Belkin Car Vent Mount review: Simple, small, and solid
Choosing the right phone car mount is a tough decision. A car phone holder should be visible and easily accessible, but make sure you can keep your attention on the road. A faulty car mount could mean big problems, and in our search for the best one, we came across the Belkin Car Vent Mount. Is it the right co-pilot for your road adventures? Find out in this Belkin Car Vent Mount Review.
See also: The best car phone holder you can buy
$ 24 .99
Belkin Universal Car Vent Mount
Buy It Now
What You Need to Know About the Belkin Car Vent Mount
Recognition: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
- Belkin Car Vent Mount (F7U017bt): $ 24.99 / £ 14.49 / € 24.99
The Belkin Car Vent Mount is pretty self explanatory. It’s a phone holder that attaches to your air vents. It can be attached to the thin clips and should secure your handset for easy access and quick viewing. The product’s MSRP is $ 24.99, but it’s often available for a little less on Amazon. It is only available in one color configuration which is black / gray. It measures 79 x 56 x 28 mm.
Ventilation mounts are usually a good option for people with limited space in their vehicles. In addition, these vents are rarely interacted with, so the mount and phone are unlikely to get in the way.
What is good?
Recognition: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
Belkin has a strong reputation in the smartphone accessories market. The company values workmanship, simplicity and ease of use. They tend to be a little more expensive, but customers pay for quality. The Belkin Car Vent Mount is no exception. It’s small and the colors aren’t noticeable so it’s barely noticeable when not in use. Although the accessories are mostly made of plastic, they don’t feel cheap at all. There are no loose parts. The extendable arms have rubber padding and metal inner parts for a stable hold.
Belkin values build quality, simplicity and ease of use.
The vent clamp is strong and has not lost its tightness after a few weeks of use. It also has a rotating mechanism for easily changing the phone’s orientation, which feels very secure. It’s a hassle-free accessory that does what it says on the tin very well. In some departments it even goes beyond that.
Belkin promises compatibility with up to 5.5-inch display devices, but it can do even more. I was able to easily mount a Google Pixel 3 XL and a Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus. Both are large devices and I used a wallet case with one of them which gives the handset a lot of width and thickness.
Also read: The best car apps for Android
I never felt like the phone was going to slip or fall. The handle of the holder is quite strong. Due to the smaller profile, the arms can also be easily accommodated in places where no buttons or connections are covered. Then there is the option of simply changing the orientation, but I didn’t take advantage of that often. It’s great for navigation or when you’re parked somewhere watching a movie.
Recognition: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
The cable control slots on the back are also lifesavers. I hate it when long cables run through my car and everything gets in the way. Not to mention, I didn’t have to look for a connector all the time. It always hung neatly from the mount.
One thing I loved about using a vent mount is the fact that cool air always hits the back of the phone when the air conditioner is on. This keeps device temperatures low during long hours of navigation. This is of course also the other way around when the heating is switched on.
What’s not so good?
Recognition: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
My main complaint about the Belkin Car Vent Mount isn’t its own fault, but I’ve seen other manufacturers come up with solutions. While the accessories are a solid product, that won’t help much if your vents aren’t that sturdy.
Unfortunately, my car’s vents are not designed for carrying large, heavy phones. They are designed to be easy to move around, so these blades are quite loose. This means the phone and mount can move when you turn or take tight turns. The vents also made it impossible to tilt the phone up as the weight kept tipping it down. You should keep this in mind if your vehicle does not have the most stable ventilation slots.
Belkin Car Vent Mount Review: Should I Buy It?
Recognition: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
Belkin’s air vent is solidly built, unobtrusive and easy to use. The price is reasonable for what you get, even if it is a bit higher than some alternatives. However, feel your vents first. If your vents are sturdy enough to easily hold the Belkin Car Vent mount and phone, this is definitely one of the best options out there.
Belkin Universal Car Vent Mount
Belkin’s rugged phone mount attaches to your car’s air vent and holds your phone in place.