The purpose of a car phone holder is to allow you to glance at notifications, incoming calls and navigation apps. They are available in several forms that include magnetic pads, cradles and even tape or CD slot holders.
The best car phone holder is the YOSH Magnetic Mount, which is an affordable option that attaches the to air vent and is a universal fit for all smartphones.
The placement of the phone holder inside your car is dependent upon your requirements. The air vent is the most common place to mount the car phone holder but it may not be suitable for some cars due to the location of the vent.
Table of Contents
Car Phone Holder Comparison
| Car Phone Holder | Type | Colour(s) |
|---|---|---|
| YOSH Mount | Magnetic via Air Vents | Black or Grey |
| GETIHU Dashboard Pad | Magnetic via Gel Pad | Black or Gold |
| Mpow Universal | Cradle via Suction Cup | Black |
| Artek 360 | Cradle via Suction Cup | Black or Red |
| Syncwire In Car | Cradle via Air Vents or Pad | Black |
| Mpow CD Holder | Cradle via CD Slot | Black or Red |
Considering that they cost a fraction of the fine that you may receive, it makes the car phone holder a worthwhile investment that you won’t regret. In most cases, if you are caught using a hand-held phone whilst driving, you will receive 6 points on your license and a fine of £200.
The use of an in car phone holder has exploded since the latest driving laws. Even if you are only holding the phone in your hands and not even on a call, you can still be fined.
Below is a list of the best car phone holders that are available as magnetic mounts or cradles.
The Best Car Phone Holder
1. YOSH Magnetic Car Phone Holder
The most popular magnetic car phone holder is by the YOSH brand. It uses N50 grade neodymium magnets to provide the strongest magnetic force possible. In short, this means as you go round corners or over bumps, it will securely cling onto the magnet placed upon your phone.
As you are provided with a magnet, it’s a universal fit for all types of mobile phones unlike the cradles alternatives.
Other features of the YOSH Magnetic Car Phone Holder include:
- Lifetime warranty
- Easily attaches to air vents
- Small dimensions at just 40 mm
- Easy installation with one hand
- High quality magnets and rubber holder
- Available in black or grey
- Includes two metal plates for your phone
The main benefit of using a powerful magnet car phone holder is that you can adjust the angle to best suit your requirements. YOSH state that you can turn your phone 360 degrees without your phone falling off the magnet.
Overall, it’s the best magnetic car phone holder you can buy and also one of the cheapest, which is why it’s the most popular on the market in the UK.
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2. GETIHU Mobile Phone Holder For Car
Another magnetic car phone holder is by the GETIHU brand, which unlike the YOSH alternative doesn’t connect to the air vents. This is very beneficial as not every car has air vents that are compatible with phone holders. As it uses a gel pad rather than a clip, it can connects to wherever is most suitable on the dashboard.
Other features of the GETIHU Car Mobile Phone Holder include:
- 3 year warranty
- Two metal plates
- Compatible with all smartphones
- Can be used for other applications
- Powerful four piece magnets
- Available in black or gold
If you require a magnetic car phone holder without worrying about damaging the air vents, the GETIHU gel pads are the best option. The unique design allows you to place it anywhere inside your car where it’s least disruptive.
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3. Mpow Universal Car Phone Holder
Mpow produce a variety of phone holders for cars but this suction mount model is one of their best. It uses the brand’s new and improved design, which has 2 locking levels to suit the surface that you plan to mount it to. The brand also state that it’s completely universal but the width of the phone must be at least 2.2 inches and not exceed 3.9 inches.
Other features of the Mpow Car Phone Holder include:
- 2 year warranty
- Fits the majority of phones
- Easily mounts to the windshield or dashboard
- Full 360 degree rotation
- Adjustable support arm
- Easy to install
It’s a well-made car phone holder that’s been designed with the user in mind. Features such as the allocated charger placement, adjustable support arm and 360 degree rotation make it stand out from the other cradle designs.
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4. Arteck Universal Car Phone Holder
Another universal car phone holder that uses a suction cup and cradle is by the Arteck brand. It’s an easy to install mount that according to the brand is able to securely stick to most surfaces such as the windshield or dashboard.
A unique feature of this particular car phone holder is the fact that it offers 360 degree rotation. This is made possible by the integrated rotation ball and adjustment knobs that ensure it remains stable whilst driving.
Other features of the Arteck Universal Holder include:
- Available in black or red
- Sticky gel pad sticks to most surfaces
- Universal compatibility
- Easy to install
- 360 degree rotation
- Withstands up to 5.71 KG of weight
- Easily removed if required
The Arteck Phone Mount is an excellent all-round option that’s relatively affordable and won’t disappoint. It’s also completely universal for all phones and can be installed virtually anywhere inside of your car.
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5. Syncwire In Car Phone Holder
The Syncwire in-car phone holder also uses a cradle to secure the phone but instead of a suction cup, it attaches to the air vents. It’s a perfect fit for the majority of smartphones that range from 4.7 to 6.5 inches in size.
In order to improve usability, this car phone holder has a gravity linkage auto lock functionality. This allows you to push your phone into the holder and it will automatically lock the phone in place.
Other features of the Syncwire In-Car Phone Holder include:
- 3 year warranty
- 360 degree full rotation
- Universal compatibility
- Automatic lock and release
- Unblocked charger port
- Cushioned clip to avoid air vent damage
Another unique feature of this car phone holder is that you can also mount it using a 3M gel pad. This gives you double the choice but most people use it to attach to the air vents. Overall, it’s a well-designed car phone holder with a clever functionality and a long warranty for complete peace of mind.
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6. Mpow CD Slot Phone Holder
The CD player is rarely used due to Bluetooth technology but this makes it a great place to mount a phone holder. The Mpow mount slots straight into CD slot and includes rubber pads to further enhance the stability. The design also allows you to tilt the phone on a table with the rubber pads holding it upright.
Other features of the Mpow CD Slot Phone Holder include:
- Universal compatibility with most phones
- Installs in seconds
- Constructed of high quality ABS
- Slip-resistant and shock dampening holders
- 360 degree rotatable design
- Access to bottom charging ports and AUX port
- Available in black or red designs
If your car has a CD player and you don’t regularly use it, this type of car phone holder would be the best option. Unlike cheaper alternatives, the Mpow uses rubber pads that improves stability, which can be a major issue with some poor quality CD slot phone holders.
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Car Phone Holder Buying Guide
Investing into the best car phone holder you can get your hands on can completely transform your driving experience. They are far better and more affordable than they were a couple of years ago and are available in several different forms.
Using your phone whilst driving in the UK is against the law and will results in 6 points and a £200 fine. This means you only have to be caught twice and you would have lost your license. In order to reduce this risk, you should either chuck your phone in the boot whilst driving or buy one of the recommended car phone holders above.
To help you make an informed buying decision, we have produced the below guide regarding car phone holders.
Cradle or Magnet
The two main types of phone holders that are best for stability are magnets and cradles. Both are cheap and do an excellent job at securely holding your phone but which is the better option?
Magnet Holder
Magnetic car phone holders are the newer alternative to the cradle and offer a variety of benefits. The main benefit being that there is no limitations in terms of compatibility, which means you can keep your case on or off as well as mounting your phone in any position. They are also less bulky with a smaller and more aesthetically pleasing design.
However, if you intend to use a magnet holder, you will need to place a metal plate to your phone or inside your case. If you are going to place the metal plate inside of your case, the magnet strength will be reduced, which means it will be less stable around corners or on bumps in the road.
Cradle Holder
Cradles have been the main choice for holding your phone for many years and continue to be very popular. They don’t require any sticking of metal plates to your phone and are the most stable whilst going round corners or over bumps.
They do have drawbacks that include a more complex method of securing your phone and they also may not be compatible. Before purchasing a cradle, you will need to ensure that it stretches to fit the width of your phone.
Compared to the older cradle designs, modern alternatives can rotate 360 degrees and don’t block access to the charger or AUX port, which is very beneficial.
Mounting Locations
Depending upon the car phone holder that you have purchased will determine where it can be placed. The most common places to mount the holder is attached to the air vents or stuck to the dashboard or windscreen.
Air Vent
Air vents are easily visible by the eye and can be a great location to attach a holder as they don’t obstruct the view of the road. However, if you are constantly removing the holder mount, there could be a risk of damaging the vent. Another drawback is that whilst the phone is being held, it may block air flow from that vent.
Windscreen
Using a suction cup on the windscreen is the most visible location for your phone to be held. Most holders can be adjusted to suit your requirements for the best vision of the road and your phone. However, you should avoid placing the phone in a way that obstructs your vision of the road. If a police officer deems it unsafe, you may face a fine.
Dashboard
In order to use a phone holder on the dash of your car, you will need to use a suction cup or gel pad. The more superior option that provides the most stability is to use a gel pad that uses a quality adhesive. Depending upon the design of your dashboard, they are relatively easy to install and offer great visibility of the phone. However, you will want to ensure that no marks are left on the dashboard because they can be difficult to remove.
Tape or CD Slot
As mentioned above, the CD slot is a great place for mounting the holder if you don’t use CD’s for music. However, the placement of the CD player in your car will need to be fairly high up for it to be much use. If you are constantly having to look down, this would defeat the objective of the phone holder.
Tips to Using the Holder
Just because you are using a phone holder, it doesn’t mean that you can use it whilst driving. The same rules apply but using a hands-free phone is made much easier and there will be no need to touch the phone.
If you intend on using the phone for navigation on Google Maps or Waze, you will want to set it up before departing. The same can be said whilst selecting a certain album to listen to whilst driving your car.
We highly recommend that you get used to use Siri for iPhones or the Android equivalent (Google Assistant or Genie). This will allow you to speak to your phone in order to access different applications, change the song and much more.
Conclusion
If you are yet to use a car phone holder, you will realize what you have been missing. They allow you to glance at notifications, follow direction via satellite navigation app and much more. Risking using your phone whilst driving isn’t worth the points on your license or the fine. All of the recommendations above cover a range of different types of mounting positions and budgets.
