Review: Best Laser Jammers

Which jammer best protects against a laser ambush?

Craig Peterson
Last updated: 6/6/2011

The laser's pinpoint beam —depicted here by the crosshatch in mid-grille—makes it extremely difficult to detect and requires only a tiny bit of reflected light to get a target speed. Even one of this Chrysler 300C's foglights was enough to generate a speed reading at 1,390 feet. With a front license plate, target range ballooned to 2,788 feet. Bottom line: this car is a great candidate for a laser jammer.

The laser jammer occupies a niche market and is probably never destined to become a mainstream product. A few states ban the device and even where it's legal, major manufacturers are nervous about being seen as purveyors of a gadget whose sole function is to circumvent police laser guns.

This status as a cottage industry has naturally limited the proliferation of laser jammer models. At the time of our 2005 laser jammer test, five manufacturers offered as many models. Today, two of those have since folded their tents, leaving only three veteran manufacturers still in the game. One of those, K40, continues to sell the Defuser EX, usually as part of its Calibre custom-installed remote radar detector system. But the K40 Defuser EX doesn't appear to have been updated in recent years and it fared poorly (again) in the recent test of budget-priced remote radar detectors equipped with laser jammers. That removed it from consideration for this review.

A few fringe players nibble at the edges of the segment. As early as 2005, reverse-engineered Blinder laser jammers had appeared, cheap Asian-built copies whose purveyors clearly hadn't completely unraveled the Blinder microprocessor's source code. A few worked adequately against some laser guns but performance was wildly uneven and quality control was marginal at best.

As the first to test laser detectors—in 1992—and laser jammers, in 1994—we can opine with some assurance that marginal players will continue to appear and disappear regularly and without warning, taking any vestige of product support and customer service with them. Reasons enough that for this test, we preferred to focus on the two market mainstays—Blinder and Escort.

The first contestant was the Escort ZR4 ($450). The front laser jammers have integral clamp-on mounts as well as a variety of brackets, but nothing fit our bite-sized Honda very well, so the ZR4 transceivers were bolted to the test vehicle using U-brackets fabricated from 1/8-inch flat stock, then aligned with a bubble level.

Escort ZR4 and Blinder M27 twin front jammers are very similar in appearance. For testing, the Escort ZR4 jammer transceivers (heads) were mounted with brackets and the Blinder M27 jammer heads were affixed to them.

On many vehicles, the ZR4 laser jammer's swiveling, clamp-on bracket can easily be attached to a flat surface and tightened with an Allen wrench. This makes it the fastest laser jammer installation we've experienced. (To learn more about the considerable advantages of a remote radar detector/laser jammer system, read the Escort Passport Qi45 review.)

The Escort ZR4 laser jammers work as a stand-alone system, complete with a control/display module, interface box and a third jammer for the rear plate. The ZR4 system will interface with high-end BEL and Escort dash-mount radar detectors like the BEL (Beltronics) RX65, BEL (Beltronics) Vector 995 and BEL (Beltronics) GX65 or the Escort Passport 8500 X50, Escort Passport 9500ix and Escort RedLine. When linked to these with a single control wire, status information and laser attacks are visually displayed on the detector's LED screen and the jammers are controlled by the detector.

Escort ZR4 twin front and single rear jammers

Audible alerts are also provided by the detector and volume can likewise be adjusted remotely, an advantage over the Blinder M47. This degree of control, plus simple operation and ease of installation have made the Escort ZR4 laser jamming system a favorite among Escort and BEL owners.

The other contender was the Blinder M47 ($750), a four-transceiver system. It can be installed in any configuration, including all four transceivers in front, but on our small target car we mounted two in front and one in back, emulating the Escort Passport ZR4 configuration. For the test we used Velcro to affix the front Blinder transceivers to the Escort bracket-mounted ZR4 jammers, using shims between them to adjust horizontal alignment independently of the Escort units. We fabricated a bracket and bolted the rear jammer to the rear plate's lower mounting holes below the ZR4 jammer.

It should be noted that strictly according to price, the direct competitor to the Escort ZR4 is the two-head Blinder M27 ($479). When we inquired about which Blinder model is the best-seller, we were surprised to learn that the more expensive four-head Blinder M47 handily outsells its less expensive sibling. According to a Blinder executive, most customers are concerned about having extra protection, whether by adding a third jammer head to the front or putting twin jammers in back. Based upon the test results, it appears that his customers may have a point.

Blinder M47 four-jammer system handily outsells the two-head M27 model that protects only the front of the vehicle. The M47 supplies four jammers, two each for front and rear protection. Learn more >>>

The Blinder M47 (and the otherwise identical twin-transceiver M27 model) is a far cry from the M20 we tested in 2005. There's obviously been considerable attention paid to mounting brackets, alert systems and controls. The latter include a three-way power rocker switch, piezo speaker, status LED and an output wire for stereo system audio muting during alerts. Laser jammers attach to an interface box with telephone-style RJ-11 connectors (same as on the Escort ZR4) that provide foolproof orientation and they never come loose.

Alerts are depicted visually by a flashing LED, audibly by the deafening piezo speaker. Those who extend jammer-transmitting time from the factory-default seven seconds may want to add a volume-control potentiometer to the audio circuit.

This simplified wiring design greatly speeds the installation and getting the jammers level is an equally straightforward task. Each jammer head has a small horizontal hole that accepts the supplied bubble level. Just plug it in to check alignment, leaving both hands free to make adjustments. It's the most elegant and foolproof alignment solution we've seen.

One unique feature of the Blinder M27 and M47 laser jamming system is a USB port on the interface box. Connect it to a PC, log-on to the Blinder Web site and after downloading and installing the Blinder update program, both software and firmware updates can be downloaded. The Escort ZR4 has no such provision.

Blinder M47 (and M27 two-head version) jammer heads' wires plug into an interface box with telephone-style RJ-11 connectors. A USB port on the interface box allows online updates of firmware and software.

User preferences can also be set online. One example: the Blinder M47's factory-set seven-second transmit time. For testing, we needed the M47 to transmit continuously. Once online, adjusting transmitting time to indefinite took a few keystrokes. Very slick.

Blinder says that a laser Park Assist feature is included in the system but aside from generating some random beeps, none of them at parking speeds, we failed to note any benefit. That's hardly worth the mention since we seriously doubt that the typical customer has anything but laser jamming in mind.

The Escort ZR4 enjoys a commanding edge in ease of installation, mainly a benefit of sophisticated brackets that permit a range of mounting options. On many vehicles, the front jammer heads can be clipped to the front fascia. This option enabled us to mount an entire Escort Passport Qi45 system, including jammers—and without drilling any holes—on an installer-unfriendly Acura ZDX for a recent test of remote (built-in) radar detector-laser jamming systems. It took less than 45 minutes, a record, and this on a vehicle whose snout would seem to resist any attempt to mount aftermarket equipment.)

Mounting the single rear jammer head was a two-minute task using the stock license plate bolts. Once the hardware was installed, its wires were routed alongside the factory harness and secured with wire ties. The interface box was wire-tied to the emergency brake cable bracket near the driver's-side kick panel. Last, the control/display module was mounted atop the steering column in front of the cluster.

The jaw of the Escort ZR4 laser shifter's swiveling bracket locks onto a panel as the front Allen bolt is tightened. After vertical alignment, tightening two more Allen bolts keeps it from moving.

In contrast, installing the Blinder entailed a bit more work. In front, the Blinder's jammer heads' plastic L-brackets had to be modified in order to allow proper jammer alignment. Strangely, a reinforcing gusset cast into the bracket corner makes contact with the jammer head and limits vertical movement. Grinding off some material removed the interference and let us get them level with the road. Screws are run through the brackets into the jammer housings to secure them.

On the little Honda target vehicle we mounted a single Blinder M47 rear jammer head on a custom bracket. Aside from matching the Escort Passport ZR4's single-rear-jammer configuration, it was really the only sensible mounting solution. There's no place to install twin rear jammers without chopping holes in the bumper cover, a common problem with many vehicles today. (Placing both next to the license plate duplicates coverage and largely negates the presence of the second jammer head.)

Even had we chosen the unlikely option of carving-up the bumper cover, we'd recommend using some restraint. Despite their legality in 43 states it's still prudent to conceal laser jammers from official scrutiny. Protecting them from damage is another worthwhile consideration.

Installing the Blinder M47 is best left to an experienced hand. The front jammer heads aren't difficult to install but putting two in back on most vehicles calls for some fabrication skills. (An installation option would be three front heads—two mounted outboard, the third at the front plate—and a single rear jammer head, as on our Honda target car, making for a faster and simpler installation but also with less rear protection.)

Inside, the status/warning LED and multifunction rocker switch are intended to be panel-mounted. Those who are uncomfortable drilling holes in the interior would be wise to seek professional assistance.

Escort ZR4 rear laser jammer mounts to the upper plate, using stock bolts. Blinder M47 jammer (bottom) requires a fabricated mount.

Three tests were conducted using two different vehicles. In the first two tests we measured both front and rear protection. Using a large vehicle that could easily be targeted at 3,000 feet and beyond, the third test measured rear protection only, by far the most demanding task asked of a laser jammer.

For the first series of runs, from a staging area 2,500 feet distant on a deserted two-lane rural road, the Honda CRX Si target vehicle drove toward the tripod-mounted lasers at 25 mph. When the driver approached a traffic cone placed at 2,000 feet, he radioed the laser operator with a 3-2-1 countdown. Each laser was then fired continuously, as they are by police officers, first targeting the grille area. If no speed was obtained within a few seconds, aim was shifted to a headlight and then across the frontal area until a speed appeared.

Three baseline runs with jammers off were first recorded and averaged. Using one laser at a time, we next made three runs against each laser, the average of those displayed below. One set of runs was made no front license plate installed. For the second set we installed a reflective front plate, the favored target in states requiring a front license plate since it can often double target range, compared to a headlight, the next-best target.

Average target-capture range (ft.)

NS = no target speed acquired
> = Target speed displayed at X feet and beyond

Average target-capture range (Ft.)

For the third test, our unusually laser-friendly 2007 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon target vehicle drove away from the tripod-mounted lasers at 25 mph. As the driver approached a traffic cone placed at 350 feet, he radioed the laser operator with a 3-2-1 countdown. Each laser was then fired continuously, targeting first the rear license plate. If no speed was obtained within a few seconds, aim was shifted to a taillight and then to the rear center high-mounted stop light (CHMSL) and if necessary, at the spare tire/wheel assembly until a speed appeared. (The CHMSL and the chromed center cap of the spare tire/wheel assembly proved to be the best targets due to their greater distance from the jammer heads.)

We began firing at the Jeep at 350 feet because target range on departing targets is generally far greater—often 300-600 percent longer. Officers working alone are less inclined to tag vehicles going away from them because it takes much longer to catch up to them. A more typical departing-target scenario is one officer working the laser and radioing to several "catch cars" farther down the road to make the stop. The laser operator often sits atop an on-ramp or similar vantage point, picking off targets at 1,500 feet or more.

Three baseline runs with jammers off were first recorded and averaged. Using one laser at a time, we next made three runs against each laser, with the average of those reported.

Average target-capture range (ft)

In overall laser-jamming performance, the Blinder M47 was clearly the better unit, jamming most lasers down to point-blank range. On larger vehicles, this extends to rear laser protection where the Blinder's twin jammer heads provided better coverage than the Escort Passport ZR4's single jammer head. For that matter, the Blinder M47 obviously displayed more latent jamming talent in the departing-target tests, even when we doubled the number of Escort ZR4 jammers in back.

Jeep Wrangler Rubicon wears twin rear laser jammers from both Escort and Blinder for the test. Two are below the license plate, the other pair opposite them. The Jeep needed two jammers in back: with big taillights, a CHMSL, chromed bumper tips and a huge spare wheel/tire as targets, a laser-equipped Stevie Wonder could nail this Jeep in the next county.

Don't plan to set-and-forget the ZR4, failing to take an active role in every laser encounter. Those who ignore its warnings and insist on blundering into a laser speed trap may eventually outrun its jamming capabilities. In that respect the Blinder is more forgiving.

Check the results and it would appear that the Escort ZR4 delivered mediocre results against the Stalker LZ1 and the Kustom Signals ProLite lasers, particularly when aimed at the back of the Jeep Wrangler which, to a laser, is a barn-sized target. But there's a caveat here: the Stalker has been a very slow-selling model and the ProLite has been universally ignored by lawmen nationwide. If you encounter a laser in this country there's a 90 percent chance it will be an LTI or a Kustom Signals ProLaser III, a vastly better-performing unit. One other caution: laser attacks from the rear are less common that frontal assaults. For every 25 head-on confrontations there might be four or five instances where the back of a vehicle is the target. And these are more likely to occur in town, where motorcycle officers are more prevalent. We'd suggest keeping these odds in mind when making a buying decision.

For these and other reasons this contest isn't a shutout for Blinder. While not an overachiever like the Blinder, the Escort ZR4's jamming performance against the most commonly used lasers—in the most common type of laser ambush—is protection enough for many drivers.

The Blinder's higher performance does entail a stiffer tariff. As noted, using twin rear heads ups the price by three C-notes and also entails some added installation challenges with a bigger labor tab for non-DIY customers. For some, this may be somewhat offset by the Blinder M27 and M47 models' unique ability to receive online updates, helping to keep them abreast of the latest threats.

Escort ZR4 laser jammer advantages include more elegant mounts with faster installation; a better user interface and the ability to be linked to BEL and Escort radar detectors. The Escort ZR4 system is more sophisticated, offering features commonly found on high-end radar including a jammer transmitter on/off/mute remote switch. The latter is useful when under attack by a laser, allowing the driver to shut off the jammers with a button-tap, letting the officer finally get a speed to allay any suspicions.

For the average driver, letting the jammers transmit continuously, an Escort ZR4 design feature, is a more failsafe method of protection than the Blinder's factory-default 7-second automatic shutoff. In the hands of a distracted driver the detector may get a momentary whiff of laser, transmit and then shut off, just when the officer pulls the trigger again. Laser alerts increasingly are being caused by laser-based adaptive cruise controls (ACC) used by Infiniti, Lexus and several other manufacturers. These operate on the same frequency as police lasers and are indistinguishable by laser jammers, which false-alarm accordingly. Drivers accustomed to these incidents may unwittingly ignore a real attack, making the Escort ZR4's continuous-transmitting design philosophy the more effective. (The Blinder may also be set to transmit continuously by connecting it via the USB port and changing the settings online.)

The four-head Blinder M47 is clearly the more effective laser-jamming solution on larger vehicles and on those whose design makes them easier targets for lasers. On both target vehicles, it and the two-head Blinder M27 displayed weapons-grade jamming performance against every laser gun.

In contrast, the Escort ZR4 displayed a few gaps in its performance envelope. But it offers adequate protection against most lasers, an easier installation and a superior user interface. At a $449 price point, its standard rear jammer may give it a competitive edge over the $479 Blinder M27. But that's strictly a judgment call on the buyer's part.

In either case, now might be a good time to consider some protection. The price of a laser gun has dropped substantially in the past few years and it's fast becoming the tool of choice for motorcycle traffic officers. (I've been targeted twice by these guys in the past two weeks, once in Mesa, Arizona, the other time on I-25 north of Denver, by a Thornton, PD officer. Both were on motorcycles. Neither episode resulted in a ticket.) So if you're shopping for an antidote to this increasing threat of laser speed enforcement, a sophisticated, well-constructed laser jammer like the Blinder or Escort is the only proven defense. Either can easily pay for itself in one or two laser encounters.

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