Security Door Jammers – Are They Effective?
Security door jammers are fairly straight forward pieces of equipment. They are designed to provide an additional level of security to most types of entrance doors.
There are several different company’s that produce door jammers. They tend to fall into two basic types. There are those that are designed to provide a brace between the door handle and the floor. There are also wedge style security door jammers.
Like most things there are people who believe that door jammers are an effective means of improving your home security. There are, of course, also those that believe that the additional security they offer is very limited.
I have read lots of reviews about the various brands of door jammer.
The general consensus amongst people who have bought them seems to be that they do rate them fairly highly. On websites that sell these types of products and show a ‘star rating’ the majority are showing customer ratings of between 4.0 and 4.9 stars.
What are the benefits of Security Door Jammers?
Door jammers are extremely easy to use and can be fitted to the door you want to protect in a matter of just a few seconds. It can also be removed again just as quickly. Although the majority of people use door jammers to add security to an external door they can also be used quite effectively on internal doors.
A large number of door jammers are portable enough, and light enough, to take with you if you are staying away from home. They can just as easily be used on a hotel room door as they can on your doors at home.
What are the limitations of Security Door Jammers?
Regardless of the style of door jammer you choose it is worth pointing out that they are all designed to provide additional home security while you are actually in your home. They are not designed to protect your home whilst you are away.
Make sure that the type of security door jammer you buy is suitable for use with your particular door and handle configuration. Door jammers are nor suitable for use with certain types of door handles.
All styles of door jammer are designed to be used with inward opening doors only!
How Much are Security Door Jammers?
There are a wide range of door jammers available. The price you pay will depend on the style of door jammer, and brand, that you choose.
Prices range from under $20 for a very basic door jammer to just over $100 for the more complex models.
Which are Best Security Door Jammers?
Choosing the best security door jammer is not easy. Each style and model will have its strong points and its weak points. One person may rate a particular product highly whilst another will consider it to be poor.
Sometimes a person will give a product a bad review because they feel that the quality of the product is poor. Sometimes however it may simply be because the product they purchased was not really what they needed for their particular application.
I have listed 4 of the most popular Security Door Jammers and Door Security Bars below.
1 The Buddybar Door Jammer.
The Buddybar Door Jammer is an extremely robust, heavy duty Home Security Door Bar. It weighs just over 8lbs (3.72 kilos) and is made completely from powder coated 16 gauge steel.
The Buddybar Door Jammer is a telescopic unit and is adjustable between 36” and 51”, making it suitable for virtually all domestic doors.
There are no plastic parts on the Buddybar.
The Buddybar Door Jammer has a solid steel rubber coated articulating foot that will grip onto virtually any type of flooring.
Using the Buddybar Door Jammer
The foot of the Buddybar is placed approx 12” (30cm) away from the bottom of the door. The locking handle on the shaft of the unit is then released. This enables the telescopic shaft to be adjusted until the top section of the bar can be positioned onto the door knob or handle.
Once the top section of the bar is securely in place the locking handle is pressed back into place securing the unit to the door.
The Buddybar Security Door Jammer can be fitted in just a few seconds and removed again just as quickly.
The Budddybar can easily withstand the force of a 250lb criminal trying to push down the door to gain access to your home.
Pros and Cons of the Buddybar Security Door Jammer
Pros
- Extremely easy and fast to fit
- Can be used on virtually any type of floor surface
- Adjustable to suit virtually any door handle height
- Extremely Heavy Duty
- Can be used on external and internal doors
- Portable and can be used anywhere
- Comes with a manufacturers 10 year unconditional guarantee
Cons
- Works only when you are inside the property
- Suitable for inward opening hinged doors only
- Not suitable for patio doors
- Door must be fitted with a conventional knob or door handle
- One of the most expensive door jammers available
Overview of The Buddybar Security Door Jammer
The Buddybar appears to be a very high quality unit that should last for a considerable number of years. There are very few bad reviews for this product and it has been given a five star rating on Amazon.
Although it is one of the most expensive door jammers on the market it is also one of the strongest door jammers available and well worth considering if you are serious about upgrading your entrance door security.
2 Securityman Adjustable Door Knob Jammer & Sliding Patio Door Security Bar
The Securityman Adjustable Door Knob Jammer is very similar in many respects to the Buddybar. It is designed to form a brace between the floor and the door knob, making it extremely difficult to force open the door even after the lock has been disabled.
The telescopic rod is adjustable to suit door knob heights between 22.5” and 43.7”.
It has heavy duty angled rubberised non-skid foot that grips firmly to a wide range of floor coverings without causing damage.
The other end of the brace is fitted with a notched rubber tip that easily props beneath the door knob/handle.
The tip of the Securityman Door Jammer is however interchangeable. There is a second tip supplied that can be used to secure a sliding door if you wish to do so.
The Securityman Adjustable Door Knob Jammer is capable of resisting up to 350lb of force should anyone try to kick in your front door.
Pros and Cons of the Securityman Adjustable Door Knob Jammer
Pros
- Extremely simple to use
- Suitable for use on most types of flooring
- Can be adapted for use with hinged and sliding doors
- Heavy duty construction
- The device is very portable
- A very affordable alternative to the Buddybar Security Door Jammer
- Can be adjusted from 22.25” to 43.7” (15 preset positions)
Cons
- Designed to be used only when you are inside the property
- Only comes with a 12 month manufacturers guarantee
Overview of The Securityman Adjustable Door Knob Jammer
The Securityman Adjustable Door Knob Jammer is possibly not quite as robust as the Buddybar. It is however still capable of providing a high level of additional security. It also has the benefit that it can be used for hinged and sliding doors, whereas the Buddybar works with hinged doors only.
The Securityman Door Knob Jammer is priced extremely competitively at around about $35.00. This is considerably cheaper than the Buddybar.
3 Door-Jammer Portable Door Lock Brace
The Door-Jammer Portable Door Lock Brace is an extremely compact and portable door jammer. In fact the whole unit measures only 4.8 inches x 2.8 inches. It is made from steel but only weighs around about 8 ounces.
There is also a heavier duty version that is roughly twice the size of the standard version.
The Door-Jammer Portable Door Lock Brace only works with inward opening hinged doors. It will work on doors that have virtually any type of knob or handle.
Using the Door-Jammer Portable Door Lock Brace
The Door-Jammer Portable Door Lock Brace is essentially a door wedge. The foot of the device is slid underneath the door and the angled leg of the door brace is extended and placed on the floor inside the room. The leg is then adjusted by means of a thumb screw to make sure it is secure.
The Door-Jammer Portable Door Lock Brace requires the door to have a minimum gap at the bottom of at least 0.3”
Pros
- Extremely light weight and portable
- Can be fitted and adjusted in a matter of minutes.
- Can be used with any type of floor covering
- Can be used on doors with any style of door handle
- Inexpensive to buy
Cons
- Can only be used on inward opening hinged doors
- The manufacturers guarantee is only 12 months
- Only braces the bottom of the door
Overview of the Door-Jammer Portable Door Lock Brace
The Door-Jammer Portable Door Lock Brace is ideal if you are looking for a simple basic door brace. It only wedges/braces the base of the door so it is unlikely to provide the same level of security as the Buddybar or Door-Jammer Portable Door Lock Brace.
Because of its size and weight however it is ideal if you wish to take it with you to use away from home.
4 The Security Door Bar by SecuraDoor.
This product works in a very similar way to the Buddybar and the Securityman Adjustable Door Knob Jammer.
There is a telescopic pole that can be adjusted from a minimum of 34” to a maximum of 48”. The optimum angle of operation is approximately 25 degrees. This means that if you have a door knob/handle that is 36” from the floor the front edge of the footplate will be roughly 15” from the bottom of the door.
Using the Security Door Bar by Securadoor
The ‘Yolk’ that fits beneath the door handle is held securely in place by simply squeezing a handle that locks it into position. The manufacturers claim that the Security Door Bar can be secured with just one hand.
The footplate is fitted with an ‘overwrap’ which is designed to give excellent adhesion to carpets, lino, vinyl, concrete, hardwood and tiled floor coverings.
The Security Door Bar by SecuraDoor has a very impressive lifetime guarantee. If the device ever fails the manufacturer will replace or repair the door bar completely free of charge.
Pros
- Quick and easy to fit
- Suitable for use with a wide range of floor finishes
- Can be adjusted to fit most standard door knob/handle heights
- Constructed from Satin Anodized Aluminium and Thermoplastic Elastomer
- Can be used for domestic or commercial applications
- ManufacturersLifetime guarantee against failure
Cons
- Can only be used inside the property
- Can only be used on hinged, inward opening, doors
Overview of the Security Door Bar by SecuraDoor
The SecuraDoor Security Bar appears to be a well constructed and robust piece of equipment. It is less expensive than the Buddybar but more expensive than theSecurityman Adjustable Door Knob Jammer. Making it a good ‘middle of the road’ choice. Like most of the door braces of this type it is quick and easy to fit and remove again after use. The fact that it is supplied with an unlimited lifetime guarantee would suggest that the manufacturer has a lot of confidence in the product.
BUY THE SECURADOOR SECURITY DOOR BAR
Which Security Door Jammer Should I Choose?
It is extremely difficult to pick a winner out of the four products I have listed above. The three door braces (the Buddybar, the Securabar and the Securityman Door Knob Jammer) all work in pretty much the same way.
The Securityman Door Jammer is the least expensive and possibly not quite so ‘heavy duty’ as the Buddybar and Securityman offerings. This however does not mean it will not perform well and could be worth considering if you are looking for this type of security device but have a limited budget.
The Securityman Door Jammer is, interestingly enough, the only one that can be used in conjunction with both hinged and sliding doors.
The Buddybar and the Securabar Door Jammer are both extremely heavy duty units. They would both appear to provide the maximum amount of protection you could reasonably expect from this style of door brace. The Securabar is slightly less expensive than the Buddybar, but not significantly so.
The Door-Jammer Portable Door Lock Brace is an altogether different type of product. It is essentially a wedges style door brace. As it is only designed to brace the bottom of the door it is difficult to believe that it would withstand the same amount of force that the heavier duty door knob braces could take.
In my opinion it is possibly the type of device that you might take with you to provide additional security when staying in an hotel room. Alternatively it might be used on internal doors within the home.
The Door-Jammer Portable Door Lock Brace is possibly not an ideal choice for permanent, entrance door, home security use.
Conclusion
Installing any form of additional home security can only be a positive step. If you are considering buying a door jammer it is essential that you buy the product that meets your own particular needs and provides you with a personal sense of security!
Door Jammers are designed to be used to provide additional security whilst you are inside your property. They are not a replacement for other forms of household security such as Surveillance Cameras, Motion Activated Lighting or Alarm Systems.