Staying connected and navigating safely while driving requires a reliable car phone holder. With numerous options available, finding the ideal mount for your needs can be overwhelming. This article examines a variety of Car Phone Holders, focusing on dash and windshield mounts, air vent mounts, CD slot mounts, and MagSafe options for iPhones, to help you make an informed decision.
Dash and Windshield Mount Options
For those preferring dashboard or windshield placement, several mounts offer secure holding and convenient access. The iOttie iTap 3 Magnetic Flush Mount stands out with its strong magnets, consistent with the iTap 3 series. However, like many flush mounts, it adheres best to flat surfaces and is designed for single-use application. The iOttie Easy One Touch 5 shares similarities with the iOttie Auto Sense mount, providing a secure grip without wireless charging capabilities.
The Scosche MagicMount Charge mount combines multiple features, including fast charging, a MagSafe-like ring for Android compatibility, and robust suction for both dashboard and windshield mounting. Despite these advantages, its MagSafe magnet strength is insufficient, leading to phone detachment when attempting landscape orientation adjustments.
The Loncaster Silicone Car Phone Holder presents a horizontal silicone mold for simply dropping your phone into place. It effectively secures phones and easily attaches to dashboards. However, its aesthetic is considered cheap, it obstructs parts of the phone screen, and the silicone material tends to accumulate dirt quickly.
For extended reach, the ESR HaloLock Dashboard Wireless Charger with Low-Profile Mounting Arm and the Qifutan Car Phone Mount Long Arm feature strong grips and sturdy, flexible long arms. A drawback is their excessive bounce during driving, which can be distracting.
The ZeeHoo 15W Wireless Car Charger offers a functional, budget-friendly mounting solution. It’s important to note that it lacks the necessary 12-volt lighter charger required for powering its wireless charging feature, potentially requiring an additional purchase.
Air Vent Mount Selections
Air vent mounts provide a less obtrusive option, integrating seamlessly into your car’s interior. Mophie’s Magnetic and wireless charging vent mounts are comparable to top picks in terms of easy installation and strong magnetic hold. However, their vent attachments may not securely fit all vent types, a limitation not encountered with some competitor models.
Belkin’s BoostCharge boasts an excellent magnetic/MagSafe mount. Its vent grip, however, may not be sufficiently secure for larger phones like the iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 15 Plus, or Pixel 7 Pro, particularly on uneven roads.
The Kenu Airframe Magnetic features a strong magnet for phone retention. Its clamp mechanism, unfortunately, doesn’t maintain a secure hold once mounted, resulting in phone shaking while the vehicle is in motion.
Scosche’s MagicMount Pro2 4-in-1 Phone Mount offers a strong magnet and straightforward installation. Despite these positives, it did not effectively stabilize phones during driving tests, exhibiting noticeable phone movement.
CD Slot Mount Advantages
CD slot mounts offer a unique mounting location, utilizing the often-underused CD player slot. The Scosche MagicMount CD is comparable to the recommended CD-slot mount, the iOttie iTap 2 Magnetic CD Slot Mount. The iOttie mount distinguishes itself with a more appealing design and simpler installation process.
Ticilfo’s CD-slot mount is a basic plastic model designed for one-handed phone mounting and removal. It may exhibit some shaking when driving over uneven surfaces due to its simpler construction.
The Apps2Car Universal Magnetic CD Slot Car Phone Mount effectively holds phones in place. Its tightening mechanism, however, uses a somewhat unconventional screw and washer nut to secure the mount within the CD slot.
The iOttie Easy One Touch 5 is also available as a CD mount, providing easy one-handed operation. For a more compact option with similar secure holding, the iOttie iTap Magnetic 2 CD Slot Mount is recommended, taking up less space while offering comparable performance.
MagSafe Mounts for iPhones
Specifically designed for iPhones with MagSafe, these mounts offer seamless magnetic attachment and often wireless charging. The iOttie Velox Mini Qi2 Dashboard mount provides an easy setup with an adjustable, telescoping arm for customized viewing angles. Its charging speeds, however, were not as rapid as leading competitors. The vent version of the Velox Mini Qi2 offers strong magnets but was noted to be too stiff for easy adjustments.
Peak Design’s Qi2 vent mount boasts a premium aluminum build and delivers some of the fastest charging speeds among tested mounts. Its higher price point and more complex installation process set it apart from competitors. The dashboard version of the Peak Design mount experienced issues with adhesion and staying securely attached to dashboards during testing.
The Pitaka MagEz Pro 2 Qi2 vent mount features a sturdier ball-head setup compared to other tested mounts. Conversely, it exhibited the slowest charging speeds among the Qi2 mounts assessed.
The GloPlum Magnetic is a MagSafe air-vent mount with a strong magnet and up to 15W charging speeds. It lacks extensive support or a lengthy warranty period.
The iOttie Easy One Touch Wireless 2 was previously a top MagSafe mount recommendation. While still a solid choice, newer picks offer similar features in a more space-efficient design.
The iOttie Velox Mini incorporates a built-in ventilation system to keep iPhones cool during charging. It features one of the strongest magnets found in car mounts tested. The ball joint for rotation is somewhat stiff compared to top-rated alternatives.
The Belkin BoostCharge Pro, a more expensive option, primarily distinguishes itself with faster charging speeds. Leading competitors offered superior phone holding and adjustability.
The Scosche MagicMount Pro has the smallest footprint among car mounts but did not reliably prevent iPhones from tilting downwards when driving over bumps or uneven road surfaces.
The Spigen OneTap Pro allows for vent clip use alone or in combination with a swing arm, providing greater positioning flexibility. The swing-arm setup exhibited some movement when driving over bumps. Competitor models demonstrated better stability and magnet strength overall.
In conclusion, the ideal car phone holder depends on individual preferences, phone type, and car interior. Whether you prioritize dashboard, windshield, vent, or CD slot mounting, or require MagSafe compatibility and wireless charging, numerous options cater to diverse needs. Brands like iOttie, Scosche, Mophie, and Belkin offer a range of features and designs to enhance your driving experience and keep your phone securely in place.
