The Joy of a Ridiculous Phone Grip
Much like a great recipe, this story starts with a stick of butter. Not real butter, but a friend’s phone grip shaped like a stick of butter, mounted on a phone case with bold stripes. It was labeled “unsalty” and even had tablespoon markings, just like the real thing. I was immediately enamored. A 12-year-old had told me months earlier that butter is in vogue. This was proof. My friend said it was a PopSocket-branded combo, and I found it so irresistible that I ordered an equally eye-catching grip a few weeks later. After years of carrying buttoned-up, minimalist tech, I finally said, “To hell with it. I’m gonna have some fun.” I have zero regrets, and it seems I’m not alone.
For years, I was a vocal member of Team No Phone Case. A case adds bulk and collects pocket lint. Why spend $800 on a piece of tech just to cover it up? If I must use a case, I want it to barely exist. This philosophy worked great with my iPhone 13 Mini, which is perfect as-is. Its small size makes it eminently grippable — no PopSocket necessary, and it feels much more secure in my hand. But phones are big now, and they are only getting bigger. An extended period using Google’s hefty Pixel 10 Pro Fold last year convinced me to adopt a magnetic grip just to use the thing more comfortably. At first, I gravitated toward minimalist options like low-profile ring stands. They were functional, but they felt like a concession. Then I saw that stick of butter, and something clicked.
A chunky grip is easy to hold. It’s fun. It transforms a cold slab of glass and metal into something with personality. And since it’s just held on by a magnet, you can take it off whenever you want to present yourself as a serious grownup. Why not? I put in an order for a PopSocket shaped like a hot dog, and I was so excited when it arrived that I accidentally pulled it apart. I should have read the instructions first. But even that mishap didn’t dampen my enthusiasm. I was now the proud owner of a phone grip that looked like lunch. It made me smile every time I picked up my phone.
This “why not have fun” ethos has clearly been part of Bailey Hikawa’s mission for the better part of a decade. She has been making unconventional phone grips and cases out of her Los Angeles studio since 2018. Her designs incorporate input from the disabled community, aiming to offer an easier grip for people who hold their phone differently. But they can be appreciated by anyone who’s ever felt their phone slide out of their fingers. They are also vibrant and bold. “I would like the phone case to feel like a friend or like a new stuffed animal,” she told The Verge in 2019. Earlier this year, Apple collaborated with Hikawa on a chunky, bright MagSafe grip. Her own online shop includes other grips made of flexible, clear urethane with spaghetti noodles or baby shrimp suspended inside. They are handmade and the very definition of one-of-a-kind.
In more conventional territory, PopSocket has a surprising number of unusual grips and cases on offer. There’s a classic tomato pincushion, a food truck collection where I found my beloved hot dog, and an aptly named “Sugar Rush” collection. I asked PopSocket founder David Barnett whether I was alone in my pursuit of a bold grip. “We’re seeing more consumers embrace color, texture and personality in their phone accessories,” he told me over email. “I think people want their everyday essentials to feel a little less ordinary. Your phone goes everywhere with you, so why not have a little fun with it?”
It seems he’s right. The market for phone accessories has moved far beyond clear cases and black silicone bumpers. There are phone grips shaped like sushi, like mushrooms, like tiny retro game controllers. There are cases with iridescent finishes, chunky straps, and cartoonish charms. What used to be a purely protective afterthought has become a form of self-expression. A phone case can say as much about you as a favorite hoodie or a bumper sticker. It’s a small, affordable way to inject personality into an object we carry all day, every day.
Of course, there’s a practical side to this too. Larger phones are harder to hold securely, especially for people with smaller hands or limited grip strength. A chunky grip can make a huge difference in comfort and confidence. The protruding shape gives your fingers something to curl around, reducing the chance of dropping a $1,000 device. Some grips double as stands, making it easier to watch videos or take group photos. And because many of the best grips are MagSafe-compatible, you can swap them out depending on your mood or your needs. One day you might want a sleek metallic ring for a business meeting; the next, you might want a hot dog.
There is also something lovable about the absurdity. A stick of butter on the back of a phone is almost a joke. It invites questions, compliments, and laughter. It’s a conversation starter. It reminds us not to take our gadgets too seriously. In a world where our phones often feel like portals to stress and obligation, a bright pink tomato pincushion or a clear grip filled with baby shrimp is a small rebellion against the gray seriousness of it all.
Me and my ridiculous PopSocket are in good company. Or we will be — I left it in the office last time I was in New York, and its absence has been bumming me out ever since. Without it, my phone feels naked, slippery, and a little boring. It slips out of my hand more often, and I catch myself reaching for a grip that isn’t there. We’ll be reunited soon enough, but I guess if there’s one downside to being able to take a grip off your phone easily, it’s that you can accidentally leave it behind without much effort. Perhaps that’s the price of having fun. Or perhaps I should order a second hot dog, just in case.
