I really cannot recommend this product enough.

“Addicted” is an incendiary term, but it’s how 47% of Americans describe their relationship with their phone — and can you blame us?! But as much as I love to walk around with that screen in my face, sometimes I need my hands for other stuff, like if my step-mom calls while I'm doing dishes or I need to record a TikTok of myself flossing.

Sure, I could prop my phone against a peanut butter jar, but that's an unflattering angle (sometimes called Facetime chin). So until humans evolve a third arm or chest-shelf, I recommend this gooseneck phoneholder.

Notice the over 21 thousand reviews on amazon, and average rating of 4.5 stars. Sure, lots of Amazon Reviews are fake, but that's impressive nonetheless.

As a professional actor, I have well over $300 dollars worth of equipment at home that is designed to hold my phone in place for self-tapes and zoom calls. I’ve invested in two different tripods, some studio lights, a ring light, and a couple of different adjustable clips and threaded mounts designed to help me get the perfect shot… And yet I barely use any of it anymore, because ever since I got this weird looking gooseneck clip, I reach for it every time.

The most impressive part of this product is what I call the mouth, or the clip that holds your device in place. It can hold any device with a width of 4.0” to 6.3”. It has a super simple, no-fuss design that makes me question “why didn’t this technology exist sooner?!!”.  

Many other, lamer, waste-of-time-and-money-ier phone holders have that annoying, spring-loaded, boxy cheap plastic that you have to sort of pinch sideways to slide the phone into. The number of times I’ve accidentally gotten pinched by it, as it slammed onto my fingers causing me to drop my device…which is extra aggravating because often you have to remove your phone’s protective case to get it to fit in the first place. Then the holder squeezes your device so tight that it sets off Siri, or constantly takes screenshots, or messes with the volume controls, and that’s just annoying as all heck.

But this beautiful design requires just a light squeeze -kind of like a giant hair clip- and it gently but snugly grips your device, otterbox and all, in its mouth. It’s uncomplicated and firm, yet can be released with no fuss.  The head also rotates 360 degrees to get your screen at the perfect angle.

The one con about this mouth is a silly one: When not in use, i.e. not holding a phone (or can of beer (yay multiple uses!) in it’s duck lips…well it kind of looks like a piece of medical equipment you’d find on an alien spaceship, and that sorta gives me the heebie jeebies. That’s easily fixed — I put it away when not in use — as opposed to having it jutting out at me from my bookshelf, staring at me when I wake up in the middle of the night.

phone holders…not just for phones!

 (phone holders…not just for phones!)(I HAVE professional equipment, and yet this setup is what I tend to use to audition)

This design is simple, but friggin’ genius

At the other end of the gooseneck is a clamping mechanism. No dreaded, ineffective suction cup here!  No clunky, plastic–multi-jointed doc-oc legs that don’t effectively wrap around or actually cling to anything.

This design is simple, but friggin’ genius. It is made up of a two-part clamp that screws down, and boy-oh-boy is it STRONG. In my experience it only requires an inch of surface to cling to. It has a silicone surface layer, so it won’t scratch or damage your furniture, but be warned: once you screw the clamp down onto say, a table, it will remain clamped onto that table. Meaning, if you aren’t careful, you risk damaging your furniture through sheer force of this clamp’s will — that is, if you pull on the clamp without unscrewing it first, whatever is clutched in its jaws will come along with it. It’s like if your beloved and gentle Golden Retriever Rufus was holding his favorite teddy bear — Rufus would never hurt Teddy, Teddy is safe in Rufus’s firm-yet-tender jaws. But if you try to pull Teddy out of Rufus’ mouth, Teddy might rip, and it’ll be your fault.

It’s very strong and extremely bendable

Measuring 29.5” long, the gooseneck is made of 8.5mm Aluminum Alloy. Ok, I don’t know what that means exactly but I’ll tell you this: It’s very strong and extremely bendable. I will admit that it is quite stiff at first -it will take a little elbow grease and brute strength to bend it into the shape you want when you’re first starting out -but I count this as a pro. That stiffness is what prevents the arm from sagging under the weight of the phone when in use. If you bend this goose into place, it will stay in that place!

It’s not just great for filming auditions. I use it to Facetime friends while preparing dinner in my kitchen.  I attach it to my bed frame so I can zoom with loved ones at night while applying my skincare routine.  

Some of the places I tested it out

But that’s not all! Having primarily used it in obvious places around my home, I decided to take my gooseneck on a tour to my local park, to test its gripping ability on all different surfaces/objects. I pretended to be a TikTok influencer who desperately needed to be able to stop and film a video at any moment.

Some of the places I tested it out: 

I used my phone holder to snag a selfie with a swan! I was able to attach the holder to branch by the water’s edge -if  I’d brought a tripod, at least one foot of the tripod would have wound up in the mud.

I used my phone holder to snag a selfie with a swan!

 “BUT BIMINI!” you scream. “What if I want to record a viral TikTok somewhere there is nothing small enough for the base to clamp onto?!”

“You could have used your indoor voice, I’m right here” I reply.  “But also, CHECK IT OUT!” I end in a scream, partly as payback, but also out of my own unbridled enthusiasm.

When the clamp is too small, you can make use of that long neck to wrap it around on itself.  Voila! I wrapped it around a lamp-post! Then I curled it up on itself, like a cobra sitting on a rock, and used it to Facetime a friend.

When the clamp is too small, you can make use of that long neck to wrap it around on itself.

Another fun use that I did not anticipate, was the phone holder clamped onto the handlebars of my scooter very well, making it useful for navigation purposes. I could also use my scooter for the added height, if I were to film myself roller skating or dancing, or whatever it is the kids are doing these days.

The phone holder clamped onto the handlebars of my scooter very well.

In summary, whether you’re cooking or tiktoking or simply want a better angle on a zoom call, this is a great purchase. For only $20, you’ll be amazed at how useful it is. 

In other words, this goose is one purchase that won’t go south. Eh? Eh!?