Hands free kit for car
After several hours of research among more than thirty models available at the moment, we have made our selection of the 3 best hands-free car kits. Our favourite is the SuperTooth HD Voice. Its voice and physical commands provide access to a range of advanced functions, and its ergonomics are perfect.
Avantree 10 BS
Avantree is a brand specialized in the design of audio accessories and outdoor devices. The arrival in 2017 of the 10 BS appeared to be a godsend for users since it combines quality with reasonable price. In terms of design, it has dimensions of 123 x 46 x 20 mm for a weight of 73g and is quite easy to install. Due to its plastic design, it is sensitive to vibrations. It comes with a multipoint connection allowing up to two sources to be connected at the same time. It is compatible with all phones and comes with Bluetooth 4.0. ensuring stable and reliable pairing.
When you approach your vehicle, the connection is made automatically, which is convenient ... and problematic because if your car is parked close to your home, it can cause interruptions when you call. In terms of functionality, it's pretty basic since it doesn't include GPS or voice recognition. It is therefore operated via physical buttons. The general sound quality is good with a built-in microphone that transmits intelligible voices. A noise reduction function is greatly appreciated since the sound lacks power. Besides, it will not be enough for trucks or cars with noisy engines.
In terms of autonomy, users are satisfied with 22 hours of resistance. The battery is fully recharged in 2-3 hours via USB. On the other hand, the charging socket is a bit short. In other words, this hands-free car kit is basic but it works well with a faithful and qualitative voice reproduction, as long as the engine is not too noisy. It also has a good range and a very stable multipoint connection, and takes care of taking your calls efficiently. A great option to stay focused!
SuperTooth Buddy
This is the flagship product of the Supertooth brand, which is a veteran in the design of hands-free car kits. It stands out from the competition because of its particular design, but it also has some interesting features. The look of this device is original and elegant with its capsule shape. It has rather generous dimensions (129 x 49 x 14.6 mm). It is nevertheless surprisingly light at 64 grams. Its system of magnetized removable clamp allows horizontal installation on the sun visor and easy uninstallation. It has multipoint capability, allowing two phones to be connected at the same time, as well as an "auto-connect" function, which offers automatic connection once the phone has already been paired once.
There are five buttons around the kit's periphery. Pairing is carried out with a single multi-function key, the middle one which also includes an indicator light that serves as a charge and pairing indicator. Accepting or rejecting an incoming call is only done by pressing the handset key on the Buddy. However, these operations are not permitted by voice. Voice dialling will only be possible if the phone has a voice recognition system, otherwise you will have to go through the voice assistants on the devices themselves or worse, dial the number yourself, which can disturb driving. In addition, it does not synchronize the phonebook of your smartphone.
The big downside of this device is the A2DP incompatibility which is supposed to allow you to listen to music or GPS directions. In terms of audio, this hands-free kit offers intelligible voices despite a slight lack of power and breath. The sound remains clear and enjoyable. Conversely, its big advantage is its battery life, which reaches over 22 hours and is one of the best at that price. In conclusion, the SuperTooth Buddy fulfills all its functions with good voice reproduction, excellent autonomy, an ergonomic mounting system as well as a reliable and automatic multipoint connection. Despite its lack of advanced functions, it is simple to use, so you don't have to worry too much to keep your eyes on the road!
SuperTooth HD Voice
This Supertooth HD voice has more than one trick up its sleeve and once again the brand proves that it is here to conquer the market! This model houses two powerful magnets in the back. It has both physical and voice controls. On the front panel, there is a large volume button. Just underneath are two LEDs indicating the status of the Bluetooth connection. Further down, there is a power button and another "SuperTooth Handsfree Assistant". Available in English and French, the voices guide you through the pairing process and once pairing is complete, the device downloads your address book. Incoming calls can be picked up vocally by an "Answer" or "Reject".
Other voice commands are accessible and include basic commands to test battery level, connection status, and call home, office, emergency services or one of five programmed contacts. The Hands-Free Wizard is an Internet service that is only available for six months free of charge with an activation code (beyond that time, you must opt for a subscription to continue enjoying this feature). It allows you to send a text message, listen to an e-mail, go on facebook or Twitter... However, for sms and e-mails, you will need to have previously saved a list of contacts to be able to use it.
Unfortunately, these readings are perfectible since it does not only read the message but also the time or the quoted messages, for example. In terms of sound, it includes two microphones, one for noise cancellation and the other for voice recording. The technology does a great job and the voices are captured correctly. The loudspeakers are of good quality, although at high volume, some crackling may occur. It includes a micro-USB port for charging the camera. Charging time is around 3 hours and gives an autonomy of about 20 hours. So here's a hands-free kit that offers some interesting features to keep your attention on the road while accessing your messages and emails. Rather intended for professionals, its controls are ergonomic and you won't miss anything that scrolls over the networks during the trip!
Why trust us?
The editorial team spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and comparing products to find the best value for money. None of our articles are sponsored. We sometimes receive a commission when you purchase a product through our links, which allows us to finance our work while remaining completely impartial.
How did we make our choice?
Choosing a hands-free car kit can be a bit complicated if you don't know what it is all about. And you can quickly drown yourself among the multitude of models on sale today, despite the modernity of cars that now almost systematically include this function.
Therefore, it is important to take into account the key points necessary to carry out your research:
Type of hands-free car kit
An aux-in kit is the ideal alternative for controlling music and calls with good sound quality. However, if you don't have an aux-in in your car and want to focus on listening to music, an FM transmitter will be a better choice but the call quality will not be as excellent. Finally, without an auxiliary input, if your primary goal is to make calls, use a speaker instead.
Audio quality in conversation
That's the most important criterion. Make sure that the microphones are able to ignore interfering noises and possible distortions so that the speaker can hear you properly. The power of the loudspeakers is also another quality factor for a conversation that is both audible and clear.
Ergonomics
Pairing Bluetooth equipment can often be a tedious exercise. In addition, operating buttons, scroll wheels and other keys while driving can be difficult or even dangerous. This is where you see the importance of a good voice command that lets you pick up and make calls (or even read emails and messages) without taking your hands off the wheel.
Autonomy
A good model is supposed to last at least a full day's work. Their talk time usually ranges from 10 to 25 hours, but standby mode is counted in days. The hands-free car kits in this comparison have a typical standby time of around 20 hours.
Advanced functions
It's a matter of seeing what features you'll need. Some will be able to play music (most do) or give you GPS instructions. Others will download your phonebook or support multiple phones. Some will also be compatible with voice prompts like Siri or Google Now.
Compatibility and connection
You will need to pay attention to how your device connects to your vehicle. Some require an auxiliary input port to connect to your speakers while others have a radio transmitter. Finally, most devices come with a multi-drop connection that allows you to connect up to two phones. Automatic connection eliminates the need to repeat the pairing process.
With these criteria in mind, we visited many English and French sites, blogs, forums and channels to gather information on the quality of a dozen particularly interesting models. This is how we were able to determine the 3 best hands-free car kits currently available on the market.
