iOttie Easy One Touch 4 review: Versatile and convenient

Phones have become a crucial part of our commutes. We use them for music, navigation, hands-off communications, and more. This is why finding the best car phone holder for your needs is so important. We’ve come across the iOttie Easy One Touch 4 in our search of the perfect co-pilot and it has been my companion for some time. Now it’s time to tell you all about it, so buckle up! This is Android Authority‘s iOttie Easy One Touch 4 review.

What you need to know about the iOttie Easy One Touch 4

• iOttie Easy One Touch 4 (HLCRIO126): $24.95/£20.99/€21.95

The iOttie Easy One Touch 4 is a car phone mount with a patented mechanism that makes it simple to dock and release your smartphone. It uses a suction cup for mounting to dashboards and windshields, while a telescopic arm can be customized for optimal viewing.

MSRP sits at $29.95, but you can find the accessory for $19.95 on Amazon when discounted. You can also find it available from other popular retailers.

Customers don’t get much choice over colors and configurations, as the product is only available in black. It can handle any smartphone/case combination between 58-88mm of width.

An air vent-fitted version of the iOttie Easy One Touch 4 is also available. We tested the dash and windshield version.

What’s good?

Arguably the coolest feature of the iOttie Easy One Touch 4 is its docking mechanism. There’s a large rubber button with silver accents right on the backplate. This makes the mount’s arms close and tighten when pressed. One can dock a phone by simply pressing it against the holder. You can then squeeze the release bars to unmount your device. It’s a simple operation that makes jumping in and out of your vehicle with your phone a quick and easy process.

The car mount also offers plenty of flexibility. The arm can be shortened, extended, lowered, or raised. The ball cap provides total freedom of orientation, and the arms are wide enough to handle most phones. If that isn’t enough, you can also customize the holder’s feet to keep your device from falling victim to gravity. And you don’t only get the freedom to move them up and down, but also side to side. This makes it simple to free access to ports on the bottom of the phone.

iOttie’s holder is mounted with a suction cup, which proved to be strong enough to hold even heavy phones like the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. Suction cups also give you freedom of placement, as they make it possible to mount the holder wherever you deem safest and most convenient. And if you can’t find an optimal flat surface for it, the box comes with a flat dashboard pad that can be firmly stuck to any surface thanks to its adhesive underside.

Also read: These are the best car apps for your Android device

What’s not so good?

This mount is advertised as a dashboard and windshield accessory, which comes with a few issues. Having anything obstructing your front view is a hazard, not to mention illegal in some regions (check your local laws). But while the windshield and dashboard are obvious homes for this mount, you don’t necessarily have to put the iOttie Easy One Touch 4 there. The suction cup and included pad make it simple to install this anywhere.

This is also a very noticeable mount that won’t blend into its environment. This wouldn’t be a problem if it was aesthetically pleasing, but its design isn’t among the best. It’s made of that cheaper plastic affordable accessories are often characterized by. And while its complex arms and knobs make it very versatile, they also make it look like a bit of a messy contraption, especially when placed right smack in the middle of your dashboard or windshield. This is certainly made for productivity, not looks.

Aesthetics aside, we were actually pretty happy with the unit’s sturdiness. The joints felt strongly attached and nothing really moved around, save for a few thinner parts in the holder. It’s pretty solid, but almost to a fault. Moving parts felt and sounded like they were being cranked when moved. The automatic docking mechanism is also pretty rough. It violently clamps on the phone when activated. I don’t think it will damage anything, but it’s something to consider if you like smoother mechanics.

Of course, the fact that the phone holder extends out makes it more prone to random movement when driving over rougher terrain. It definitely wiggles about constantly, which is another downside.

iOttie Easy One Touch 4 review: Should I buy it?

If you can mount the iOttie Easy One Touch 4 safely, and don’t mind the cheaper plastic and rough mechanics, then it’s a good car mount to have.

The automatic mounting mechanism is super convenient. Moving arms provide plenty of flexibility for optimal phone access and viewing. An included dashboard pad and suction cup make it possible to attach the accessory to more surfaces (if they fit). And while the price is not among the lowest, it’s still fair for what you get.

iOttie also offers the Easy One Touch 5 now, which is another product you might want to consider if you don’t mind paying a bit extra. However, we recommend the One Touch 4 as while the One Touch 5 can support wider phones, it’s not as good at keeping them in place.