7 Useful Car Gadgets Under $40
Most time in a car goes to the same few things: keeping a phone charged, following directions, and wondering what a dashboard light means. The gadgets below handle those small jobs without any wiring work or a trip to the shop.
Every pick here is under $40, and each one plugs into something your car already has: a USB port, the 12V socket, or the OBD2 port under the dashboard that every car sold in the US since 1996 has. Prices shown are the current store prices.
The picks
1. OBD2 Car Diagnostic Scanner with Voltage & Charging System Tester
$28.49 · Free US shipping on orders $35+
When the check-engine light comes on, this reads the fault code so you know what you're dealing with before calling a mechanic, and it can clear the code after a fix. It also checks battery voltage and the charging system, which is handy when a car is slow to start.
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2. 15W Magnetic Wireless Car Charger Mount, 360° Adjustable for iPhone & Android
$30.99 · Free US shipping on orders $35+
The phone snaps onto a magnet and charges wirelessly at up to 15W, so there's no cable to plug in every trip. It rotates 360° for portrait or landscape maps, and a USB-C cable comes in the box.
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3. 4-in-1 120W Retractable Car Charger with USB-C & Lightning Cables
$33.49 · Free US shipping on orders $35+
Two built-in retractable cables plus extra USB-C and USB-A ports, so the driver and passengers can all charge at once. It supports USB PD and Quick Charge, with up to 30W from a port, and fits any 12V socket.
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4. Magnetic Vacuum Suction Car Phone Mount for the Center Console
$34.49 · Free US shipping on orders $35+
A stainless steel magnetic mount that holds with a single vacuum suction cup on the dashboard or center console. No drilling, and it folds flat when you don't need it.
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5. 9-Inch Flexible Arm Dashboard Phone Holder, 360° View for 4.7-6.7 Inch Phones
$38.49 · Free US shipping
A good fit for cars where the vents or dash are in an awkward spot: the 9-inch flexible arm brings the phone closer to you. The clamp takes phones from 4.7 to 6.7 inches and mounts on the dash, windshield or an air vent.
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6. GPS Digital Speedometer HUD Display with Overspeed Alarm for Cars & Trucks
$28.49 · Free US shipping on orders $35+
Shows your speed in MPH or km/h using GPS rather than the car's OBD system, so it works in older cars and trucks too. It runs on USB, adjusts its brightness automatically, has an overspeed alarm and shows driving time and distance.
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7. 4-Piece 72-LED RGB Car Interior Light Strips with App & Music Sync
$29.49 · Free US shipping on orders $35+
Four USB-powered LED strips for under the seats or along the trim. You change colors and brightness from a phone app over Bluetooth, and a built-in mic can sync the lights to music. Purely for fun, but an easy one to install.
View product →Buying tips
- Check the phone size first.
- Clamp mounts list a size range. The flexible-arm holder above takes 4.7 to 6.7 inch phones, so a very large phone or a thick case may not fit.
- Magnetic mounts need a magnet on the phone side.
- iPhone 12 and newer models have magnets built in. Most other phones need a magnetic case or a stick-on metal ring before a magnetic mount will hold them.
- Use the 12V socket for fast charging.
- Built-in USB ports in many cars, especially older ones, put out little power. A charger in the 12V socket is usually the quicker option.
- Know the windshield rules where you drive.
- Some states limit what can be mounted on the windshield. A dash or console mount avoids the question.
- A code reader gives you the code, not always the fix.
- Look up what the code means for your make and model before buying parts. Clearing a code doesn't fix the cause; if the problem is still there, the light comes back.
- Heat slows wireless charging.
- Phones charge slower or pause charging when they get hot, which happens on a sunny dashboard. Pointing a vent at the phone helps.
Free US shipping starts at $35 per order, so pairing two small items, like a mount and a charger, usually gets you there. Everything comes with 30-day returns.
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