14 Gadgets To Get The Most Out Of Your Cell Phone In The Car
Posted by Greg Knell on 27th Aug 2020
There are many products out there - more than just cell signal boosters - that make cell phone use while driving safer, easier, and more convenient. We’ve compiled a list of 14 items you should consider getting if you use your phone a lot while driving. All of these gadgets promote hands-free talking and offer all sorts of other conveniences related to cell phone usage in the car. Remember to follow all talking-while-driving-related laws in your state.
Table of Contents
- HUSSELL DC Adapter-Style Car Charger
- Amazon 4-Port DC Adapter-Style Car Charger
- Energizer 5-Port Cup Holder Charger
- Mpow Dashboard Car Mount
- iOttie Wireless Qi Car Mount Kit
- Kenu Airframe+ Vent Mount
- IPOW Anti-Slip Silicone Car Phone Dashboard Pad
- iOttie iTap 2 Magnetic CD Slot Car Mount
- N-Range 2.0 (SureCall)
- Fusion2Go 3.0 (SureCall)
- Fusion2Go Max (SureCall)
- VeoPulse Car Speakerphone
- Lihan FM Transmitter 3-in-1 Adapter
- Tile Mate
Car Chargers
Those of us who spend more time in the car than the average person in today’s world NEED a car charger. Particularly if you conduct business on the phone (hands-free, of course) while driving, it’s a necessity. Here are 3 car chargers we recommend.
1. HUSSELL DC Adapter-Style Car Charger
There are thousands of cigarette-lighter phone chargers on the market. This one is the best bangs for your buck, as they say. This 2-input charger costs less than $12 on Amazon and works wonderfully. It charges much faster than any factory wall charger. Users say it can charge virtually any mobile phone from 0% to 100% in about 50 minutes. Users also say that on the rare occasion that you need to contact the company, their customer service is excellent. They’re willing to discuss replacements and refunds years after your purchase.
Don’t grab one of those after-market car chargers from a gas station or gift shop. Those will likely cost more than this one and be inferior in almost every way. If you want a great DC adapter charger that isn’t overpriced, this HUSSELL model is the way to go for convenient cell phone use while driving.
Price: $11.88
Purchase here: HUSSELL Car Charger
2. Amazon 4-Port DC Adapter-Style Car Charger
Another cigarette lighter-style charger with many similarities to the HUSSELL model already mentioned, but with a few significant differences that make it worth mentioning on it’s own.
The obvious difference is that this one has 4 charging ports. But here’s the thing. One of them is a USB Type-C port capable of charging a MacBook, a Nintendo Switch, and new Android tablets and phones. If you have many devices that require charging, or if you’re often in the car with others who have their own devices (kids, Uber patrons, etc.), this is a fantastic addition to your vehicle.
It has overload, short-circuit, and overvoltage protection and an LED that confirms charging.
Price: $15.67
Purchase here: Amazon 4-Port DC Adapter-Style Car Charger
3. Energizer 5-Port Cup Holder Charger
Depending on the layout of your vehicle’s cockpit, a cup holder charger is an extremely convenient accessory. In some cars, toggling cords from a charger that sticks out of your cigarette lighter is cumbersome. Cup holder chargers fix that problem. And this is best one we’ve seen. Though it still plugs into the cigarette lighter, it allows vertical access to the ports instead of horizontal.
It’s a bit pricey compared to others on Amazon, but it’s the sturdiest, most durable, and best designed. It has 4-USB ports and 1 AC outlet, a silent fan that produces no ambient noise, and clamps that allow (if needed) to connect to your car’s 12V battery. The 2-year warranty is nice, as well. Perfect for families and those who have jobs transporting passengers who need cell phone use while driving.
Since this one is a little more robust than the other car chargers we’ve mentioned, listing the product specs is in order:
- Input Voltage: 12V DC
- Output voltage: 110V 120V
- Continuous Power: 150W
- Peak Output Power: 300W
- Modified Sine Wave Power Inverter
- 4 x USB DC output current: 9.6Amps (2.4Amps each)
Price: $39.97
Purchase here: Energizer 4-Port Cup Holder Charger
Car Mounts
ALWAYS use your phone hands-free while driving. In order to make this convenient, you need a mount. There’s a lot of them to choose from, and different vehicle interiors call for certain mount styles. The recommendations here attempt to cover various types so you can choose the one that fits your car best.
4. Mpow Dashboard Car Mount
This is one of the most popular car mounts on Amazon. As of this writing, it has almost 19,000 reviews. There are certainly fancier ones on the market, but it checks all the important boxes and more. And it’s dirt cheap.
Installation is easy. The suction pad is very sticky and sticks securely to pretty much any surface. (Just don’t stick to glass or genuine leather). And it comes off surprisingly easy as well so you can change its location if you want. The extendable arm and swivel ball lets you move it around and customize its position instantly. It also has an arm lock so once you find the ideal position, you’ll never have to readjust it.
And it’s compatible with almost every smartphone. Note: this mount is not compatible with phones that have pop sockets on them.
Price: $10.49
5. iOttie Wireless Qi Car Mount Kit
This car mount is very similar to the Mpow model but with one main difference: it’s also a wireless charger. If you have an iPhone X, Samsung Galaxy S10, Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S8, Samsung Galaxy S7, Edge Note 8 5, or other smartphones that have wireless charging capability, you should consider this car mount. Not only does it make cell phone use while driving safe, but it also does so much more.
Price: $49.95
Purchase here: iOttie Wireless Qi Car Mount Kit
6. Kenu Airframe+ Vent Mount
Another popular mount type is the vent attachment. And thousands of people online say this is their favorite.
Kenu’s products are known for their durability, so that’s certainly one reason why this mount is a big seller. But this mount is also surprisingly light (it only weighs an ounce), yet it holds a heavy phone in place no problem. You can secure it to any vent type - angled, vertical, or horizontal. Because it’s so small, it’s easy to stow away and use in a rental vehicle or something similar. It also has a feature that allows it to stand on its own, so you can use it as a phone stand on the airplane or on a desk at home.
Also important to know: this product has a LIFETIME GUARANTEE. Awesome.
Price: $14.96
Purchase here: Kenu Airframe+ Vent Mount
7. IPOW Anti-Slip Silicone Car Phone Dashboard Pad
Here we have yet another style of car mount; one that doesn’t attach to a vent and doesn’t have an extending arm, adhesive, or suction. This mount is basically a weighted down phone stand. It’s heavy and very grippy so it’s not going anywhere. It has an adjustable fit so it’s compatible with virtually every smartphone.
Price: $12.93
Purchase here: IPOW Anti-Slip Silicone Car Phone Dashboard Pad
8. iOttie iTap 2 Magnetic CD Slot Car Mount
The last car mount on our list is one that utilizes the CD player in your car. It’s great product, but remember that if your vehicle’s console doesn’t have a CD slot, this mount won’t work for you.
This is best CD slot mount we’ve seen. Its magnets are stronger than competitor’s so it stays securely in place and can hold heavy phones like the iPhone XS Max, the Galaxy S9+, or the Note 9. This one is a great option if you’re concerned that using a vent attachment mount will break the vent flaps or if you simply don’t want your vents to be covered in any way.
This product is also a wireless charger in addition to promoting safe cell phone use while driving.
Price: $24.95
Purchase here: iOttie iTap 2 Magnetic CD Slot Car Mount
Cell Phone Signal Boosters
Cell signal boosters are essential for people who, by necessity, are on their phone a lot while driving. Whether it’s for work or leisure, signal boosters make life so much easier for commuters and others who spend lots of time in the car talking. Eliminate dropped calls, increase data speeds, and boost voice. SureCall has mobile boosters to fit everyone’s needs. We guarantee that one of these 4 boosters below is the right one for you.
Also remember that all SureCall signal boosters come with US-based support, 3-year warranty, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. All carriers are compatible.
9. N-Range 2.0 (SureCall)
If you’re predominantly alone in your car when using your phone, this is the booster for you. For those who almost never have another smartphone other than their own connecting to the boosted signal, the N-Range 2.0 is great. It also comes at a lower price point than other options.
Additionally, this one comes with a cradle to securely hold your phone and boost your signal at the same time. The cradle is easily mounted to your vent or dash with the accessories that come in the box. That makes it an ideal and practical booster for anyone needing a boost on the go, and a convenient way to get it done.
View all product specifications here: Most Powerful Single User Vehicle Cell Signal Booster
Price: $199.99
Purchase here: SureCall N-Range 2.0
10. Fusion2Go 3.0 (SureCall)
The Fusion 2G0 3.0 is more robust than the N-Range 2.0. It can handle the connection of multiple devices simultaneously and is equipped with auto-adjusting gain for enhanced performance.
And in head-to-head comparisons, it beats every comparable booster on the market (except the one below), and at a lower price point.
View all product specifications here: Most Powerful Non-ERT Cell Phone Signal Booster for Vehicles
Price: $399.99
Purchase here: SureCall Fusion2Go 3.0
11. Fusion2Go Max (SureCall)
The Fusion2Go Max features SureCall’s patented Extended Range Technology™ (ERT) for maximum performance. ERT amplifies cell signals outside the vehicle, bypassing cable loss and producing faster data speeds. This product is the best performing all-carrier cell phone signal booster on the market, making it the king of the road!
View all product specifications here: Best Performing Cell Phone Signal Booster for Vehicles
Price: $499.99
Purchase here: SureCall Fusion2Go Max
Miscellaneous
Here are 3 more products that will increase safety and convenience while using your phone in the car.
12. VeoPulse Car Speakerphone
This is phenomenal little accessory instantly adds Bluetooth capability to cars that don’t have it. All you do is clip it to the visor, turn it on and voilà, you’re connected. You can now make hands-free calls, listen to music/audiobooks/podcasts, all through the high-quality speaker. You can even use Siri and OK Google.
This is a wonderful device to pair with a signal booster. It allows absolute safety on the road while using your cell phone. There are other products on the market similar to this one, but the online consensus says this is the way to go.
Price: $57.97
Purchase here: VeoPulse Car Speakerphone
13. Lihan FM Transmitter 3-in-1 Adapter
Another great addition if you drive an older car. Plug it into the DC adapter (cigarette lighter) and bring your car into the modern age. This inexpensive gadget is a 3-in-1 device. It has two USB charging ports, a digital clock, and a Bluetooth FM transmitter. The transmitter lets you make calls and play music from your phone on the car’s stereo system. There’s even an “answer call” button on the device. So helpful.
Price: $16.99
Purchase here: Lihan FM Transmitter 3-in-1 Adapter
14. Tile Mate
Though not directly related to using your cell phone in the car, this is worth mentioning. Attach a Tile square to your key ring and download the Tile app and you’ll never lose your car keys again. You can also purchase adhesive Tile squares instead of keychain ones. The adhesive Tiles can be attached to the back of your cell phone, allowing you to easily locate it whenever it’s misplaced. These Bluetooth trackers provide incredible peace of mind.
Price: $24.99
Purchase here: Tile Mate (2020) - 1-Pack
Cell Phone Use While Driving - Conclusion
What cell phone-related car gadgets do you know about that could go on a list like this? Let us know in the comments!