Dashboard Car Mounts

A phone holder on the dashboard

A dashboard holder sits on top of the dashboard, fixed by a suction cup, a sticky pad or a disc you stick down first. On many cars it is the best place for a phone: close to your line of sight, so a glance at the map is a short one, but below the windscreen, so it does not block the view of the road. It suits drivers who use maps every day, and cars whose vents will not take a clip.

The kinds of dashboard holder here

• Suction holders with a telescopic arm. A suction cup on a ball joint and an arm that slides out brings the phone nearer to you. One here has a heat-resistant cup with a double lock, and comes with a dashboard pad and vent clips, so it can go on the dashboard, the windscreen or a vent.
• Gravity holders on an extension rod. The arms close under the phone's weight, and an enlarged suction cup with a pressure valve holds the base down.
• Tablet holders. A larger cradle on a suction base takes a tablet or a phone, including folding phones, which suits passengers, and drivers who work from a bigger screen.

How to choose a dashboard holder

Look at the surface. Suction cups and sticky pads hold best on smooth, flat plastic. Many dashboards are textured or curved, and that is what the stick-down pad is for. Clean the spot with a little alcohol and let it dry before you fix anything. See adhesive mounts for holders that stick on.

Keep the arm as short as you can, because a short arm shakes less. Then check the airbags: the car's handbook shows where the passenger airbag comes out of the dashboard, and nothing should be fixed on its cover or in its way. Keep the holder clear of warning lights, the speedometer and the car's own screen.

Each holder states the phone sizes it takes. Most give the screen size in inches, some give the width the arms open to, and a thick case adds to both, so measure your phone in its case before you choose.

Questions people ask about dashboard holders

Will the suction cup let go in summer?

The top of a dashboard gets very hot in strong sun, which loosens sticky pads and can mark the surface. The phone itself overheats in direct sun too: Apple says an iPhone is made for use between 0 and 35°C. Take the phone with you when you park, and press the cup back on firmly if it starts to lift.

Is a dashboard holder legal?

Yes. The government names a dashboard holder as a hands-free option, as long as it does not block your view of the road and you do not hold the phone. See the guide to car phone holders and the law.

How long does delivery take?

Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when it usually arrives.

More to look at

• Windscreen car mounts
• Air vent car mounts
• Adhesive mounts
• All car phone holders
• Tablet stands
• Guide: Car phone holders: vent, dashboard or windscreen, and the law