25 Best Car Accessories You’ll Use All the Time
Updated: Apr. 01, 2024
We found the best car accessories for every type of driver, so you can keep your ride tidy, clean and safe.
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.
To some, it may seem like they spend just as much time in their car as they do in their home. Adding a few accessories to help keep things organized, cleaner or better connected will help your car feel that much more comfortable.
“A car vacuum, phone holder, tire air gauge, first aid kit, ice scraper and emergency kit with a flashlight are all good things to have,” says Todd Bialaszewski, certified master mechanic and founder of Junk Car Medics. “The one thing I have that I’d tell anyone to get is a dash camera. It gives peace of mind in case anything happens.”
Before picking out new accessories, take a minute to look around your car and think about what could help make the space more functional and driving easier and safer. Is your trunk constantly a mess? Try a trunk organizer. Are you constantly looking down at your lap to see the GPS directions on your phone? Add a magnetic phone mount to your cart. Do you live in a climate that sees a lot of snow? Look into getting rubber floor mats, an ice scraper, a windshield cover and escape tracks.
Not sure what you need? We’ve put together some of the best accessories for your car to help give you some inspiration.
The Best Car Accessories
- Best Dashboard Camera: ROVE R2-4K Dash Cam
- Best Cleaning Putty: COLORCORAL Cleaning Gel for Car
- Best Phone Mount: WixGear Magnetic Phone Holder
- Best Trunk Organizer: K KNODEL Car Trunk Organizer with Lid
- Best Car Vacuum: ThisWorx Car Vacuum Cleaner
- Best Headrest Hooks: Amooca Car Seat Headrest Hook
- Best Car Trash Can: AISIBO Mini Auto Car Garbage Can
- Best Pet Hair Remover: Chom Chom Roller Pet Hair Remover
Flush Fit Car Charger
AINOPE Car Charger Port
Turn your car’s cigarette lighters into modern USB chargers with this clutter-free flush-fit car charging device, easily one of the best car accessories for those using several devices. It’s one of the gadgets that can make your car smarter in an instant thanks to a barely protruding edge that makes it look like a factory-built standard offering.
It’s lightweight and portable so you can easily switch it between vehicles or take it in a rental when you’re traveling. It’s also compatible with cords for Android and Apple devices.
Dashboard Camera Recorder
ROVE R2-4K Dash Cam
You never know what’s going to happen while on the road. Having a high-quality dash cam can help you record an accident, break-in or capture the license plate number of a driver in the wrong. The Rove dash cam is super user-friendly. It comes with two different mounting options to best fit your car, a parking monitor and has night vision.
Car Seat Gap Filler
Drop Stop Car Seat Gap Filler
If you’re prone to dropping everything from drive-through fries to receipts between your seats, this genius Drop Stop car seat gap filler is one of the best car accessories to add to your list.
It’s an affordable bestseller (and an as-seen-on Shark Tank product) that provides 100 percent gap coverage in front of, surrounding and behind your car’s seat belt catch. It’s also a cinch to install thanks to a built-in slot that moves with your seat.
Microfiber Cleaning Towels
Chemical Guys Professional Grade Premium Microfiber Towels
Add a bunch of reusable scratch- and lint-free microfiber cloths to your shopping list, such as these bestselling Chemical Guys microfiber towels. They come in a pack of three, measuring a robust 16 inches on each side so you can clean your car’s exterior and interior without worry. We put the Chemical Guys microfiber towels to the test, and we can confirm they’re one of the best car cloths available.
These won’t leave streaks, lint or scratches behind. And guess what? They’re even machine washable so you can use them over and over again. (Be sure to hang dry; they’re not meant for the dryer.)
Car Cleaning Putty
Colorcoral Car Cleaning Gel
If you don’t already have a glob of ultra-affordable car cleaning putty in your possession, you need to. It’s the universally useful and fun-to-play-with car cleaning tool that makes removing dust and debris from hard-to-reach areas like AC vents and cup holders a total breeze.
Plus, it has more than 13,000 Amazon reviews. We’ve already written an article about why this car cleaning putty is all over TikTok.
Magnetic Phone Mount
WixGear Magnetic Phone Holder
This simple-looking magnetic phone mount takes a few seconds to install and makes our phone’s GPS so much easier — and safer — to use. A sturdy magnetic pull keeps your phone mounted to the dash without additional clips or sticky surfaces.
The base neatly attaches to your air conditioning vents, letting your device hang freely so your eyes stay on the road and your hands on the wheel.
Collapsible Car Trunk Organizer
K Knodel Car Trunk Organizer with Lid
One of the best car cleaning tips out there is to stop throwing stuff into your trunk haphazardly. That’s exactly why this easy-to-use collapsible car trunk organizer is such a good buy.
It fits trunks of almost any size and shape. The large storage capacity can handle everything from emergency gear to sports equipment. It features tough walls, two base plates, one slider divider, mesh pockets and a non-slip bottom. It also features reflective tape for easy visibility when it’s dark.
Backseat Organizer
Uleeka Backseat Organizer
If you have kids riding along, this backseat organizer is one of the best car accessories you can invest in for a tidy interior. It’s made of polyester that’s easy to clean and wipe, with extra-long straps with quick-release buckles.
It has more pockets than you probably even need to store iPads, treasured toys and tissues. You can even put the kids to work filling the organizer with their belongings as a fun spring cleaning chore.
Instant Carpet Spot Remover
Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover
If you’re wondering how to clean cloth car seats, keeping a bottle of one of the best car stain removers like this Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover on hand is just the ticket. Just spray it on generously, dab it in and then use a dry cloth to absorb the excess fluid. It’s that easy. Pair it with this car diffuser to enjoy your rides with an aromatic mist and a little added peace, too.
Escape Tracks
WawaAuto All-Weather Foldable Auto Traction Mat Tire Grip Aid
Owning the best snowblower won’t help if you’re snowed in while at work or out running errands. That’s why a set of portable escape tracks can be so useful for those in snow-prone climates. They provide emergency traction to help get the car out of snow, ice, mud or sand when the weather turns ugly.
Laptop and Food Seat Tray
ElfAnt Car Steering Wheel Seat Tray
Whether you take your work on the road or let your passengers eat while you’re driving, this laptop and food seat tray is one of the most brilliant car accessories money can buy. Add it to your road trip checklist for this summer. It instantly turns the back of a seat into an impromptu work or dining station with little effort.
Car Vacuum
ThisWorx Car Vacuum Cleaner
Keeping a tidy interior can be a challenge when you drive a lot. That’s why the affordable ThisWorx car vacuum is such a useful car accessory to add to your collection.
The ThisWorx car vacuum is an Amazon favorite, boasting more than 200,000 ratings. It’s one of the best car vacuums money can buy and features a powerful motor and small cleaning accessories to get into every nook and cranny.
Sun Visor Tissue Holder
Leather Tissue Holder for Car
Rather than letting tissue boxes clutter car floors or your back seat, invest in this sharp-looking sun visor tissue holder. It features a clever zip-around opening and out-of-the-way positioning. It keeps cars clean and tissues within reach.
New Car Scent Protectant Wipes
Meguiar’s New Car Scent Protectant Wipes
Love that new car smell? These Meguiar’s protectant wipes offer a factory-fresh scent that’s a mix of leather and fresh air. These protect all your vinyl, rubber and plastic surfaces without leaving an oily film behind, making them some of the best car wipes on the market.
Rubber Floor Mats
Motor Trend FlexTough Performance All-Weather Rubber Car Floor Mats
Adding car floor mats to your car’s interior helps you avoid cleaning car carpet more often than necessary and protects against damaging chemicals like road salt.
This set of rubber floor mats comes with three pieces to adequately cover your driver and front passenger seats as well as a back row. It’s made of heavy-duty rubber so you’ll get years of use out of it no matter how tough the local weather and elements are.
Gel Comfort Seat Cushion
Type S Infused Gel Comfort Seat Cushion
Not all car seats are created equal, and some sports cars and pickup trucks are known for their less-than-luxurious seat cushions. These nifty gel comfort seat cushions are made of memory foam that makes even the longest commutes feel like a cozy day on the couch.
The best part? The material adds support while molding to the shape of your body.
Headrest Hooks
Amooca Car Seat Headrest Hook
These small headrest hooks may be the best car accessories on the list for those with tight budgets. For less than $11, they easily convert ordinary headrests into brilliant handbag and mask holders, clearing clutter and keeping feet off important items.
They come as a set of four so you’ll have enough for each of your main seats. They take just a few seconds to install, and even neatly fit around your favorite Carhartt seat covers.
Mini Garbage Can
Aisibo Mini Auto Car Garbage Can
This adorable mini car garbage can is about the size of a soft drink and offers waterproof trash disposal within reach, keeping gross messes off car interiors. Clever included springs keep it securely in place, and the can’s plastic cover can be removed for easy emptying.
You can even add small garbage bags to make emptying it even cleaner. The push-style lid closes automatically so you don’t have to worry about spills or stinky smells while you drive.
Windshield Cover
FrostGuard Standard Size Winter Windshield Cover
You’ll never scrape your windshield again with this easy-to-use FrostGuard winter windshield cover. Just lay it over the glass and the cover’s heavyweight polyester and PVC lining will protect it from snow, ice and other cold-weather chaos.
Pet Hair Remover
Chom Chom Roller Pet Hair Remover
Whether you’ve got dogs, cats or other furry friends riding shotgun, you’ll need to clean pet fur off the seats. This top-rated ChomChom pet hair remover rates 4.6 stars on Amazon with more than 100,000 reviews. It neatly fits in your glove compartment, and is easily one of the best products for removing pet fur anywhere you take it.
The best part? You don’t need to charge it or have any special technical know-how to make it work. Just roll it around fur-covered interiors and discard whatever you collect.
Cable Clips
OHill Desk Cable Management Cord Organizer
These inexpensive cable clips are the organizational items you probably never thought of but totally need. No more digging around for your charging cables, since they’ll be neatly attached to your console. The 16-pack means you won’t run out of clips anytime soon, either.
Car Window Shades
Enovoe Car Window Shades
Skip the expense of tinting your car windows. This easy-to-use package of car window shades offers sun and heat protection on the hottest days.
Sold in sets of four, they’re especially helpful if your car heats up like an oven in the summer sun. Plus, these shades claim to block more 97 percent of harmful UV rays — something everyone can get excited about.
Key Finder
Tile Mate Bluetooth Tracker
If you lose your keys more often than you’d like to admit, you need a nearly-weightless Tile Mate key finder attached to your fob. It’s one of the best car accessories for tech lovers and a cheap way to save time and energy every time you lose your keys.
The water-resistant key ring addition, about the size of a coin, works up to 250 feet and is iOS and Android compatible. The battery is good for up to three years, too.
Car Ice Scraper
AstroAI 27″ Snow Brush and Detachable Ice Scraper
Living in a cold climate means you need a good ice scraper and snow brush to get through the winter months. This top-rated detachable ergonomic scraper earned a 4.6-star rating on Amazon thanks to its heavy-duty construction. The 27-inch handle that makes scraping windshields of all sizes a breeze.
Roadside Emergency Kit
HAIPHAIK Car Emergency Roadside Kit
It’s a good idea to keep a roadside emergency kit in your trunk or back seat. Make sure yours has a pair of the best jumper cables, a shovel, gloves and the tire repair tools you may need to fix a flat, like this 124-piece set does.
Next: Find out the cost to wrap a car.
