Killer car gadget adds a hook and phone holder to your backseat

Apr 02, 2024

There are some car products that make so much sense, you wonder why car manufacturers don't just include them. I'm thinking of the Drop Stop gap filler, for example, and the TikTok-favorite steering wheel tray table. To that list I'll now add the Toovren Car Hook Mobile Phone Holder, which works in just about any car that has adjustable headrests and performs two incredibly useful functions. Here's why I think every car owner — especially Lyft and Uber drivers — will want one.

Easily add a pair of hooks to your backseat — and a phone holder while you're at it. This two-pack normally sells for $14, but if you wait for a sale you might be able to get it for as low as $8.

The product is deceptively simple. You simply pop open the ski-boot-style clasp and hook it around one of your car's headrest posts. It has four notches to accommodate post sizes ranging from 8 mm to 18 mm.

And that's it. Now you've got a sturdy hook that can hold a purse, grocery bag, backpack or whatever — anything you'd like to keep off the seat or floor or just make more easily accessible. The manufacturer says it can hold up to 22 pounds.

But, wait, there's more: Hiding in the arm of this hook is a flip-out phone holder with a spring-loaded bracket. Anyone riding in the backseat can position their screen more or less at eye level, making for much more comfortable movie viewing during long rides. The holder can accommodate phones up to 6.5 inches.

I tested this in a 2019 Kia Sportage and 2018 Chrysler Pacifica minivan. Installation proved simple in both vehicles, but take note that unless the hook is positioned a couple inches above the top of the seat (meaning not at the very bottom of the headrest), you might not have enough clearance to swing the phone holder open and shut. This isn't a huge problem, as the holder can just fold under most of the way when not in use (see above).

The only real issue is if your headrest is mounted on curved posts, which would likely prevent you from installing this at all. Check your vehicle before buying.

Whether you use these as hooks or phone holders or switch between the two as needed, I think they're a great addition to any vehicle. Lyft and Uber drivers could install them as a simple value-add for passengers, maybe resulting in a four-star rating getting bumped to a five? (Note: I'd also bump the rating if you'd just ask whether I want to hear your music blasting or not.)

Personally, I just wish I'd discovered these sooner, as I now have the perfect place to hang my pickleball bag.

Easily add a pair of hooks to your backseat — and a phone holder while you're at it. This two-pack normally sells for $14, but if you wait for a sale you might be able to get it for as low as $8.