Before we get started here, there are a couple of things you need to think about.

Mount placement: Wherever you place your phone mount, it’s vital to ensure it does not obstruct your view of the road. Many mounts 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.)

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.

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, 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 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. 

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.

This iOttie isn't just classy, it's also rock solid. 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.) There’s also a ball joint so you can slightly angle your phone for a better view. It's a shame that the USB-C cable is permanently attached, as it’s long. If you don’t have a USB-C port in your car, there's a plug-in charger, but I recommend snagging a separate dual charger like the OtterBox below to gain an extra port.

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.

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. The one you’ll find in my trunk is Rugd's Power Brick. The orange exterior makes it easy to find. It's compact, tough (IP67-certified), and packs 10,050-mAh of power with a USB-C PD port to deliver up to 18 watts of power (enough to fast-charge most phones) and a USB-A port that supports Quick Charge. The added extra that makes it such a good pick for the car is the powerful 16 LEDs that top out at 1,300 lumens, which is very handy if you're stuck on the side of the road at night. It’s a UK company, so factor in shipping and customs charges if you decide to ship it to the US.

★ A cheaper alternative: The INIU Portable Charger ($25) is nothing special, but it holds 10,000-mAh of power, has one USB-C and two USB-A ports, and boasts a built-in flashlight. Choose orange or red to make it easy to find in your trunk or glove box.