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​Trying to find the best trailer brake controller is a minefield. How many axles can it brake? Is it a time-delayed or proportional controller? how will the control fit in the cabin? There are so many different choices and things to consider.
​Luckily for you, we’ve spent some time researching the subject. Not only have I got a list of five different controllers, but I will also give you a bit more insight as to the technicalities of it all. Let’s start with the basics.
​Top 5 ​Best ​Trailer Brake Controllers
​What is a Trailer Brake Controller?
​Essentially, the trailer brake controller is a device that can be plugged into your vehicle that operates the electric or electric-over-hydraulic brakes on a trailer. You can preset the force and efficiency. Depending on the model, it could work on anything from 2 brakes to eight. That would be a monster trailer!
​The reason why they’re so popular is that they allow for more control over the braking system. So, it doesn’t matter whether you’re towing 500 lbs. or 5,000 lbs., you’ll always get peak efficiency from the braking system when fitted (and set up) correctly.
​Of course, it’s worth pointing out (just in case) that these controllers don’t work with older style trailers that don’t have electronic control!
​Proportional vs Time Delayed Brake Controller
There are literally hundreds of different controllers on the market. Every single one of them can be placed in one of two groups: proportional controller or time-delayed.
​Proportional controllers tend to be more expensive. That’s mainly of their ability to mimic the braking force used​. If you slam on the brakes on the tow vehicle, the trailer will also brake hard. However, if you’re just gently coasting to a stop with minimal braking effort, they’ll mimic that too.
​They are able to do this as they have an inertia sensor built-in or some kind of accelerometer which senses the shift in vehicle attitude. These, of course, are the preferred choice, but aside from being more expensive, they generally need more care to fit – thanks to the sensors.
​A time-delayed controller always applies the same braking force (which is preset by the driver for any given load & trailer combo). It does so over a set period of time (again, driver-controlled). While they still give excellent controllability, they aren’t quite as technical and don’t offer the best force control.
​Best Trailer Brake Controller Reviews
​Within this list, you will definitely find a controller that suits your towing vehicle and trailer. Most controllers can be supplied with a vehicle-specific harness. It should just plug into your electrics, but in some cases, you may need a little more ‘fitting’.
Tekonsha 90195 P3 Electronic Brake Controller
- Rating: 4.8 / 5
- Brand: Tekonsha
​The Tekonsha P3 seems to be the favored choice right now, and with good reason. It has some simple yet neat touches. Multiple screen-colors for example, and being able to switch between English, French, and Spanish.
​The LCD screen is bright and easy to read. It’s ideal for the occasional glance toward it when driving along. It tells you all the information that you need – output current, battery, brake, output voltage and ‘No Trailer Brake’ system warnings.
​Another neat feature is the ability to store 5 different ‘profiles’. It can either be 5 different towing setups or 5 different drivers, all switchable at the push of a button. The boost feature is also great (which to be fair, most brake controllers have.) It allows you to just up the power slightly without having to reset everything.
​You do get some wiring with the unit. It’s suitable for the 2-wire Plug-n-Play port, but vehicle specific harnesses are available, and well-priced. The Ford one, for example, is just less than ten bucks. Can control up to 4 axles (8 brakes).
​It’s the most expensive in this list, but it’s also ​a great value electronic brake controller for experienced drivers that tow in the ​US.
REESE Towpower 8507111 Brakeman IV Digital Brake Control
- Rating: 4.6 / 5
- Brand: REESE
​At the opposite end of the pricing is this REESE Towpower time-delayed controller. It can be mounted anywhere you like, at any angle without leveling​. It doesn’t have some of the functionality of the others, but it’s still a useful addition to the tow vehicle.
​Thanks to its simplicity, it’s easy to install. Just sort the wiring and you’re done. No need to set the box up and level it. Just dial in the output and the sync and you’re pretty much done.
​It comes with the two-wire Plug-n-Play setup. However, vehicle specific wiring is available. The bright digital screen clearly indicates output & sync, brake overload, and a short connection. It’s all solid-state electronics. But, there’s advanced internal circuit protection which helps prevent any damage to the board.
​At this price, it’s small & compact, a handy trailer brake controller. Just don’t expect the smoothest ride with it.
Draw-Tite 20191 I-Stop IQ Electronic Brake Control
- Rating: 4.6 / 5
- Brand: Draw-Tite
​This system will work on anything up to three axles – 6 brakes. With a self-diagnosing feature running through an illuminated LCD readout, ​the Draw Tite 20191 is intelligent and easy to use. It has the two-wire Plug-n-Play setup of the other controllers, and again, vehicle-specific harnesses are available should you need to hardwire.
​The Draw Tite 20191 Proportional Electronic Brake Control​ includes the ​newest “boost” feature. It increases braking efficiency without having to go through the whole setting of the system again.
The control unit is self-leveling for easy setup and no adjustments. It’s handy for when you want to remove it from the snap-in holder when it’s not being used. Simply snap it back on place and it’s still ready to go.
Hopkins 47297 INSIGHT Brake Control
- Rating: 4.4 / 5
- Brand: Hopkins
​The Hopkins 47297 INSIGHT system needs no tools to fix it to the vehicle. It uses ‘flex-mount’ technology (sticky pads hold it down). ​The device comes as three separate boxes – the brains, control, and display.
They can all be mounted in three different locations should you wish. It’s not revolutionary, but it does mean that the display can be mounted in sight-line without all the other complications, so it’s a good feature.
​With 7 different sensitivity settings, it’s adjustable enough to give you complete control regardless of load or trailer (or even driving conditions). And it’s simple enough to adjust when you need to (if the road surface changes for example).
​I prefer a system that’s mounted professionally that will never slip, slide or fall off. But, it’s a good option for those that don’t intend to move it around or don’t want to drill holes in their truck.
​This is also a great starting point for a proportional controller, it’s cheap, easy to fit and works well.
​This CURT 51140 affordable proportional controller features a triple-axis controller. Once it’s all set up correctly, it even adjusts itself for steep inclines and descents. This is a great feature that is missing on some of the other units. With 9 differing levels of sensitivity, it’s sensitive enough to find the perfect balance for whatever your situation and whatever you’re towing.
​With the third axis monitoring, you may expect setting up the box will take time and require a degree of sensitivity. But, it’s quite the opposite. Self-leveling technology and calibration mean that setup requirements are minimal and easy. It just makes the whole thing so much easier to use. Should you want to remove it (for whatever reason), it doesn’t take an engineering degree to set it back up again.
​It’s capable of braking up to eight wheels (four axles) and activating the trailer brake lights. This compact unit is perfect for normal use and for those that need something easy to set up.
​Conclusion
​Using a trailer brake controller is all about setting it upright and driving accordingly. A novice may find the proportional controllers easier to get used to. But, the flip side of that is for the price of the Tekonsha. You could buy three of the Towpower’s and still have change left over.
​For what it’s worth, I think that spending the money on the higher grade systems is worth it. They definitely are easier to use and drive with. And driving with a fully-loaded trailer is hard enough as it is – why make life harder?
