Yeah, be careful where you use it. Make sure it is acceptable in your state.
I have a Bel 980. The only ones I would consider are Bel 980 (now 985), Escort (Passport) 8500, or a Valentine 1. These are all the top of the lines from each manufacturer and you can check online and in mags and find stuff saying each one is the best. In general I believe the V1 is the best but also the most expensive. These are all good units though. I definitely believe (in the case of radar detectors) that you get what you pay for.
There is nothing more useless than a radar detector that you can't trust.