If you are wandering to know which is the best radar detector on the market, there are a number of really good options and in this article, we are going to reveal the very best ones available including the Uniden R3, the Max 360 and the Valentine One V1. These detectors are all higher-end detectors as they have got excellent performance, excellent filtering, a lot of really cool useful features and they will do an excellent job of helping you avoid speeding tickets. We are going to be going over the pros and cons of all the different detectors and also helping answer the question of which one you should get depending on what features you need as well as where you drive the car most. Let’s head over the review of best radar detectors.
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Best Radar Detectors 2019
1. Uniden R3 Radar Detector (Best Selling Detector)
It is kind of the main detector that we will typically recommend is going to be the Uniden R3 retails for $399 and it is the best performing windshield mount radar detector on the market. It gives you the longest range performance and has got really good false alert filtering. This radar detector is undetectable by radar detector detectors and it has a GPS chip inside so that when you come across a false alert for example, from a speed sign or a grocery stores automatic door opener, you can teach it is a false alert so it will not alert you again. It features low-speed muting to keep it quiet in parts of town that you have not been in before. It has got red light camera alerts and kind of has all the key core stuff that you need and it outperforms everything else. So whenever people are looking for the best radar detector, one of the top options if not the top one is going to be the Uniden R3 radar detector.
2. Cobra ESD7570 Radar Detector (Under $100)
The Cobra ESD7570 radar detector is a great value product. It offers protection in 360 rotation against the speed guns and other traffic traps so you can drive with full peace of mind. This radar is completely immune to spectre and VG-2 detectors which is a really big deal at this price point. It also makes easy to identify which band has been detected by specific band’s icon on display screen. It alerts you to be prepared in advance about upcoming emergency situations such as railroads, a traffic jam on the highway etc. using its safety alerts transmitters. This cheap radar detector allows you to reduce the frequency of false alerts in highly dense traffic areas. You will get all necessary equipment such as suction cup mount, windshield bracket kit, coiled power cord, and a manual institutions booklet along with Cobra ESD7570 radar detector.
3. Escort Max 360 Radar Detector (Best Performance)
The Escort Max 360 is one of the most feature pack detectors and it is also going to be the ones best suited for convenience and plug-and-play functionally. It has the GPS chip for GPS lockout so it can learn false alerts and filter them out for you automatically. What that means is if it sees the same signal a couple times, it will automatically teach it what is a false alert and you do not have to keep messing with the detector which is very nice especially if you do not want to learn all the details about radar detectors. It also has a lot of other functionality such as arrows to actually help locate the source of the threat is it ahead of you or is it back behind.
This detector features a built-in Bluetooth so you can pair it with your phone and share your alerts with other drivers and they can share their alerts with you to get more information in an additional layer of protection. It is kind of like Waze for your phone but again it is more hands-free and automated because the detector is doing it all for you. When you are paired with your phone, it can display the speed limit on the front of the detector. So it has got a lot of additional features and functionality. The performance is not as high as the Uniden detectors but they make up for it with all the other features that they add now. It is also one of the most expensive radar detectors on the market. The Max 360 radar detector costs six $650 but you can typically find it on Amazon for about $100 less close to $550 or so prices fluctuate.
4. Whistler XTR-130 Laser Radar Detector
(Most Economical)
This is another great piece of product that has a lot to feature at this price point. Like other expensive radar detectors, it is equipped with all modern technologies that a good radar detector should have. It offers protection against all major lasers and radars including X-band, K-band, and Ka-band. The Whistler XTR-130 is going to provide you protection against laser and hidden traffic cameras through all around your vehicle in 360-degree manners. Another benefit to having this radar detector is that it stays hidden when there are any VG-2 or spectre detectors nearby your car. This is really a great value radar detector that comes with a windshield bracket kit, a power cord, and a manual book. So we will personally recommend you to go with this detector if you have never used a radar detector in your car.
5. Valentine One (V1) Radar Detector
If you like the idea of the arrows with the Max 360 and 360 C but you do not necessarily want to pay that level of money, take a look at the Valentine one. It retails for $470 (price may vary). And if you add a Bluetooth module with it to pair it with your phone, your phone with some apps can add a lot of the same functionality such as those automatic hands-free GPS lockout so as you drive around, the detector with your phone can learn those false alerts for you and begin filtering them out for you automatically. The setup and configuration are more complicated. It does not have all the information on the display such as the fancy OLED display, your frequency information or speed limit information so the more configurations are required. It is going to require you to tether it to your phone but when you are looking at $470 detector as opposed to $550 or $650 or $700, if you are more tech savvy and you are looking to save some cash, the Valentine One V1 radar detector is going to be a great choice for you.
6. Escort Max 360C Radar Detector
Now the max 360C is the same idea as the Max 360 radar detector with the same level of performance and same filtering but it adds a Wi-Fi chip inside so it can connect to your car’s Wi-Fi hotspot automatically update itself whenever there are new red light camera alerts or new firmware. So if you are really looking for that plug-and-play convenience, this is going to give you that to another level. As it has been redesigned, therefore, now it comes in a little bit smaller size but the main benefit is going to be the fact that it adds Wi-Fi. There is also a new mount which makes it easier to mount and un-mount from your car. This is the most expensive windshield mount detector on the market. It retails for $650 but it is also going to be the most features packed detector on the market. So if that is radar detector what you are looking for, go ahead and buy it confidently.
7. Radenso Pro M Radar Detector
Now another good option is going to be the Radenso Pro M. It is the most compact detector and the main benefit to having it can detect some special low powered radar guns including the Multa-Radar CD. This is a radar gun that is actively used across Canada and it is also now being used in the US. For example, it is currently in use in New York and they are using it for photo radar applications. Out of all these detectors, this is the only one that is capable of detecting the MRCD and this is the very best one in terms of both detecting and filtering out false alerts from the MRCD. So if that applies to you and you are looking for the more future proof set up, the Radenso Pro-M is a great choice that retails for $549 (prices may vary).
8. Uniden DFR7 Radar Detector (Under $300)
If you are looking for a less expensive detector or a starter detector or you are on a budget, take a look at the Uniden DFR7 radar detector. It is the predecessor to the R3 radar detector. Despite it does not have quite the level of performance and it does not have some of the features that the high-end R3 Radar detector does but it is still a very capable detector. It is able to outperform a lot of detectors at $400 price point and yet it retails for $299 but you can now find it online for closer to $249. So if you are looking for a good city detector with good performance and maybe more on a budget, you still want the GPS lockouts and muting functions and red light camera alerts, take a look at the Uniden DFR 7 radar detector.
9. Beltronics RX65 Radar Detector
The Beltronics RX65 detector offers protection in various types of road emergency situations like it alerts you about bad weather, hazard road bypass, the road under maintenance, and many other similar situations. It shows the actual numeric frequency of the laser signals so you can reduce the speed of your car according to road speed limit in order to avoid high speeding tickets and traffic fines. This comes in two different types of LED displays red and blue so you can choose what you like the most. It has the ability to deal with all major radar bands like X-band, K-band, and Ka-band. It is also immune to Spectre and VG-2 Police radar detectors. The package includes a metal case, a hard wired plug, a windshield mount, and an instructions booklet. You will not regret your decision to buy this radar detector as manufacturer offers a 1-year limited warranty on this Beltronics detector so go ahead and give it a try.
10. Uniden DFR6 Radar Detector (Under $200)
Finally for those who are looking for the most affordable detector who possibly drive in more rural areas or drive in California, any of those situations if you want a detector under the $200 price point, the Uniden DFR6 maybe the best choice for you. It offers quite similar functions as the DFR7 does but it does not include the GPS chip, therefore, it is not going to be as good for driving around town because you will not have the low-speed muting or the GPS lockouts. But again for more rural applications or maybe more interest highway driving, the DFR6 is going to be a great way to save some money and it is going to be your best detector under $200. If you live in California, that detector specializes in detecting 34-7 Ka and it does not have the lockout so you can just disable K-band because they do not use K-band in California have it focused just on 34-7 Ka. Therefore, it is going to be an amazing detector for California. The R1 will give you better performance but the DFR6 is kind of a special gem for California drivers.
Selecting Best Radar Detectors
When selecting a radar detector that is just right for you, there are a number of things you need to consider. Take a look at below common factors:
Location
First, is the location where you will be using a radar detector. As in many countries, it is illegal to use radar detectors so you will need to opt for a detector that keeps hidden while performing its tasks.
Driving Style
It also matters a lot what type of driving you do. Suppose, you are driving in a city, you will need a radar detector that has the capability to alert you about upcoming speed traps and red signals away from a far distance.
Sensitivity of Detector
One of the most important factors you should consider when selecting your radar detector is its sensitivity because nowadays, the Police and traffic regulation authorities are using low power digital radar guns. Therefore, opt for a detector that can sense speed traps and red signals 1 or 2 miles away from your car at least.
Filtering Abilities
Another consideration of a driver is the filtering abilities of the detector. Because most of the radar detectors are using the same technology that is being used by the police so it is really important to find a detector that can overcome this situation.
360 Degree Protection
We will recommend you to choose a radar detector that has the ability to have full 360-degree protection because many radar detectors have one antenna that only protects you from the front but you must have a detector with two antennas which covers you through all around from cop’s Spectre RDD and VG-2 detectors.
Mounting a Radar Detector
There are basically two types of radar detectors remote mounted and windshield mounted. The remotely mounted radar detectors are designed in a way that can adjust in the car with the rear detector antenna hidden under the grille. These are comparatively expensive but they are stealth to eyes that no one even knows that you have installed a radar detector in your car. The windshield mounted detectors are mounted on the windshield of the car. These detectors come with some sort of suction cup for mounting and a power cable.
Budget
It is one of the most concerned factors when you are going to buy a radar detector. Price is parallel to functionalities of a radar detector. In other words, more the price, you will get more quality. The price of a radar detector ranges from $20-$850.
Different types of Detectors Bands
You have probably noticed different radar detectors advertise the ability to detect X-band or K band or Ka-band but what does that actually mean and what is a band? Well, it has to do with the frequency that the police radar gun antenna is transmitting on you to know how your car stereo is, for example, it can listen to different radio stations. Those different radio stations transmit at different radio frequencies and radar guns can also transmit at different radio frequencies.
Now radar itself the word actually stands for radio direction and ranging or radio detection and ranging but again they are just radio waves. These radio waves can transmit at different frequency ranges and this different kind of subsections are called different bands. It is just a convenient way to refer to different ranges of frequencies. Have you ever heard of X-band, K-band, and Ka-band? Let’s talk a little bit about what they are and kind of how things have evolved over time. There is also a couple other ones that have been used historically and so let’s talk about them.
S-Band
When radar guns first came out in the 1940s, they actually operated on S-band was around 2.5GHz or so and those S-band antennas were massive. The whole set up was huge itself like they would put it like the trunk of a police car or something like that and again the antennas were enormous as technology improved they started moving on to higher frequency radio waves with smaller wavelengths and it led to smaller antennas which were really nice.
X-Band
In the 1960s, they came out with X band around 10GHz or so and X-band antennas were nice because they can be put in a police car and actually use them not only when they are stationary but also when they are driving around.
K-Band
Then in the 1970s, they introduced K band antennas which were even smaller than was operate in maybe the 24GHz range.
Ka-Band
In the 1980s, they launched a Ka band which is in the low to the mid 30GHz range and it was nice as they got higher and higher in frequency. The antennas actually got smaller and smaller which was very advantageous for police officers to detect any uncertain movements in vehicles.
Spectre RDD
The Spectre is a high-frequency receiver or radar detectors detector that is mostly used by police and road law enforcement authorities to detect radar detectors illegally used by people in their vehicles. It has the ability to detect most of the radars detectors that are being used nowadays. So if you are planning to buy a radar detector for your car, we would recommend you to consider a stealth radar detector that is engineered to defeat these devices.
VG-2 Detection
It is another radar detectors detector that works quite the same as Spectre RDD does but it is less efficient and covers up a few radar detector bands. Majority of brands using anti-VG-2 technology in their radar systems for increased safety and protection from unwanted traffic fines.
Conclusion
This is kind of a quick high-level overview of all the best radar detectors available on the market. So we hope this review of radar detectors may help you out in choosing the best radar detector for your car. Again, we will suggest you not to compromise on quality over price as it is going to be a long-term investment that will save your couple hundreds of dollars you may be charged in traffics fines. If you still have any concerns or suggestions regarding radar detectors, shoot us an email or write us down in the comment section below. We will be more than happy to assist you.