To determine the best car accessories we focused on a few key points: purpose, size, safety, ease of use, and installation. While we know the reason you pick a car accessory can vary, we prioritized ones that made being in your car easier and safer. This included additional charging ports, increased comfort, and better hands-free controls.
After taking all of the above into account, we nominated the Drop Stop Car Seat Gap Filler as our Top Pick. We liked that this was a simple and easy to install device that solved a major problem — dropping items between your seat and the center console. Plus it will fit in most cars, making it a universal solution. Keep reading to learn about the rest of our top picks.
Top 6 Best Car Accessories
#1 Drop Stop Car Seat Gap Filler
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: This is one of the best car accessories because it’s a simple and easy to install product that prevents phones, credit cards, or loose change from sliding under the front seats.
- Best seat gap coverage
- Universal front seat fit
- Easy to install
- Only for front seats
Everyone knows the frustration that comes with accidentally dropping keys, your phone, or a credit card down the side of a seat — especially between the seat and the center console. The Drop Stop Car Seat Gap Filler is one of the best car accessories because it’s a simple product that addresses this universal pain point.
This is a two-piece set of neoprene fabric gap covers that are designed with a fairly universal fit that will work for most front seats. It features pre-cut slots to fit snugly around seat belts and prevent items from accidentally falling into the abyss. And the low profile black color is meant to blend into the natural shadow that your car’s interior would have with the open gap. To make sure your car is ready for a long journey you might want to grab the best car battery too.
#2 EPAuto Waterproof Car Trash Can with Lid
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: A smart and reusable solution for storing trash during long road trips with a waterproof design to prevent accidental leaks.
- Best for road trips
- Easy to remove
- Waterproof design
- Anchor strap is short
Road trips are fun until you realize that your car now looks like the inside of a garbage can. The EPAuto waterproof car trash can with a lid is a great solution for this common problem. Keep discarded food wrappers, and empty cans or bottles. The trash can is lined in vinyl to prevent leaks.
We like that there’s velcro on the lid to help keep it closed and also on the bottom of the bin to hold it securely in place — making it perfect to keep on the floor of your car or in the cargo space if you have an SUV or crossover vehicle. Plus side handles help you keep the disposable liner bags securely in place until you’re ready to replace them. And the additional exterior mesh pockets give you more space to store additional trash bags or cleaning supplies.
#3 Ainope Dual USB Car Charger
Award: BEST ON A BUDGET
WHY WE LIKE IT: This is one of those high-tech car gadgets that are intuitive thanks to the dual USB charger ports and low-profile design.
- Dual-charger design
- Low-profile design
- LED backlight
- Not universal for all charging cords
Whether you have multiple people in your car or you’re the type who needs to charge multiple devices even when you’re alone in the car, the Ainope Dual USB Car Charger is a great option. This is one of those high-tech car gadgets that feels more like an essential need than a want. We like that this device automatically increases the number of devices you can charge at once.
This simple two-port device uses your car’s cigarette lighter to double as a charger. You’ll also like that this is a low profile design that is practically flush with the surrounding area once plugged into your cigarette lighter. And the backlit LED makes it easy to find when you’re driving at night. But you’ll also appreciate that this doesn’t get warm when it’s in use.
#4 Govee Interior Car Lights
Award: BEST AESTHETIC UPGRADE
WHY WE LIKE IT: For people who love tricking out their rides this easy to install LED light kit should be on their car accessories list.
- Vibrant RGB LEDs
- Easy 3M adhesive installation
- Smartphone controller app included
- Only for interior
For some people who are really into car culture, they might like functional car accessories but they also want options that make their cars stand out from everyone else’s. The Govee Interior Car Lights is an interior LED strip light set that’s easy to install and even easier to manage so it should be on your car accessories list. This kit offers longer wires, making it compatible with a wider range of cars. You also get cable ties and screws — along with the 3M adhesive strips — for a more secure hold.
We like that you get four strip lights and that all you have to do is plug it into your car’s cigarette lighter to power it — no wiring expertise needed. And while it does have a manual controller to turn the lights on and off and toggle through effects, you can also download Govee’s proprietary app to your smartphone and control colors, effects, and more through your phone. You’ll also like that these lights have a built-in mic so you can control the effects to the beat of your favorite tunes.
#5 Snailax Massage Car Seat Cushion
We’re sorry, this product is temporarily out of stock
Award: BEST QUALITY
WHY WE LIKE IT: The perfect high quality solution for road warriors that ensures the most comfortable ride and is easy to install.
- Includes heat and massaging modes
- Full seat cushion design
- Includes controls
- Expensive
If you’re always driving for work or take multiple road trips, you know that logging long hours in a car can do a number on your back and legs. The Snailax Massage Car Seat Cushion is the perfect solution. This full-length seat cushion measures 25.4 inches long for the back and 16.6 inches long for the seat portion, with a total width of 18.5 inches.
But what makes this our Best Quality recommendation is the fact that this plush seat cushion features six vibrating massage nodes and three heating pads — making it perfect for those chilly winter days while you wait for your car’s heater to reach full capacity. You’ll also like that you get a controller that lets you toggle between massage modes and intensity levels as well as adjust the heat levels as needed.
#6 Loncaster Car Phone Holder
Award: BEST PHONE HOLDER
WHY WE LIKE IT: A smart dashboard phone mount that supports horizontal orientation and won’t move while you drive.
- Supports horizontal orientation
- Can be mounted on top of dash
- Android & iOS compatible
- Not compatible with large phone cases
Some people prefer using their smartphones in horizontal or landscape mode when they’re in the car. But a quick search through most smartphone car holders proves that most brands assume people prefer to use their phone in portrait mode. If you are a landscape mode fan, then the Loncaster Car Phone Holder is the solution for you.
This wide car phone holder is designed to sit on top of your dashboard, which means that it’s a safer option since your eyes will be level with the road. The holder is compatible with most Android and Apple devices although if you use oversized cases like Otterbox, you might need to take it out of the case before placing the phone in this device. And thanks to the non-slip silicone pad, once placed on your dashboard, you don’t have to worry about it slipping around as you drive.
How We Decided
There are a wide range of car accessories and picking the right one is going to depend on the features or functions that are most important to you as well as your budget or how easily you can install the accessory in your car. To create our guide, we looked at the following factors — purpose, size, safety, ease of use, and installation.
As you saw in our recommendations, the purpose varied widely between most of the selections. While our #4 pick was purely for aesthetics, the remainder focused on addressing specific pain points such as losing items between your seat and the console (Top Pick) or charging devices (#3 and #7). But we also picked our Honorable Mention and Best Quality nominations because they were designed to increase your physical comfort and experience while in the car, especially if you spend a lot of time driving.
And again, with safety, the majority of the selections in our guide are designed to keep you safer on the road. Not having to grope under your seat for a dropped item, hold your phone as you drive, take a hands-free call, or a reduction in back pain can all go a long way to keeping you focused with your eyes on the road.
You’ll also find that all of our selections were designed to be easy to install and with a universal fit in mind. Phone holders (#6) and chargers (Best on a Budget and #7) support both Android and Apple devices. Seat gap covers (Top Pick), seat cushions (Best Quality), and the travel-friendly trash can (Honorable Mention) can all work in a wide range of cars. And even our #4 recommendation is easy to install interior LED light strip kit that can be controlled through a smartphone app.
You can compare pricing, specs and customer reviews of our Top Picks and other popular accessories on Amazon.com.
Best Car Accessories Buyer’s Guide
The Most Important Factors to Consider
- Purpose
“Car accessories” is a huge category to tackle. So, if you’re thinking about adding a few upgrades to your car, you’ll need to decide why you want to do this. Are you looking solely to improve the aesthetics, or are you hoping to make your car more functional? Something like LED lighting in your car can be seen as an aesthetic upgrade. Meanwhile, a multi-port USB car charge, trunk organizer, or even a car vacuum can improve the functionality of your car. - Size
Whether you’re buying a wireless charging pad for your car’s dash or additional light strips, you’ll always want to confirm that it’s compatible with your car. Always measure your dashboard, console, or wherever you’re planning to place an accessory to ensure that it fits. - Safety
Considering that you’re going to be driving with these accessories in your car, you want to make sure that whatever new gadget you’re adding doesn’t pose a safety hazard. Car accessories shouldn’t obstruct your view through the windshield, rearview mirror, or side mirrors. - Ease of Use
Right along with safety, you want to make sure that whatever accessories you add to your car are easy to use. You should avoid car accessories that are so difficult to operate that you’re constantly taking your eyes off the road. - Installation
Also, consider how easy or hard it will be to install a new accessory in your car. Something like a USB port extension is easy to use and usually relies on your car’s cigarette lighter. In contrast, something like LED light strips might require more technical knowledge since you’ll need to integrate it into your car’s electrical wiring. If you’re thinking of buying a more complex accessory that is beyond your technical abilities, it’s best to take it to a professional.
We buy the best cars, so naturally, we want the coolest gear for those cars. The best radar detector will keep you safe from tickets, while the best car alarm will keep your vehicle safe and secure. You can’t beat that. Of course, we all love our music and want the best car stereo as well.
