Our Review of the Saphe ‘Drive Mini’ & ‘One+’ Traffic Alarms
We at MyCar Heaven were recently given the exciting opportunity to touch, test and enjoy the range of traffic alarms, courtesy of Saphe. We regularly enjoy reviewing car-related products, all whilst staying objective to the facts, features, and benefits.
So, what traffic alarms are available, who are Saphe, and what do they do?
Saphe is a leading Danish technology company, founded in 2015, who’ve experienced considerable growth in a short time. That success is illustrated by the fact that approx 20% of cars in Denmark carry a Saphe traffic alarm. That is amazing!
In fact, it is the best-selling traffic alarm product in Europe, and excitingly is now available for us folk in the UK. Great news. Saphe currently has two traffic alarms, listed below, currently available to buy on Amazon – also available with FREE DELIVERY through Prime, AND is currently available for 20% off with their BLACK FRIDAY offer (see below). A big win for us!
These two traffic alarms are designed to help you avoid speeding fines and accidents by notifying the driver of all types of speed cameras ahead, speed limit of the road, and of any dangers on the road.
Saphe Drive Mini – Amazon.co.uk – £59.99
Saphe One+ – Amazon.co.uk – £49.99
To help, we’ve broken down our review to some key areas that we feel would be important to drivers.
SETUP
What is quite apparent upon seeing the product packaging and quick-start-guide, is how short and simple it is to get going. Not only is everything clear and well presented, the actual setup process was rapid. Just turn it on, download the app (Play Store or App Store) – which requires you to quickly create a non intrusive profile – and then sync the two, was all it required. Incredible!
QUALITY
The quality of the products, and the packaging – which we find is quite important – is actually quite impressive, and provides that initial confidence of a positive purchase. The Saphe Drive Mini comes with a helpful LED display, with further premium quality materials used throughout. The Saphe One+ has no screen, but don’t be dissuaded as, even though it is the cheaper product, it still offers a very reasonable and reliable solution.
The noise quality was of great importance here too. Too loud and it’ll get annoying and you’d be put off and hate it. The alarm was loud enough to raise attention over music (if not blaring), but subtle and short enough to nudge you without disrupting your driving. We wouldn’t be surprised if this hasn’t gone through some rigorous user testing to get to this stage.
In short – we are very impressed here.
ACCURACY
I’ve driven around for a few days, hastily seeking out speed cameras – which is quite a surreal experience, which I don’t think I’ll repeat again. I wanted to test how far in advance the alarm triggered prior to reaching the camera, and without getting scientific, the alarm seemed to consistently set off about 200 metres prior (when travelling at 30mph), and approx 400 metres when travelling on the motorway. I love how smart they were, so accounting for different speeds to ensure all drivers are given proportionate time to react and prepare.
BATTERY
The packaging boasts of a rechargeable battery lasting up to 6 months – which is brilliant. What creates this longevity is that the alarm turns on and off automatically once you depart the car, optimising the juice it’s using. Smart.
Now – given we’ve only had these products a short time, we’ll have to trust that the battery delivers upon its promise. But then again, 1 in every 5 Danish drivers can probably vouch for this. But there has been no dramatic reduction in performance, so at this stage we feel the battery is holding well.
PRICE
As listed above, the Saphe Drive Mini is retails at £59.99, and the Saphe One+ available for £49.99. Given the coverage, longevity and build quality, this seems rather good value to us. The even better news is that until 26th November you can get a huge 20% off using the below code, which can be used on both Saphe.com/uk and on amazon.co.uk.
Discount code: carheaven20
PRODUCT OBJECTIVE
Let’s skin it back to the ultimate objective – what is it designed to do? Well, its task is to increase traffic safety, avoid accidents and speeding fines. The Saphe Drive Mini delivers in spades. It delivered on all fronts, giving sufficient warning of impending accidents and traffic or speed cameras. Marrying this with the simplicity of setup and use, plus the fact you don’t need to use your phone whilst driving, we give the Saphe Drive Mini a huge thumbs up and would happily recommend this to become a permanent fixture in your vehicle.
Summary
We had great fun playing with this tiny new gadget. Although not an essential bit of kit, it kind of serves an imperative issue, which is increasing road safety, reducing the risk of collision, and helping avoid driving fines. The alarm is resilient, feels premium and offers you the drivers, the holy grail – simplicity. A huge tick from us.
BLACK FRIDAY OFFER
Don’t forget to order before 26th November 2021 – using code carheaven20 – and you’ll get 20% off. The code is valid on Saphe.com/uk and amazon.co.uk. That’s an extraordinary offer!
Check out our other reviews on My Car Heaven.
Looks good idea but it looks like you need other users to download problems and cameras ecs and need your phone connect at this time I think I will stick to waze as this seems todo the same
Hi George. Very good questions. It doesn’t display your speed. It is purely to notify you of cameras, and accidents/blockages.
If you conneect to your mobile, that can display your speed, but I would suggest you use only your car’s speedometer, as that will always be correct.
Does the saphe drive mini display your speed. Also if you press the button to notify a road blockage or accident and the next day the road is clear will this alarm still be active.