Smartphones have become an integral part of our lives. These tiny screens have made life simpler and portable. Using a phone is quite dangerous and illegal while driving, but there are certain perks that can make your smartphone a wise companion on the road.
Using maps, or playing your favorite playlist are functions that can make traveling easier and lighten up your mood. And a car phone mount is the perfect accessory that can help you use your smartphone without getting distracted on the road. These mounts come in varying shapes and we help you out by sorting out the best ones you can buy in 2021.
What Are The Different Types Of Car Phone Mounts?
A phone mount is an external accessory that needs to be held up on the surface of the dashboard to be utilized well. The contact patch is what varies when it comes to the different types of car phone mount.
Currently, the most commonly sought after is the Vent-type phone mounts as it required little to no tweaks to be set up. These mounts have tensed clamps that glide right onto the vanes of your car’s air-con vent. These are mostly tiny in size and are quite cheap.
Clamp-type phone mounts also utilize tensed or spring-loaded clamps to grip themselves on the dashboard but unlike the vent-types, this cannot be used on vanes. These are much larger that can literally be clamped onto any surfaces that bend into the clamp area. These aren’t aesthetically pleasing but are rigid and stay put even when the roads are rough.
The no-fuss of them all is the suction-cup-type phone mounts that use suction to literally stick onto any type of surface inside the car. These give you a lot of flexibility to help you find the perfect spot to position your phone. These mounts don’t do any damage to the surface as it’s all the work of suction and soft-gel pads.
The messiest of the bunch is adhesive-type phone mounts that come with a 2-sided adhesive to stick it firmly onto the surface. These mounts have an edge over suction mounts when it comes to certain curved surfaces, but the downside is that the adhesive is chemically reactive and will cause a permanent mess when removed later on.
That’s about the contact patch between the car surface and phone mounts. Now, the phone also needs to be fastened firmly onto the mount, which are of 2 major types.
The most generic is a clamp-type that is springloaded and holds phones of various shapes and sized firmly in place. Its inner lining is generally of rubber to avoid damaging the phone.
The newly introduced method is that of magnets. Magnetic phone holders use strong magnets to provide for a firm hold. But the add-on magnetic plate that goes on the back of your phone had adhesives that can put you in some ’sticky’ situations.
Advantages Of Having A Car Phone Mount
Versatility is what makes a simple phone mount such a life-saving product. Law prohibits us from using phones on the road because of its destructive nature. By using a car mount, you can utilize various car-centric functions, including hands-free calling without taking your eyes off the roads. Interestingly, using the right type of mounts, you can also convert a smartphone into a dash-cam as well. The perks are many and are possible with a simple piece of attachable plastic or metal.
Talking of distractions, safety is upheld with the usage of car mounts. Your eyes are constantly on the road and the phone now well within the viewing angle to help you stick to the road while talking or changing songs.
And lastly and most importantly, it saves you money by avoiding chunky tickets. Using a phone in your hand while driving is enough to have a not-so-pleasant meet with a cop. A car mount saves you from that without compromising on safety.
How To Choose The Correct Car Phone Mount?
There are a lot of variables to look into before buying a car mount and the smartphone plays a very crucial role.
Sizable Approach and added buffer: Always check on the car mount’s dimensional limits when it comes to holding your phone. A bigger phone needs a car mount with more flexible springs and bigger clamps. It is always wise to get your car mount with a buffer as it will also help in the long run, when you get your next ’bigger’ smartphone.
With size comes added weight: Size and weight go hand in hand. And the usage of premium materials like glass and metal dials up the load even more. So, make sure to pick one that has more endurance than your phone’s weight, or else it will give up way too soon.
It’s wise to not get stuck: You should avoid getting adhesive-type car mounts as these cause quite the mess. These mounts are quite sturdy but have a lot of restrictions when it comes to practicality. Once positioned, you are stuck with it for the rest of that clamp’s life. Moreover, the adhesive does not work on certain surfaces, and on those that it does, leaves behind an ugly mark when removed.
Here Are The Best Car Phone Mounts You Can Buy In 2021
Kenu Airframe Pro
This has the tiniest footprint of any mounts and is quite commendable at what it promises to do. The Kenu Airframe Pro is a vane-mounted with tension-mounted clamps, both for the vanes and the phone. It stays quite invisible to the eye as compared to the others in this bunch and also provided flexibility to hold phones of varying widths. It doesn’t need any external add-on to help you mount your phone, and the soft inner arm lining keeps the phone damped from vibrations and safe at all times. In short, this is a small straight-forward piece of hardware with no gimmicks. Order yours from Amazon now!
iOttie iTap 2 Magnetic Air Vent Car Mount
Did you think that the Kenu Airframe Pro was tiny?! Then meet the iOttie iTap magnetic air vent car mount. This thing is smaller than the Kenu and most probably can get lost pretty easily. But don’t let the size fool you as this iOttie gets a very strong magnet that when coupled with the metal plates that come in the box, provides a sturdy and rigid clamped position for your phone. The metal plates are not ugly-looking and will not hamper your wireless charging tech as well. The minimalistic approach helps it to be clipped onto a vane and forgotten. It is very easy to set up and you can position your phones in any orientation along with the magnet. Order yours from Amazon now!
FoPcc Wireless Car Charger Mount
Phone mounts are plentiful in the market but with the advent of wireless charging tech people are keen on getting the most ’all-in-one’ product available out there. FoPcc wireless car charger is just that. It is a vane-mounted clamp-type phone mount but with the added benefits of a wireless charger. The phone holder gets a 10W wireless charging tech which is commendable and can charge the most recent phones with ease. It also gets a motion and blockage sensor that helps in using energy for the charger only when a phone is mounted on it. Order yours from Amazon now!
https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Auto-Clamping-Charging-Compatible-withiPhone11/dp/B08CHF34K9/?tag=tpspd-20
Yitumu wireless car charger mount is another wireless tech that is affordable than the FoPcc mount. This is a suction-type mount that comes with an extendable arm for a more suited positioning of your phone. The phone clamps are sturdy and provide enough tension for you to drive carefree even on rough terrains. The suction cup is made of soft gel and is washable. It is resistant to high temperature are direct sunlight, making it quite flexible to be used on any given surface. The pad supports up to 10W wireless charging. Order yours from Amazon now!
Mpow Gravity Car Phone Mount
This is for the rough users. The Mpow gravity car phone mount is a suction-type mount that gets a long arm and a pivoted phone holder. The suction pad is made of a soft compound and can be easily washed and reused. It is provided with enough suction but is better used on the windshield. The long arm has been designed specifically for flexibility without compromising on rigidity. It gets a fixed lower jaw that holds the phone in place after being fastened by the side clamps. Gravity does the rest. Order yours from Amazon now!
AUKEY Car Phone Mount
This is a rather uniquely designed suction-type phone mount. It comes with a J-shaped arm that allows you to position your phone in the most unconventional of ways. Older cars with a taller dashboard layer on top of the instrument cluster can use this for a high-mounted low positioned magnetic phone mount, as showcased above. In windshield scenarios, the J shape provided added rigidity and keeps the phone stern. The magnetic phone clamp is minimal and has a ball-and-socket layout for the perfect viewing angle in any position. AUKEY also provides protective films for circular and rectangular magnetic plates to protect your phone at all times. Order yours from Amazon now!
SCOSCHE MagicMount
This is a small yet efficient car phone mount. The SCOSCHE MagicMount uses an adhesive based on one end and a quad-magnet phone holder on the other. Build quality is where this tiny proposition excels. It comes with a bunch of steel mounting plates for your phone and protective films to protect the phone surface. The flexible plastic helps in positioning this mount even on curved surfaces with ease and its strong adhesive clearly does the work. No cables here but the mount does come with a built-in cable holder clip for a clean layout. Order yours from Amazon now!
Maxboost DuraHold Series Car Phone Mount
The highlight of this car phone mount is its dual-setting locking mechanism that allows for it to be firmly held onto smooth as well as textured surfaces. The extended arm allows for more flexibility in adjustment and its ball-and-socket mechanism allows for 180-degree viewing freedom. Setting this up requires no tools whatsoever and the suction pad is washable for refurbished grip when it turns dull. Order yours from Amazon now!
CoolPow Magnetic Phone Mount
These are minuscule chunks of metal that come as a pack of 2. You get a bunch of adhesive pads, steel mounting plates for the phone, and protective films to protect your device. The machined aluminum construction provided for one of the most rigid cars mounts out there. There are a lot of limitations when it comes to moving your phone around on the steel ball-joint-backed phone holder, but it comes with the smallest footprint we have ever seen, making it a steal deal. Order yours from Amazon now!
WizGear Magnetic Phone Mount
This one is similar to that of the Coolpow offering but adds a bit more flexibility and is cheaper. It has the same short-hand construction with a negligible form factor. The package comes with 2 adhesive bases, and 2 magnetic phone holders along with 4 steel mounting plates to be stuck onto your phones. It doesn’t get any sort of charging tech but you have a built-in clip to organize the charging cable and give a clean outlook. Order yours from Amazon now!
Our Pick(s) Of The Lot
We would go for the newer wireless charger-equipped mounts of this bunch as more and more phones are now coming out with wireless charging support. It will help minimize cable usage and can also help you juice up the device without putting it out of use.
FoPcc Wireless Car Charger Mount is the one to go for as it comes with a sturdy phone holder along with a usable bunch of LED lights and charging tech. It sure is on the pricey side but is well worth the added bucks.
And if by any chance, you are someone who would not want the wireless charging tech then going for the vane-clipped Kenu Airframe Pro makes a lot of sense as it doesn’t require any modifications or changes during fitment and also comes with a sturdy build and firmly gripping clamps.