And it only takes a poorly placed candle or hot light bulb to start a fire. So keeping your smoke detectors up-to-date with fresh batteries at 6 months and replacement units at ten years is key to preventing a catastrophe. But taking your smoke detector game to the next level with a smart version plus carbon monoxide monitoring will keep you in the know at the earliest sign of trouble.
Why buy a smart smoke detector
Mobile notifications warn you about fire and carbon monoxide (CO) danger even when you’re away from home, so you can call for help to arrive sooner. Smart alarms are interconnected and will alert you to the exact nature and location of any hazard detected in the home.Automatic self-testing and low battery alerts guarantee that you won’t miss an emergency because of a dead or defunct detector.Smart detectors can be silenced from your smartphone – meaning no more standing on a stool and jabbing at the ceiling with a broomstick to end the beeping.
Did you know? Nearly three in five home fire fatalities occur in homes without functioning smoke alarms. A smart smoke detector tests itself and alerts you when the battery is low, so you know it’s always working.
Also: The best fire extinguishers: Essential for your home and car
Are there alternatives worth considering?
Aside from a smoke detector, it also includes a humidity sensor, which can cut down on false alarms caused by steam; a motion sensor, which activates the Nest’s nightlight when you’re up and about after dark; and an ambient light detector, which senses when you’ve turned out the lights and lets Nest know to flash green – indicating that it has performed its self-check and everything’s in working order.
Installation options
The Nest Protect comes in both a hardwired and battery-operated version, making compatible with any home. Not sure which kind you need? Simply unscrew one of your existing detectors from its mount: If it’s connected to the wall with wires, your home has a hardwired system. If not, it’s battery operated.
Peace of mind, automatically
The Nest Protect regularly checks its battery (or backup battery, if you have the hardwired version). It also performs routine siren checks every month and will send you a mobile notification if either component isn’t working properly. This ensures that your alarm’s battery or loudspeaker won’t fail when you need it.
Perfect addition to a Google Home ecosystem
Although the Protect is great as a standalone unit, it’s at its best when paired with other Nest devices. The family of products is designed to work together in intelligent ways: for instance, if Nest Protect detects an emergency, your Nest Thermostat can be programmed to shut off all heat and forced air systems to prevent the spread of smoke or CO. However, the OneLink Safe & Sound doesn’t perform monthly self-tests for the smoke alarm, though it does perform battery checks.
Siri & Alexa compatible
Aside from being Alexa-enabled, this smart smoke detector is also HomeKit-compatible. And the built-in speaker goes beyond a chirping alert when smoke is detected: you can ask Alexa to play music on it or use AirPlay with your iPhone. And since smoke detectors should be in every bedroom and outside bedrooms, you can enjoy multi-room synchronized music playing. Also: How to stream from your iPhone to your TV All this aside, the almost $200 price tag is one drawback for First Alert’s OneLink Safe & Sound, especially for a device that you’re sure to need at least a handful of at home.
Nightlight feature
This smart smoke detector also has a built-in nightlight to light your way through the dark. You can change the colors of the nightlight depending on the time of day, and even use Alexa or HomeKit to set automations for it.
Smart on a budget
Since you’re able to keep tabs on your X-Sense smoke detectors from your smartphone, you’ll get notifications any time the alarm is triggered or any status changes, and you’re also able to silence the alarm through the mobile app. Though this device skips all the bells and whistles like speaker, voice assistants, and nightlight in favor of a lower price, it’s available without monthly fees with control and monitoring through the Tuya application.
Battery-operated only
This unit only comes in a battery-operated format, so no wiring is involved. And it will check the battery status constantly, to alert you when the battery is running low. So no need to run around the house in the middle of the night trying to find the source of a low-battery chirp before the whole house wakes up. Unfortunately, the X-Sense wifi smoke detector doesn’t use your standard 9V or AA batteries; the batteries are replaceable CR123a 3-volt lithium ones, that are slightly more expensive than other standard ones. This device also performs automatic battery checks and sends you mobile alerts if the battery needs replacing.
CO monitoring
It’s important to look at the features and determine which ones are important to you. Personally, I feel like both a smoke detector and a carbon monoxide monitor is an absolute must for every home. We have our regular smoke detectors at home, but we also have separate carbon monoxide monitors installed. If you already have separate CO monitors at home and want to stick to a budget, the X-Sense wi-fi smoke detectors may be a good replacement option for the units at your home.
Other features
Voice assistance, or lack thereof, is another feature to look at. It’s also where Nest Protect falls behind compared to its main competition – the First Alert OneLink Safe & Sound. The Safe & Sound detector comes with a built-in, Alexa-enabled speaker, which can respond to voice commands, stream music, and perform just about all of Alexa’s skills. After testing, comparing, and researching, we focused on safety first, then convenience. These smart smoke detectors also include carbon monoxide sensors in one device, with the exception of the X-Sense. This feature eliminates the need to check and maintain two separate monitors on a regular basis and giving you the extra peace of mind, which is another important point when choosing one. If smart tech isn’t your thing, traditional hardwired alarms fulfill that requirement for a fraction of the cost. The truth is that many states have made CO detectors a requirement in new constructions, some in rental units, or depending on the size of the home. It’s important to check your state requirements when making changes to smoke and CO detectors, but it’s always a great idea to have both in any home. Often referred to as the silent killer, carbon monoxide poisoning was responsible for 399 non-fire-related deaths in 2017 alone.
Hardwired smoke and CO detectors are wired to your home’s electrical circuit. This means all alarms in the house are interconnected – so when one detects smoke or CO, they all sound. Most states require hardwired smoke detectors in all newly constructed buildings.Battery-powered or “standalone” smoke and CO detectors use a replaceable 9-volt battery. Unless they have wifi or smart capabilities, standalone detectors aren’t interconnected – so they’ll only sound in the room where smoke is present. These are generally found in older homes.
The type of detectors you currently have at home will help determine which smart detectors you should get. The Nest Protect comes in both hardwired and battery-operated versions to be installed in any home, for example.
