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Getting ready for a drive? Whether you use your phone for navigation, music, or podcasts—or are just bringing it along for the ride—the right accessories can make it the perfect passenger. A good car mount will keep it within easy reach and in view, so you don't need to dangerously fumble for your handset and take your eyes off the road. You’ll also want to keep your device charged. Add a dashcam to document your trip. We have tested a range of mounts, chargers, dashcams, and other accessories that might be useful for your daily commute.
Looking for more? Drivers should also consider putting together a Car Emergency Kit and checking out our Best Travel Mugs guide to round out the driving experience.
Updated August 2023: We added dashcams, mounts, chargers, and more from NextBase, iOttie, Belkin, Joyroom, Anker, Peak Design, and Monoprice, among others, and updated prices.
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Before we get started, there are a couple of things you need to think about.
Mount or dashcam placement: Wherever you place your phone mount or dashcam, it’s vital to ensure it does not obstruct your view of the road. Many mounts and dashcams allow for dash or windshield placement, but you should check your local laws. (It's illegal to attach mounts to the windshield in many US states.) Dashcams work well behind the rearview mirror if permitted.
Cable placement: Think about where cables will run, and use cables just long enough to prevent tangles and excess. (Read our Best USB-C Cables guide for some recommendations.) Consider how to keep the end of the cable handy. (The best mounts have cable management for this purpose.) If you are using a dashcam, they usually come with a small tool you can use to push the cable into the seams of your car’s interior panels to tuck it away. That can work for charging cables too.
Keep your eyes on the road: Whether setting up navigation, picking a playlist, or doing anything that requires your attention, do it before you start driving. Once you’re on the road, use voice commands or have a passenger deal with any issues, and keep your focus on the road. Distracted driving leads to thousands of deaths every year.
A good dashcam provides an irrefutable record of any unexpected event that might occur when you’re driving. Video evidence can be helpful in an accident, and dashcams may even reduce your insurance premiums. After testing several dashcams, the NextBase 622GW stands out as the best, with crystal clear video, a parking mode that activates the camera if your car is bumped when parked, and a companion app that makes it easy to review video on your phone. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most expensive options. It costs even more if you add the rear camera, but I recommend it if you’re worried about accidents, as rear-end crashes are the most common.
The adhesive works well but is tough to remove if you ever get rid of this dashcam. The cam slots into a magnetic mount, so it’s easy to clip in and out. A fitting tool pushes cables into the seams of your car’s interior panels. The video goes up to 4K at 30 frames per second, but I found 1440p HD at 60 fps got the best results (1080p at 120 fps is also an option). The footage is clear enough to read license plates, even in low light or bad weather, though I couldn't always see details at night, particularly when it was wet. Still, the night vision and image stabilization elevate this above other dashcams I tested. It has built-in GPS tracking with what3words support. The optional SOS function alerts emergency services if you crash but requires a subscription. I had no trouble connecting my iPhone and Pixel via Wi-Fi and using the NextBase app to review videos, though user reviews suggest some folks ran into issues here. It also boasts Alexa support for voice commands.
What I like best about this phone mount is that you can use it one-handed. Adjust the bottom feet, and when you place your phone against the trigger button, the arms automatically close around it. To remove it, simply press the release bars. The telescopic arm allows you to tweak the placement, and the ball joint makes it easy to set an ideal angle. This thoughtful design carries over to your charging cable as well—there's a magnetic tab you can attach to the end of your charging cord so it sticks to the back of the mount (so you don’t have to fish around for it).
In my testing, the base with the locking suction cup was very secure, even on bumpy terrain. The downside? Removing the adhesive pad from my dashboard was tricky.
This is the mount in my car now, and it maintains everything that’s good about iOttie’s previous mount but adds wireless charging support. You can get it with the suction cup for the dashboard or opt for a CD slot or air vent mount. It closes automatically around your phone, has adjustable feet, a rotating ball joint to angle your phone, and a quick-release bar that pokes out on both sides. The Qi wireless charging can deliver 10 watts to an Android phone or 7.5 watts to an iPhone, and your phone automatically charges when you place it in the mount and start the car. You'll want to make sure your smartphone supports wireless charging in the first place.
All you'll need to do is plug the supplied cable into your car’s power socket, and the other end goes into a MicroUSB port on the bottom of the mount. The car socket end handily includes a second USB-A port you can use to charge another device.
While I prefer the look and feel of the iOttie wireless charging mount above, this Joyroom mount has a couple of noteworthy features. Not only does it automatically clamp your phone when you slot it in, but it also adjusts the coil position for best alignment (you must adjust the feet manually with the iOttie). It also has a soft blue light on the bottom edge that’s handy when it’s dark. Charging goes up to 15 watts, but only with certain phones. It charges most Android phones at 10 watts and iPhones at 7.5 watts. It’s affordable and comes with a USB-C to USB-A cable, but you’ll need a charger if you don’t have a USB-A port in your car. You must start the car for the mount to work, but a capacitor ensures you can release your phone even after switching the engine off.
If you recoil at the thought of a chunky cradle, you may prefer this sleek solution from Belkin. It’s a svelte, classy-looking silver and black vent mount that grips your phone surprisingly securely. You can rotate it to switch between portrait and landscape, and there’s a handy rubber clip on the back to hold your charging cable in place. It doesn’t work so well with larger phones, but smaller is better because this has no feet to support the bottom of the phone.
★ For larger phones: The Kenu Airframe Pro ($30) has a similar design but can accommodate larger phones and thick cases. It has a ball-and-socket joint that lets you rotate the device 360 degrees and slightly angle your phone for a better view.
With a compact design and support for 15-watt wireless charging, Belkin’s BoostCharge Pro is our favorite MagSafe vent mount. The prongs cling to your vent securely, and a powerful array of magnets ensure MagSafe-enabled iPhones don't budge an inch, even on bumpy roads. (It works with the iPhone 12, iPhone 13, and iPhone 14 range.) Your mileage may vary with non-MagSafe iPhone cases. There’s also a ball joint, so you can slightly angle your phone for a better view. It's a shame the USB-C cable is permanently attached, as it’s long. There is a plug-in charger for folks without USB-C ports in their car, but I recommend snagging a separate dual or triple charger like the ones below to gain extra ports.
★ Another alternative: WIRED reviews editor Julian Chokkattu really likes the Peak Design Car Vent Mount ($100). It stays super secure on the vent—there's no wobbling—and his phone stays secure to the magnetic charging pad. It works well with iPhones with MagSafe support, but you can also pair it with a Pixel or Samsung phone if you use Peak Design's Everyday Case.
If you prefer a mount on your dash or windshield, this classy MagSafe mount from iOttie is a smart pick for folks with an iPhone 12 or later. It attaches to a dashboard pad or windshield with a suction cup that proved secure in my testing. The telescopic arm combines with a ball joint to give you a wide range of movement to find the ideal position. Sadly, it maxes out at 7.5 watts for charging, but I like that the USB-C charging cable is removable, so you can detach and stow it when your iPhone is topped up. There is also a built-in fan to help keep the temperature down when the sun is out.
If you are keen to get a magnetic mount but don’t have a MagSafe iPhone, try this system from Scosche. It comes with a metal plate you can stick to the back of any phone or slip inside your case, allowing it to magnetically stick to the mount. (It does also work with MagSafe iPhones.) However, the magnets are not especially strong, so if you have a thick case or a large phone, do not pick this mount.
The dash mount itself sticks securely and is adjustable. The charger that goes into your car socket has a spare USB-C port, which is handy, and there are two stick-on cable management clips in the box. I'm just not a huge fan of the permanently attached cable, which uses a proprietary cable instead of USB-C.
There are two things that elevate this above your average car socket charger. First, it has a clever small fabric tab that makes it easy to pull out and allows it to sit flush in the socket. Second, it doesn’t only support the Power Delivery (PD) standard, but it also supports Programmable Power Supply (PPS), which means it can charge all the latest phones from Samsung or Apple at top speed. The USB-C port can deliver up to 30 watts, so you can even charge a MacBook Air. If you need a cable, check our Best USB-C Cables guide for ideas.
Picking the right car charger obviously depends on what you need to charge, but if you have a couple of recent phones, you cannot go wrong with this one. You get two USB-C ports, one rated at 20 watts and the other at 30 watts. Both support Power Delivery and the 30-watt port also supports PPS, so you can fast-charge most phones or tablets. OtterBox offers a few different dual-port car chargers, including one with a 12-W USB-A and an 18-W USB-C ($30). They come in black or white, with a gold highlight, and each has a textured end that’s easy to grip.
If you want to charge multiple devices from your car socket, this triple charger from Anker has you covered with two USB-C ports and one USB-A. With nothing else plugged in, the first USB-C can deliver up to 67 watts, enough to charge a laptop. If you want to use the ports together, you can draw 45 watts from the first USB-C (which also supports PPS and PD) and 9 watts apiece from the other two ports. You get a 3.2-foot USB-C to USB-C charging cable with it.
It’s always a smart idea to have a power bank in your car, and you can find a range of options in our Best Portable Chargers guide. But this one from Noco could be a roadside lifesaver because it can jump-start your car when the battery is dead. The Noco Boost Plus is a 1,000-amp, 12-volt battery pack with jump leads. It also has a USB-A port to charge your phone or other devices and a handy built-in 100-lumen LED flashlight. It’s IP65-rated and good for temperatures from –4 degrees Fahrenheit up to 122 degrees. Sling it in your trunk as part of an emergency kit, but remember to charge it at least every six months.
Automotive Electronic Connectors If you want to top off your phone or another mobile device in the car, you need a cable, and this affordable option from Monoprice is great. It’s a short, thick, durable cable capable of 100-W charging and 10-Gbps data transfer. The shorter lengths (1.64 or 3.28 feet) are better for the car, and Monoprice offers a lifetime warranty. If you have an iPhone or USB-A port in your car, you’ll want to choose something else from our best USB cables guide.