Consumer Reports: Phone Holders for Your Car

GPS sales are tanking as more and more people use their cell phones for driving directions. If you're considering making the switch to cell phone navigating, you'll need a phone mount for your car. Consumer Reports just took a look at 11 of them that cost anywhere from $9 to $25.

Some mount on the dash or windshield. Others mount on vents, in cup holders and lighter sockets. One even attaches to the sun visor but that's probably not the best design. Being on the sun visor means you have to take your eyes off the road. And the instructions tell you to put it on the passenger side, which is way out of your line of vision. The ones that sit in your cup holder have the same disadvantage. You’ll have to look down, taking your eyes off the road. Plus you can’t use your cup holder!

Consumer Reports evaluated how easy each one is to use. How well they hold the phone. And to check for stability, the testers made some quick turns to see if the phones stayed in place. Some didn't. The lighter socket mounts tended to be unstable, shaking a bit while you drive. And the ones that mounted on the vent were flimsy.

The ones that Consumer Reports like the best are the ones that attach to either the windshield or the dashboard. They hold the phone securely and they keep it right where you can see it easily. The favorite among Consumer Reports staffers is the $20 Iottie. It holds different phone models in place, was easy to use and kept your eyes in front of you.

While using your cell phone is convenient, Consumer Reports says there are advantages to using a dedicated GPS unit. The sound quality is better and GPS reception is reliable. So if you're looking to buy one, Consumer Reports named one from Garmin a Best Buy for $160. It is the Garmin Nuvi model 2455LT.

Complete Ratings and recommendations on all kinds of products, including appliances, cars & trucks, and electronic gear, are available on Consumer Reports’'website.

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