The SOAIY S-61 is an upgraded version of the S-32. Aptly named S-61 for the 61 different voice commands that the driver can use.
Never take your hands off the wheel or eyes off the road with voice commands for dialing, answering, and hanging up calls. Voice connect to Siri is also available.
This model will connect and disconnect automatically when paired devices are near. It also has the feature of turning on with a shake.
There have been improvements to the sound quality on the 61 model. Music played through this model will sound more accurate.
The unit comes with a USB cable, a cigarette plug cable, and a sun visor clip. Having all three accessories gives drivers the freedom to keep the speakerphone where it works best for them.
QOFOWIN
The HD sound of the QOFOWIN allows users to play music, make and receive calls, and listen to GPS directions. The sound comes from an extra large 3-watt speaker.
This unit has the longest standby times. Lithium polymer batteries give twenty hours of talking time.
The sound quality of this speaker is better than others on this list. Noise cancellation helps reduce road noise.
Users have the option to use the included cigarette charger or USB charging cable. The downside is that it does not have automatic connectivity for paired devices.
Which One Is Right for You?
For drivers that want a low price and the basic features, the Avantree 10BP is a good choice. The SuperTooth Buddy offers long battery lifetimes and great audio quality for music.
The Motorola Roadster Bluetooth car speakerphone has the best audio quality. This is also the model for broadcasting your audio through the car's stereo system.
Jaba offers a wide range of car speakerphones. Their Bluetooth hands-free kits can meet a driver's needs durability or features.
The Motorola Sonic Rider offers a staggering 45 hours of talk time. While the SOAIY models offer automatic connections and full compatibility with smart devices.
Shop today for other buetooth needs.