My phone used to sit in the cup holder. I had to pick it up and hold it in my hand if I wanted to use it (which of COURSE I never did while I was driving!). I never wanted one of those windshield mounts, and I don’t like sticking things onto the dash (SIDE NOTE: the last “easy to remove” sticker I had on my dash is still there. Spoiler alert: NOT EASY TO REMOVE!).
So, when I started receiving tester products from companies at discounted prices for
reviewing, I discovered these air vent mounts. They seemed interested and I ordered a few different styles. They all work BASICALLY the same way. They clip onto the air vent in your car. The face is magnetic, and it comes with metal plates you either stick to the back of your phone or simply place in between your phone and its case. Then, like magic, you place your phone on the mount and it stays there.
As I said, I’ve tested a bunch of them. There are only three significant differences: The strength of the magnet, the way it clips to the vent, and is it adjustable.
- Magnet Strength – You stand a good chance of finding one with a solid magnet. All of the ones I’ve listed below are good (the NEARPOW magnet seems a little weaker). Taking a sharp curve on any of these will make the phone spin so it’s hanging upside down, but I haven’t had any fall off.
- Clip to vent – Some just push on and some tighten. They’re all designed for horizontal vents. Mine are vertical. I found that placing it all the way at the bottom and in the corner is the best way to keep it from flopping side-to-side on vertical vents.
- Adjustability – Some let you change the angle (FOSTO, NEARPOW, WizGear). I love this feature because it enables me to point the phone at me, instead of it facing straight out of the dash.
There is only one real negative I’ve found using these mounts. The metal plate can get in the way of wireless charging (if your phone even has that capability). To compensate, I keep the mount all the way at the bottom of my case, below the charging coil. Works perfectly this way.
These magnetic air-vent mounts for cell phones were a genius idea and whomever came up with the idea should have their face stamped in the front of each one. If you don’t have one , buy one.
Wow, so this post ended up much longer than I thought. Fortunately, I always have a lot of great things to say!
-Humble Dave
tl;dr Buy one, they’re great!
Magnetic Mounts I’ve Tested (all Amazon links):
FOSTO Magnetic Air Vent Mount – $10.99
Mengo Magna-Snap Mini Mangetic Car Mount (2-pack)
NEARPOW Magnetic Air Vest Mount – $7.99
WizGear Magnetic Mount – $8.99
Humble Dave 