The best Cell Phone Car Kits: Reddit reviews

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

I picked up one of these for my S21U and it's an absolute breeze to use one handed now -- waaay more versatile and lower profile than a pop socket as well.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07QVYLDRL?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details

I can still hold the S21U without this, but with it the phone is extremely secure and easy to move around without dropping.

So, I have found an item on Amazon that a lot of HTC Vive owners are using to power their Lighthouses, sadly it is a bit on the expensive side but it supposedly works great and lasts a long time!

I have a ton of liPo's for RC toys. HERE is my travel setup. All you need is 12 volts +- 5%. There are also POWER PACKS on amazon that are plug and play with the base stations.

You can even use a battery for the HMD. Which I did for a while but ended up going with a boost from 5v USB to 12v.

https://www.amazon.com/iOttie-Wireless-Charger-Charging-Smartphones/dp/B07X52DJ66?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1

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I'm using this with the CD mount. Fits perfect

> eventually kill my battery?

Eventually, yes, but it would probably take quite a long time. When they are not charging a phone, they should draw very little power.

I have this iOttie wireless charger plugged into my 'always on' 12V outlet, and I am not worried about draining my battery. A few times I didn't drive the car for 3+ days, and the car started up just as quickly as it normally does.

This one has been solid ever since I first used it. Mounted since last winter next to my shifter knob it's handled all sorts of phones light bulky or heavy (Samsung note 9 and xiaomi mi note series among the largest so far) as well as quick acceleration switching from eco to fast sport mode. I'd say just keep the inside temperature regulated with a windshield cover during summer as higher temps weaken the adhesive on the suction cup mount.

Of course you'll never really know unless you buy and try. Good luck.

Any good 15W car charger should work....may I suggest: https://www.amazon.ca/Auckly-Wireless-Automatic-Windscreen-Compatible/dp/B08GY1VLDK/ref=sr_1_12?keywords=Wireless+Car+Charger&qid=1668706071&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI1LjY3IiwicXNhIjoiNS4xNCIsInFzcCI6IjQuNzUifQ%3D%3D&sr=8-12

Volume button placement is terrible for car mounts. It makes me wonder if the engineers in Silicone Valley ever drive a car.

I got this one to work ok: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07X4YDKTF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I had to find the sweet spot for the bottom clip so that it wouldn't hit the volume button most of the time, but still wirelessly charge. Every once and awhile it still gets it. But I have learned to tilt my phone slightly as the clamps close to avoid it. I don't love that I have to watch for that. Still looking for a better solution. I am also considering designing something for the right clamp to push the phone on pressure points above and below the volume button (which I could superglue). If anyone has a 3d printer and could do that, I'd pay you $10.

If you have a phone with wireless charging, a Wireless Car Charger Clamping Car Phone Mount Windshield Dashboard Air Vent Phone Holder is great. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B08D5XJTJS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The CX-5 built-in wireless charger has a few issues:

1. The recharge rate is an abysmal 5W, so it's VERY slow.
2. It tends to overheat for many people and stop charging. (Very unreliable)
3. Depending on your phone size, it may shift around pushing it out of the "sweet spot" so might stop charging frequently.
4. If you have NFC enabled, it won't charge. (I couldn't figure out why my android wasn't charging initially, but there is no issue with disabling this on your phone)

I ended up buying this charger off amazon. I found that with the 15W rate actually manages to work pretty well with wireless AA. While it doesn't increase the battery %, it doesn't drain either, so it stays at the current %.

However, if I'm low and need it to charge on longer trips, I just plug it via USB-C to USB-C cable to charge into the cig port. (Using this) Since the USB-C is 18W, it does slowly increase the battery life while running wireless AA.

Alternatively, you can also plug a regular USB cable in from the center console in between the seats to run wired AA, but then you'd need a longer cable which I didn't want.

I used the iOttie one and it was great, just need to make sure you don't have something like a pop socket on the back of the case. The cool thing with this mount is it wireless charges the phone and it has an automatic clamp that grabs the phone, so you just place the phone near the mount and it opens and then grabs the phone. Its a little pricey but I found it was one of the better car mounts that has the ability to hold the Fold.

> like android auto... ish.... don't like the cable thing, but that's AA more than mazda, though theu do t offer a wireless connect

If you ever decide you want to use wireless AA, I highly recommend the Motorola MA1 adapter. It has worked flawlessly since I installed it in March. According to Google, I'm behind the wheel ~45 hours every month, so it has it has seen many hours of use, with zero issues.

Of course, AA is quite a battery hog, so on longer trips you'll want to charge your phone. I use this wireless charger that I just pop my phone into every time.

I love this guy, they make non motorized versions and non qi versions too.

Edit: helps if I remember the link iOttie Wireless Car Charger Auto... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07X5159GW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I use this Phone Holder for my Pixel 6 Pro

I can't find the USB power I bought at the same time, but it handles my Waze demands with ease

As has been mentioned I’ve always been nervous about breaking or bending the pins so I’ve just resigned myself to frequently losing and replacing cheap hollow rubber plugs. But if you wanted to enhance these to make them easier to remove, people who use them glued one of these to them:

https://www.amazon.com/Syncwire-Rotation-Universal-Kickstand-Compatible/dp/B07QVYLDRL/ref=dp\_prsubs\_3?pd\_rd\_i=B07QVYLDRL&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07X4YDKTF/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_B1TY9T4XM5CQR9N5MG09?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I've had this one for the past year and it's great. I can't say that it allows access to both ports at the same time but it has legitimate fast wireless charging and I have used wired headphones while it's wireless charging in the stand and it works flawlessly. Its on the pricier side as far as these go, but it's been worth every penny.

I use this and I love it, holds my heavy phone/case and doesn’t move around. I like it cause I had the manual clamp one and it didn’t hold the phone well enough unless I used both hands to squeeze it. With this I don’t even have to pay really any attention after getting used to where it is.

iOttie Wireless Car Charger Auto https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RBC21Z6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_BM7QG09YBX0ESPYJBC8H

I'm gonna show you something, it's going to change your life.

magic

Imagine a world where you can mount your phone on the dash, turning it into, effectively, a secondary media control center for your car mind blown

I use a iottie mount and charger mounted to the right side of my console.

iOttie Wireless Car Charger Auto Sense Qi Charging Automatic Clamping Dashboard Phone Mount for iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Huawei, LG, SmartphonesiOttie Car Charger

I ordered this and the phone holder above Mounted this to it and it worked like a charm https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07X5159GW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Except my wife has a pop socket on her phone and it won't sit right to charge. She needs the popsocket to hold the phone comfortable so not sure what I"m going to do.

I’ve been using this one for about 2 years and have been pretty happy with it. It also wirelessly charges your phone.

Me learning yet another thing I do isn’t normal lol.

I got a thing like this that helps me. The ring lets me support my phone without gripping. The one I have rotates all the way around so I can use on either side and at any angle.

Edit to add link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QVYLDRL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_1Y8V3XC1910NH91Q9BZS

Thought I would make use of the 12V socket under the dash, so invested in a wireless charger. And it works an absolute treat, I'm so pleased. The phone holder itself has motorised arms which clamp your phone in whenever you place it on the charger. I bought a quick charge 3.0 car charger at the same time on Amazon, and together, they charge my phone very quickly to say it is wireless charging. Links are below: Phone charger/holder: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08GY1VLDK/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_G9N0DCHDJ2T5EBJ6GFQ1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 Quick Charge 3.0 12v adapter: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07SL4PCKH/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_V5NMVGTA2VGP6R0Y8PZE?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Hopefully this helps anybody thinking of doing the same! ☺️👍

[2021 Upgraded] Qi 15W Wireless Car Charger Mount,VANMASS Auto Clamping,Thermostatic Fast Charging,Air Vent Holder Charger for iPhone 13 12 11 X 8, Samsung S21 S20 S10 S9 Note 20, Pixel 4XL 3XL,LG https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07QH5HBZ1/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_CK972QNHY0C3AG87TWSD?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 works well for my Note 20 Ultra 5g. Sturdy, wide enough, and nice visibility while charging. I love the automatic release and closure at the touch of a button.

There are mounts/holders available with built in wireless charging.

I like this [2021 Upgraded] Qi 15W Wireless Car Charger Mount,VANMASS Auto Clamping,Thermostatic Fast Charging,Air Vent Holder Charger for iPhone 13 12 11 X 8, Samsung S21 S20 S10 S9 Note 20, Pixel 4XL 3XL,LG https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QH5HBZ1/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_KMAJPMBD3M6T940K793J?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I use an earlier version of this; iOttie Wireless Car Charger Easy One Touch Wireless 2 Qi Charging Dashboard Phone Mount for iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Huawei, LG, Smartphones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07X4YDKTF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_KV61ST2RDKNX995VW0MJ?psc=1

Mounted on my dash, below my rear-view mirror.

I use it regardless of navigation or not, as it charges my phone at the same time.

Charging pad is a nice touch but I recently purchased this, it's a game changer

Auckly Wireless Car Charger, [Electromagnetic Sense] Qi 15W Fast in Car Wireless Charger Automatic Sensor Phone Holder Vent Mount https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08GY1VLDK/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_T45N1GJFFD0Q9NB58645

I use this one

I swapped the suction cup for the vent mount and have it clipped on the tray door in front of the shifter. It's convenient to drop in and not in the way. It does charge extremely slow even being plugged in to the outlet in the back.

The one that your plug it into is the one in the middle below the infotainment system and climate controls. Once you get this and you plug it in, the first thing you’ll have to do is go into your phone‘s Bluetooth and look for the connection name that the dongle gives you (in my case it was just Toyota-C8BE, though it probably will give you a different set) and then after that it should prompt you for a code to put in and then after that ask to use CarPlay.

As for the wireless charging mount, here’s the one I use for that (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07X4YDKTF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_YE2TE33DGB5KHWYDGKVG?psc=1). This one is quite nice for the price especially because you don’t have to worry about manually clamping anything in as it will do that automatically once you press the phone onto that button. It fits my phone with my case just fine and if I have it plugged into the 12 V plug in that same spot where the USB port is, I will then be able to simultaneously where is the church and use CarPlay!