Make fun of them if you want, but people love their phablets

They might not fit in your pocket, but they're making their way into people's hearts.

Phablets are frequently derided for being just about the size of an average person's face. But of the 20 smartphone models ranked in a new customer satisfaction survey, phablets landed at the top. The survey, conducted by the American Consumer Satisfaction Index, compiled data from 70,000 participants.

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If you're not familiar with the lingo, phablets are phones with screens so big they approach the size of small tablets.

Respondents were most satisfied with the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and its enormous 5.7-inch screen. It ranked No. 1 with a score of 86 out of 100. Next was a four-way tie between the iPhone 6 Plus, the Galaxy Note 3, the Galaxy S5 and the iPhone 6, each with a score of 82. That's three phablets in the top five.

Not surprisingly, the study found that people in the U.S. love their smartphones. Consumers find it easy to send text messages and make calls. There was one glaring weakness, however: battery life. It was the lowest rated among all smartphone features.

That could explain why people seem to be happier with big phones. Smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and iPhone 6 Plus have bigger bodies that can house larger batteries. That means these phones could be used well into a second day before the battery dies. They also have pixel-dense screens well over 5 inches large, making it easier to read or watch video.

Another weak point for smartphones is audio quality, according to the study. Most smartphones have speakers along the bottom, meaning a hand could cover the speakers while watching video, or the speakers could send sound the wrong way entirely.