Belkin Car Vent Mount review: Simple, small, and solid

Picking the right phone car mount is a tough decision. A car phone holder should be visible and easily accessible, but ensure you can keep your attention on the road. A faulty car mount could mean huge trouble, and in our search for the best one we came across the Belkin Car Vent Mount. Is it the right copilot for your road adventures? Find out in this Belkin Car Vent Mount review.

See also: The best car phone holders you can buy

What you need to know about the Belkin Car Vent Mount

• 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 mounts to your car 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 you can often find it for a little less on Amazon. It’s only available in one color configuration, which is black/gray. It measures 79 x 56 x 28mm.

Vent mounts tend to be great options for those with limited space in their vehicles. Furthermore, these vents are rarely interacted with, so the mount and phone likely won’t get in the way.

What’s good?

Belkin has a strong reputation in the smartphone accessory market. The company prioritizes build quality, simplicity, and ease of use. They tend to be a bit pricier, but customers are paying for quality. The Belkin Car Vent Mount is no exception. It’s small and the colors aren’t flashy, so it will be barely noticeable when not in use. While mostly made of plastic, the accessory doesn’t feel cheap at all. No parts are loose. The expandable arms have rubberized padding and have metal internals for a sturdy hold.

The vent clamp is strong and didn’t lose 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 no-hassle accessory that does what it promises very well. It even goes above and beyond in some departments.

While Belkin promises compatibility with up to 5.5-inch screen devices, it can do more. I was able to mount a Google Pixel 3 XL comfortably, as well as a Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus. Both are large devices, and I was using a wallet case with one of them, which adds plenty of width and thickness to the handset.

Also read: The best car apps for Android

Never did I feel like the phone would slip away or fall. The holder’s grip is pretty strong. Its smaller profile also means one can easily accommodate the arms in locations where no buttons or ports are covered. Then there’s the option of easily switching orientation, but that’s not something I took advantage of often. It might be great for navigation, or if you’re parked somewhere watching a movie.

The wire control slots in the back are lifesavers too. I hate having long cables running through my car getting in the way of everything. Not to mention, I didn’t have to fumble around looking for a connector all the time. It was always neatly hanging off the mount.

One thing I loved about using a vent mount is the fact that cool air is always hitting the back of the phone when the AC is on. This keeps device temperatures down during long navigation hours. Of course, this is also the contrary when the heater goes on.

What’s not so good?

My main complaint about the Belkin Car Vent Mount isn’t exactly its own fault, but I’ve seen other manufacturers come up with solutions. The accessory might be a solid product, but that doesn’t help much when your vents aren’t as sturdy.

Sadly, my car’s vents aren’t made for carrying large, heavy phones. They’re made to move around easily, so these blades are pretty loose. This means the phone and mount can move around when turning or taking on tight curves. The vents also made it impossible to angle the phone up, as the weight always tilted it down. That’s something to be mindful of if your vehicle doesn’t have the sturdiest vents.

Belkin Car Vent Mount review: Should I buy it?

Belkin’s vent mount is solidly built, inconspicuous, and simple to use. The price is reasonable for what you get, even if it’s a little higher than some alternatives. Feel out your vents first, though. If your AC vents are sturdy enough to hold the Belkin Car Vent Mount and the phone without issues, then it’s definitely one of the best options out there.