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7 Best Smart Smoke Alarm of 2023

A smart smoke alarm does more than just sound an alarm whenever they detect danger. It can also alert you in a human voice to the problem’s exact location before it triggers the siren.

Even if you’re not home, the best smart smoke detectors will send you an alert on your phone to warn you of danger, so you can contact a neighbour or maybe the fire department to check on your house to see if everything is alright. Our top pick, the Google Nest Protect, it’s worth buying. It’s well designed, simple to mute, can self-tests, and has a “heads-up” warning before it triggers the siren.

The Best Smart Smoke Alarm and Detector For 2023

1. The best smart smoke alarm: Google Nest Protect (2nd Gen)

This modern smart detector by Google has all the features we recommend in a smart smoke alarm. The Nest Protect detects both fast-burning and smoldering fires and wirelessly interconnects with other Protects. The Nest Protect’s alerting you in a human voice to the exact location of the problem before it triggers the siren.

It is the most straightforward alarm to use, with the polished and intuitive Nest app alerted almost immediately. The app has other handy interactive features, too, like silencing the alarm when things are smoky but under control, like when you’re cooking. And the Nest Protect is the only alarm that tests itself – which reduces annoying low battery chirps in favor of useful notifications when something is wrong.

If you have other Google Nest products such as a Nest thermostat, things become even better as you can configure the Nest Protect’s to turn off the ventilation system if it detects smoke, a potential lifesaver.

Cons:

  • Phone alerts
  • Two-year warranty
  • 10-year battery
  • Uses a Split-Spectrum Sensor
  • Detects both smoke and carbon monoxide
  • It can be linked with other Nest products
  • Comes in both wired and battery-powered versions

Pros:

  • No digital display
  • Does not work with Alexa
  • No third-party professional monitoring         

Like the Google Nest Protect, the OneLink Safe & Sound detects smoke and carbon monoxide but with a multi-directional speaker to ensure everyone in the house hears the alarm. It is a powerful all-in-one unit combines with a fire safety feature like a color-changing ring to provide you with visual cues whenever it detects smoke, carbon monoxide, or a low battery.

The smart alarm work with Alexa voice commands, HomeKit, and AirPlay for multi-room audio – you can use the built-in 10-watt speaker for playing music or listening to audiobooks and podcasts and you can also access Alexa’s thousands of skills. Additionally, it connects with other smoke detectors that are hardwired into your home.

Unlike the Nest Protect, the Onelink smart smoke alarm doesn’t have an early warning; only a siren followed by a voice alerts plus location warning after about 30 seconds. And it doesn’t self-test, too, though you can test it through the app.

Pros:

  • Built-in Alexa
  • Amazing speaker
  • Smartphone alerts
  • 400 safety checks
  • Works with HomeKit
  • Uses both photoelectric and ionization smoke sensors

Cons:

  • Requires hardwired connection
  • The app set-up is a bit frustrating and complicated

3. Best on a budget: Roost Smart Battery (Second Generation)

The Roost Smart Battery is relatively basic compared to our other options. But even for a basic smart device, it sends a push notification to your phone or contact list you set up in the Roost app when an alarm sound. For just $35, It’s a solid choice for those who already have smoke detectors (wired or battery-powered) and want to make them Smart.

Like Nest Protect, the Roost second-generation battery tells you which alarm has been triggered, and you can “snooze” alarms from your smartphone if you are home. Although it takes about 20 seconds to kick in. It can also not self-test or do voice alerts like our top pick, and there is no wireless interconnectivity between devices. And if your smoke alarm does not accept 9 V batteries, then the Roost will not work for you.

Pros:

  • Inexpensive
  • Easy setup process
  • Built-in Wi-Fi radio
  • Work with some essential IFTTT recipes.
  • Works with any smoke detector with a 9-volt battery

Cons:

  • Not a smoke alarm itself
  • Doesn’t integrate with other connected devices

There are many smart smoke alarm systems out there that come with a built-in carbon monoxide detector like our top pick, the Nest Protect. But if you want a cheaper, more straightforward alarm, we suggest the First Alert SCO500B Wireless Interconnected Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm. The alarm includes a photoelectric sensor that is sensitive enough to tell the difference between real threats like smoldering fires and everyday activities.

It’s easy to interconnect, and we like it’s equipped with a voice alert that tells you what the danger is and which alarm is going off. We also like it comes with an electrochemical monoxide sensor to detect CO from blocked faulty heating appliances and chimneys.

The First Alert wirelessly connects up to 16 of these devices, and the voice alert will tell you which alarm is being triggered when it goes off. It’s also battery-operated combined with a smoke alarm and CO detector, but if you’d like a wired model, we recommend the First Alert BRK SC7010BV. However, if you want a dual-sensor that detects multiple kinds of fires and decrease false alarms, you can check out the First Alert BRK 312OB. It a hardwired model with a backup battery, so you don’t have to worry about power failure.

Pros:

  • Affordable
  • Easy to set up
  • 7-year warranty
  • Silence button to manage nuisance alerts
  • Essential for fire safety in larger homes

Cons:

  • The instructions are a bit confusing
  • Photoelectric fire alarms aren’t as effective as a dual-sensor alarm

5. Amazon Echo Dot

The Echo Dot does not have a smoke detector built-in, but when enabled through the Alexa app and then armed, your Echo listens for smoke and CO2 detectors and sends an alert on your phone. This particular way, you can keep your older smoke alarms but still get a push notification from the device saying, “Possible smoke or CO detected on the room your Alexa is in.”

Things become even better and reliable if you place the Echo in each room, Alexa will also be able to listen for glass breaking sounds. Although you’ve to remember to enable the Guard feature when you leave. The Amazon Echo also works perfectly with Ring or ADT alarm system, and there are no monthly fees associated with Guard.

The Amazon Echo (4th Gen) is a top pick with an improve sound quality and delivers just as much power as high-end detectors that cost twice as much. Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen), is a cheaper option and it comes with a basic Alexa speaker if sound quality is not as important.

Read our full Amazon Echo Dot review.

Pros:

  • Affordable
  • Attractive design
  • Simple and easy to use
  • More excellent range of smart-home devices

Cons:

  • Large power brick
  • Alexa does not feel as natural as Google.

6. Best for Inter-connect and big houses: X-Sense Wireless Interconnected Smoke Alarm

The X-Sense XS01-WR is a reliable wireless smart smoke detector designed to give you peace of mind while ensuring that it quickly triggers the alarm to alert you in case of a fire. The X-Sense is a standard, photoelectric-sensor smoke alarm that gives fewer false triggers from steamy showers. It has a three-color LED light that’s easy to spot in the dark; an additional feature to assist in case you don’t hear the alarm. It’s an excellent option for those who can’t hardwire a smoke alarm, such as the OneLink, or those who would probably forget to change the batteries.

While it doesn’t have smart capabilities, you can inter-connect up to 24 alarms, so they can sound simultaneously in case one detects smoke, provided they’re within range of about 50 meters—164 feet. No matter how big your house is, it ensures your entire home is under its full coverage.

It is an affordable option; at $36 1-pack, you get a detector that alerts you to smoldering and flaming fires. But the absence of a carbon monoxide detector means you will need one smart detector that can alert your phone with any issues – only if you want the highest level of protection. Though, carbon monoxide detectors are required by law in a specific area.

Pros:

  • Super easy to install
  • Silence button to manage nuisance alerts
  • Inexpensive (especially in multi-packs)
  • Approved by TÜV and CE
  • Effective RF interconnects technology.

Cons:

  • No voice alarms
  • Cannot detect carbon monoxide
  • No smart tech or Wi-Fi connectivity

7. Best for basic: Kidde KN-COSM-IBA Wire-Free Interconnect and Voice Alarm

The Kidde brand has been around for a long time now for over 100 years producing fire safety equipment. It’s one of the largest US manufacturers of smoke detectors. So, if you’re looking for a no-nonsense smoke alarm that detects smoke, fire, and carbon monoxide, Kidde KN-COSM-IBA is an excellent budget-friendly option.

This hardwired ionization alarm is a basic smart smoke alarm with cool features, including voice alerts, a low battery alert light, and a silence button. Although it may not be the reliable or smartest device (for not trigger any automations when an alarm went off), it still works well for necessary fire detection, mainly if used in conjunction with a photoelectric fire alarm, like the OneLink Safe & Sound. It also has indicator lights to alert you of each threat, just like all the other smart alarms we review.

Pros:

  • Incredible value
  • Low battery alert
  • Verbal warning before the alarm
  • Provides protection during power outages
  • Interconnectable with up to 24 Kidde devices

Cons:

  • Prone to false alarms
  • You cannot silence the alarm from the app.
  • No smart home automation compatibility

What to Consider Before Buying a The Best Smart Smoke Alarm?

For this guide, we researched, went through numerous feedbacks, and evaluated product performance, features and specs. After discovering more about these devices, the best smart detectors allow ease of use and installation, quick to send and receive notifications, and the ease of silencing alarms. We also consider how the devices responded to the presence of smoke, and almost all gave any false alerts.

These are the key features a smart alarm should have:

  • Able to detect both smoke and CO monitors
  • Easy to install
  • Alert you when an issue is detected, especially sending you alerts on your smartphone
  • Uses voice alerts and a siren, especially if you have kids
  • Can tell you which room the danger is coming from
  • Have a silencing feature to manage nuisance alerts-either in the app or the device itself
  • Able to alert you when the battery is low
  • Emergency contacts automatically if you don’t respond
  • Integrate with smart-home systems
  • Can inter-connect, so they can sound simultaneously in case one detects smoke

Where to Install Smart Smoke Alarm?

The National Fire Protection Association suggests using a smoke alarm within the following locations:

  • Bedrooms and living room areas
  • The outside of your sleeping areas
  • On each floor of your house
  • Near your stairwells
  • Within 10 feet (3 m) of cooking appliances

Additionally, it should be installed on the ceiling or up high on walls. But, if you’ve got a pitched roof, you should put the alarm within 3 feet of the highest point.

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