Cobra Electronics ESD 9860 Radar Detector

Pros: Improved KA Detection from previous models, Solid on X and K Band Detection
Cons: Laser detection is below par

After owning a Cobra 9850 and now upgrading to the 9860 I've noticed a big improvement in sensitivity on the 9860.

X and K band has always been pretty solid for Cobra, the detector gives you ample time to slow down when these threats are...

Pros: compass is cool, nice range
Cons: size, voice is delayed (see below)

Ok, I have been able to test the 9860. I had a Cobra 9110 before (see my review). So far I haven't ...

Pros: Price, Compass, VG-2 protection
Cons: No auto off feature

The Cobra 9860 radar detector may not be the best radar detector on the market, but it is valuable nonetheless. If it protects you from getting pulled over once it is worth the $100.00 that you pay for it. This is a beautiful looking detector, and I...

Pros: Cute
Cons: Waaaay too many false alerts!!!!

My first 9860 wore me out in a week with an average of 2 false X band alerts per mile. Sent that sick pup back and got another that was even worse and the second one had a flaky compass to boot. Cobra seems to think that this unit has no more falsing than their other units, but something is seriously wrong when 2 out of 2 are totally useless as a detector. My 12 year old Uniden seldom if ever gives a false alert and provides reliable albeit short range X and K detection only.

Would not recommend this detector to anyone. A detector that gives this many false alerts is much worse than having no detector at all unless you really like to hear the sexy feminine voice alerts and watch the pretty blinking lights.

Pros: None that I could find. The Valentine One is WAY better.
Cons: Not very sensitive and does NOT function as advertised.

Recently I bought a 9870 because I wanted the Spectre stealth and detection that the 9870 advertises.
Well, simply put these features do NOT work. I got mine confiscated today (I live in Ontario where detector are illegal).
Not only did the police officer detect me with the 9870, but the 9870 did NOT detect the Spectre. At all....NOTHING. I even held the two units pointing at one another and only the Spectre RDD was going off (the office was laughing at me!).....nothing from the 9870!
I think it's important to reveal false claims by manufacturers and make sure that others are not tricked into buying such products. Please remove this unit from your website until they can back up their claims.

Pros: Looks great, seems to detect radar fine.
Cons: Flaky compass and smart mute.

I had this radar detector for few weeks and I noticed that the compass is very flaky. You are supposed to calibrate it, which I did a few times. However the compass is still unstable - it shows South every few seconds when you are driving North, or ES instead of E, WS instead of W, etc. This is very annoying, and leads to many comments, if you have passengers in your car - I wish there was a way to turn the compass off.
As far as the smart mute - the way they derive your RPM speed is from the frequency coming from your alternator through the power cable. However, I noticed, that if I turn the music with some base on really loud, the base messes it up, and the detector thinks you are reving the engine, even if you are parked. Therefore it does not mute anything then.

This was rated the best of the lower end dectors, and I have used cobra before and have been very satified with there products. I really like the loud then lower's itself on volume so you dont have to re-adjust volume gain. For the money and features I got with unit I am very happy with it.

this radar detector is nice. It is loud and it gives you plenty of warning. The only thing is if you live near a city keep on the city setting because it will drive you nuts with all the x-band alerts. i would highly recommend