I'm obsessed with this $10 iPhone accessory — here's why it's brilliant

Jun 17, 2023

It's a game-changer for capturing content

Thanks to social media, I’ve discovered many affordable-yet-simple products that make my life better. But there's one accessory in particular that has positively transformed the way I use my iPhone.

I first saw the Octobuddy ($10 at Amazon) on TikTok, where dozens of content creators posted videos swearing by the product. It's essentially a silicone suction cup mount that adheres to the back of a phone case to help your phone stick to certain surfaces.

Available in several colors and compatible with pretty much every major smartphone, the Octobuddy acts as a hands-free phone holder. The most popular use of the product I’ve seen is for taking well-lit selfies and videos.

Speaking from experience, it can be a hassle to set up a tripod and ring lights every time you want to capture content. With the Octobuddy attached to my case, all I need to do is stick my iPhone 14 Pro Max against a glass window, and voilà — I can take great pictures illuminated by the natural light.

I’ve tried to experiment with places where I can use the Octobuddy, too. On a recent flight, I captured an awesome time-lapse of landing with the Octobuddy stuck to the airplane window. It provided a steady shot, while the iPhone's timelapse feature turned a 15-minute descent into a fun 10-second video that I subsequently shared on all my social media.

Also on the airplane, the Octobuddy provided it could stick to the entertainment console on the back of the seat in front of me. Though I prefer my iPad mini 6 for in-flight entertainment, the Octobuddy setup could be good for holding my phone to watch downloaded shows and movies at a comfortable angle.

Back home, I was FaceTiming a friend while doing laundry. To my surprise, the Octobuddy let me mount my phone on the porcelain appliances. This kept my hands free for moving clothes around and folding, while still letting me carry on my video call.

The downside of the Octobuddy is that sometimes it can stick to things unintentionally. For example, when I put my phone down on the table at a restaurant, the suction cups stuck to the aluminum material. It took some force to yank my iPhone free.

To that point, the Octobuddy is more or less meant to be permanently adhered to an iPhone case. If I removed it, it wouldn't want to stick back to a case again. This also poses some complicated for using MagSafe accessories, so I have found myself switching between my Octobuddy and non-Octobuddy cases somewhat often. (I guess all I need is for Apple to make a MagSafe accessory that serves the same purpose as my Octobuddy.)

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Kate Kozuch is an editor at Tom's Guide covering smartwatches, TVs and everything smart-home related. Kate also appears on Fox News to talk tech trends and runs the Tom's Guide TikTok account, which you should be following. When she's not filming tech videos, you can find her on an exercise bike, mastering the NYT Crossword or channeling her inner celebrity chef.

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