Best Bluetooth transmitter 2024: stream in your home and car

The best Bluetooth transmitters will give your old iPods, TVs or CD players a new lease of life

A man watching television and listening to the audio on Bluetooth headphones thanks to the best Bluetooth transmitter

So your old iPod nano has some absolute tunes on it from back in the day when the Apple Music Store was actually a thing and instead of painstakingly creating your playlist from scratch on Spotify, you want to save yourself some hassle and find a way to hook your now slightly retro device up to your Bluetooth speaker so you can treat your ears to a blast from the past.

Well… thanks to Bluetooth transmitters, you can. They work by decoding information (your songs) into a transferable format before transmitting that information via radio waves to the receiver.

The transmitter produces the audio frequency itself, this is then picked up by the receiver. Together, the transmitter and the receiver create a pathway on which data can be transferred. These days, they are important components on a huge variety of everyday devices, including mobile phones, laptops, and TVs.

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So what should you be looking out for when purchasing your Bluetooth transmitter? Version 4.0 is the latest version of Bluetooth and is probably most noteworthy if you’re looking to hook up or transfer data from a heart rate monitor or thermometer to a Bluetooth-compatible PC.  Aside from that, version 2.1 is more than adequate for the everyday device. It essentially allows the transmitter to hook up to a range of devices, whether it’s a speaker or your headphones. 

Consider the range of the Bluetooth transmitter, too. If your device is inside but you want to hear your tunes outside, you’ll need one with a long-range on it so the radio signal isn’t interrupted. You may also want to look at the playtime; most Bluetooth transmitters have a fairly long charge life, with 10 hours being the longest playtime on our list. 

With all that in mind, let's head over to Amazon to discover the best Bluetooth transmitters.

The best bluetooth transmitter: TaoTronics Bluetooth TransmitterT3 Best Buy Award

1. TaoTronics Bluetooth Transmitter

The ideal all-rounder for transmitting tunes from an old gen iPod to a speaker

Specifications

Best for: Audio devices
Working range: 30ft
Bluetooth Version: 2.1
Play time: 6-7 hours

Reasons to buy

+
Features A2PD for enhanced audio quality
+
Works with any audio device

Reasons to avoid

-
 Can’t switch it on or off 

Primed for use with audio devices, this Bluetooth transmitter features A2PD technology, which should improve the audio quality as opposed to a regular Bluetooth transmitter.

Combing a decent 30ft range with high-quality audio, this Bluetooth transmitter is a good buy if you’re looking to fire your music across from the lounge to the garden. 

Rated highly among users, people commend the sound quality and ease of use, however many mentions that the battery doesn’t last as long as stated, and you have to unplug it from your device if you’re looking to use it without the Bluetooth hook up, as there's no on/off switch.

Avantree Oasis LONG RANGE Bluetooth Transmitter and ReceiverT3 Approved Award

2. Avantree Oasis LONG RANGE Bluetooth Transmitter and Receiver

Indoors, outdoors, upstairs, downstairs, this long range all-in-one should reach

Specifications

Best for: Long range
Working range: 150ft
Bluetooth Version: 4.1
Play time: Mains powered

Reasons to buy

+
Transmitter and receiver
+
Long range 

Reasons to avoid

-
 Has to be plugged in to the mains

You can use this device as either a transmitter or receiver, allowing you to, as an example, either transmit sound from your TV to your speaker system or alternatively allow your non Bluetooth enabled speaker system to receive sounds from a Bluetooth-enabled device.

With a range of 150ft, this Bluetooth wireless transmitter and receiver is the ideal buy for larger homes, or those looking to branch their system across several rooms. 

Nulaxy Wireless In-Car Bluetooth FM TransmitterT3 Approved Award

3. Nulaxy Wireless In-Car Bluetooth FM Transmitter

Rev your car into the 21st century with this Bluetooth FM transmitter

Specifications

Best for: Car
Working range: Cigarette lighter
Bluetooth Version: 3.0
Play time: USB powered

Reasons to buy

+
Allows hands-free calling
+
Listen to music from your phone

Reasons to avoid

-
 Reports of sound distortion at high volume 

Sometimes, listening to the radio as you cruise down the M3 just doesn’t cut it, but by using devices like this Bluetooth FM transmitter, you can use radio waves to listen to your own music – all you need to do is hook up your phone via the USB port and programme the device to a spare radiofrequency. You can also use the device to make safe and legal hands-free calls, and it will also charge your device up when it’s plugged in. 

Avantree Dual Link Bluetooth 4.2 TransmitterT3 Approved Award

A portable Bluetooth transmitter for syncing devices on the go

Specifications

Best for: Portable
Working range: 100ft
Bluetooth Version: 4.1
Play time: 7 hours

Reasons to buy

+
No audio delay when hooking up TV
+
Stylish, ‘street worthy’ appearance

Reasons to avoid

-
You may notice a slight dip in sound quality

This portable Bluetooth transmitter features the latest Bluetooth technology and should fare well when you're hooking up devices over long distances. With Avantree boasting that you shouldn't experience any sound delay, this is the ideal buy if you’re looking to hook up your TV to your sound system. Offering up to 7 hours’ worth of power, this battery-powered Bluetooth transmitter is convenient to use and will connect automatically to a device once it’s been paired. 

Trond Bluetooth V4.1 TransmitterT3 Approved Award

5. Trond Bluetooth V4.1 Transmitter

A top of the range Bluetooth transmitter boasting CD quality sound

Specifications

Best for: Syncing
Working range: 133ft
Bluetooth Version: 4.1
Play time: 10 hours

Reasons to buy

+
Long battery life
+
No out of sync sound

Reasons to avoid

-
More expensive than our previous pick

If you’re looking for the best and don’t mind how much money you need to fork out, then this Trond transmitter may be the one for you. Trond promises the same sound synchronisation qualities as our previous pick but boasts CD-quality sound as one of its unique selling points, which could make forking out the extra cash worthwhile. 

The transmitter also has the ability to hook up to two speakers at the same time - great if you’re throwing a party, and with 10 hours of battery life, rather than just 7, you can be pretty certain that it’ll last the entire duration of your soirée.

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Aimée Bradshaw