Hands-free kit

Listen up for the best way to talk and drive legally and safely

Jabra BT500V

Price £35

Jabra 01784 220179

www.jabra.com

Earpieces are the Bluetooth gadget of choice, as they can be used virtually anywhere. And you won’t tire of wearing the BT500V, the most comfortable and practical unit we tested. There’s a choice of gel inserts to suit all users, and we liked the simple, one-touch voice dialling. Add great call transmission and reception, plus mains, USB and 12V charging modes, and you can stay safe and legal at a reasonable price.

Jabra SP500

Price £73.43

As the SP500 attaches to the visor, it won’t make you look like an SAS trainee. The Jabra unit is bigger than the Parrot, but we had no problem fitting it to the visor, while the mains and 12V charging options won approval.

Jabra 01784 220179

www.jabra.com

Parrot Minikit

Price £59.99

If you want a hands-free kit only for the car, this is ideal. Call handling was the best we tried, and the driver could keep their eyes on the road while using the large, easily identifiable buttons. Small and light, the Minikit is barely noticeable on the visor.

Parrot 0870 1125872

www.parrot.biz

Jabra B125

Price £30

If you don’t like the in-ear design of our champ (top left), Jabra offers this slightly cheaper model. It works well, and as it weighs only 14g,
it is unobtrusive on the ear. Voice dialling was easy while both reception and transmission during calls were among the best.

Jabra 01784 220179

www.jabra.com

What we looked for

If common sense hadn’t persuaded you that holding a phone while driving was a bad idea, then new legislation introduced earlier this year should have done so by now. Having your mobile in your hand behind the wheel is now an endorsable offence, so drivers could face the risk of being banned if their points are totted up. Fines have been increased, too.

However, wireless Bluetooth connectivity is now a common feature on the latest mobile phones, so it’s easy to keep within the law. We checked out 12 headsets and visor-mounted units, looking for clear reception and transmission, plus comfort and ease of use.

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