The Tile Mate finder is the sort of thing that you buy with no desire ever to need it. It is fundamentally an insurance policy, in that it will significantly reduce the likelihood of your losing your keys, wallet, purse or whatever else you have attached it too. Some users even said that they had used a Tile to track their child. There is nothing worse than that heart in mouth feeling when your little one has wandered off for a second, and this is a clever safety measure that parents are sure to appreciate. Parents have also utilized the Tile by attaching it to their child’s favorite soft toy, and if your little cherub cannot sleep without a certain plush this can certainly be a lifesaver! There have also been reports of people finding lost luggage in different countries around the world. Just by attaching a tile to their suitcase and activating the Crowd Find function, the global community of users has helped people get reunited with their lost items.

Setting up the Tile Mate tracker is relatively easy, and the app is clearly signposted and intuitive enough. Praised by users, this is a well-designed app that will locate all your most essential items; you just need to sign up to a Tile account using either your Facebook or email. You can then set up an unlimited number of Tiles, but there is a limited number of how many Tiles can actively communicate through Bluetooth at any time. With an iPhone, you can use eight Tiles at once, but with Android, there is only an option for four. You can also name the Tile anything you like and include a photo of what it is attached to, in order to make things clearer for you. The Tile itself features a small opening in the top left-hand corner, so you can easily attach it using a keyring or lanyard.

When you click onto the Tile that you want to locate, the app will show you a map of the last known location or the current location you are in range for Bluetooth connection. The Tile will also sound an alarm, emitting a beeping sound that is much louder than previous versions; with a choice of four different tunes available. However, whilst the volume has improved, if you are in a particularly lively environment or in public, you may still struggle to hear it. The Tile also works the other way. If you have your Tile to hand, but you are not quite sure where you put your phone- double press the button in the center and your phone will play a tune.

Alternatively, if your phone is not nearby, you can use the Tile web service to access a map containing linked phones or tablets. One of the biggest complaints about the Tile Mate Finder is that it is impossible to unpair a Tile from the app. Also, if you do want to pass on an old Tile to somebody else, you actually need to contact the company with the device information to sort it out.

This review will focus predominantly on the 2018 version of the Tile Mate. However, Tile does have a selection of Tiles available to suit your needs including:

Tile Mate: The current gen model of the Tile Mate means that the implementation of a replaceable battery does mean that the Tile is no longer considered to be waterproof. However, their middle of the road tracker continues to be the most popular option.

Tile Pro: The Pro has twice the volume of the Tile Mate and a much wider Bluetooth range, at 60m. It features a metal frame and soft black casing, and it is definitely the leader of the pack.

Tile Slim: The Slim version is the most affordable amongst the three, but it lacks in features compared to the other models. The Slim is the ideal choice if you are looking for a tile that will fit in a narrow space. The battery is not replaceable on the slim, and it has the shortest Bluetooth range.

Tile Sport/ Tile Style: Both the Sport and Style have similar capabilities to the Tile mate Pro but with different designs. The Sport is slightly more durable in a dark slate, and the Style is gorgeous in white and champagne gold.

The Tile Mate Bluetooth Finder has an excellent Bluetooth range ensuring that you can easily find whatever you have misplaced. It is certainly one of the best available, with excellent connectivity compared to similar models from different brands.

With an improved range of up to 150ft or 45m on the Tile Mate and 300 ft. on the Pro, you can keep connected to your things. However, some reviewers have indicated that Tile may be over exaggerating a little with these numbers. There have been some suggestions online that the Tile Mate Finder would be improved by the inclusion of GPS, which it does not currently have. Although, while the lack of GPS does limit the Tile’s functionalities, the Crowd Find feature means that you can still easily track your items. Plus, GPS would not only increase the size, it would also be a serious drain on the Tile’s battery life.

You can also connect up your Tile with your other gadgets, and it is compatible with the Apple Watch. Just pair the two, and your smart wearable will show up the tiles that you have connected on a map, and you can trigger alarms. You can also connect to a digital assistant and use Google or Alexa (Amazon Echo) to find your lost items. However, a few users online have said that the connection with digital assistants is not yet reliable. Whilst there is some integration, there does continue to be room for improvement.

The inclusion of a replaceable battery now means that the Tile Mate Finder is no longer completely waterproof. It is water resistant though, so it will stand up to a shower or splash. The Tile is also dust resistant with durability at IP55 Standards. It has a warranty of 12 months, and Tile will replace your finder if it breaks due to manufacturing issues. The Tile Mate Premium service also offers a warranty extension and free battery replacements every 12 months.

However, there have been reviews that have suggested that they have broken on people and that they are not always the most reliable. There have also been complaints regarding the customer service support, with one user stating that it has not been possible to contact Tile and now their warranty has run out. It is not possible to speak to Tile’s customer support over the phone, and quite a few people have criticized their text-based help service.

The Tile Mate is definitely more functional than fabulous, yet the design has a sleek, discreet and slim line. However, some different color options would be appreciated if possible! If you are looking to add a bit of flair to your Tile set up, check out the Tile Style, with a 200 feet cover area and a cool white and gold design.

When it comes to Bluetooth trackers such as this one, it is usually considered the smaller and lighter the better. The mate is 35 x 35 x 6.3mm, and the Pro is slightly larger at 42 x 42 x 6.5 mm.

The Tile app is relatively easy to use; it is quick and intuitive, and as we have already said, you can set it up in no time at all. Their app is simple enough to figure out, and it works similarly to a metal detector. If you need to find your Tile and it is out of range, the app shows you the location where you last had it on a map.

However, if you are still not reunited with your lost belongings, you can then choose to trigger the alarm and activate the Community Find feature. If a Tile user then comes into range of your lost Tile, you will get an alert and an email of the location. Privacy is top notch, in that it is a passive network, which is completely anonymous. Although, it should be noted that the Crowd-find feature is limited by how many people use Tile in your area. If you live in a big city, there is a significant chance that someone will pick up the signal on your missing Tile, but in smaller towns, it may be less likely. However, if you consider the fact that Tile has sold more than 15 million trackers around the world, the Community Find function does mean that there are quite a lot of people looking out for your lost item.

You can also upgrade the app with the Tile Premium subscription service. This includes both hardware and software upgrades, including free battery replacements, a warranty extension, and text-based support. You will also get a location history unlimited sharing of locations, and be able to turn on Smart Alerts. With this, you can set up a notification, so that if you leave a place without the item that your Tile is attached too, your phone will let you know. While the premium service does add some functionality, it is not really necessary, and you may wish to try without at first.

It used to get fairly expensive replacing the Tile Mate every year, even with the loyalty discount. The introduction of the replaceable battery now makes the Tile Mater Finder a worthy investment. This way you can easily change up the battery without having to replace the entire Tile. Okay, the Tile Mate Tracker may be slightly more expensive when you compare it to other models with similar features, but they are easily the most capable out of all the trackers available. Price-wise, it may be better value to purchase a multi-pack of Tiles, particularly if you intend to buy more than one anyway.

The Tile Mate Tracker has one of the best ranges on Bluetooth trackers, and overall, it is a reliable gadget that provides peace of mind and security. One of the best things about the Tile Mate has to be the Community Find feature, but the introduction of the replaceable battery is certainly a game changer.

There have been some complaints regarding the overall reliability of the Tile and the lack of decent customer service after purchase, which does need to be taken into consideration. However, the Tile Mate is the number one best-selling tracker for a reason! It is a reliable gadget that will give you the peace of mind what you are looking for- coming to the rescue and assisting you in finding your misplaced item.

While it’s not quite accurate enough to tell you which sofa your keys are currently hiding in or which pocket they are in in the cloakroom, it does provide enough information so that you can use your phone similarly to a metal detector. Plus, the alarm makes the process even easier. Tracking your location history and providing an insurance policy against loss, the Tile Mate Tracker is affordable without compromising on quality.