Tablets make life simpler and more fun. The same is true for cars. If you plan to drive your vehicle while using your tablet’s GPS or other features, though, you need to be certain you have a hands-free tool to hold the device. A tablet car mount allows you to take your tablet with you every time you hit the road.
As you may know, there are hundreds of tablet stands in general, and many tablet car mounts on the market today. Not every mount is a smart purchase, though. How do you know the difference? That’s where we come in. In this article, we review five of the best tablet mounts on sale today. Continue reading to see which mounts make our list.
Tablet Car Mount FAQ
To get the most out of our rankings, you must have a basic understanding of tablet mounts. Here are some common questions we get from consumers.
1. What Is a Tablet Car Mount?
Tablet car mounts are devices that attach to the inside of your vehicle. These tools securely hold your tablet or other personal electronic device in place while you drive. As such, your hands remain free to operate your vehicle. Meanwhile, your attention stays focused on navigating the road instead of driving your vehicle.
2. What Does a Tablet Car Mount Do?
Tablet mounts install inside your vehicle and hold your tablet. How you install the mount depends on the style of mount you purchase and the type of car you drive. Most mounts allow you to easily attach and remove your tablet.
3. How Much Do Tablet Car Mounts Cost?
It is difficult to give an accurate price estimate for car tablet mounts, as features and installation determine the exact cost of a mount. Most, however, cost between $10 and $100. We discuss the overall price range of tablet car mounts in greater detail later in this review.
4. Where Can You Buy a Tablet Car Mount?
You may purchase a tablet car mount anywhere electronics are sold. This includes both brick-and-mortar stores and online sellers. Commonly, consumers choose to purchase tablet mounts through a third-party vendor, such as Amazon. Depending on your shopping style, you may find a mount for your vehicle at a big-box store, consumer electronics outlet or automotive parts seller.
5. How Much Do Tablet Car Mounts Cost?
The cost of tablet car mounts varies considerably. Generally, you should expect to spend between $10 and $100 on a holder for your tablet. Some devices, however, cost more than $100. Still, mounts frequently go on sale or sell for a discounted price. To help you budget effectively, we discuss overall pricing for car tablet mounts in greater detail later in this review.
How We Reviewed Tablet Car Mounts
We know you work hard for your money. As such, you don’t want to spend valuable dollars on any product that isn’t a good investment. Since we take our obligation to provide you with honest, reliable and valuable information seriously, we carefully reviewed several tablet car mounts. Not only did we look at published marketing materials for each mount, we read through both professional and amateur reviews.
To earn a spot on our list, we expect tablet mounts to excel in the following areas:
- Installation
- Functionality
- Durability
- Style
- Price
In our quest to help you make an informed purchase, we ranked five devices based on the above factors. We also assigned a rating to each tablet car mount. These ratings are on a five-point scale. In addition to our one through five rankings, you can use our rating system to see how each mount compares to the one before and after it on our list.
While our rankings are comprehensive, they aren’t necessarily exhaustive. That is, you may find an excellent tablet car mount that failed to make our rankings. That’s okay. We hope you use the information in this review to know which questions to ask when purchasing your new automotive tablet holder.
Overall Price Range of Tablet Car Mounts
As we mentioned above, the overall price range of tablet car mounts varies considerably. While you may spend as little as $10 on a car mount, some cost more than $100. As you may guess, generally the more money you spend, the more features you get. Often, pricier holders include the following:
- Ability to hold large tablets
- High-end materials
- Fast installation
- Customizable setup
- Modern finishes
- Hefty construction
While you can spend a small fortune on your new tablet car mount, you don’t have to bust your budget. In fact, many of the tablets on our ranking of the best car mounts sell for under $100. In the list below, we give you a general idea of how much each tablet car mount costs. Remember, though, that prices change frequently. As such, only use the estimate in our article to get a general idea of how much you need to spend. For actual pricing information, check with a brick-and-mortar electronics seller or conduct an online search.
In our review below, we give you a price estimate for each car mount we reviewed. Remember, though, pricing fluctuates frequently. Accordingly, we ask that you use our price estimates for informational purposes only. For real-time pricing, check with a brick-and-mortar retailer or search online.
The Best Tablet Car Mounts for 2018: Rankings, Ratings and Reviews
The Winner: [amazon link=”B00B4ZF4NS” title=”DigitlMobile Robust Seat Bolt Tablet Car Mount Vehicle Swivel Cradle Mount Holder” /]
[amazon box=”B00B4ZF4NS”]
In our opinion, there is a clear standout in the crowded field of car tablet holders. The DigitlMobile Robust Seat Bolt Tablet Car Mount With Vehicle Swivel Cradle Mount Holder is the best of the best.
This holder features strong clamps that sit on top of a flexible 18-inch holder. This means you can point the tablet’s screen in any direction you choose. The DigitlMobile holder also bolts firmly to your vehicle using heavy-duty screws. This gives you peace of mind, knowing your tablet’s holder isn’t likely to come unhooked and damage your expensive electronic device. While see this as a clear selling point, you may not. When screwing this holder into place, you can expect to leave scratches or holes on the inside of your vehicle.
Because of the way this holder is designed, you can mount it virtually anywhere. Install this on your car’s floorboard, ceiling, seat base or somewhere else. Because this mount screws firmly in place, you don’t have to give up your cupholders or CD player to secure your tablet.
The DigitlMobile holder secures the largest devices of any holder we reviewed. In fact, this mount can hold tablets with a 12-inch screen on the diagonal. You don’t have to have a huge tablet for this mount to work, though. In fact, the DigitlMobile mount holds devices as small as 7 inches just as well as it does larger tablets.
While $35 is a reasonable price to pay to take your tablet with you, the DigitlMobile mount does not have the lowest price tag of any device on our list. Still, we don’t think you will mind paying a bit extra for the many features this tablet car mount offers.
Price: $35Rating: 5/5
The Runner-Up: [amazon link=”B00LZ6KQDO” title=”Koomis CD-Air Tab CD Slot Universal Tablet PC Car Mount Holder” /]
[amazon box=”B00LZ6KQDO”]
Unlike the DigitlMobile car mount that screws into your vehicle’s interior, the Koomis CD-Air Tab CD Slot Universal Tablet PC Car Mount Holder leaves no car scars. Instead, this tablet holder easily installs in seconds using your vehicle’s CD slot.
Made with durable materials and strong construction, the Koomis CD-air tablet car mount pushes into the CD slot. When you are ready to remove the holder, simply pull it back out of the slot. Of course, the downside of the Koomis holder is that you can’t play CDs while you have the holder installed. Who listens to CDs nowadays anyway?
You may be concerned that your CD player will sustain damage if you use the Koomis holder. After all, even though you may not use your vehicle’s CD player often, you want it to stay in good shape. Fortunately, there is no evidence that this holder damages your CD slot or player. Rather, it gives you a hands-free way to use your tablet when you are behind the wheel.
The Koomis car tablet mount supports devices with diagonal screen measurements of up to 11 inches. In addition to your tablet, it holds GPS devices and smart phones. This feature makes the Koomis mount a versatile tool. It is also more affordable than the DigitlMobile device at the top of our list.
Price: $25Rating: 4.5/5
Tablet Car Mount #3: [amazon link=”B00F0IQTE8″ title=”iKross 2-in-1 Adjustable Cup Mount Holder” /]
[amazon box=”B00F0IQTE8″]
If you don’t want to screw into your vehicle’s interior or stuff something into its CD slot, the iKross 2-in-1 Adjustable Cup Mount Holder is a fantastic alternative. This device sits inside a cup holder and holds your tablet or smartphone. As such, you can quickly move this mount to the front or rear of your vehicle without much effort.
The iKross holder has a base that looks like the bottom of a fast-food cup. Attached to the base is a swivel arm that allows you to customize how you view your device. If you are thinking about purchasing the iKross mount, you must do some measuring first. This tablet holder only fits cup holders that are 3.75 inches in diameter. If your cupholder is smaller, the mount simply won’t fit. If it is larger, your tablet will likely jiggle around as you drive.
Price: $80Rating: 4/5
Tablet Car Mount #4: [amazon link=”B01554PVDQ” title=”Okra Universal Tablet Air Vent Car Mount Holder With 360-Degree Rotating Swivel” /]
[amazon box=”B01554PVDQ”]
Budget-friendly shoppers love the Okra Universal Tablet Air Vent Car Mount Holder With 360-Degree Rotating Swivel. This mount clips to your vehicle’s air vent. For most vehicles, this mounting approach provides an effective way to use a tablet from either the driver’s or passenger’s seat. The Okra mount also has a lifetime warranty.
We don’t love vent-mounted tablet holders. Because vents are designed to move, your tablet may slouch during your drive. If you have a large tablet, you may roast, as your device blocks the flow of cooled air. Nonetheless, at just over $10, the Okra car tablet holder is an affordable, high-quality and stress-free way to use your tablet on the road.
Price: $11Rating: 3.5/5
Tablet Car Mount #5: [amazon link=”B01B2TBIQ2″ title=”Bestrix Universal Headrest Cradle Car Mount Holder” /]
[amazon box=”B01B2TBIQ2″]
The last tablet car mount on our list is the Bestrix Universal Headrest Cradle Car Mount Holder. This one mounts to the back of a headrest. As you have probably guessed, this makes the tablet viewable only from the backseat. Because we had front-seat functionality in mind when we created our list, this mount simply doesn’t cut it.
If you are looking for a backseat-mounted device, however, the Bestrix holder is hard to beat. The firm clips and rubber-coated finish make this holder optimal for busy families. In fact, you can entertain your children for hours without worry by simply letting them watch videos on your tablet while you drive.
Price: $19Rating: 2.5/5
Comparison Table
[amazon table=”2251″]
The Verdict: The DigitlMobile Robust Seat Bolt Tablet Car Mount Is the Best Tablet Car Mount on the Market Today
In our opinion the best tablet car mount on the market today is the DigitlMobile tablet holder. Because this mount attaches to the inside of your vehicle with screws, you know it isn’t going to wiggle loose. If you are hesitant to screw into your car’s interior, you have options. Each of the mounts on our list get the job done.
Remember, the only way to safely operate your vehicle is to avoid distraction. Read through your tablet mount’s operator’s manual for safety tips before you leave the driveway.
