These Laser Radar Detectors Help You Keep An Extra Eye on the Road — and the Cops
To state the obvious, speeding tickets are expensive. The hit to your insurance is even more expensive. It’s easy to say “don’t speed,” and we certainly recommend driving at safe speeds. But oftentimes, the safe driving speed is considerably higher than the posted speed limit. So, what do you do? Drive at the speed limit and force other drivers to go around you? Go a few miles over, and risk a ticket?
One option is to invest in a laser radar detector. They are designed to notify you about the usage of police radar, giving you time to adjust your speed accordingly. These handy devices are easy to install, are powered by your vehicle and can save you some serious $$ in helping you avoid tickets. We’ve created a guide for buying, using and benefitting from these devices.
What to Consider Before Buying a Laser Radar Detector
It is legal to use a laser radar detector in every US state except Virginia and Washington DC. However, there are some exceptions regarding commercial vehicles and regulations about windshield mounts in some states. We encourage you to do your own research or consult the DMV before purchasing.
One of the main things to look for in a radar detector is one that can filter out bands that aren’t used by police radars. The world is a noisy place, and that’s true of radar signals. Radar signals come from a lot of places, and you don’t want your detector crying wolf from things like other car’s blind-spot monitors.
The other thing to know is that while laser detection is nice to have, you won’t get as much warning as you do with radar. In many cases, you may get alerted after it’s too late.
One last thing to note is that this technology is not particularly cheap, but it’s a whole lot less expensive than the costs associated with a speeding ticket.
How We Chose the Best Laser Radar Detectors
This product category is not all that large, which makes selecting the best ones easier and harder in some ways, as there’s not a ton of variety. The main players in the space are Cobra, Uniden, Escort and a few others. We’ve selected radars from all of them and a few more below, based on quality of reviews, ease of use and included features.
All of the top models are easy to read nowadays, but some can sync with your phone and alert you via a smartphone app when red light cameras are up ahead, or there’s a cop in your area. Some mount on your dashboard, and some are designed to descend from your rearview mirror. Be sure to look up what’s legal and what’s not in your state or area before purchasing.
With that in mind, here are our picks for the best laser and radar detectors on Amazon.
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1. Cobra 9-Band Performance Radar/Laser Detector
This economical option is a great way to keep an extra eye on the road. There are a variety of models available from this listing. The price shown is for the Rad 450, which has a unique system that filters out unwanted signals that can cause false alerts. The vibrant display makes it easy to quickly check the radar without being distracted.
Pros: Affordable, comes with various settings.
Cons: May have to be configured to prevent it from picking up signals that aren’t from police radars.
Buy: Cobra 9-Band Performance Radar/Laser Detector
2. Uniden DFR7 Super Long Range Wide Band Laser/Radar Detector
High-tech yet reasonably priced, the Uniden DFR7 is a good option for the average commuter. The clear and intuitive display makes it easy to see the signal frequency and other metrics at a glance, and you can adjust the volume to reduce distractions or ensure vigilance. Plus, the uses GPS technology, which means you can recognize recurring false signals and adjust the unit to not alert you. The DFR7 also filters out other potential distractions like other car’s blind-spot monitors.
Pros: Long-range. GPS-enabled to recognize common false alerts along your route. Alert filtering reduces distractions from other car’s blind-spot monitors.
Cons: Included mounts could be better.
Buy: Uniden DFR7 Super Long Range Wide Band Laser/Radar Detector
3. Escort IXC Laser Radar Detector
This device is capable of communicating with your car’s WiFi system for convenient and quick usage. If your car isn’t outfitted with WiFi, you can still connect through your phone’s Bluetooth, or get voice alerts directly from the detector. The Escort IXC comes equipped with the Escort Live app, which helps you know what lies ahead of you on the road.
Pros: Multiple modes of connectivity such as WiFi and Bluetooth. It filters out false alerts through GPS-based memory. In short, it learns from previous false alerts.
Cons: One of the more expensive options on our list.
Buy: Escort IXC Laser Radar Detector
4. Uniden R7 Extreme Long Range
Uniden makes a variety of radar detectors, and the R7 is a top model from the brand. It has an extremely long range for detection, giving you ample time to adjust your speed as needed. Plus, the R7 has a dual antenna, allowing it to scan signals in four directions. The R7 also has built-in GPS, which can be used to allow the unit to remember false signals along your commute and not alert you to them. The directional arrows on the unit notify you of the direction the signal is coming from, so you can be more alert.
Pros: Premium model. Features directional arrows to notify you of where the signal is coming from. GPS enabled. Comes with a carrying pouch. Red light camera alerts.
Cons: Some options may be less expensive.
Buy: Uniden R7 Extreme Long Range
5. ESCORT MAX III
The Escort Max III is the more basic model compared with the 360; it doesn’t have multi-directional alerts. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a premium model. The Max III has a long range, and the filtering cuts out signals from other drivers’ blind-spot monitors and other false alerts. Plus, the built-in GPS allows the Escort Max III to learn your route and adjust accordingly, helping to cut out frequent false alerts. You can also connect to the Escort Live app to get even more information.
Pros: Can learn your route to customize to your needs. Filters out false signals. Comes with a handy carrying case. Escort Live app features crowd-sourced information.
Cons: Power cord could be longer.
6. Escort MAX360 Laser Radar Detector
The all-new Max360 model from Escort raises the bar above the original design with a few notable improvements, including an extreme range with pinpoint precision, a directional alert display and state-of-the-art response time as well. Both the front and rear antennas are constantly scanning in all directions and looking for Digital Signal Processing (DSP) to detect potential threats. Beyond its baseline functionality, the Max 360 also possesses a rich, community-driven database of thousands of red light and speed cameras across North America, to let you know when you’re coming up on a known speed trap or hot spot.
Pros: Five levels of filtering so your ride stays quiet and drama-free, seamless Bluetooth connectivity and a simple user experience.
Cons: New model can’t be powered by a cigarette lighter port.
Buy: Escort MAX360 Laser Radar Detector
7. Radenso XP Radar Detector
This XP radar detector from Radenso has top-flight sensitivity that can detect and deliver radar alerts from as far away as several miles. It’s got GPS lockout technology built in so it’ll filter out common false alerts along your frequently-driven routes, and you can mute alerts below a user-selected speed as well. It’s also got a built-in database with speed cameras and red lights, that comes with free updates as well.
Pros: Sleek design, easy-to-read display, low speed muting and sensitivity up to several miles away.
Cons: The programmed sounds in this radar detector may be annoying to some users.
Buy: Radenso XP Radar Detector
8. Whistler Laser CR95 Radar
This laser radar detector from Whistler comes with MMIC (Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit) technology for maximum sensitivity and range, and it’s got 360 degrees of perimeter protection as well. It’s got traffic flow signal rejection (TFSR) and six different filtering modes to help decrease the number of false alerts from regular traffic monitoring systems. It’s got three different city modes and highway modes as well made to filter out signals from door openers and security systems, and it’s got a high gain lens that helps improve the range of detection.
Pros: Sensitive detection, 360 degrees of perimeter protection, has an auto dim/dark mode that adjusts to lighting.
Cons: The K band functionality is not as advanced in this model, but if you only need it for speed traps it’ll satisfy your needs.
Buy: Whistler Laser CR95 Radar
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