Thursday, July 29, 2021

Go hands-free with one of these fantastic iPhone car mounts

Why do you need an iPhone car mount? It's now illegal in most places to hold your phone and use it while you drive. Using one of the best car phone mounts is vital if you want to use your iPhone while driving, whether it's to answer calls, play music, or get directions. A great overall option is the Kenu Airframe+. Here are some of the best iPhone car mount options you can buy.

Best overall: Kenu Airframe+ Vent Mount

The Kenu Airframe+ is one of our favorite iPhone car mounts. It's affordable, installs easily into your car's vent without blocking airflow, and can expand to hold even bigger-sized devices. The sides clamp on to your iPhone XS, XR, 8, or 8 Plus to give it a secure fit, and you won't have to worry about your device falling while you're driving.

Pros:

  • Secure
  • Easy to install
  • Expandable

Cons:

  • Angle not adjustable

Best overall

Kenu Airframe+ Vent Mount

Simply works

There are no bells and whistles here, but this simple iPhone car mount does the job well.

Most reliable: iOttie Easy One Touch 4

The One Touch 4 is one of the best iPhone car mount choices for most people. It cradles your iPhone securely, has a strong suction cup, and the adhesive dashboard pad means you'll always have a smooth surface to mount on.

Pros:

  • Secure cradle grip
  • Adjustable arm

Cons:

  • Needs smooth surface

Most reliable

iOttie Easy One Touch 4 - Black

Every angle

The telescopic arm and three-point cradle mean your iPhone is held securely at any angle you like.

Most classic: TechMatte MagGrip Air Vent Mount

This is the iPhone car mount most people are familiar with. The air vent MagGrip from TechMate fits easily on most vents and comes with a magnetic plate, which is best placed on your phone case. The magnet is strong and will hold your iPhone in place, even down the bumpiest roads.

Pros:

  • Compact
  • Reliable
  • Inexpensive

Cons:

  • Need metal on back of iPhone

Most classic

TechMatte MagGrip Air Vent Mount - Black

Simply classic

This dead-simple little car mount contains a powerful magnet; your metal-backed iPhone will stay in place until you remove it.

Most perfect fit: ProClip Mounting Solutions Adjustable iPhone Holder

ProClip offers custom mounting solutions that you build on its site. You enter your iPhone model and vehicle make, and ProClip's site points you to the specific mounts you need to mount your iPhone in your car correctly. They can get a little pricey, but it's worth it for the last mount you'll need (in this vehicle and with this phone, anyway).

Pros:

  • Perfect fit
  • Customized

Cons:

  • May need to replace for new phone

Most perfect fit

ProClip Mounting Solutions Adjustable iPhone Holder

Custom fit

It's the best fit you can get for your current model phone, but keep in mind that it may not fit your future phones.

Most heavy-duty: RAM X-Grip Large Phone Mount with RAM Snap-Link Tough-Claw

This well-built iPhone car mount is made from aluminum composite and stainless steel, with a strong, adjustable arm that lets you orient your iPhone any way you like. If you like using a heavy-duty case on your iPhone, this mount can handle it just fine.

Pros:

  • Built to last
  • Adjustable arm

Cons:

  • Pricey

Most heavy-duty

RAM X-Grip Large Phone Mount with RAM Snap-Link Tough-Claw

Rugged

This super-tough heavy-duty iPhone car mount is built to handle whatever you throw its way.

Best value: Logitech Drive One-touch Mount

Logitech's Drive iPhone car mount fits in the car air vent, and all it takes is a twist to attach or remove. It has a strong magnet and will work with any iPhone model as long as you have a metal case or metal inserted into it.

Pros:

  • Works with any model phone
  • Powerful magnet
  • Bargain price

Cons:

  • Need metal on the back of your phone

Best value

Logitech Drive One-touch Mount - Silver

Great value

As long as you have metal on the back of your phone, this is an inexpensive and reliable way to mount any phone.

Best wireless charging: Totallee Wireless Car Charger

Since the iPhone XS, XR, 8, and 8 Plus support wireless charging, the Totallee Wireless Car Charger is the perfect way to mount your iPhone and juice it up during your commute. Simply attach the mount to your car vent, lay your iPhone on the mount, and start charging your battery in a jiffy. The arms automatically move into place to hold your iPhone securely. The ball-and-socket joint lets you angle your iPhone in any direction.

Pros:

  • Charges iPhone wirelessly while mounted
  • Works with any size phone
  • Arms open and close automatically (or with a touch of a button)
  • Can adjust to any angle

Cons:

  • Pricey

Best wireless charging

Totallee Wireless Car Charger - Black

Juice up

You might as well charge up while you drive, and this iPhone car mount/wireless charger makes it easy.

Coolest looking: Nite Ize Steelie

If you're looking for a magnetic iPhone car mount with a small footprint, then the Steelie is the best. There are several configurations, but the basic one is a small magnetic ball that attaches to your dashboard and a little magnetic circle that adheres to your iPhone case. The magnet is powerful, and you can orient your iPhone in any way you like.

Pros:

  • Aesthetically appealing
  • Universal fit
  • Orient phone any way you want

Cons:

  • Must have metal on the back of your phone

Coolest looking

Night Ize Steelie - Silver

Irresistible style

Your car is your pride and joy. When just any ordinary iPhone car mount won't do, this chill sphere is sure to please.

Bottom line

These are the best iPhone car mount selections for your iPhone XS, iPhone XR, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and more. They'll keep your phone out of your hands while you're driving (and hopefully a ticket off your record!), and they'll let you check directions and more on the go.

We've used the Kenu Airframe+ through several iPhone generations. It adjusts from the size of an iPhone SE all the up to the XS Max. The vent clip rotates and adjusts to fit both standard and thick vent slats. Since it doesn't rely on a magnet, you don't need any special metal case or plate on your iPhone. You can even take it out of your car, stick a credit card into the vent clip, and Voila! You have a kickstand for watching videos. It only weighs an ounce, so you can easily stick it in your bag or pocket. Plus, the Kenu Airframe+ has a lifetime warranty.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Christine Chan is a coffee, food, video games, writing, and photography lover. She's been writing about Apple and video games for almost a decade.

Karen S. Freeman is a teacher, writer, social media person, and family woman. She loves to travel, play with tech stuff, drink coffee, discover amazing new restaurants, and experience new things.

Mick Symons is as frugal as they come, so he always does extensive research (much to the exhaustion of his wife) before making a purchase. If it's not worth the price, Mick ain't buying.


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