I don’t use a case with my iPhone because I prefer not to add any bulk or weight to it. That means that my iPhone lacks the protection of a case if I drop it, which of course I have done, but I have avoided any major calamity over the years, and I figure that minor nicks and scratches just give it some character. Having said that, I’d obviously rather not drop the iPhone at all. The Maxxable is a small clip that attaches to an iPhone and provides two rings that you can put your fingers in to reduce the risk of your iPhone falling out of your hand. The company sent me a free review unit of this $14 product and I’ve been trying it out for the last few weeks. The product works and is useful.
The Maxxable is a plastic clip, available in black or white, that firmly attaches to the sides of your iPhone. Simply fit your iPhone into one side and then push down to snap the other side.
The inside of the Maxxable, both the back and the edges, has a soft foam rubber to provide some cushion against your iPhone.
The back of the Maxxable has two rings which are attached to a ball and socket joint. Place two fingers in the rings and you can easily use your thumb for one-handed operation of the iPhone. The rings spin 360º so you can hold it in just about any position.
The website says that it doesn’t matter if the rings fit down around your knuckles. I have larger hands, the Maxxable doesn’t fit around my knuckes, and I often find myself wishing that it did. If the Maxxable offered a larger ring size as an option, I would get it to be a little more comfortable in my hand. Nevertheless, the device works well enough with just the top of my fingers in the Maxxable.
In my tests, the Maxxable has worked well. I have a much better grip when I hold my iPhone using the Maxxable versus just holding the iPhone by itself. I’ll admit that I have on occasion worried about whether the plastic ball and socket joint will fail over time with use; hopefully that is just me being paranoid.
When not in use, It is easy to remove the Maxxable. Or you can keep it attached and fold down the rings, which snap to either side. In that position, the Maxxable doesn’t add much thickness and adds virtually no weight so it is easy to slip an iPhone in your pocket even when the Maxxable clip is attached.
The Maxxable website advertises that you can also use the device as a kickstand to prop up your iPhone. In my tests, that has not worked well because it is easy for the rings to turn in the ball and socket joint, which causes the iPhone to fall down. Get the Maxxable to use it as a way to hold your iPhone; don’t buy it just because you are looking for a kickstand.
I wish that the Maxxable was a little more comfortable in my hand, and if you have smaller hands you may have better luck. But the Maxxable still works well, and at $14.00, the device is inexpensive enough that it is worth you considering it if you don’t use an iPhone case and you want a way to minimize the risk of an iPhone slipping out of your hand. You can find a version that works with the iPhone 4 / 4s / 5c on Amazon, but if you want a version for the iPhone 5 / 5s you currently need to get it directly from the manufacturer.