Cell Phone Car Mounts

If you’re going to drive using a map on your smartphone (and we all know you are), then you need to be prepared to put your phone somewhere you can easily see it while looking at the road. Let a car mount take the hassle out of having your smartphone in the car by sticking to the same rules for using a map as you would for calling home. If you’re using your hands or looking down in any capacity, then it isn’t safe.

Car cell phone mounts are must-have cell phone accessory that hold your phone up for you to minimize distractions while you’re driving. They let you easily switch your phone to hands-free.

Types of Car Phone Mounts

Different car phone holders will hold your phone in different ways, and in different places. There isn’t really such a thing as a truly universal cell phone holder in the car; instead, you can pick and choose which one works best for you. (“Universal” models do exist in regards to compatible cell phones, though, and are an easy way to choose a mount if you’re likely to change your phone or lend your car to a family member.)

Magnetic phone mounts, for instance, are the easiest to snap your phone onto or take it off of when there aren’t any arms or clamps to adjust each time. But, depending on the model, they can have a weaker hold, and are sometimes (but not always) better for smaller phones. A magnetic iPhone 6 car mount, as an example, might be more stable than an iPhone XS Max one.

Vent mounts are the best car mount to take with you while travelling, as they’re the only one with zero sticky parts. Instead, they clamp onto your car’s vents—which means that you can take them in and out of rentals without causing any damage. Because of this, however, they can also be the least sturdy at their point of connection to the car, and as such often aren’t preferred for consistent use.

The Best Dashboard and Window Cell Phone Mounts

When you’re buying the best smartphone car mount for you, you have to consider the size of your phone, adjustability and positioning of the mount, and whether or not you’ll need to simultaneously charge your phone. For charging, open-bottom dashboard mounts are often preferred; they’re held up in your line of sight but are close enough to your centre console to unobtrusively attach a charger to the bottom of your phone. They tend to be equally popular to window mounts, which attach directly to the front windshield of your car.

Both designs keep your phone exactly where you want it: in your peripheral vision while you’re driving, but not in a place that would either obscure your line of sight or make you look away from the road. After all, your cell phone car mount should be there to help keep you safe!