One of the best Android Auto wireless adapters is still on sale at Amazon – and it’s my go-to gift

While the AAWireless Android Auto dongle has been available for years now, it’s still one of the most highly recommended adapters on the market. The 4,000+ ratings of over four stars on Amazon are a testament to its quality. How the dongle works is fairly straightforward: You plug it (instead of your phone) into your car and then connect your phone to the adapter wirelessly, effectively giving you the same Android Auto capabilities but without a dangling cable.

Ahead of its successor’s release, the AAWireless adapter is available at an 8% discount on Amazon right now, bringing the total down from $65 to $60. I wouldn’t say that’s in impulse-buying territory, but if you’re ready to ditch the long cable — and the struggles of finding your phone’s port when it’s dark outside — then the investment is absolutely worth it.

Since discovering the deal, I actually bought one for myself. One of my few disappointments with my current Mazda CX-5 (2023) is that it only supports Android Auto via wired connection, meaning besides starting up the car, putting on my seatbelt, and checking my mirrors every time, I also have to reach for my tethered USB-C cable and plug it into my phone to boot up the software. 

Obviously, this still didn’t stop me from buying the car, but it’s a constant reminder of its incapabilities. And if you’re an aesthetics person who doesn’t like the look of a cable dangling around as you drive, the AAWireless adapter also helps with that, as it can be plugged and tucked away.

Also: One of the best Android Auto wireless adapters just got a useful (and premium) update

I should note at this point that an AAWireless adapter successor is on its way, and it officially went on sale (and out of stock) earlier this week. What’s the difference between the old and new models? The main selling point is a new multifunctional button to pair and switch between phones for when you’re carpooling or have multiple devices in hand. The new model is also 30% smaller, according to the company. Both the old and new models won’t work with Apple CarPlay.

Regardless, at its sale price of $60, the original AAWireless adapter is a tried-and-true accessory that makes driving with Android Auto much more effortless. Several Amazon customers have also testified that the AAWireless performs faster and more reliably than competing adapters like the Motorola MA1.