Are you looking for a product that will help you out with avoiding speeding tickets from police radar detectors?
You’ve come to the right place. We’ve found the best car radar detectors so you can be safe when driving a little faster. Also, we’ve gathered all the important information around cop radar detector usage so you know exactly what you are buying. Keep reading to find the best radar detector 2019 for you.
Best 15 Radar Detector Reviews
Now that I have introduced you to the overall radar detector principle, I want to show you what are one of the best police radar detector models on the market at the moment. You will notice that their price isn’t cheap, but their characteristics are for every person, wish and expectation.
Best Radar Detector For Any Type Of Car
Cobra Electronics iRAD 950 iRadar ATOM Radar Detector
This is one of the models form the brand Cobra electronics. It is very easy to use even if you have never used a radar detector before. It comes in a very small and sleek design and its dimensions are 7 x 5.5 x 2 inches. One of the best features of this best radar detector for the money is that you are able to connect it with your mobile phone to receive the alerts.
The app has a variety of features such as the rotating map feature which works in combination with the automatic zoom feature of this radar detector model will show you even more of the road which is ahead of you. The app also has the ability to control the volume of the alert notifications, music as well as the distance countdown for different warnings. If your phone has been turned off or if you have disconnected it from the iRadar unit, your GPS location will automatically be saved. If you want to learn more about check out my post about the best radar detector for the money.
Best Stealth Radar Detector
Radenso SP Radar & Laser Detector
The Radenso is another brand that makes great radar detectors. One of the main benefits when it comes to the stealth radar detector is its ability to detect three signals at once and then prioritize them so you will only be notified about the most important one. It is also able to detect 10 different segments of the Ka-band and identify them. The stealth feature comes from being undetectable to the VG-2 as well as the Spectre from 14 feet away. The Amber OLED display has three display modes which are bright, dim and smart dark.
This product comes with a one year warranty from the manufacturer and they will also return the full amount of money within 30 days from the day of the purchase, if you are not satisfied with the product for some reason. To make it more eco-friendly, the manufacturer didn’t include the instruction manual in the box, but you are able to find it on their website. If you want to learn more, check out my article about the best stealth radar detector models.
Best Hidden Radar Detector
Whistler PRO-3600 High-Performance Laser Radar Detector
This concealed radar detector can be installed in a few different ways and it comes with the console, which is very discreet and will not be seen once the product is installed. You will also get three aux ports which will allow you to add things such as rear laser and radar antenna, laser modules, GPS, etc for even more different functions. It also comes with a 360-degree detection range and a high-gain lens which offers more sensitivity. There are three city modes which will reduce the number of false alerts and adjust to the type of road and area you are driving through.
There are also two ways to mute the voice alerts which are the Mute and Auto Quiet modes. The display on this hidden radar detector can be installed in three different orientations and it will tell you about the kind of signal that way detected and its strength. If you do decide to add the GPS function, you will have the compass feature, clock to know the exact time, a speed of your vehicle, red light, and speed camera locations, etc. Learn more about these kind of models by reading my article about concealed/hidden radar detector models.
Best Built In Radar Detector
Whistler PRO-3700 High-Performance Laser Radar Detector
The model which we will review here is the PRO-3700 which is an integrated radar detector. That means that it comes with a few components which then have to be installed into your vehicle, whether it is a car, truck, van, etc. You can install this Whistler radar detector in three different directions which are upside down, vertical and horizontal. An additional option is choosing between the three led colors whenever you are being notified about the new detected threat.
This integrated radar detector has the ability to protect you from the front, side, and back and it can recognize all of the wells know bands such as X band, K band, Ka-band and some of the laser bands as well. This Whistler radar detector comes with the POP mode for the POP alerts. A few features which are also added to this built in radar detector are for minimizing the false notifications. Some other features that are included with this laser and radar detector are the 3 AUX ports, battery voltage meter, 2 signal strength options, 3 city modes as well as the highway mode, and alert priority which will show only the most important alerts whenever more than one has been detected. You can learn more by checking out my post about the best built in radar detectors.
Best Dash Cam Radar Detector
Futureshine 2 in 1 Radar Detector Dash Cam
Another radar detector and car recording device in one comes from the brand Futureshine. The camera comes with the 120-degree angle and 720P resolution and the lens will record well in the daytime as well as at night. The display, which is a 2 inch LCD display will provide you with all of the needed info. It will show you your current speed as well as the car orientation. The radar part of this device can detect bands such as K, Ka, Ku, X, VG-2, and other laser bands. This dash cam radar detector is able to detect mobile as well as fix threats such as red light cameras and speed cameras.
The recording is cyclic recording which means that once the storage is full, new videos will be recorded and will cover the old ones. The TF, however, can have a maximum of 32 G capacity which will give you enough room to save many video files. The manufacturer will also provide you with the radar detector dash mount, charger for the car as well as the instructions in the form of a user’s manual. Because it is not very big it will not be in the way when you are looking at the road. Another benefit is that it is compatible with all of the navigator clips as well as navigators. If you want to hear more about this type of radar detectors, check out my article about the best dash cam radar detectors.
Best Motorcycle Radar Detector
Escort iX Long Range Radar Laser Detector
This slim radar detector also comes with a pretty long range so you can be sure that it will signal you everything on time. Just like other Escort detectors, this one comes with Bluetooth so you can synchronize it with your phone and app EscortLive that has a database for every red light or speeding cameras in North America.
This motorcycle radar detector also comes with the IVT filter so you can be sure that the number of false reading will be minimal so you can relax and enjoy the ride no matter where you go and how long the trip really is. You can adjust the color of the display to your own preferences and you can even turn on the voice alerts if you don’t want to take your eyes off the road. If you want to check out more of these models, read my article about the best motorcycle radar detector models.
Best Cordless Radar Detector
Whistler XTR-543 Battery-Operated Laser Radar Detector
Another one of the Whistler models is this XTR-543 battery-powered radar detector. It comes with a battery that will last up to 15 hours and can be recharged. It also comes with a built-in charger and can hold 3 NiMH batteries. This particular cordless radar detector has a 360-degree range of protection and covers all of the angles. The antennas and the optical lenses can be found at the front and rear of the device and they add even more sensitivity to this device.
It will recognize the K, X, Ka, laser and VG-2 bands and will provide you with a warning visual as well as audio alerts. There are also three cities and a highway mode which will reduce and minimize the false alerts whenever you are driving through a more urban area. Another feature is the Alert Priority mode which will display only the most important alerts if there have been a few signals received by your device at the same time. For more models like this, read my article about cordless radar detectors.
Best Bluetooth Radar Detector
Escort MAX360 Laser Radar Detector
The Escort MAX360 is among the best car radar detector models because it is pretty impressive and it works like a charm. The unit is both rada and laser detector which means it will detect almost every police radar in your way. The 360 in the title stands of the 360° detection, which means it works in all directions possible. There is a special feature this bluetooth radar detector has and it is that you can connect it via Bluetooth to an app that is filled with information about speed cameras and other things in North America.
That app is called the EscortLive speed app so you can know about the speed trap before you even come near it. The special arrows by the screen show you the location of the threat and the screen shows you the type and the number of signals. You don’t have to read what it says on the screen because this is a laser detector for car that tells you the information you need to hear. If you want to learn more, check out my article about bluetooth radar detectors.
Best VG2 Radar Detector
Cobra 9 Band Laser Police Radar Detector ESD9275
This is one of the radar detectors manufactured by the brand Cobra Electronics. The feature called the LaserEye has the ability to detect all of the signals in the 360-degree range. It can detect all of the known radar and laser bands, like the K, X, Ka. It also has the ability to detect the VG-2 band which is usually used by the police. That way with this Cobra radar detector you are able to know when you are under surveillance of VG2 radar detector and you are also going to be invisible to them.
The information is displayed on the UltraBright screen and which enables you to recognize which band has been detected by the super easy and understandable icons for each of the bands. Another feature of this Cobra radar detector is the Safety Alert Warning System or SWS for short which will warn you about any emergency vehicles, road hazards at specific locations etc, so you are able to react better and on time. In the packaging, you also get a SmartCord and a manual with all the needed instructions. Learn more about radar detectors like this by reading my article about VG2 radar detectors.
Best GPS Radar Detector
Uniden R3 Extreme Long Range Radar Laser Detector
This is another undetectable radar detector which detects every cop’s radar that can be in front of you, including the K, Ka and X bands so you can be sure that it will do its job. The Uniden radar detector comes with 360° view. You can simply fix it anywhere you want and it will stay there for a long time so you can be sure that the product is durable, with pretty good performance.
Another perk of this Uniden radar detector is that you can quickly remove it from the stand if you don’t want people to see that you have it. Just like the model above, this police detector gps can detect a police radar 2 miles upfront in an open field. If there are hills or houses around you that range lowers, but it is still pretty impressive unit for most drivers. Check out my post to learn more about gps radar detectors.
Best Radar Detector Mirror Mount
Radenso Pro M Radar & Laser Detector
This is one of the Radenso mirror tap models with an extreme range of detection as well as the high level of sensitivity. It is able to detect all of the threats from miles away and process the information in a matter of a few seconds. The Radenso radar detector can detect Ka, K, X, MultaRadar (CD, CT), as well as the Gatso bands. The GPS technology will give you the ability to memorize all of the false alerts on the route you are driving on very often. You will also get three modes- highway, city and authority mode which you can set manually or they can be changed automatically.
The radar detector mirror mount comes with the preinstalled database which has more than six thousand speed camera and red light locations, With the USB port, you are able to connect the Radenso radar detector to your computer and update it on a monthly bases. All of the information is being shown of the Amber OLED screen and as audio notifications that come with 260 different messages. Learn more about radar detector mirror mount models online.
Best POP Alert Radar Detector
Whistler Z-31R+ Bilingual High-Performance Radar Laser Detector
Whistler is one of the brands that offer some of the best radar detectors on the market. With the built-in GPS, you will be warned about the upcoming red light cameras and speed cameras in the US and Canada area. The GPS uses the internal database which can be updated using the USB cable to connect it to your computer. It also gives you the ability to receive the warning notifications in the form of the voice or text.
The pop alert radar detector is bilingual and you can choose between English and Spanish to be displayed on the green OLED display or played as tone alerts. There is also the total band protection as well as the POP mode and VG-2 detection feature. The coverage of this model is 360 degrees, which means it is able to detect signals from all of the angles. Check out my article to learn more about pop alert radar detectors.
Best Remote Mount Radar Detector
Valentine One Radar Detector
The reason why this radar detector for sale is in the top 10 radar detectors list is its high-performance due to the multiple radar antennas. One of the antennas faces front and the other back so you have the entire area covered and you don’t have to worry about a thing. Due to antennas the speed detector can tell you the band, the type, the strength and the direction of the signal that comes your way.
Everything you need for the remote mount radar detector to work is in the pack, from the windshield holder to the power cable so you can plug the police detector in the power source and you are good to go. Every information you need you will get on the screen of the Valentine One radar detector and big arrows located next to the screen so you can be sure that you won’t have any trouble reading what the screen says or where is the signal coming from. The Valentine is a brand famous for their high-quality products and this product is one of their best. To learn more about models like this one check out my article about remote mount radar detectors.
Best Red Light Camera Detectors
Escort Passport 8500X50 Black Radar Detector
The first great radar detector with the ability to warn you about the red light cameras is this 8500X50 from the brand Escort. This red light camera detectors comes with the ability to detect anything in the 360-degree range and the information is being processed even faster due to the digital processor. The Traffic Sensor Rejection software is another feature that is also included with this Escort Passport radar detector and it will help to minimize the number of false alerts which are constantly happening and make driving a smoother experience.
With the V-tuned radar receiver, you are able to detect all of the police radars which are a few miles away from your vehicle. The information about the signal type and strength is being shown on the matrix 280 individual LED display. Escort Passport radar detector has the ability to set the brightness to the ultra bright level or dimmed level I fit is night time when you are using it. Overall all of the notifications you are getting are clear and easy to understand while you are driving. To learn more check out my article about red light camera detectors.
Best Police Scanner For Car
Classic Model / All-Purpose Pocket Radar Gun
As you can see, the name of this pocket-sized radar detector says it all. This pocket radar detector is small, but extremely useful device because it measures speed of everything that moves. You can easily measure the speed of cars, bikes, skiis and any other moving device or vehicle so it is a great model for sport. But, thaks to its sensitive performance, you can even use it for science.
This highly adjustable mini radar gun comes with +/- 1 MPH (+/- 2 KPH) accuracy and the measuring range is impressive (7-375 MPH). You can even keep track of the movement as it memorises the last 10 values you measured. You can even catch the speed every ¾ of seconds thanks to special Repeating mode. Besides miles per hour, it can also show you the value in kilompeters per hour and even feet per hours so I would characterise it as a handy little device. Check out my post to learn more about police scanner for car models.
Guide For Picking The Best Radar Detector
How Do Police Radars Work
I’m sure that you’ve asked yourself many times how radar detectors work and what does a radar detector do. It is quite easy. They serve you as a device that will alert you when there is a police radar nearby. The police are using radar guns, a device that calculates how quickly a car is moving so the police officer can see if you are driving according to the speed limit. When you are using a radar detector you’ll know when to slow down and pass without getting a speeding ticket. They recognize bands and your device alerts you which one is detected. Lastly, you need to know the difference between radar detectors and radar jammers. While radar detectors just notify you when there is a radar gun nearby, laser jammers are able to prevent the police from picking up your vehicle speed so you don’t even need to slow down. It is very simple and you’ll surely know how do radar detectors work.
Are Radar Detectors Legal
Another question that may cross your mind is in what states are radar detectors illegal. Because it is important to obey your state’s rules. So I assume your next question would be what states are radar detectors illegal in? When it comes to radar detector laws, it is allowed to own a radar detector in all states with the exception of Virginia. While the laser jammer is illegal in California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington D.C. You can also ask yourself are radar detectors legal in Canada if you are passing by there. They are illegal in the whole country with the exception of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Location of the car radar detector
The first thing you can think about before you buy radar detector is where you want to put it. Most people put it in front of the car’s cockpit which is good because it is a simple solution, but it can be bad when someone sees it and starts commenting about it. If you don’t want the people to see that you use radar or laser speed detector, then you can get another type which is made so you can put it in a secret location. Those hidden car radar detector models are more expensive, but they will offer you a chance to hide the gadget which is also a pretty interesting solution.
Radar or (and) laser detector
As I have already mentioned above, there are radar and laser detector models so the main thing you have to consider is which one you want. A radar detector is often less expensive, but the laser detector detects police lasers. If you aren’t sure which one is a better choice for you, then you can always choose a model that comes with both options, but you have to be aware that those products are the most expensive ones.
Purpose of the speed detector
The purpose of every speed detector is the same, to notify you about the police radars ahead. But, there are some models which aren’t only detectors, they are also jammers, but before you get that product, make sure that they are legal in your country or you could get much more than just a speeding ticket.
Speed radar detector additional features
In additional features are things like the ability to connect your smartphone to your police radar detector for car and if this is something you really want, make sure that it is listed in the technical characteristics. Besides that, you can always check if the radar scanner comes with a charger, a base you can fix to the cockpit or even some spare parts that can come handy, like extra cable.
Radar detector budget
Every good quality radar detector isn’t cheap so it is my recommendation to buy more expensive radar detector that has all the features you want, then to buy the same detector with the same features, but half the price. Car radar detector models are sensitive devices and you have to use only great quality products or there is a chance that they will catch other radio waves or they will miss a police radar in front of you. Missing the police radar can happen if the police uses different frequency than your radar can catch so it is always a better idea to use more versatile laser speed detector models.
Radar detector terms
First I will start with the easy ones and continue with more complex terms:
GPS – global positioning system tracks your location and can show you information like your speed, the route you are using or even if there is something interesting around you on that route
Police radar – the most common device used for checking the speed on the road. Police uses radar guns that measure the distance of the vehicle with special radio waves
Radar detector – a small device used to catch those special radio waves in police radars and can notify the driver to adjust the driving speed
Lidar detector – another way of checking the speed used by the police, also known as a laser gun. Laser guns are much quicker and more precise when they are measuring the speed of the approaching vehicle, and lidar radar detector detects their presence
Laser defuser – a small device that jams the laser guns on the road making it hard to determine the speed of your car, but it is illegal in some countries
DSP – digital signal processing is a feature that recognizes and notifies you about the radar bands specific for law enforcement devices
K-Band – a frequency for handheld radar guns; 24.05 GHz – 24.25 GHz
Ka-Band – one of the most common frequencies for police radars; 33.4 GHz-36.0 GHz
X-Band – most common radar band for basic devices, used by traffic sensors to automatic doors, including the police radars which makes it very easy to recognize; 10.5 GHz – 10.55 GHz
Benefits Of Radar Detectors
Avoiding Speeding Tickets – Never again you’ll have to worry about getting a speeding ticket since this device will alert you in time if there is a police camera nearby so you can slow down
Great For Traffic Jams And Red Lights – Some radar detectors will even warn you if there is a traffic jam ahead of you so you can take an alternative road and save a lot of time. Also, you’ll know when there is a red light near you so you can slow down
Radar Detectors Will Pay Up For Themselves – When you compare the cost of a radar detector with the cost of a speeding ticket you can see that is a great investment in the long run. It will save you thousands of dollars.
Radar Detectors Are Legal – With the exception of a few states, radar detectors are completely legal in most American states. This way you can be safe you are not doing anything illegal while making yourself safe.
Conclusion: Time To Choose The Best Radar Detector
Now that you’ve learned a lot about radar detector I’m sure you can pick up the right one for you. Always have in mind the features you are looking for and write down the pros and cons for each one. Think about the purpose, price tag or additional features when you examine a radar detector. Our article offers you a lot of information about the best models on the market. This way you can compare them with your needs and choose the right one.