We Tried Instagram's Viral Portable Car Door Handle And Here's The Bottom Line

Unfortunately, disability and mobility issues aren't age-exclusive. Regardless of how old, people can be born with them, become temporarily handicapped from accidents, or experience them after an illness. Because of this, it might be only a matter of time until you or someone you know may need some assistance with movement, including getting into and out of your car.

Thankfully, technology can help people regain their ability to move and achieve a sense of independence and normalcy in their lives. While many people know Honda for its cars, it also manufactures tons of other products from powersport vehicles to boats, generators, power tools, and in recent years, assistive exoskeletons, which can help handicapped people walk. But while there are still many limitations in tech, there are still other ways car rides can be more comfortable, such as the viral Instagram portable car door handle.

Sold for only $9.99, the multi-function Kounatsuri portable door handle is designed to assist people in moving in and out of the car. Available in two colors, blue and red, it has an average rating of 4.6 stars from over 1,700 users on Amazon. Here is how it works and some of our thoughts on how useful it can actually be.

Out of the box, the Kounatsuri car handle comes with a short instruction sheet, thin foam cover, and cardboard packaging to protect it during the shipping process. It is composed of two parts: a hardened, pointed head and a non-slip grip. Weighing a little under 400 grams, which is lighter than an iPad, the soft foam rubber grip is conveniently designed. Not only is the grip comfortable and ergonomic, but since it measures 6.6" x 1.3" while the pointed head is another 2" in length, it's likely to fit most standard glove boxes or the car door side storage compartment.

Quina Baterna/SlashGear

While it does not comes with a storage box, it does ship with a plastic cover on the hardened point, which you can opt to keep on when it's not in use. Made of steel, Kounatsuri shares its durable material that doesn't rust or corrode easily. Meant to be hooked into a car's U-shaped latches used for its passenger doors, this portable car handle is compatible with most cars I've tried it on, whether it was a full-sized truck or a regular sedan.

According to Kounatsuri, its portable car door handle can handle up to 400 lbs of load, which is more than enough to support the weight of most people. Since the National Center for Health Statistics mentions that the average American man is a little under 200 lbs, I tested it specifically with someone close to this number and the door handle performed without a hitch. 

In addition, I also asked a friend who is under five feet and weighs around 100 pounds, to simulate the experience of smaller people and children. For both people, they remarked that it felt solid in their hands, even when they put their whole weight into it. Overall, the Kounatsuri support handle has a pretty straightforward design, so it is intuitive enough to use that even children or elderly people could do it without too much of a learning curve.

Apart from the car door handle feature, the Kounatsuri tool can do a couple of other useful things, one of which is act as a seat belt cutter. Sandwiched in between its handle and head, the portable tool has a hidden blade that is sharp enough to slice through a seat belt (and maybe a few other things as well). Although it's not exactly out in the open because there is a thick plastic section that helps keep it out of sight until you need it. You may be thinking, why would this be necessary at all? Well, it's designed to help get you out of harm's way easily in the event of an accident wherein you're unable to unfasten the belt. In some cases, accidents may cause seatbelts to jam, which can delay your ability to save yourself and get to a safer location. 

It's important to note that for this tool to be effective as an emergency tool, it needs to be located in your glove compartment or somewhere easily accessible for this to be effective as an emergency tool. In the past, we've mentioned the seat belt cutter as one tool that can help you escape from a sinking vehicle. But, did you know that this particular car door handle has another feature that can save you and your family members if you ever end up in the water?

Because of its unique hook-like design, the Kounatsuri portable door handle can also be used as a window breaker. Typically, window or glass breakers are included in emergency car kits, but it never hurts to have multiples for safety tools. Although one of those slightly niche things that you may not think are that useful, glass breakers can save your life, especially if you end up trapped inside your car, find yourself underwater, or if you find a pet or a child trapped inside someone else's car in the parking lot during a particularly hot day without the air conditioner on.

That said, this portable door handle is not exactly the best option among window breakers. So, if you're thinking of getting this tool for the odd chance you might need to break a window one day, there are better options designed for that purpose. For example, you can even get a multi-tool, like the KEPEAK Military Tactical Pen, which usually sells for $10.99 on Amazon. Not only is it constructed from aerospace grade aluminum, but its tungsten cap can break glass as effectively as the portable car door holder. And if you want to go even more discreet, you even get a ECBANLI wrist strap with a Tungsten bead that can work to a similar effect for $17.99. Apart from your car, you can bring this little accessory with you everywhere for some added peace of mind.

Should you be satisfied with the Kounatsuri door handle, there's an option to buy a set of two for only $17.99 from the same store. In general, most people actually prefer this option with over three thousand people giving it 4.6 stars on average. However, I personally don't think you need it unless you have multiple cars that you would like to leave one in, because you can only attach one portable door hand per door anyway. If you think the portable door handle still leaves you a little bit unbalanced, you can buy a grab handle for the same price as one door handle at $9.99. With this, you'll be able to support yourself with both hands with the strap and the handle at the same time. Not to mention the strap is a lot easier to store compared to the relatively bulkier second handle. Should you want to get both from the jump, another set from Kounatsuri combines both a door handle and the strap that you can loop through the window. At a slightly lower price of $15.95, the car door handle and strap set has an average of 4.5 stars from over 800 people. And if you want a pair of portable door handles plus the handle strap, you can also get three of these items for $20.99 via Amazon. Although less people did buy this set, more than 600 people did give generally positive reviews.

For a specific type of mobility issue, a portable car handle may be the only tool you need. But if you're not sold on this one in particular, there are tons of other options that work similarly on Amazon. Although, they may have different colors and varying sets of added features. However, for others, you may still need to get additional tools to make getting in and out of your car less stressful.

For example, the Sojoy iGelComfort Swivel Seat Cushion doesn't just make sitting down more comfortable, but it's also a good way to help people rotate their legs towards the outside of the car easily. This is great for people who have a hard time lifting themselves up from the seat and struggle with physically orienting themselves getting out of the car. While it's not exactly cheap at $51.99, over a thousand people gave it a 4.1 star rating on average. 

And of course, if you have short legs and a relatively high car, investing in a proper step tool can make all the difference. One popular option on Amazon is the Jocauto folding step tool, which is foldable, non-slip, and can handle up to 330 lbs in weight, which is more than enough for most people. As of writing, it has around 4.7 stars from more than 3000 people.