Top 10 Best Radar Detectors 2024
If you’re trying to find the best radar detector, you’ve come to the right place. We should all obey the traffic laws, including the speed limits, but having a good radar detector can give drivers extra piece of mind. Often ranging between $150-200, speeding tickets can be costly and even do damage to your driving record and increase your car insurance rates. What’s worse than getting a $200 speeding ticket? Getting one with a cheap radar detector in your car that didn’t work. As police radar gets more sophisticated, it’s increasingly more important to find one that works reliably. Here are our favorite top 10 radar detectors.
Uniden R3 Extreme Long Range Radar/Laser Detector
✔ 360-Degree Protection
✔ GPS Technology
✔ Very Long Range @ Affordable Price
✔ Full Color OLED Display
✔ Portable Carrying Case
✔ X, K, KA, and Laser Bands
10/10
Escort MAX 360C Laser/Radar Detector – Escort Live
✔ 360-Degree Protection
✔ GPS, WI-FI, & Bluetooth Technology (Connected Car Compatible)
✔ Very Long Range
✔ Directional Alerts/Dual Antenna
✔ Travel Case
✔ “Escort Live” Crowd-Sourced Alerts
✔ X, K, KA, and Laser Bands
9.9/10
Uniden R7 Radar Detector w/ GPS & Threat Detection
✔ 360-Degree Protection
✔ GPS Technology
✔ Very Long Range
✔ Red Light and Speed Camera Alerts
✔ Large Multi-Color OLED Display
✔ X, K, KA, and Laser Bands
9.8/10
Escort MAX360 Laser/Radar Detector
✔ 360-Degree Protection
✔ GPS & Bluetooth Technology
✔ Very Long Range
✔ Directional Alerts/Dual Antenna
✔ Travel Case
✔ “Escort Live” Crowd-Sourced Alerts
✔ X, K, KA, and Laser Bands
9.8/10
Radenso Pro M – MultaRadar Detector
✔ Red Light/Speed Camera Database
✔ MultaRadar Detection & Extreme Range
✔ GPS Technology w/ Lockouts & Muting
✔ Great False-Alarm Monitoring
✔ Travel Case Case & Mount Included
✔ Laser Alerts
9.8/10
Escort iXc Laser/Radar Detector w/ Bluetooth
✔ 360-Degree Protection
✔ GPS, WI-FI, & Bluetooth Technology
✔ Long Range
✔ Filters Reduce False Alarms
✔ “Escort Live” Crowd-Sourced Alerts
✔ Laser Alerts
9.7/10
Uniden R1 Extreme Range Radar/Laser Detector
✔ 360-Degree Protection
✔ Very Long Range
✔ Full Color OLED Display
✔ Portable Carrying Case
✔ X, K, KA, and Laser Bands
9.6/10
Radenso XP Radar/Laser, Red Light/Speed Cam Detector
✔ Red Light/Speed Camera Database
✔ GPS Technology
✔ Good False-Alarm Monitoring
✔ Travel Case Case
✔ Laser Alerts
9.4/10
Escort Passport 8500 X50 Radar Detector
✔ Inexpensive/Good Value Buy
✔ TSR False-Alarm Filter
✔ Single-Color Red Display
✔ Portable Carrying Case
✔ X, K, Ka, and Laser Bands
9.2/10
Cobra XRS9370 Radar/Laser Detector
✔ Long Range
✔ ITV False-Alarm Filter
✔ Single-Color OLED Display
✔ X, K, Ka, and Laser Bands
8.6/10
Our Proprietary Ranking System Takes The Following Factors Into Consideration
Features Included
Customer Satsifaction
Innovative Technology
Radar Range
Feedback/ Reviews
Price Point
Radar Detector Buying Guide
Radar detectors can be particularly tricky devices to purchase. There are a few primary reasons for that. First, it’s typically a device that you purchase one time, and therefore don’t have a bunch of previous experience or knowledge in the topic.
Next, there are so many different feature sets available and most of them claim to be “long range” and have good alerts. Unfortunately, they are not all created equal as you’ve probably guessed with their varying price points.
Having the best radar detector means something vastly more reliable and likely to work when you need it. If you buy a cheap radar detector and rely on it too much, you might end up spending the money you should have used to buy a good one, on a speeding ticket!
What to Look For in Radar Detectors
Like most tech gadgets that we review and rank here, radar detectors have a few specific factors that need to be considered when you’re looking to purchase one. And until you spend several of hours researching them, it can be difficult to determine what it is you really even need to look for. We’ve spent the time so you don’t have to. Follow along with our guide below to shorten your educational road to becoming a semi-expert in selecting a top radar detector. We’ll simplify the process and break down just what’s important.
Range
One of the most important things to look for right off the bat is the range it can cover when detecting radar. If it doesn’t detect the radar early enough to give you fair warning, it really doesn’t do you any good, does it?
This is why you see our several of our top rated radar detectors above are noted as long range models. It’s important to mention, you must be diligent when checking the range as most manufacturers all say their detector is “long range”. Let me tell you, it’s a relative term and you often get what you pay for.
Radar/Laser Bands
You should know that there are multiple bands or radar that the police use. They include X, K, KA as well as laser. Note, not all detectors are good at sensing all the bands, especially at longer ranges. This is one of the main things to keep an eye on. Buying a radar detector that won’t detect all the bands will eventually catch up to you.
Other Features
In the digital age we live in today, there are so many new features coming out in radar detection. Many of the new, higher-end models now include GPS, Bluetooth, and even WIFI for live updates from other nearby drivers with the same technology! Another topic we should mention is coverage. Some cheaper models can only detect radar from the front while others have a full 360 degrees of coverage. This is obviously better and will provide you with a more secure feeling.
Affordability
Radar detector prices can range from under $100 for a super-cheap model to up over $500 for a high-end version that has live updates with crowd sourced information for other drivers. Is it worth it to spend $200-$300 on a radar detector? It sure can be. Roughly 1 in 6 drivers are issued speeding tickets each year, and at an average of near $150 per ticket, they can really add up.
And, as we all know, there’s more to the lifetime cost of a speeding ticket than just the fine you pay. You can get points on your license and insurance rates are likely to increase as well. The best way ensure no tickets is to just SLOW DOWN! If you insist on the piece of mind that comes with a radar detector, opt for one that will work. There’s no reason to spend your money on a piece of junk that just gives you false hope.
Conclusion
Please keep in mind that while radar detectors are legal in most areas of the United States, there are a couple states and some municipalities where they are not. Be sure to check your local laws before purchasing any radar detection device.
Even if you’re not a lead-foot driver, we understand having a radar detector in the car can ease your mind about being pulled over by the police. We recommend that you don’t go cheap on this purchase. The newer technology will provide you with the extra range and additional time to slow down when you get that reminder.
Following along these lines, the Uniden R3 Extreme Long Range Radar/Laser Detector is our top pick for most!
If you can afford it though, the absolute best radar detector on the market today is the Escort MAX360C. It has all the bells and whistles!!!