Reviews

Review: iOttie Wireless Car Charger is a must have for summer travel

Bradley Chambers | Jun 7 2020 - 6:15 am PT

I’ve been on the search for the perfect car mount for my iPhone for years. I’ve tried multiple options, and I’ve finally found my favorite one. After doing research and reading countless reviews, I’ve finally settled on the iOttie Wireless Car Charger. With built-in wireless (Qi) charging, it’s the perfect accessory for the iPhone to stay hands-free in the car.

So let’s start with what I wanted out of a car mount. The first thing is I wanted to avoid is using an air vent. It gets pretty hot in Chattanooga in the summer, so I need all the cold air I can get when it’s 95+ degrees in July. I wanted something that would use a suction cup to stick to the dashboard. I tried to avoid using anything adhesive, so I wouldn’t have to try to remove it when I sold my truck in a few years for the Cybertruck.

The iOttie worked out of the box with just putting a little water on the suction cup to get it to stick to the top of my dashboard. It has a base that includes an optional adhesive for the bottom of it, but my car had a flat section where I wanted to mount it, so I didn’t need it.

The second requirement I had was wireless charging. I have gotten to a place in my life where I exclusively use wireless charging for my iPhone and my AirPods, so extending that to the car was natural. With my prior solutions, I had to place the iPhone in a dock and then find my Lightning cord to charge. With the iOttie solution, I plugged the micro-USB cable into the dock and my car power adaptor. Since it stays plugged in all the time, it’s one less task I have to do each time I get in and out of the car. As soon as I drop my iPhone into the mount, it begins to charge (uses 7.5-watt charging for compatible iPhones). One bonus feature I appreciate is that the car adaptor includes an additional USB port so my wife can charge her phone at the same time.

I am currently using an iPhone 11 Pro Max with a thin clear case, and the iOttie works great with it. The arms on the charger extend out, and then it firmly closes on the iPhone to keep it into place. Since installing it, I’ve not had a single issue with it falling out. I also appreciate how I can ever so slightly tilt the entire screen, so it’s at an optimal angle for me when using Apple Maps for directions. It’s also very easy to get the phone in and out of the dock.

Overall, I have no complaints. It’s easy to install, charges my phone, and holds it firmly in place while I am driving. I love how flexible the arm of the charger is so it’ll fit perfectly regardless of the location in your car. If you’re looking for a Qi-compatible car charger for summer vacation travel, check out the iOttie Wireless Car Charger.