Key fob signal blockers have been designed and manufactured to decrease the risk of your vehicle weather it be car, van or truck being stolen via relay theft. A crime where thieves target your vehicle using 2 electronic signal relay devices. This type of crime is only applicable to vehicles which use keyless entry or start. To read more about relay theft click here.
Yearly in the USA over 8.5 million cars are sold with keyless ignitions as standard, there are all potentially susceptible to relay theft. Unfortunately, most automotive manufacturers have not developed security systems which are sufficient to stop this type of crime. Only Jaguar Land Rover have successfully developed vehicles which are completely immune to this theft.
There are several methods to prevent relay theft but one of the best and most reliable is key fob signal blockers.
What is a key fob signal blocker
Effectively one of these products is a box or pouch you put your vehicle keys inside. This box or pouch block radio frequencies and stops the key interacting with your vehicle.
How do key fob signal blockers work
Key fob signal blockers come fitted with a Faraday cage which creates a shield. This stops radio signals interacting with anything within the cage, meaning at your keys can’t be accessed to unlock your vehicle until removed. Faraday cages are used in many protection products for items which use radio frequency identification (RFID). Such products being RFID blocking cards and wallets to protect contactless bank cards.
In key fob signal blockers the faraday cage is typically made from a foil like material which lines the product. Some people will make a homemade product using aluminum foil. Although this will slightly work, it’s much more advisable to spend around $10-20 to purchase from a reputable manufacturer who has design experts create these products.
The best key fob signal blockers
Best key fob signal blocker for home use
The Orbis Global keyless signal blocker is great for use at home. One of the key reasons is the large capacity meaning the whole families keys can be stored. The internal dimensions are 6.3 x 4.7 x 3.6″.
This signal blocker can typically hold between 6 and 8 sets of keys depending on size. It’s made of an artificial leather which gives a premium finish. This signal blocker will not look out of place around your home.
The only negative with this Orbis Global product is that you have to ensure the lid is fully closed to ensure the signal is being blocked. If left slight open the protection is minimal and can leave you at risk. But a great redeeming feature is that you’ll always know where you left your keys.
Best value for money key fob signal blocker
Ticonn Faraday bag for key fobs offers the best value for money on the market, while still maintaining a high quality product. When purchasing you receive two signal blockers, perfect for your vehicle keys and any spare key you have. The main material is artificial leather with a Velcro close. On top of this the Ticonn product arrives in a gift box, perfect as a little present.
The blocker comes with 2 pockets, one for a vehicle key the other for the likes of a bank card. Although I’d advice against having a contactless card in this pocket as you are susceptible to card skimming. Check out this to find out more of card skimming.
The inside of this blocker is 3.5 x 5″ so should fit any vehicle key. On top of being the best budget key fob signal blocker it also comes with a lifetime warranty!
One final note is to make sure you put your car or truck key on the inner pocket as this is the only one with blocking capabilities.
Best Looking signal blocker
The Vonetti Alpha shield is a premium key fob signal blocker made from high grade machined aluminium. This gives a highly robust signal blocker with an extremely high quality finish, as a result this product looks extremely professional and impressive to the eye.
The aluminium measures at 2mm thick and has internal dimensions of 3.2 x 0.8 x 1.6″. If your car or truck keys are smaller than this then Vonetti is the brand for you.
The inside is lines with an imitation suede which gives a smooth feel while the outside is colored black. This finish seems to be anodized and so will last much longer than any paint alternatives.
The only drawback to this key fob signal blocker is that it is quite bulky and can be a little cumbersome in your pocket if that’s where you store your key.
The blocking protection is very effective, with the box fully closed even next to your vehicle it will not be read so potential hackers have no chance! This key fob blocker is worth every cent if it stops your much more expensive vehicle from getting stolen.
Conclusion
All of the listed key fob signal blockers really do work and will mean that potential car thieves will struggle to steal your car via relay theft. In our eyes paying around $10-20 to stop this risk is really worth it, especially when your vehicle is worth much more.
