This is the English edition of a review from my Japanese YouTube channel, iestaLife. I review gadgets from my home studio in Japan, so product links go to Amazon Japan.
Quick take
The Andery suction-cup MagSafe car mount is one of the best sellers on Amazon Japan, and the vacuum gel cup really does grip hard, even on a sloped soft-touch dashboard. The problem is my car: with a large infotainment screen in the middle of the dash, there are very few good spots to put it. If your car has usable air vents, a vent mount is the safer choice. The upside is that the Andery is just as useful at home, stuck to a kitchen splash guard or a bathroom wall.
What I tested
- Andery MagSafe car mount, vacuum gel suction cup (non-charging)
- UGREEN MagSafe vent mount with an extension arm, which I use every day
- The previous-generation Toyota RAV4 with a center display
- Later: the Andery wireless charging version, mounted in my kitchen
What I found
- Grip: the gel pad is thick and tacky. Twisting the base pulls the center into a vacuum, so it holds on slightly uneven surfaces. If the pad gets dirty, rinsing it with water restores the tack. The manual says it sticks less well in the cold and reaches full strength after 72 hours.
- Build: fine, but more plasticky than the product photos suggest.
- In the car: it would not fit behind the center screen. It stuck to the curved passenger-side pad, but that spot was too far away to use while driving. One other spot on the dash held very firmly and barely blocked my view.
- Residue: suction mounts left in place for a long time can leave a mark, especially on soft-touch surfaces. It is also quite stiff to remove, so it is not ideal if you move it often.
- Windshield: some listings show it on the windshield. Check your local rules before doing that.
| Andery (suction) | UGREEN (vent) | |
|---|---|---|
| Mounting | Vacuum gel cup on the dash | Clips to an air vent |
| Price at recording | Under ¥2,000 (list ¥3,000) | Just over ¥2,000 on sale |
| In my RAV4 | Few good spots | Arm moves it to a good viewing height |
| Away from the car | Kitchen, bathroom, any flat surface | Car only |
Who it is for
- Drivers whose dashboard has a flat area within reach
- People happy to use it at home if it does not suit the car
- Not ideal if your car has a big center screen and usable vents; a vent mount like the UGREEN is easier to position
The wireless charging version has a charging port on both the top and the bottom, so the cable can come from whichever side is tidier. In my kitchen, eye level on the glass splash guard kept the phone away from oil and water much better than a stand on the counter.
The video is in Japanese. The in-car test starts around 6:05, and the vent-mount comparison around 12:12. The kitchen setup with the charging version is in a separate video:
Limitations
I tested it in one car model only. How well a suction mount fits depends heavily on your dashboard. Prices and sales figures are Amazon Japan’s at the time of recording.
Products
Andery MagSafe car mount (suction): on Amazon Japan
UGREEN MagSafe vent mount: on Amazon Japan
ESR MagSafe car mount (vent or dash): on Amazon Japan
Andery MagSafe car mount with wireless charging: on Amazon Japan
The Amazon Japan links above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Check the listing for the exact model, current price and shipping availability in your region.
More reviews in English
