With the best car phone holders, you can safely protect your phone while driving. Today, cell phones are not allowed to be used while driving, but they can have useful features such as GPS. When GPS is needed, the phone holder makes looking for directions less intimidating by providing an easy-to-use alternative to holding the device.
When looking for your next mount, it’s important to decide if you want a magnetic device or not, if it comes with a charger and how many mounts it comes with. The iOttie Easy One Touch (see Amazon) is a holder that charges your device wirelessly and allows you to fix the smartphone in place without magnets. If you want to protect your phone from your vehicle, consider putting it in a kickstand.
Best Base: Nite Ize Steelie Dash Mount
The Nite Ize Steelie Dashboard Mount is a great choice for smartphone owners who want a truly unobtrusive mount. Compatible with almost all smartphones, including Apple, Samsung and Google’s Pixel series smartphones, the 3M-based adhesive magnetic holder can be attached directly to your phone or hard case. The plugged-in power outlet is then connected to the dashboard mount, which is also equipped with 3M adhesive, which can be securely attached to any vertical or flat dashboard. Once the steel ball is attached to the phone, the holder allows you to quickly tilt the device from landscape to portrait mode or anywhere in between to find the viewing angle that works best for you. The neodymium magnet provides a strong grip, so you don’t have to worry about this mount coming loose when you drive on a bumpy road.
Best Magnet: Tech Matte Mag Grip
Attached directly to your car’s air intake, the Tech Matte Mag Grip Universal Car Mount is a unique solution that stands out visually from the road while remaining highly functional. With neodymium magnets, Tech Matte differs from alternative magnetic car holders that use more standardized magnets. The rubberized construction is suitable for most smartphones, including Samsung, Apple, HTC and Google devices, and ensures a secure grip on the air vent at all times. Turning and turning the smartphone is no problem, thanks to the movable base, which keeps the magnets in place. Measuring in at 1.75 x 1.5 inches and weighing just 1.25 ounces, in the absence of a stand you can view your entire smartphone without being bothered by supporting devices.
Best Grip: Kenu Airframe Pro
Kenu Airframe Pro is a great solution for minimal use with maximum functionality. Attaches directly to your vehicle’s air vent with two silicone clips that attach to the blades of most standard air vents without damaging or scratching them.
The Airframe Pro locking grips are compatible with any smartphone up to 6 inches wide, including all iPhones from Apple and Samsung, LG and HTC. When connected to the vent, the Airframe Pro can easily be rotated to portrait or landscape mode, allowing the rider to find the ideal angle.
Best Windshield: iota Easy One Touch 4
Attached directly to the windshield with a suction cup, the iota Easy One Touch 4 car mount protects any smartphone between 2.3 and 3.5 inches wide. Biotite’s telescopic boom extends from 4.9 to 8.3 inches and pivots in a 225-degree arc for easy positioning while driving. As a bonus, iota offers two free audiobooks to use in the car while keeping your eyes on the road. Another benefit of iota is a downloadable smartphone app for both iOS and Android that locks and remembers the last parked location with GPS positioning.
Best Splurge: RAM MOUNTS X-Grip
Don’t be fooled by the unique design. The Ram Mount X-Grip features a spring-loaded quad mount and can be adapted to almost any smartphone. It is made of a high-strength composite housing, stainless steel, and has a 2.5 cm diameter rubber ball and handle that provide almost unrestricted movement to adjust and find the perfect viewing angle while driving.
Final judgement
A favorite phone holder for your car is the Nite Ize Steelie Dashboard Mount (see on Amazon) for its versatile mounting options and continuous grip. This stand is a simple and elegant solution that does not need to block the ventilation openings to function effectively.
Learn about our trusted experts
David Beren is a technical writer with over 10 years of experience in the field. He has written and edited content for tech companies such as T-Mobile, Sprint and Trac Fone Wireless.
FAQ
The suction cup on my phone holder no longer works, now what?
The best solution for this is to simply rinse the suction cup with warm water, which makes the suction cup a little more flexible and sticks to surfaces more easily.
Can I remove the phone holder and reinstall it?
This depends on the type of rack. Fasteners that use glue can be reattached, but they lose their effectiveness over time. Suction cup mounts aren’t always secure, but they can be removed and reattached many times before they deteriorate.
Where is the best place to connect the phone to the car?
Ideally, you want to put your phone where you can see it and quickly press buttons and respond to notifications when needed. It is legal to keep your phone on while driving as long as it does not interfere with your ability to drive.
What should you look for in a car phone holder?
Different montages
Some car phone holders have one holder and more than one holder. If you have more than one vehicle, you can install a holder in each vehicle and you just need to bring the holder part of the holder. Look for one with multiple mounts, including a vent, dashboard, and windshield if you think that’s a useful feature.
Magnets
There are many ways to fix the phone to the holder, but the most convenient way is to use very strong magnets. This allows you to easily snap the phone into place and remove it without the dexterity of springs, clamps or other fastening mechanisms.
Current
In addition to the cell phone holders on the dashboard and window, some also have an integrated power bank. This type of phone holder plugs into a 12V socket that plugs into a cigarette lighter, so you can also use it to charge your phone and other mobile devices.