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While it may not be the first thing you visit your local warehouse to purchase, Costco is no slouch when it comes to tech products and their relevant accessories. Whether shopping in-person or on its online storefront, you can find various handy add-ons for your phone like tracking tags, car chargers, and wireless adapters. Of course, as with any storefront, not every cell phone accessory you find at Costco will do you favors in the long run.
The discounts that come with a Costco membership can make it tempting to buy first and ask questions later, but all that will end up doing is wasting your time and money. If you’re in the market for useful phone accessories, you should look to your fellow Costco shoppers to determine what’s hot and what’s not. We’ve taken a look at Costco’s various phone accessory offerings, and found three with a user score of at least 4 out of 5 that could be worth checking out, as well as two with scores below 3 out of 5 that you should give a wide berth.
Buy: Apple AirTags (4-pack)
Do you find yourself losing track of your phone or other small possessions on a fairly regular basis? It happens to the best of us; you think you left your phone or wallet on your desk, only to find it’s completely vanished the moment you look away. If you’ve been having this particular problem consistently, you might want to invest in a tracking tag. Costco sells one of the most prominent tracking tags, the Apple AirTag, in a 4-pack for $64.99.
AirTags are discreet tags that can be hung from or stuck to most small objects like phones, wallets, or car keys, or slipped into a pocket of a backpack or briefcase. If you lose track of the object the tag is attached to, just pull out your iPhone and use the Find My app; if it’s close by, the app will ping its precise location and lead you right to it. If it’s further away, you can track it down via the Find My network, which pings its location with the help of other nearby Apple devices without actually divulging your personal information. It’s a fairly reliable gadget for tracking misplaced or stolen possessions.
The Apple AirTag 4-pack is one of the highest-rated and most-reviewed phone accessories that Costco sells with a 4.8 out of 5 rating. One user said they provide invaluable peace of mind while traveling, immediately notifying them when one of their bags had been misplaced during a trip and showing precisely where it ended up.
Skip: Aukey MagFusion Magnetic Charging Station
Charging convenience has become a major factor in designs for phones and their accessories. Everyone wants a device that can charge up quickly and reliably, and if possible, charge up alongside multiple devices simultaneously for that extra bit of convenience. The Aukey MagFusion Magnetic Charging Station, available from Costco’s online storefront for $19.97, is supposed to serve both of those purposes, though according to users, it serves neither.
This gadget is supposed to be a 2-in-1 base and charging station for a smartphone and other rechargeable accessories, such as a pair of wireless earbuds. The station adheres to your desk or table with vacuum suction, and you mount your phone to the extending magnetic flap to receive wireless charging. The spot right above the suction point is also supposed to provide wireless charging, with just enough space to fit an AirPods case.
Unfortunately, Costco users have been left wanting by the Aukey MagFusion Magnetic Charging Station, leaving it with a 2.4 out of 5 user rating. Several users note that the suction cup adhering the mount to tables is of questionable quality, but more than that, multiple users have attested that the mount simply doesn’t provide power. Users have tried charging both smartphones and AirPods cases as instructed, but neither works.
Buy: Scosche PowerVolt USB-C Car Charger (2-pack)
While many modern cars have dedicated USB ports for charging devices or connecting to infotainment systems, not all of them do. If you’re in an older car, or your USB port is otherwise spoken for, you and your passengers can’t charge your other devices. If you need some extra charging spots, you can turn your car outlet into two of them using the Scosche PowerVolt USB-C Car Charger, available in a 2-pack from Costco for $34.99.
This simple adapter can be plugged into a typical car outlet, providing two 30W USB-C charging ports in the process. Both ports can be used simultaneously, so in addition to your phone, you can charge other small electronics like tablets, laptops, or portable game consoles. As an extra perk, the charger is equipped with a Programmable Power Supply, which helps to both speed up and cool down the charge cycle and preserve your device’s charging efficacy.
The Scosche PowerVolt USB-C Car Charger is quite well-liked among Costco shoppers, earning a 4.8 out of 5 star rating. One user attests that the charger charges with a similar speed and efficiency to their home wall charger, getting their phone from 30% to 85% over the course of a 30-minute drive.
Skip: Scosche MagicMount Magnetic Phone Mount (2-pack)
Speaking of bringing your phone in the car with you, car mounts have become a fairly common sight, providing a convenient spot to hang your device as well as a steady display for functions like maps. The Scosche MagicMount Magnetic Phone Mount, available in a 2-pack at Costco for $29.99, is supposed to be one of these, though according to users, it’s too busy falling apart to hold up a phone.
The MagicMount is a fairly simple phone mount, designed to attach to a flat surface in your car like the dashboard or windshield and hold up your phone with neodymium magnets. The mount’s arm can extend outward from 3.3 to 6 inches, so you can set your preferred position and angle. The magnetic holder has a small indent for phones with pop sockets attached, and is supposed to work even on phones with MagSafe cases.
For some Costco users, the Scosche MagicMount works as advertised, but for others, there have been problems, leading to the mount’s 2.7 out of 5 rating. Specifically, more than a few users attest that the magnetic holder fell right out of the mount, rendering the entire gadget effectively useless.
Buy: Aluratek Combo Wireless Car Adapter
Car connection frameworks like wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto allow you to connect your phone directly to an infotainment screen and conveniently access maps and music. It’s a handy setup, with one potential hitch: you need a hardline connection via a USB cable, which means you can’t keep your phone in your pocket. If you’re worried about forgetting your phone in the car or don’t have a good spot to rest it while driving, the Aluratek Combo Wireless Car Adapter may solve your problem. It’s available on Costco’s online storefront for $46.99.
This adapter plugs into your car’s USB port in lieu of a USB cable, allowing your smartphone to connect to the infotainment screen wirelessly. The toggle switch on top of the adapter allows you to quickly switch between Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as necessary, and it doesn’t require any special apps or particular setup to use. The adapter will automatically recognize the OS you need to pair with your phone, and it can pair with up to two phones simultaneously.
The Aluratek Combo Wireless Car Adapter has earned a healthy 4.3 out of 5 star rating from Costco shoppers. One user called it a very stable adapter, connecting perfectly to both their and their spouse’s phones with no difficulty or lag. Another user had similar praises, particularly liking how it automatically pairs to their phone as soon as they start their vehicle.
It’s good to know what you want, bargain or not
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Even with the lower prices afforded by a Costco membership, you shouldn’t always buy up whatever random products you happen across. You want an assurance of quality, and that’s why, in order to select our Buy products, we chose from Costco’s cell phone accessories with at least a 4 out of 5 star rating. Conversely, the Skip products were specifically those with a rating of less than 3 out of 5 stars.