The best car phone holders make sure your phone is secure and within reach while safely operating your vehicle. When you're on the go, your phone is more than just a tool for keeping in touch. It's your road trip DJ, your trusty navigator, and for safety's sake, you need to mount it up securely. Your hands need to be on the wheel, not your phone, and you don't need to be looking down for directions at highway speeds. We've gathered up a list of some excellent options for universal car phone holders and mounts for your needs.

iOttie Easy One Touch 5

iOttie's Easy One Touch 5 is a great option that's easy to articulate however you like, thanks to a telescopic arm. It also comes in four mount styles, including a cupholder one, so you have options.

Maxboost Car Mount

Maxboost's car mount slides into a vent on one side, and securely sticks to a phone with the four magnets — even with a case on — and comes in a two-pack.

Beam Electronics Universal Car Vent Mount

This car vent mount keeps things basic — the soft padded interior nestles a phone with or without a case. You can even turn it sideways and switch to landscape.

iOttie Easy One Touch Wireless 2

The iOttie Easy One Touch Wireless 2 is a durable and dependable choice with a secure locking mechanism and wireless charging on your dash or windshield.

Aukey Car Phone Mount 360 Degree Rotation

This mount comes in either a windshield or dashboard option. You can rotate the base to adjust the angle with the ball joint before you attach your phone on the magnetic mount.

Nite Ize Steelie Orbiter Dash Kit

Nite Ize's Orbiter uses a flat metal plate that sticks to the back of the phone. Then, it's secured to the dashboard ball mount with a magnet.

Scosche Universal Power Mount

This mount is a little old school — it plugs into the car's 12V socket and uses a flexible neck to easily adjust the viewing angle to your preference.

Should you go magnetic with a car phone holder?

Sifting through the best universal car mounts means getting an idea of how you want actually to mount your phone in the car. Whether it's the windshield, air vent, dash, 12V socket, or cupholder, the options do vary considerably. You will need to look at your phone's size and weight before you do, to be sure it fits and can handle the weight, even more so if your phone has a case on it.

With that in mind, you don't get as portable as the Maxboost Car Mount, especially when combined with the magnetic-mount-compatible Spigen Style Ring POP that you can carry with you. If you do like wireless charging, bear in mind that it may not be as valuable if you need to plug into your car's infotainment system via USB to use Android Auto. If you can use it wirelessly, having a mount with a Qi charger is pretty convenient.

However, having some flexibility would be nice, both in how I want to mount the phone and how I want to angle it. The one that has stood out there is the iOttie Easy One Touch 5, with its easy one-touch release and user-friendly design. It even has a telescoping arm that you can use to put it almost wherever you want.