We explore some of the best budget bite alarms on the market today. Cheap bite alarms have come a long way over the last 10 years, these budget options offer a great range of features for the price.
The first commercially produced bite alarm hit the shelves over 65 years ago and it was called the Heron Bite Alarm. This was a revolutionary step forward for carp anglers, and they haven’t looked back since. In fact, the technology surrounding bite alarms has become so advanced, that the price often follows suit, with some 3 alarm sets costing well north of £600! Of course, there is always an abundance of options for those looking for more entry-level or better value alarms, and in all honesty, there are a ton of great options for less than £100 per alarm, and even less than £300 for a set of 3 with a receiver. We’re going to delve into the best budget bite alarms on the market today, and what makes them such good value.
Sonik SKS Bite Alarm 3+1 With Receiver and Bivvy Light
Sonik has garnered very well-deserved praise for producing top quality tackle at genuinely budget prices, and this SKS Bite Alarm Set is a perfect example of what they have been consistently producing. These budget bite alarms are futuristically designed, with top LED’s to illuminate your bites as well as sounding the siren. The sleek black casings are 100% waterproof, and the volume, sensitivity and tone are all adjustable at the touch of a button. The rollers themselves within the alarm have a night glow feature that will help you locate your rods at the night, and there are dedicated alarms and LED patterns for dropback bites. The alarms and the receiver have a built-in low battery warning to prevent finding yourself on the bank without working alarms. In addition to the three alarms and the receiver, there is a bivvy light included which will illuminate your bivvy when your alarms are triggered. For less than £150, these are serious alarms for serious anglers, and without needing to break the bank.
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New Direction K9+R9 3+1 Budget Bite Alarms with Receiver
New Direction stormed onto the carp fishing scene a few years ago with the K9 bite alarm and a receiver that was more feature-heavy than almost any other receiver on the market. Honestly, we could write an article about the receiver itself, but we’ll stick to the most popular aspects of the set in this article. Firstly, the bite alarms have removable and illuminating snag ears that make fishing through the night a breeze, along with illuminated halo rings on the front of the alarm. The alarms have a dial to adjust the volume and the sensitivity, and you can adjust the tone on the receiver. The alarms are stringently tested for their waterproofing before leaving the ND factory, so you can be safe in the knowledge that they can face any elements you’re brave enough to fish in.
The R9 receiver does take some getting used to, simply because you can do so much with it. The receiver can log how much line a fish has taken on a run, you can change the alarm settings and you can even change the colours of the alarm and receiver at the touch of a button. There is also a smartphone app that will allow you to change more features without tapping through the receiver’s interface.
This is the perfect set of budget bite alarms for the angler that loves technology and utilising gadgets to give them the edge on the bank.
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Fox Micron Mini Micron 3 Rod Presentation Set with Receiver
Fox International are no stranger to producing top of the range bite alarms, and over the years, their ranges have garnered critical acclaim, so much so, that their famed Mini Microns have been re-released with a makeover and some wonderful features. Firstly, Mini Microns were so beloved for their small and narrow size, making them the mobile carp anglers’ dream. The new model still features Fox’s traditional silver flick switch for the power, but there are also 3 buttons to adjust volume, tone and sensitivity along with multi-coloured LED lights, a drop back differential and a battery warning. They come complete in a carry case, with touch plastic faces to protect your alarms in transit and a simple but effective mini receiver. £219.99 is an incredibly small price to pay for Fox bite alarms, and they will last you decades if they are looked after properly.
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Fox MX Bite Alarms 3 Rod Presentation Set
Fox makes the list again with the MX presentation set. Now, the MX is a very similar product to the RX, with the big difference being the jump in price from £279.99 for the MX to about £600 for the RX. The MX alarms have dials on them to control the volume and tone, and Fox’s silver power flick switch. The receiver that comes in this 3-rod presentation set stands up on its own, making it perfect for bivvy tables, and it has a lanyard too. These alarms look the business, and they are arguably the best alarms you can buy regardless of price. You may find alarms more expensive or more sought after, but on simple effectiveness, you’ll struggle to find anything that performs better. The set comes complete in a carry case with tools included for changing batteries or resetting the alarms. Again, Fox alarms will last you an insane amount of time, and some people still use the same Fox alarms that they have had for 25 years!
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Hirisi Budget Bite Alarms with Receiver
These Hirisi alarms are a great example of how far budget bite alarms have come in the last few years. The technology packed into these alarms would have cost you upwards of £300 a few years ago, but now, they’re available for less than £100. With the set, you get 4 alarms and a receiver, with volume, tone, sensitivity and vibration settings, the receiver can also sound a different tone for each alarm if you like to have complete control of your fishing. This set of alarms is a true testament to the quality available without needing to spend too much out on your carp fishing gear.
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Lixada Bite Alarms with Receiver
The Lixada 3 alarm set has quite a unique look to them, but that’s not to say they look any lesser quality than other, more expensive alarms. The simplistic black front actually looks incredibly high-value, and the subtle side buttons that control the volume, tone and sensitivity options are very useful for adjusting the settings with a rod on top of them. The receiver matches the design of the alarm and has an incredible 100m range. There are LED lights lined throughout the alarms and they too are adjustable with the buttons on the alarm. These alarms are a true steal at less than £60, and if you are either looking for a spare set of alarms or just starting out in carp fishing, these are almost a must buy.
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NGT Dynamic Budget Bite Alarms with Receiver
NGT is famed for providing tackle that is typically very expensive and offering a quality budget version of it. For years NGT has produced single bite alarms at less than £15 per alarm, but with this 3-alarm set, they are taking the quality to the next level. You can see just how well made these alarms are by the build of the product, they are far more akin to an expensive Fox model than any other budget bite alarms, and the additional snag ears are a great touch. The alarms have programmable dials to fine-tune the sensitivity, tone, volume and LED brightness, along with a trustworthy receiver that has a range of up to 150m. The price tag of £119.75 is actually quite high-end for NGT, and the quality of the product illustrates just that.
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Amazing.