Radar Detectors: Reviews

Updated October 2011

Speeding tickets take a bite out of your checkbook in more ways than one. Sure, there's the fine. Then the points on your license increase your insurance premium. It's a situation that's best avoided altogether. To help, we analyze reviews of radar detectors from a variety of experts, ranging from magazine writers to fiercely independent "outlaw" types. The radar detectors best able to keep flashing blue lights out of your rearview mirror? They're all named here.

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Best radar detector overall

Escort Passport 9500ix

*Est. $500 Compare Prices

New radar/laser detectors with GPS receivers can do one thing others can't -- they warn you where speed or red-light cameras are lurking. Experts say the Escort Passport 9500ix not only excels at this, it also detects… expandradar guns more quickly than its rivals. The 9500ix also automatically determines which alarms are false and remembers them -- and it will only get your attention when it counts. The 9500ix isn't invisible to radar-detector detectors like the Escort RedLine (*Est. $500) is, but experts say that only matters if you're illegally using your radar detector in areas where they're banned. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

SpeedZones: The Escort Passport 9500ix is one of the top performers in this authoritative test by Speed Management Laboratories.

RadarTest.com: The Escort Passport 9500ix beats three other GPS-equipped radar detectors in this test, which judged the detectors' abilities with several types of photo radar and speed cameras.

RadarBusters.com: "Radar Roy" Reyer, the former police officer who runs this retail site, says the Escort Passport 9500ix "is the best detector on the market right now." This page shows Reyer's "badge ratings" for two dozen radar detectors, and you can click on each model to see user reviews.

PopularMechanics.com: Popular Mechanics' Glenn Derene spends a week testing the Escort Passport 9500ix in speed-trap-rich southern Connecticut.

Laserveil.com: LaserVeil.com, a retail site selling a laser light-absorbing spray for cars, also rates radar detectors.

Amazon.com: With more than 190 user reviews posted at Amazon.com, the Escort Passport 9500ix averages 4 stars (out of 5) overall.

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Best midrange radar detector

Beltronics RX 65

*Est. $300 Compare Prices

The Beltronics RX 65 radar/laser detector lacks GPS functionality, can't alert you to speed or red-light cameras like the Escort Passport 9500ix (*Est. $500) can, and is more prone to false alarms. It also takes longer to… expandget a strong signal from a faraway police radar gun in tests. However, reports say the RX 65 gives the driver better warning than a budget unit such as the Beltronics Vector 955 (*Est. $150). The RX 65 also comes with some helpful extras, including a signal-strength meter, Ku-band detection for European use (Ku-band radar is not used in the U.S.) and a carrying case. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

RadarTest.com: Reviewer Craig Peterson pits three over-$300 radar detectors against each other, looking for "the world's best." Based on testing, Peterson calls the Beltronics RX 65 "the tool of choice for the serious road warrior."

RadarBusters.com: The Beltronics RX 65 is one of the top-rated radar detectors at this site run by Roy Reyer, a former police officer who now sells radar detectors.

CNET: Reviewer Wayne Cunningham evaluates the Beltronics RX 65 based upon his experience with the unit.

Laserveil.com: "The Veil Guy" runs this site, which sells a laser light-absorbing spray for cars, and also tests radar detectors.

Epinions.com: The Beltronics RX 65 earns an average of 3.5 of 5 stars, with more than 30 consumers posting reviews.

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Buy from Amazon for $216.25
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Best radar detector under $200

Beltronics Vector 955

*Est. $150 Compare Prices

While no review says the Beltronics Vector 955 is as good as the top-performing Escort and Beltronics radar detectors, testers say it's a good budget radar and laser-gun detector that will give drivers just enough notice… expandto react to upcoming traps. It shares many of the same features as the Beltronics RX 65 (*Est. $300), including spoken alerts and a city mode that is supposed to reduce false alarms from automatic grocery-store doors and the like; however, users still report far more false alarms than with GPS-equipped detectors like the Escort Passport 9500ix (*Est. $500). collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

RadarTest.com: In this test, the Beltronics Vector 955 outperforms two other budget radar detectors, the Cobra XRS 9955 (now discontinued) and Whistler Pro 78SE. The Beltronics does the best job of detecting radar on straightaways, around curves and over hills.

Guys of Lidar: The expert tests at GuysOfLidar.com mimic real-world situations; for example, radar detectors are tested on their ability to sense radar guns that are hiding over a hill or around a curve.

Laserveil.com: LaserVeil.com is a retail site that sells a laser light-absorbing spray for cars.

RadarBusters.com: The Beltronics Vector 955 is one of the few under-$200 radar detectors earning a recommendation from "Radar Roy" Reyer, the former police officer who now runs this retail site.

Amazon.com: The Beltronics Vector 955 earns an average rating of 4 stars (out of 5) with about 150 consumer reviews posted.

Epinions.com: The Beltronics Vector 955 earns an average of 3.5 stars (out of 5) from more than 25 users at Epinions.com, a site where consumers post reviews of products they own.

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Buy from Amazon for $145.71
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Best "invisible" radar detector

Escort RedLine

*Est. $500 Compare Prices

Although the use of radar detectors is usually legal in passenger cars, a few states ban them completely, and federal law prohibits their use in trucks exceeding 10,000 pounds. Police can use radar-detector detectors --… expandor RDDs -- to discover which cars and trucks are using a radar detector. However, the Escort RedLine is invisible to RDDs in tests. It's also a great radar/laser detector, picking up signals just about as quickly as the Escort Passport 9500ix (*Est. $500). Unless you really need an invisible radar detector, reviews still recommend the 9500ix as the best choice for typical drivers, as its GPS chip helps it filter out false alerts and detect red-light and speed cameras -- something the Escort RedLine can't do. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

SpeedZones: The Escort RedLine is one of only two under-$1,000 radar detectors that prove invisible to the latest Spectre Elite radar-detector detectors in SpeedZones.com's latest test (the Beltronics STi Driver is the other).

RadarTest.com: In this extremely thorough test, the Escort RedLine beats the Valentine One at every type of radar detection but one (long-distance, around curves, photo radar, etc.).

YouTube.com: In Roy Reyer's cross-country road trip, the Escort RedLine "just basically smoked all of its competition," including the Valentine One, at long-distance radar detection.

Amazon.com: The Escort RedLine maintains an overall rating of 4.5 stars (out of 5) with more than 35 owners posting reviews.

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