The Best iPod Car Accessories: Reviews & Buying Guide

iPod Car Accessories

My iPod is primarily used in my vehicle because I have an auxiliary audio port and would rather keep music on my iPod that have to deal with CDs while driving. There is a wide variety of iPod car accessories designed to make it both safe and easy to use your iPod in your vehicle. These include iPod mounts, car audio accessories for getting the iPod to play through your vehicle’s stereo, and more. Here’s a look at five of the best iPod car accessories on the market today.

Best iPod Audio FM Transmitter

One way to get your iPod music to your car stereo is to use an FM Transmitter. These devices let you tune your car’s radio to an FM channel that is not being used, then you set the transmitter to the same frequency and broadcast from the iPod directly to your car’s stereo. It’s perfect for people who don’t have auxiliary audio ports on their car stereo. As of this writing, the highest rated FM Transmitter on Amazon.com is the Griffin 4045-TRPAUTOS iTrip. It retails for $79.99, but Amazon is selling it for $25.00 and that price includes free shipping. Out of 235 customer reviews, it holds a solid 4 out of 5 star rating.

Best iPod Audio Cable

If your vehicle has an auxiliary audio port, which looks just like a regular headphone jack, then by all means use it instead of an FM transmitter. The audio quality will be much better and you won’t have to adjust anything. As for the best auxiliary audio cable, the truth is that the cheapest one you can find is the best. There is a huge mark-up on audio cables when it comes to electronic components, and one is just about as good as the other. Don’t pay upwards of $20-30 for one when you can get the same performance from a $10 cable from Wal-Mart. Just make sure the cable you buy is short, because you don’t want six feet of spare cable getting tangled up in your floorboard.

Best iPod Car Charger

Long road trips with the iPod in constant use can run down the rechargeable battery, so having a car charger lets you keep your iPod ready to go at all times. The best one I have found is the Belkin Dual USB Car Charger that includes two USB ports for recharging your iPod, iPhone, or even other devices like certain model BlackBerry phones. It just plugs into your power adapter and lets you charge away. It currently sells on Amazon.com for just over $17.

Best iPod Dash Mount

If you don’t have anywhere inside your vehicle to place your iPod, you might consider getting the Kensington Dash Car Mount for just $20.89 on Amazon.com. It’s a bit of a contraption, but provides a nice padded mount for your iPod, iPhone, smartphone or GPS. With the new touchscreen model iPods out, it’s perfect for giving you a quick way of navigating the menu without having to hold the iPod in your palm and control it with your thumb. Visit Amazon’s product page for photos of different ways in which you can use this mount.

Best iPod Car Case

Using an iPod in a vehicle can subject it to the rigors of weather as well as bumpy roads, so the added protection provided by a good case is highly recommended. You cannot go wrong with the Speck Pixelskin case for any model iPod because its thick rubber padding provides nice shock absorption plus makes it much easier to handle the device. As of this writing, you can get one from Amazon for just $7.29.

For more information, be sure to check out my article on the best iPod Nano 5G cases.