I tried this magnetic car charger, and it turned my phone into and adjustable infotainment unit

• Price, availability, and specs
• What I liked about the ESR Magnetic Charger
• What I didn’t like about the ESR OmniLock Magnetic Car Charger
• Should you buy the ESR OmniLock Magnetic Car Charger?

Accessing your smartphone apps while driving is illegal in most states because it’s dangerous and impedes the driver’s concentration. Most of us wouldn’t want to call or send text messages while driving anyway, because it’s inconvenient and not worth the risk of having an accident or facing stiff penalties. That’s why I was excited to try ESR’s OmniLock Magnetic Car Charger, which provides a hands-free experience so I can drive safely.

ESR was founded in 2009 and has won various awards for its designs, which are based on innovation and simplicity. The current product lineup consists of charging systems, cases, and other phone accessories like styluses and keyboards. The OmniLock Magnetic Car Charger is the first product I’ve tested from the brand, and here’s how it went after a week of daily use.

Price, availability, and specs

On the go practicality

The ESR Omnilock Magnetic Car Charger is a vehicle phone holder that keeps my phone in reach and tops up my battery when I’m driving.

It consists of four all-black parts in the box which require assembling before use. There’s a 12-volt power adapter, a USB-C cable, and the holder itself, which comprises the adjustable arm and large, magnetic charging pad.

Assembling the holder and installing it in my car was a cinch. All I needed to do was loosen the screw-on locking mechanism and push the arm and charging pad together with a ball joint system. I then loosened the holder’s extendable claw, which fits through my car’s air vents and hooks onto one of the slats.

Assembling the holder and installing it in my car was a cinch.

After hooking it on to the slats, I retracted the claw by turning the locking nut, which pulls the charger closer to the vent, holding it into place. I then slotted the power adapter into my car’s 12-volt port and connected one end of the USB-C cable into it and the other end into the charger itself. I could then place my phone on the magnetic charging pad while driving.

The Omnilock Magnetic Car Charger is currently available from the ESR website and Amazon for $70.

What I liked about the ESR Magnetic Charger

Secure fast-charging

I’m a big fan of simplicity and liked that I could assemble and install the ESR Omnilock Magnetic Charger in just a few minutes. All the parts felt solid and locked into place without any loose play.

Adjustability is another strong point because the arm provides 360-degree adjustability to find the perfect position that doesn’t block accessibility to my air-con or infotainment controls. The charging pad moves side-to-side and up to 60 degrees up and down so I can swivel the phone to face me when I am driving or turn it towards the passenger side for my daughter to watch YouTube videos when she’s bored on road trips.

The spacious charging pad has a strong magnet that effortlessly holds my phone in a vertical or horizontal position even on the bumpiest roads. I had no issues placing my phone in an upright position for making and receiving calls or switching to landscape for more real-estate when using the navigation feature.

The spacious charging pad has a strong magnet that effortlessly holds my phone in a vertical or horizontal position

The charging function on the Omnilock Magnetic Charger works as advertised with the Qi 2.2 25W wireless fast-charging, matching my phone’s capabilities and keeping it topped up for Android Auto use. I liked that it includes a secondary USB-A port to accommodate another cable. I hooked up my phone to the magnetic charging pad and ran another cable to charge my daughter’s iPad.

My phone stayed cool while using the charger because the pad includes a built-in fan ESR calls CryoBoost. The fan is silent, and I wouldn’t have known it was there if I hadn’t seen the feature advertised on the website.

What I didn’t like about the ESR OmniLock Magnetic Car Charger

Questionable cable durability

There isn’t much to dislike about the ESR Omnilock. My only gripe is the USB-C cable, which I think could be better quality. It’s the perfect length and worked well, but I’d have preferred a thicker braided version, which is more durable for long-term use.

Should you buy the ESR OmniLock Magnetic Car Charger?

It’s an easy decision

The ESR is now a permanent fixture in my car because of the hands-free convenience it offers. My wife’s older car doesn’t have a modern infotainment system and the Omnilock Magnetic Charger was a game-changer.

It turned her phone into an adjustable touchscreen for taking calls, navigation or playing music from Spotify, so she doesn’t need to touch her car’s built-in unit. I think it’s worth getting this magnetic charger because it makes phone access much easier when driving, and you can always replace the USB-C cable if it gets damaged.