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If you often use your cell phone while driving, you may want to invest in a magnetic car phone mount. Instead of leaving your smartphone in the cup holder, you can secure it to your dashboard or window where it's easier to see. It's a convenient way to conduct hands-free personal and business affairs. Check out our top selections in the buying guide below.

WixGear Air Vent Phone Holder

This is a magnetic holder that mounts on air vents and has a swiveling feature. It can hold most smartphones and stays fixed regardless of road conditions.

Maxboost 2-Pack Universal Air Vent Phone Holder

This swiveling mount also attaches to an air vent. It has a powerful magnetic head to keep your phone in place during bumpy road conditions.

Koomus Pro CD Slot Magnetic Smartphone Car Mount

This mount is simple to install and attaches to your vehicle's CD slot. It rotates 360 degrees and holds all brands of smartphones.

Our reviews are driven by a combination of hands-on testing, expert input, “wisdom of the crowd” assessments from actual buyers, and our own expertise. We always aim to offer genuine, accurate guides to help you find the best picks.

One of the most common areas to mount a magnetic phone holder is on a vehicle's dashboard or windshield. Usually, the mount adheres to the surface with glue or a sticky substance such as 3M adhesive. The surface area must be flat. Depending on your vehicle's interior, you may have many spots on your dashboard or windshield that can accommodate the product.

Some magnetic phone car mounts are intended to be used with your vehicle's air vents. It's important that your vents are strong enough to support your cell phone. The advantage is that most vehicles have several vents in the cabin, enabling you to choose from many spots to mount your device.

If you have a vehicle with a CD player, you can easily use a magnetic car mount for your phone. This style fits into the CD slot itself. Keep in mind, since most CD players are located in the center of the dashboard, a phone magnetic mount may make it difficult to access the display options.

Founded in 2010, Koomus is located in Northern New Jersey, just outside of New York City. Its products are designed in the United States and are manufactured in South Korea. Koomus develops mounts for cars and bicycles. One popular product is the Koomus Pro Air-M Universal Smartphone Car Mount. 

Since 2004, aLLreLi has been making electronic products. They develop high-quality, long-lasting devices without a middle man. In addition to car phone mounts, aLLreLi creates keyboards, mice, batteries, chargers, hubs, readers, cases, and protectors. One of its popular products is the aLLreLi Magnetic Phone Holder for Car Dashboard.

Based in New York City, iOttie designs new products using emerging technologies in order to make people's lives easier. It has won five consecutive CES Innovation Honoree Awards since 2011. Its products cover travel, smart home technology, and outdoor lifestyles.  One of its top devices is the iOttie iTap Magnetic CD Slot Premium Car Mount Holder.

One of the first things you must determine when purchasing a magnetic phone car mount is whether the product is compatible with your device. Most cell phone magnet mounts work with both iPhone and Android devices. Not all holders, however, work with certain phone cases such as an Otterbox, which is extra thick.

Some magnetic mobile holders for cars are easier to install than others. Those that utilize adhesive may be difficult to remove when you're finished with the holder. They also may require up to 24 hours for the adhesive to settle before they can securely hold a phone.

A good magnetic dashboard cell phone holder will not scuff up or damage your vehicle or your device. Some products are made of materials such as silicon that prevent scratches on your phone. Others have properties, such as rubber clips, that protect your air vents or CD slots from getting scraped.

More on Interior Car Accessories

This magnetic mount fits all air vent types and can hold most smartphones. The rubber base and the magnetic head are reinforced for stability and are very secure. The mount stays in place regardless of road conditions and doesn't obstruct the view through the windshield. 

The phone mount has a smooth surface and a snap design for easy use. The phone simply snaps into place. Thanks to the swiveling feature, you can also easily rotate your phone without moving the holder from its position. That allows you to easily access your phone while driving, making phone calls, checking messages, and more. The base is fixed and stable, regardless of all the swiveling or bumps on the road. 

One issue with this mount involves the magnet that attaches to the back of the phone. It seems that the metal might interfere with wireless charging or influence the call quality. Also, some phone types are incompatible with this particular magnet, so it might be necessary to attach the piece to the phone case rather than the phone itself.

These two Maxboost magnetic car mount holders feature sturdy rubber bases and powerful magnetic heads that keep your devices in place during normal and bumpy road conditions. The holders allow you to swivel the devices, while the mounts stay fixed in the vehicle's air vents. The magnetic mounts have smooth surfaces and attach to the back of any smartphone. They include two magnets and four metal discs each for phone cases.

A dash mount is not needed for these phone holders. The holders clip onto vents instead of sticking to a surface. They can easily be removed without leaving behind an adhesive residue. The magnets are thin yet strong, and the metal plate mounts can either be attached permanently to the back of phone cases or placed inside the cases.

The metal discs inside of the case may block a phone’s wireless charging function. If you clip the magnet into the large opening of the mount, the phone may move or tilt. The vent magnet is so strong, it may stay attached to the phone magnet and pull out of the vent. Finally, the mount cannot hold heavier phones.

The Koomus Pro CD Slot Magnetic Mount is intended for all iPhone and Android devices. Simply slide it into a CD slot, and it's ready to use. A metal plate attaches to the back or inside of the smartphone case, allowing the phone to rotate 360 degrees.

The holder is covered in silicone so it doesn't scratch your device. It blends in with the dashboard and doesn't slip or fall off on rough roads. The holder is strong and doesn't stick out too far or wobble when you drive over bumps. It can also hold heavier phones with big cases.

You must have a CD player in your car to use it. Since the magnet is so strong, it's challenging to remove a phone from the mount using one hand without pulling the whole unit out of the CD player, which may damage the CD slot. It also protrudes out from the center dash to the point where it can cover the vehicle's display or controls. For an iPhone X, you need a special smartphone case. 

This is a sturdy and reliable magnetic car phone mount with eight N52 magnets that hold your phone tightly and securely. The mount is constructed out of a high-grade aluminum alloy along with silicone so your phone doesn’t slip and slide around during the drive. You can also freely adjust it to any angle for better viewing.

As a huge benefit, because not everyone has an iPhone, the Humixx mount is compatible with all smartphones that are four to seven inches in size. That’s basically all iPhones, select Androids, and HTC models. It also comes with a lengthy 18-month warranty. 

It is designed to be used on flat surfaces and may not stick to curves well. The adhesive isn’t the strongest, so find a good place for it before mounting your phone. It also doesn’t do well in the heat as hotter temperatures can weaken the glue.

Here's a robust and heavy-duty looking magnetic phone car mount that attaches directly to any windshield or dashboard. It attaches securely and easily to surfaces with its suction cup gel pad without leaving any residue behind if you ever need to remove it. The magnet is strong and reliable on your phone as well. You can simply remove the phone without an issue and place it back quickly and securely.

It has a sturdy design that can handle bumps and potholes. It’s made out of plastic and rubber that holds phones safely in pace. It is also fully adjustable and rotates freely, so you can view your phone more clearly.

However, the plastic pieces are a bit flimsy and can rattle off if dropped or handled roughly. Plus, the magnet may not be strong enough to work through thicker phone cases.

WixGear is one of the best known manufacturers of car phone mounts and its Universal Twist-Lock Air Vent mount is handy and reliable. The first thing you’ll notice about it is the large magnet used to hold your phone. It’s robust, strong, and durable enough to handle the weight of larger phones with ease.

This one is a bit different from our other choices as it connects directly to your vehicle’s air vents. This makes it easy to use and setup and it can be moved to other air vents quickly and conveniently. It features high-quality rubber on its base to hold it in place, while the magnet head helps support your phone. It’s also completely adjustable and comes with a swivel mount. However, it may not be compatible with all types of air vents and you will need to be careful setting it up as it can be a bit tricky on some vents.

Cell phone storage cannot be erased by a magnet because they are solid-state drives (SSDs) or flash memory that don't use magnetism to write data. SIM cards, SD cards, and LCD/LED-based screens are unaffected by magnets. Small magnets typically don't affect your device's electric compass, GPS, battery, cell phone signal, or other functions.

Most work with most phone cases. Simply stick the metal plate either on the phone, on the case, or between the phone and the case. Some mounts, however, aren’t compatible with thick cases such as Otterbox models.

Some mounts are intended to adhere to a windshield, but it's important that the surface area is flat. There's no guarantee that the mount will stay put on a curved surface.

Many magnetic car mounts include components that enable you to rotate the phone, allowing both the driver and passenger to see and interact with the screen.

Some types of mounts attach directly to the dashboard with the aid of a strong adhesive. Tape can usually be removed from the surface area using a cleaning solution, but it may take a little bit of elbow grease or Goo Gone to get the job done.

If the mount uses a strong adhesive, the mount should hold up in both hot and cold temperatures. It's best not to install the mount, however, when it is extremely hot or cold inside the cabin.

Our top pick for the best magnetic phone car mount is the WizGear Air Vent Phone Holder. It has a swiveling feature and fits a variety of phones.

If you’re looking for something a little less pricey, consider the Maxboost 2-Pack Universal Air Vent Phone Holder.

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