The best universal car mounts for your phone

Answering your phone while driving is a big no-no, your hands are off the wheel, and your attention is elsewhere. With a car mount though, you'll be able to answer calls or even change the radio with just a flick of your finger. Outside of answering your phone, some of these mounts can even charge your phone while you drive. With that in mind, our overall favourite ended up being the Lynktech Bolt Smart Automatic Car Mount for it's charging capabilities, and one-touch system.

Best Overall: Lynktech Bolt Smart Automatic Car Mount

The Lynktech Bolt Smart Automatic is a car mount with smart features, such as an auto-sensing lock and unlock with one-touch release capabilities. With this in mind, you'll be able to secure your phone without having to worry about it falling out in the process. And all you need to do to release it? Just one simple touch. Simple and secure, exactly what we like best about it.

It also comes with an adjustable base that has multiple viewing angles, allowing you 360 degrees of rotation. As long as your phone isn't longer than 4-6.7 inches, you'll be able to use the Lynktech Bolt Smart Automatic Car Mount with little trouble. All you need to do is insert it to your air vents with the holder, and presto! You're done.

But you won't be able to use the mount to help provide you with a place to put your phone; you'll also be able to charge your phone using the mount as well. This is through the Qi-certified wireless charger, which safely delivers up to 15W of power to smartphones, and other Qi-enabled devices.

Pros:

  • Qi-wireless charging for smartphones
  • Sensor-activated clamps
  • Air-vent holder included

Cons:

  • Can be flimsy with more massive phones

Best Overall

Lynktech Bolt Smart Automatic Car Mount

The smartest car mount around for your smartphone.

The Lynktech Bolt Car Mount's one-touch lock and unlock is its key feature, and partnered with charging also? There's no better car mount for you to get.

Best Value: MPow Magnetic Car Mount

MPOW may be small, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth investing in. With the MPOW car mount, you'll be able to carry it around with you everywhere -- meaning that you don't have to stick with using it just in your car, but anywhere. As long as your device doesn't weigh over 300g, the MPOW will be able to withstand the weight of your device, whether it be a smartphone or a small device like a Kindle. If your smartphone has a phone case, don't worry! You'll still be able to attach your phone to the MPOW stand, again make sure it's not too heavy.

As for installing the device, the MPOW can be placed anywhere in your car as long as it has a flat, and clean surface. If there isn't a clean surface, you can even install the car mount on the window of your car -- as long as it isn't in a place that'll cause you trouble seeing, of course. Its easy installation is also a perk. All you need to do is hold your phone over the magnetic mount, and then let go. Your phone will be locked into place.

While it doesn't come with a charging cable, the magnetic fields will not affect the charging signal due to the close magnetic field. With that in mind, charge away with no worry at all.

Pros:

  • Small and portable
  • Can be used with other devices
  • Light without being flimsy

Cons:

  • Needs a flat surface to be useful

Best Value

MPow Magnetic Car Mount

Small and portable

The MPOW is delightfully small and easy to carry around. It may not be able to hold anything over 300g, but it is perfect for those who want a high-quality product to keep their phone steady at a cheap price.

Best for charging: Baseus Gravity Qi Wireless Car Charger Mount

Charging at a glacial rate is a thing of the past with the Baseus Gravity Qi Wireless Car Charger Mount. The 10W wireless charge is 10% faster than a 5W charge, expertly charging your completely drained phone in just under 4 hours. And it being completely wireless? No more untangling wires whenever you want to charge your phone.

The Baseus is also great at keeping your phone cool thanks to how it can be fitted just on top of the air vent of your car. As all smartphone users will know, depending on what phone you have, phones can get hot pretty fast. All you need to do with the Baseus, however, is turn your air vents on and voila, a cool phone that won't be hot to the touch.

Your phone will also be plenty stable with this car mount thanks to an intelligent chip inside of the holder. This allows the mount's sensor to work, letting it know when to open and close around the phone to keep it steady for you.

Pros:

  • Charges quickly
  • Partners great with air ventilation
  • Has a sensor that opens and closes around your phone

Cons:

  • Does not work in landscape mode with your phone

Best for charging

Baseus Gravity Qi Wireless Car Charger Mount

Charge faster than ever

Baseus's wireless car charger can fast-charge Samsung phones and uses the cool AC air from your vents to keep things cool while charging.

Best for variety: iOttie Easy One Touch Qi Wireless Fast Charging Air Vent Car Mount

Variety is the spice of life, which is why we're sure that the iOttie Easy One Touch Qi Wireless Fast Charging Air Vent Car Mount may be the one for you. With most car mounts you've encountered before, you'd only be able to twist it landscape or portrait, but with this iOttie car mount, you'll be able to extend the arm length of the mount to pull it closer to you. Even better, the mount can pivot on a 225° arc for a variety of optimal positions. Now that's what we call adjustable viewing!

What's more, there's not just one way for you to use this mount. Air ventilation is one of the main ways, but with this product, you can invest in a mount to be fitted on your radio, air vents, as well as your CD slot. With so many ways to mount your phone in your car, you get to pick the mount you need the most.

Not only is it pretty easy to set up the car mount, but it's also easy to slot your phone in without much hassle. All you need to do is press the arms of the mount inwards, and they'll expand, giving you plenty of room to insert your phone inside. Once you put the phone inside, the arms will automatically close if you put the phone by the sensor included on the mount. All you need is one-touch, and voila, your phone is inserted and is ready to be used.

Pros:

  • Three different mounts prepped for you
  • Mount arms are easy to adjust
  • Has a sensor that opens and closes around your phone

Cons:

  • Air suction cup is needed for balance with some car mounts

Best for variety

iOttie Easy One Touch Qi Wireless Fast Charging Air Vent Car Mount

Don't just stick with one mount style

iOttie's Easy One Touch series is a great option that's easy to use one-handed with Qi wireless charging and three mount styles to choose from.

Best design: Nite Ize Steelie Phone Car Mount Kit

We love a car mount that looks a little different from the rest, and Steelie is absolute proof of that. Instead of being square or rectangular, the Steelie car mount is a magnetic, oval mount that you can swivel and adjust in any way you see fit. This allows your phone to be accessible, regardless of which way you turn it.

It is also smooth to the touch, making it unlikely for it to scratch or damage your phone in any way. Even better, it's easy for you to attach Steelie to your car. All you'll need to do is use a strong, removable adhesive that can be used to stick the mount (not the magnetised oval) wherever you need it to be. With how removable it is, you can also use this mount to stick on other magnetic objects such as refrigerators, toolboxes, and even grocery carts.

Unfortunately, you will need to use the equipment included in the kit. Otherwise, the Steelie is challenging to remove.

Pros:

  • Easy installation
  • Smooth to the touch
  • Accessible viewing regardless of how you angle your phone

Cons:

  • Hard to remove without equipment included in the kit

Best design

Nite Ize Steelie Phone Car Mount Kit

Make your mount stylish

Not only is the Steelie phone mount great to keep your phone secured, but it is also easy to adjust so you can view your phone at multiple angles

Bottom line

There are a lot of car mounts here, and some are better than others. For the overall best, there's no other option, but the Lynktech Bolt Smart Automatic Car Mount with its electronic, sensor-activated clamps and easy-to-read LED indicators.

However, if you're sure you don't want anything magnetic for whatever reason, you can always stick with the iOttie Easy One Touch Qi Wireless Fast Charging Air Vent Car Mount which not only allows you to choose from three different mounts, but has an extendable length which you can adjust in a way that's not possible in the other car mounts.


by Aimee Hart