Today’s smartphones can give you easy access to satnav features with up-to-date maps and traffic info, while also allowing you to play music and podcasts as you travel. Just be aware, though, that the law is expected to change later this year, and that a wider range of interactions with your phone will be made illegal.
You should stay out of trouble as long as you remain hands-free, but if you appear to be distracted by calls or by the phone screen, then you can still end up in an uncomfortable conversation at the roadside. Set your satnav route before leaving home, and steer clear of the TikToks, WhatsApp messages and in-car selfies.
These are ideal for lighter smartphones, but the grip might not be firm enough to hold heavier devices and it also obstructs the airflow. There will, of course, have to be a cable between your car’s USB port or 12V socket and the charger, so make sure it doesn’t dangle anywhere it might obstruct your driving.
There’s also no maximum phone size to worry about – it’ll handle devices of up to 650g – and the joint means it works at a decent range of angles. Key specs – Weight: 46g; Mounting: Suction cup on windscreen; Max phone width: N/A; Colours: Black
Key specs – Weight: 130g; Mounting: Grip on air vent; Max phone width: 88mm; Colours: Black
This isn’t a massive issue if you’re happy with your phone in the conventional portrait mode, but if you’re using your smartphone as a satnav, having more horizontal screen space to work with makes more sense. Key specs – Weight: 37g; Mounting: Grip on air vent; Max phone width: 93mm; Colours: Black and Aluminium The mount itself keeps a sure grip on your vent, rotating into horizontal and vertical positions, and there’s a little play in the ball joint to get a decent viewing angle for the screen.
Key specs – Weight: 90g; Mounting: Grip on air vent; Max phone width: iPhone 12 series and upwards only; Colours: Black The actual holder connects via a ball and socket joint into the supplied vent mount or dashboard/windscreen arm, while a suction cup on the latter hooks onto the windscreen or an adhesive silicone disc.
What’s more, you’ve got the option to extend the arm through a nifty sliding bracket, giving you a good range of positions and viewing angles to work with. Key specs – Weight: 260g; Mounting: Grip on air vent/windscreen and dashboard suction cup; Max phone width: 112mm; Colours: Black
This simple, compact phone holder can be attached via its suction grip to either a windscreen or a dashboard (simply turn it upside-down to switch between the two modes). Key specs – Weight: 91g; Mounting: Suction cup to windscreen or dashboard; Max phone width: 89mm; Colours: Black, red
Objectively, this is the best smartphone mount available: it’s small, avoids blocking your view, can be attached to the windscreen or dashboard and is easily moved to between vehicles. It’s also extremely stable, keeping your phone steady as you crash over Britain’s potholed streets, and has a ball and socket joint for easy adjustment.
Your phone is secured in the mount with a magnet, meaning there’s no width restriction and it’s easy to put it in place and remove it at either end of your journey.
Key specs – Weight: 118g; Mounting: Suction cup to windscreen or dashboard; Max phone width: N/A; Colours: Black Key specs – Weight: 59g; Mounting: Clip to air vent; Max phone width: N/A; Colours: Black, grey The spring-loaded arms and adjustable foot hold it firmly in place, and it’ll cope with devices up to 93mm in width, aligning the phone dead-centre to give you the best wireless charging connection.
The mount fits onto the windscreen or dashboard using an ultra-strong suction cup, while the telescopic arm pivots and extends in a wide range of positions, so you can keep your phone out of the way but in view. Key specs – Weight: 430g; Mounting: Suction cup to windscreen or dashboard; Max phone width: 93mm; Colours: Black
Best car phone holders 2021: windscreen and dash mounts
Our phones have a lot of great features which now allow us to use them as a multifunctional device such as a sat nav or speakerphone for taking calls in the car. A car phone mount is designed to hold your device in the optimum position for safe viewing of the screen while driving. Belkin Car Vent Mount A low profile phone mount that leaves your windscreen clear of screens and smudges Specifications Best for: Subtlety Attachment: Air vent clip Compatible with: Smartphones up to 5.5 inches Adjustable: Yes Reasons to buy + Grips securely but gently + Low profile Reasons to avoid – You’ll need to switch the vent off if the car heating is running TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Amazon View at Amazon 566 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Kenu Airframe Qi Wireless Charging Car Vent Mount Support your phone and recharge wirelessly Specifications Best for: Charging Attachment: Air vent clip Compatible with: Both Adjustable: Yes Reasons to buy + Qi compatibility + Slim and well made + Dual QC 3.0 adapter Reasons to avoid – Not all phones are wireless charging TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Amazon 85 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ This sleek option from Kenu is just the ticket, with 10W Qi wireless charging built in, saving you from having to mess around with unsightly cables. Logitech ZeroTouch A voice assisted car phone mount for hands free navigation Specifications Best for: Hands free control Attachment: Air vent clip Compatible with: Android Adjustable: No Reasons to buy + Compatible with Alexa + No touching required Reasons to avoid – Need to download the app There is no adjustment features on this mount, but the air vent clip is sturdy and allows your phone to be at the perfect angle for viewing. You’ll also get 360 degree ball adjustment which will allow you to find the perfect position and orientation of your screen, holding any smartphone up to 6 inches. Yosh Magnetic Car Mount A simple yet effective design for easily mounting your phone Specifications Best for: Design Attachment: Air vent clip Compatible with: All smartphones Adjustable: No Reasons to buy + Magnetic attachment + Can hold a tablet Reasons to avoid – Requires you to stick a sticker on the back of your phone TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Amazon 39 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ You do have to stick a magnetic sticker to the back of your phone in order for it to work, which can be a little unsightly if you have a pretty cover or coloured case. Some had trouble initially sticking this mount to their dashboard, but found a little bit of water helps it grip nicely. Owners found this small mount to hold even larger phones very well, but some had trouble with the sticky pad staying put on their dashboard.
Mpow Grip Pro 2 This mount slots into your CD player for a secure hold Specifications Best for: Anti-slip Attachment: CD insert Compatible with: Screens up to 3.5 inches Adjustable: Yes Reasons to buy + Can still play CDs + Solid and sturdy Reasons to avoid – Can obstruct view in portrait position TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Amazon 665 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ If you’re not convinced by the sticky pads or suction clips, then this car phone mount is a sturdy and solid alternative. It is fully adjustable via swivel and tilt, although users with bigger screens have said that in a portrait position it can obstruct their view.
The mount clips to most dashboard air vents and comes with a pair of magnetic plates (one circular and one square) for sticking to the back of your phone.
Best mobile phone holders 2020
Just about all of us carry phones in our cars, but holding a mobile behind the wheel is a serious offence, with penalties of up to six points and a £200 fine, plus an automatic ban for new drivers. With any, make sure your forward visionisn’t obstructed; and with phones getting ever bigger, it’s wise to check yours will fit before you buy.
Allowing phones to be easily and safely fitted and removed one-handed gained extra marks. We also entered a route into a sat-nav app and checked if vibrations made it hard to read the screen.
It came with two steel plates (circular and oblong) for fitting to the phone or case so it would ‘stick’ to the large magnet which could be twisted to any position on the ball and socket joint. Easy to fit single-handed, it worked well in landscape or portrait positions, plus was rock-solid down bumpy roads and when tapping the screen.
The phone bracket was simple, with both arms springing out manually, so two hands were required to fit, although with practice we could remove it one-handed. The bracket slotted into a base on the end of its 130mm flexible arm, the obvious benefit being that it could be turned every which way as required.
Buy now from Amazon Olixar inVent Gravity Auto-Grip Universal Smartphone Car Holder 9 Price: Around £10Rating: 3 starsContact: www.mobilefun.co.ukMounting: Air vent
Best car phone holder 2021: Dashboard, air vent and windscreen mounts
Whether you’re in a rental car, navigating your way to some remote cottage in the countryside for a much-needed staycation, or you’re a rideshare driver ferrying passengers all over town, your smartphone is the one driving companion you can’t leave home without. Satellite navigation, traffic updates, fare management and hands-free calling are invaluable tools for today’s drivers, so it’s important to ensure that your phone is always somewhere in view and safely secured on your dashboard.
Cheap car phone holders are prone to drooping or popping off entirely, especially on rough roads or when riding over speed bumps.
The base of the mount clips into your car’s air vent, and can be oriented around an easily adjustable but very strong 360-degree ball joint to face in any direction in either portrait or landscape modes.
Around the back of the mount there’s space to neatly wrap a power cable too, so you can avoid having unsightly wires flapping around by the gearstick. Smartly designed and with a neat aesthetic to match Apple’s, the Belkin is our pick of the best iPhone car mount.
No maximum width, but will hold any phone or tablet in a Mous case Mount types available: Dashboard, windshield This means the mount is not compatible with phones using other cases, but if you’re already a Mous convert and you’re willing to pay a premium for a phone mount that doesn’t look like a medieval torture device, this wireless charging pad is a smart and stylish upgrade for your dashboard. : Plastic Size:13.5 x 9.5 x 8.8 cm Eono is one of Amazon’s in-house brands, focusing on low-cost, no-frills consumer products. We found some wobbling on rough roads if the arm was fully extended, but if you prefer to position the phone nearer to the dashboard this isn’t a problem. The finish and materials feel cheap, but this budget car phone holder performs well where it matters. : Plastic Size:13.5 x 9.5 x 8.8 cm Designed to slide into your car’s CD slot, this holder uses a pair of silicon-padded arms to firmly cradle your phone without scratching it, and can be easily adjusted around a 360-degree ball joint to keep it pointed towards your face in either landscape or portrait orientations.
The CD attachment slides neatly into the slot without damaging anything, while the grip feature a one-button unlock to quickly retrieve your phone when you’re hopping out of the car. The low profile and high-end materials make the Yosh an ideal choice for drivers who don’t want to spoil the view of their dashboard or windscreen with bulkier plastic accessories. 11cm Mount type: Dashboard or windscreen This wireless holder uses a pair of stainless steel spring-loaded grips to gently but firmly secure your device in place.
We appreciate how the mount’s own charger, which plugs into the cigarette lighter, has a second USB port so your passenger can keep scrolling through Instagram while you drive.
These hold your power cords in place after you’ve removed the phone to leave the car, or can be used to wrap up any slack in the wire for a neater dashboard. Our favourite budget option is the MPOW grip pro 2, which balances build quality and function in a cheap but hard-wearing package.
The Best Car Phone Mounts for 2021
A good car phone mount is an essential accessory for any vehicle that doesn’t include a built-in navigation system. Dash and windshield mounts are more versatile and are typically a better choice for most people. Most mounts use either spring-loaded clamps or magnets to hold your phone in place. Spring-loaded mounts are versatile and can hold almost any phone, but you might balk at their bulky cases.
Mounts with built-in Qi wireless chargers are increasingly common. Your vehicle’s DC port powers these mounts and save you from needing to plug in your phone each time you hop in the car.
If you often forget to plug in your phone and it supports wireless charging, this is a no-fuss way to keep it juiced up.
Best car phone holders 2021: keep your phone safe while you’re driving
Not only can the best car phone holders keep your pride and joy in pristine condition, you’ll also be able to enjoy its full potential while it’s both safe and secure to do so. We haven’t had all of these car phone holders in our test labs yet, but based on our experts’ opinion and knowledge of the most reputable brands around, we think these are worth looking at. Our selections take into account online reviews, brand reputation, product capability, or unique features, to help you pick through the maze of choices available to you.
The Scosche MagicMount is a brilliant little phone holder that’s ingenious in that it can let you attach your smartphone if more traditional accessories aren’t quite up to the job.
It’ll work a treat on many surfaces, including vertical areas of your dash as well as less practical locations where other phone holders can’t even get near. Considering it uses an adhesive pad to grip, the holding ability seems reassuringly robust, even with heavier and larger handsets.
One of the most impressive we’ve tried is the Kenu Airframe Pro, which in the tradition of car phone holders goes for a ‘less is more’ approach on the design front. Again, top marks go to iOttie for designing a unit that’s very nicely made and there are variations so you can choose between dashboard or windshield mounting, cup holder and vent editions too.
The telescopic arm on the one we tried was fab too, with an additional pivot capability that delivers plenty of scope for viewing your phone screen no matter where you’ve got it mounted. You’ll need to check the compatibility of your own handset in terms of the wireless charging feature, but aside from that there’s plenty to like about this model in all its different guises. Not so with the TechMatte edition as it attaches to a variety of dashboard vents without fuss or, indeed, leaving marks, scratches or scuffs in the process. Meanwhile, your phone is kept safe and secure thanks to a seemingly invincible magnetic mount, which delivers plenty of dependable performance.
Considering this is a budget solution the TechMatte accessory is a great option, especially if you tend to jump from one car to another, perhaps in a workplace scenario, where you won’t be too heartbroken if you accidentally leave it behind one day. Add in the ability to air-lock the pad in place and you’ve got a robust in-car solution that doesn’t leave you feeling nervous that it might suddenly pop off as you’re driving along. Going for a dashboard mounting option makes for the optimum position for an in-car phone holder anyway as it leaves your windshield free from any kind of obstruction. As with the many other models here, the Arteck Car Mount benefits from a 360-degree rotational design, which means you can easily get your handset into a prime position prior to a journey and then not have to worry about it again.
While the grip is definitely reassuringly snug, the Arteck Car Mount is still kind to your handset, which is pretty good for such an affordable bit of kit. One slight trade-off with the wide range of positioning options that come with the Exshow Car Mount is that the accessory can tend to throw a little bit of wobble into proceedings.
With its 30cm arm you’re able to move the viewing angle into many different positions and orientations, which makes the Exshow Car Mount mighty handy for taller or shorter drivers due to its generous reach. Another reason the Vicseed Car Phone Mount appeals is its ability to give a home to a wide variety of handsets.
In fact, it’ll cope with just about any smartphone you can think of, although as always our advice is to check the compatibility details just in case you’re using a phone from years ago.
Usefully, there’s a one-button release system, which is a really practical consideration so you don’t have to fight with the accessory if you’re stopped and want to quickly get hold of your phone. The design is impressive and features a neat way of adjusting the cup holder clamps so that you get a snug fit that won’t move while you’re in transit. However, once it’s in position in the cradle the handset can be moved 360 degrees thanks to the gooseneck, which is solidly constructed but wonderfully flexible in equal measure.
This is another absurdly simple but really quite clever car phone holder that can give a safe, secure and road-legal home to many popular smartphones. And, perhaps more impressively, for something so unobtrusive the Yosh Car Phone Holder can keep any kind of screen in a stable position, including tablets.
However, the solid grip that you get thanks to the magnetic aspect means that your smartphone (or tablet) stays nicely in place once you’ve positioned it.
Best car phone mounts 2021: tested and rated
Finding yourself the best car phone mount can be the difference between making it to your destination in once piece and missing that concert you’ve been looking forward to since the start of the pandemic. That may sounds extreme, but being able to keep your phone, and the navigation app, in view isn’t as easy as you might have thought. While they don’t tend to break the bank, the Black Friday deals season is here and offering discounts on all manner of products. The name is a mouthful, but it’ll fit in any car with a CD player and kept an iPhone 12 Pro firmly in place. Not only does it work with pretty much every phone out there, it also comes with built-in cable management to help keep your dash board tidy. TOPGO Cup Holder Phone Mount For people who don’t want to stick something to their car.
Using a cup holder isn’t the most obvious place to keep your phone mount, but it works surprisingly well. Thanks to its long neck and sturdy construction, this holder will position your phone high enough so it’s easy to see while keeping it out of your field of vision.
You’ll lose a place for your skinny latte of course, but that’s the price you pay for not being too hot or cold or worrying that your phone will fall at any moment. 2. iOttie Easy One Touch 4 CD Slot Mount Putting your neglected CD player to good use Specifications Price: $20 Wireless Charging: No Color: Black Orientation: 360-degree Type: CD Slot TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Amazon Reasons to buy + The mount can be rotated into portrait and landscape + Using a CD player slot means you don’t lose an air vent or have to make sure it’s mounted firmly on your dashboard + The mount is strong and doesn’t move when you tap or rotate your phone Reasons to avoid – Not all cars have CD players – People who need to use the included Bracket might have a battle on their hands – No charging capabilities Once set up, your phone isn’t going anywhere and the chances are good that your CD slot will be high enough that your screen is never more than a quick glance away. Specifications Price: $25 Wireless Charging: No Color: Silver Orientation: 360-degree Type: Vent TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Currys View at very.co.uk View at John Lewis Reasons to buy + The mount can be rotated into portrait and landscape mode + Construction is solid and will stand up to daily use + Cable management is a feature other mounts don’t have + Nice soft grips mean your phone won’t be damaged Reasons to avoid – There are cheaper options – The mount doesn’t charge your device – Some larger phones might not fit if they’re wearing a case
Belkin included an area for you to keep your charging cable so it doesn’t fly around your car when you aren’t using it, and it’s surprisingly effective. Similar to the iOttie CD Slot Mount, the Belkin accessory is small and slim enough that it doesn’t stand out even when it isn’t being used. 4. iOttie Easy One Touch 5 Smartphone Car Mount Proving suction cups don’t have to be terrible Specifications Price: $30 Wireless Charging: No Color: Black Orentiation: Portrait and Landscape Design: Suction Cup TODAY’S BEST DEALS Check Amazon View at B&H Photo Reasons to buy + You don’t lose any air vents + Once attached it will definitely stay that way + Putting your phone into the holder is a cinch + The telescopic arm gives you more flexibility than other mounts Reasons to avoid – Getting the mount off the dash can be a real battle – Pretty big and can get in the way when not in use – As good as that suction cup is, you still need a surface to attach it to We’ll preface this by saying that a lot of people don’t normally rate phone holders with suction cups.
Like some of the best mounts, this one holds your phone rock steady when you’re driving around, and putting the device into the holder is a simple one-handed affair. Sandmarc Active Car Mount For the people who want magnetic charging Specifications Price: $60 Wireless Charging: Up to 7.5W Color: Silver Orientation: Vertical Type: Vent TODAY’S BEST DEALS Check Amazon View at Sandmarc Reasons to buy + Strong magnets to hold your phone steady + Charges your phone while you drive + Looks the part, unlike some cheaper options + Come with a charging cable in the box Reasons to avoid – Arguably on the pricey side – Works best with iPhone 12 and MagSafe, needs a magnet to use it – Clip mechanism means you need something to attach it to
If charging your iPhone while on the move is your game, the Sandmarc Active Car Mount is the place to look first. YOSH Car Phone Mount Holder Magnetic Air Vent The cheap and cheerful option Specifications Price: $11 Wireless Charging: No Color: Black Orientation: 360-degree Type: Vent TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Amazon 39 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + The magnets are strong and your phone won’t budge from the holder + Almost invisible when you aren’t using it + Comes with multiple magnets in the box so you can use two phones with it Reasons to avoid – You’ll lose an air vent – The mount won’t charge your phone and magnets don’t support MagSafe
The only potential issue with this holder is the fact you need to affix a disc to the back of your phone — something for the magnets to attach to, basically.
The PopSockets PopMount 2 Car Dash holder has a strong suction cup that should do the trick on most dashboards. You’ll also need to take your phone’s unique qualities into account, like if it has MagSafe or you need something that can accommodate a PopSocket or similar stand. Testing begins with making sure the holder itself is able to find a solid grip on whatever part of the car it’s supposed to attach to — windscreen, air vent, etc — and that it will hold a phone in place while driving.
From there, it’s a case of seeing how easily a phone can be inserted and removed, how well any movable parts work, and whether any additional features do their jobs well.
8 Best Car Phone Holders 2021
Car phone holders eliminate the worry, allowing you to easily follow the sat nav or take calls, hands free. Mounting your mobile handset well is clearly key to making the best of this standalone infotainment system – and you can choose from windscreen, vent, or dash-mounted holders too.
What suits you best depends on what kind of handset size you have – whether you’re happy to stick a magnet to the back of the phone or casing and what shape air vents your car has.
The phone holder clutches your handset firmly between its side arms and has a quick release button at the back.
This stylish dash- or windscreen-mounted car phone holder comes in a discreet black for a quid less, but we rather like the red one. This affordable Yosh car phone holder is a vent-mounted model, which magnetises to the handset with powerful Neodymium preventing any movement during travel.
The magnets offer versatility in landscape or portrait configuration and when changing between cars — provided the vehicles can accommodate the vent mount — the process is very much snap-on, snap-off. This durable vent-mounting car holder from Belkin has jaws with grippy rubber cushions to hold a broad range of handset sizes, accommodating phones up to 5.5 inches with a casing.
This incredibly stylish but pricey car phone holder rates highly amongst Uber drivers — a fair benchmark given their reliance on a well-mounted mobile device. Wuteku has designed this sweet silver ball, which mounts to the dash neatly and then attaches to the handset, with a powerful ‘ultraslim’ magnet that can be hidden on the inside of protective casings. Wuteku also reports counterfeit versions hitting the market due to popularity, so be sure to click our link, get down with the ride-share crowd and buy with confidence. A windscreen-mounting option from Halfords for a bargain price, this One Touch Universal car phone holder uses a suction cup to attach to the windscreen then secures in place by locking the clips to create a vacuum.
The holder can rotate 360 degrees but can accommodate devices up to three inches wide, so bad luck if you’ve got a giant handset. While most car phone mounts fit somewhere on your windscreen or dashboard, you can ditch the sticky stuff and use your cup holder instead.
This mount from Belkin fits into the space your coffee cup normally lives and secures your phone using a clip for maximum stability. Different car phone holders feature different attachment systems: some of the items can be securely stuck to the windscreen while others are fixed to the air ventilation.
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Best mobile phone holders to buy 2020
Mobile-phone holders can be split into several types – screen and dash mounts are easy to use and ensure your phone can be clearly seen, but they run the risk of dangerously restricting your forward vision, which could result in a fine. A safer bet is an air-vent mounting, but depending on where your car’s vents are sited, these can mean your phone ends up outside your usual line of sight, and you have to take your eyes off the road for longer to see its display.
We chose a test route that covered bumpy roads and gave higher marks to sturdy mounts that minimised vibration as well as remaining secure when the display screen was tapped.
The best car mobile phone holders you can buy Olixar Magnetic Windscreen & Dash Mount review 8 Price: Around £13Mounting: Dash and windscreenRating: 5.0 Our test-winning holder from Olixar is a compact design that stuck to the screen like a limpet, and was similarly secure on a flat area of the dashboard, yet was still easy to switch between the two locations.
It uses a circular magnet that sits on a ball and socket, and the two steel plates provided give you the choice of using either a sticky pad or an insert to go in its case. Three metal plates are provided and can be stuck to the phone or slotted inside its case, and once attached it’s easily rotated for clear visibility.
An appropriately sized steel plate is provided; you can attach this to the phone or slot it inside its case, and the holder proved quite stable in use.
Best Car Phone Holders & Mounts for 2020
With smartphones becoming even more important to our daily lives thanks to their increasingly powerful functionality, it’s important to be able to stay connected and ahead of the game while driving, as such a robust and sturdy car phone holder is a necessity allowing you to stay up to date with upcoming traffic information, directions and speed camera detection. What’s more, the holder performs extremely well in our tests, providing a secure grip for your phone no matter your terrain or speed. Another fantastic feature is the wide jaw opening, making for easy use with or without a case for even the largest smartphones on the market today. Another fantastic feature is the holder’s one touch open and close system, making this a brilliant option for those after a little bit extra on top of a great hold.
The official seal approval really shines through, with a premium finish and an ease of use that makes this option a fantastic pick for anyone after a simple and secure holder that feels extremely robust. This is a great pick due to the stylish nature and that fact that it leaves your windscreen completely clear for a better and safer view of the road.
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