15 mobile phone holders tested
Subscriptions & booklets
W as you think 81 percent of Germans are loud a Statista survey? It's not about a cold or the house keys - what is meant is the inevitable smartphone. At the same time, 77.4 percent of German private households have at least one car. This leads to the question: What should you do with your iPhone and Co. while you are behind the wheel? We grabbed 15 different cell phone holders and tested them in different cars on a daily basis. Our practical test shows that if you don't want to worry about which system is best for your own car, you will probably end up with a suction cup for the windshield. Models that stick to the ventilation grilles or in the CD slot are difficult to assess before buying in terms of compatibility with certain vehicle models.
Patrick Lang The cheapest competitor in our comparison comes from Pearl and costs only 3.90 euros.
The universal bracket for ventilation grilles comes from the Pearl mail order business at a price of 3.90 euros. The compact plastic part should do its job for devices with a width of 52 to 90 millimeters. The plug-in part, which is placed directly on the ventilation grille, has a slightly rubberized surface and stays in place. Unless you drive a car with ventilation grilles. The device for clamping the smartphone is simply pulled open without locking. There is always a slight squeak, which is due to the manageable quality of the material. The bracket itself is rotatable butnot pivotable. The device can thus be attached horizontally or vertically, but not turned towards the driver. As for the strength of the clamp, it is not the safest way to stow your terminal. An iPhone SE is 58.6 millimeters wide and yet wobbles ominously in the Pearl holder. Our tip: With smartphones of this size, a rubber cover helps to improve the hold.
Pearl clip (3.90 €)
Price-performance Ratio
Easy installation within a few seconds
Suitable for many smartphones and cars
The plastic looks cheap and squeaks
Smaller smartphones wobble in the device
No swiveling ball joint
grooveclip Air Magnet
Patrick Lang Thanks to the metal leaves on the The back of the smartphone sticks firmly to the holder. Cost: 19.99 euros.
With its “grooveclip” product line, manufacturer Iconico basically offers all common smartphone mounting solutions. The system includes three devices for mounting in the car with two different heads for attaching the smartphone. The variant with a magnet is particularly impressive. A narrow metal leaf is glued to the smartphone or, alternatively, inserted into the back of the case, if you have one. Prepared in this way, the smartphone sits bomb-proof on the holder and survives vehement acceleration as well as spontaneous braking and brisk cornering. The workmanship is just as high-quality as the packaging, which also contains easy-to-understand operating instructions and additional adhesive pads. The variant for attachment to the ventilation grille has to struggle with a design-related disadvantage. The ventilation grilles are seldom firm enough to carry the weight of a smartphone withoutto sag down. Sure, because the car manufacturer wants the grilles to be easily adjustable. Iconico therefore installs ball joints, thanks to which you can turn the smartphone screen back towards the driver. From now on, the air from the grille will only flow downwards.
grooveclip Air Magnet (19.99 €)
Magnet keeps the smartphone bombproof
High quality workmanship and packaging
Can be swiveled thanks to the ball joint
Ventilation grilles cannot hold the weight up
Does not fit every vehicle
Another smartphone only holds if there is also a magnet on it
KabelDirekt holder for sticking
Patrick Lang Everyone has a bracket Bracket from KabelDirekt the same. What changes is the way it is attached. In this case with an adhesive pad.
The bracket on the smartphone mounts from KabelDirekt is really tight. The bracket is not too wide, so that cell phones with buttons on the side can also be used in a suitable position without any problems. The cell phone itself also holds well in the clamp. The installation of the bracket in the vehicle cockpit causes more problems. Of course, the 3M adhesive pad holds best on smooth surfaces. Unfortunately, very few dashboards are really smooth. If the sun shines on it in summer, the adhesive is likely to lose its strength and the entire bracket could smear. Caution should also be exercised when attaching the bracket because once the bracket is in place it should remain in place. If you want to move the part, you have to get a new adhesive pad, because the adhesive cannot be applied multiple times. Only one pad is supplied.
KabelDirekt holder for sticking (10.89 €)
Firm hold for the smartphone
Fits almost all smartphones
Fits all vehicles
Adhesive pad does not hold permanently
Moving the bracket requires a new adhesive pad
Requires the smoothest possible surface
grooveclip Air Slider
Patrick Lang The slider holds the smartphone tight and costs a little more than the counterpart with a magnet. Caution is required if your smartphone has buttons on the side.
Iconico also offers the construction for the ventilation grille without a magnet. For a slightly higher price than the magnet (22.90 euros instead of 19.99 euros), there is the grooveclip Air Slider. The smartphone is simply inserted into a clip that can be slid on both sides. As with the magnet solution, the mobile phone can then be rotated as required via a ball joint, but here too the stability of the ventilation grille in the car is a factor on which the accessory manufacturer has no influence. The clip holds almost as securely as the magnet. However, when attaching your device, you need to make sure that you have buttons on the side. That is, they should be outside the holding device. You also need two hands to conveniently lock your smartphone in order to open the clamp and insert the device.
grooveclip Air Slider (19.98 €)
Stiffer Stop
High-quality workmanship and packaging
Fits all common smartphones
One-handed use of the smartphone is difficult
Be careful with buttons on the side of the smartphone
Does not fit every vehicle
Anti-slip mat by Pearl
Patrick Lang The anti-slip mat from Pearl is not glued, but simply placed on the dashboard.
The installation of the small mat by Pearl is very easy. You choose a place on the dashboard that is as level as possible and place the smartphone holder there - done. You put the mobile phone in the fork, which is only practical in landscape format. If the device is upright, the whole construction becomes unstable. In any case, this bracket is only something for drivers with a very gentle gas foot. The adhesive effect of the rubber mat is just as unable to withstand powerful acceleration as it does powerful braking or fast cornering. Should you nevertheless decide in favor of this bracket variant, we recommend additional attachment with adhesive pads. The smartphone itself does not sit more firmly on the mat and can easily fall out.
Pearl anti-slip mat (5.90 €)
Easiest installation
Suitable for almost all smartphones
Compact design
Insufficient hold of the mat
Insufficient hold of the smartphone
Only fits in cars with a flat dashboard surface
Macally gooseneck for the cup holder
Patrick Lang This gooseneck mount is attached in the cup holder. The smartphone is clamped into the holder.
This smartphone holder offers its user a lot of flexibility, because the long neck can be rotated freely and bend without losing the rigidity required to carry a smartphone. The top requirement for use is that your car has cup holders at all. Ideally, they are positioned as far forward as possible, because when they are sitting to the side of the driver, their necks are not enough to bring the smartphone into the driver's field of vision. If you have a suitable cup holder, insert the lower end of the holder and use a screw to stretch it out until it no longer wobbles. Overall, the device offers a very stable hold and is of high quality. A good solution for a trip or long journey where the smartphone is used as a navigation system. The dimensions in the cockpit can be annoying in everyday automotive life.
Macally gooseneck for the cup holder (14.95 €)
High quality workmanship
Secure hold
Fits all smartphones
Only fits for cars with cup holders
Removing the mobile phone is a bit cumbersome
Long neck can be a hindrance in the car
Patrick Lang The' Dash 'product range can be attached to both the windshield and theDashboard.
You can examine as many systems as you want - there is only one that is really in every car can be installed. We're talking about the suction cup, in this specific case the grooveclip Dash Magnet. But why is the part now called 'Dash' and not 'Window'? Because the suction cup is provided with an additional adhesive gel layer, and it also stays on the dashboard. At least if the surface is largely smooth. In case of doubt, glass is the better surface, because the device treacherously only lasts a few minutes on fittings before it says goodbye. This can be dangerous for scared people in traffic if a smartphone suddenly hits the center console. Otherwise, the bracket convinces with its easy handling and compact design all along the line.
grooveclip dash magnet (19.99 €)
Fits all cars
Firm and secure hold on windows
Fits all smartphones
Relatively firm hold on fittings
The bracket falls off with a delay on uneven surfaces
Smartphone must be equipped with magnetic pad
The smartphone clip from Pearl
Patrick Lang This holder by Pearl snaps shut like the mouth of a crocodile for 9.90 euros.
Even when looking at the photo, you should notice a construction-related lack of this type of smartphone holder. Of course, the clamp has to grip tightly so that the mobile phone doesn't fly around your ears when you take the next bend. But this also means that your cell phone should not have any buttons on the sides, because these are also pressed by the bracket. An iPhone 8, for example, can be switched off with a button on the side; many other devices have the buttons for 'loud and quiet' there. IfIf you then let the device protrude so far from the bracket that no button is pressed, the secure hold may no longer be fully provided. In addition, the supplied adhesive pad sticks to the dashboard, but not really to the bracket itself. If a cell phone is then clamped in, it is possible that the lower part of the clamp loosens, clicks upwards, and you finally have the entire construction in your hand.
Pearl smartphone clip (9.90 €)
Fits almost every car
Two inclination settings thanks to different notches
Quick installation in the cockpit
Side buttons on the smartphone are a hindrance
Adhesive pad does not hold sufficiently on the clamp itself
No sideways swivel possible
Grooveclip Dash Slider
Patrick Lang The solution from grooveclip with a suction cup is also available as a version with a clip holder for the smartphone.
If you don't want to rely on permanent contact with a magnet not damaging your smartphone (we couldn't find any effects in the test), there is the grooveclip suction cup also with clamp mount, called 'slider'. The device can be stretched so far that it is also suitable for large devices such as the Google Nexus 6. The biggest disadvantage compared to the magnet variant is that it is not so easy to attach the cell phone with one hand. In addition, you should also pay attention to the side buttons on the mobile device that could be pressed when clamping.
grooveclip Dash Slider (19.96 €)
Fits for every car
Secure hold for the smartphone
Quick installation in the cockpit
Difficult to use with one hand
Side smartphone buttons can be a hindrance
The bracket falls off with a delay on uneven surfaces
Pearl Callstel for the ventilation grille
Patrick Lang This spider-like device is clamped into the ventilation grille and carries smartphones up to a size of 4.7 inches.
Where other brackets are simply plugged into the ventilation grille, this model clears up a problem that results from this. Because with the Callstel, the ventilation grille does not have to be so firm that it can carry the weight of the smartphone without tipping down, because an extra stand sits on the dashboard. The bracket is clamped in place with a spring device at the ventilation slots, provided the slats are slim enough. In addition, the ventilation grille must be positioned in the cockpit in such a way that a vertical surface underneath also supports the said base. Once the holder and smartphone have been installed, it is a stable construction that is particularly suitable for those users who do not want to have a device in the field of vision of the windshield.
Pearl Callstel (11.85 €)
Secure hold for the smartphone
No tilting of the ventilation slots
Does not obstruct any view of the street
Installation requires a great deal of sensitivity
does not fit all cars
does not fit all smartphones
grooveclip CD2 slider for the CD -Slot
Patrick Lang The grooveclip CD2 Slider is a system for the slot of the CD player. The bracket also fits into other gaps in the cockpit.
A system that may not have been on your screen before: A holding device for the CD slot. What is the problem with that? Many modern cars no longer have CD drives. How can that be solved? The bracket also fits in other gaps, for example between the decorative panel and the dashboard. It just depends on the car. To fix it, the flat end is pushed into a suitable gap and then clamped in with a wing screw. If that is not enough, there are also adhesive pads included for support. The hold is bombproof, even if you have a hot slalom ride. In addition, the windshield remains free of any obstructions. If you have a CD radio in your car, you can still listen to music with the CD2 slider attached, but if you want to change the CD, you have to remove the holder.
grooveclip CD2 Slider (19.99 €)
Secure hold even when cornering quickly
No obstruction of view on the windshield
Fits almost all cell phones
does not fit every car
Mounting in the CD slot prevents CDs from being changed
Side buttons on the smartphone are a hindrance
Lescars giant flap from Pearl
Patrick Lang Really big flap - The giant clip from Lescars is available from Pearl for 19.90 euros.
This bracket is of heavy quality, and that is meant literally. At 700 grams, the clamp is the heavyweight of our test. The bracket is installed by simply placing it on the dashboard. The non-slip underside should ensure a secure hold there, but you shouldn't rely on that alone. You don't have to either, because two adhesive pads are also attached to the underside for fixing. The Lescars clamp surprisingly holds tight and withstands rapid driving maneuvers without slipping. Only the optics take getting used to, because it is a comparatively massive part. Placing a smartphone in the rubberized clamp creates the usual problems with side buttons. However, the “mouth” of the holder opens so far that an iPhone 8, for example, can also be clamped on edge. The home button on the bottom is then difficult to reach.
Pearl Lescars giant flap (19.90 €)
Secure hold on the dashboard
Secure hold of the smartphone in the clamp
High-quality workmanship
Does not fit all smartphones
Partly limited usability of the devices
Looks to get used to
KabelDirekt universal bracket
Patrick Lang This device from KabelDirekt is attached to the ventilation grille and clamps the smartphone in a narrow bracket.
Similar to the Pearl Callstel, the ventilation grille bracket is also available for 9.99Euro from the provider KabelDirekt with a lower stand supported on the dashboard and thus offers a stable hold in the vertical. However, a clamp is used to hold the smartphone and does its job excellently. There would have to be a landslide under the car to release the cell phone from its holder. But even better than the hold itself is the fact that the clip is kept very narrow. This means that cell phones with buttons on the side can also be used without any problems, without the said buttons being constantly pressed. With the swiveling ball joint, it should be easy to find the right angle of view on the device. All under the condition that your vehicle cockpit is suitable for the attachment of this bracket - and which ones these are cannot be identified before the purchase. The manufacturer claims that the bracket is suitable for almost all cars, but in our opinion that should remain a pious wish in many cases.
KabelDirekt universal bracket (9.99 €)
Secure hold of the smartphone
Can also be operated with one hand
Fits almost all smartphones
Fits only selected cars
Fiddly installation on the ventilation grille
Apart from the clips, it is rather cheap material appearance
grooveclip CD2 holder with magnetic head
Patrick Lang Also offers the CD2 holder grooveclip with the magnetic holder for the smartphone. Cost: 19.99 euros.
As with the grooveclip CD2 holder with clamp, this device is also for attachment to a CD Slot provided. Analogous to this, of course, there are similar problems, such as the lack of a CD radio in many modern vehicles. In this respect, with the CD2 magnet, you are dependent on the manufacturer of your vehicle leaving the gap dimensions in the cockpit rather generousdesigned. If you find a suitable slot, the bracket can be attached firmly, even if the installation requires a little skill, as the thumbscrew is not so easy to grasp because it is then close to the dashboard. Once attached, handling in connection with the smartphone is very easy and convenient thanks to the magnet and metal plate. It also offers a secure hold.
grooveclip CD2 holder with magnet (€ 19.99)
Smartphone sits firmly and is easy to attach
Fits all smartphones
No visual obstruction in the area of the windshield
Does not fit in all vehicles
Installation in the CD slot blocks the drive
Fiddly installation due to difficult to access wing screw
Patrick Lang The suction cup of the bracket from KabelDirekt does not have an additional adhesive pad, but it still sticks to the window.
The suction cup is also available from KabelDirekt. No wonder - after all, this classic fits into every vehicle and can usually be removed without leaving any residue. As with the other products from this manufacturer, a narrow but strong bracket is responsible for holding the smartphone in place. The suction cup itself does not have an additional adhesive layer, so that it cannot be attached to normal dashboards. So it has to be the disc. There the device stays in place even during the wildest driving maneuvers and the mobile phone also stays reliably in place. The whole thing is available at a fair price of 9.99 euros. That makes the model a price-performance winner in the end.
In our picture gallery You can now get an overview of the different smartphone holders and compare the prices. And always remember: When driving, your hands belong to the wheel and not to the mobile phone.
