Best Smoke Detectors and Fire Alarms of 2023 (2023)

FAQs

What is the best fire and smoke detector is? ›

1. Google Nest Protect: Best overall. The Google Nest Protect keeps your home protected in more ways than one. Sure, it can detect smoke, but with its split-spectrum sensor, it detects smoldering fires as well as fires with active flames.

The best basic smoke alarm

For your primary line of defense, we recommend the First Alert SA511CN2-3ST Interconnected Wireless Smoke Alarm with Voice Location. This is a photoelectric alarm, so it's effective against both slow-burning, smoldering fires and fast-burning, flaming fires.

First Alert has better features than the Kidde because of the alarm system with a verbal warning of the threat.

Best Overall

For a reliable, long-lasting, and effective smoke detector, we recommend the First Alert BRK 3120B Smoke Detector. This 10-year, hardwired model is equipped with both a photoelectric and an ionization sensor. “Dual detectors allow the device to detect both smoky fires and flames,” says Mock.

Hardwired smoke alarms are more dependable as they are connected on a power supply. Once the alarm sounds, they will not stop until turned off. In case of power interruptions, they have battery backups for continuous operation. Battery-powered smoke alarms depend solely on the batteries.

The NFPA acknowledges that a well-designed photoelectric alarm will usually outperform ionization alarms in all fire situations, regardless of type and material. During smoldering fires, ionization alarms failed to give sufficient egress time more frequently than photoelectric alarms failed to do so.

All smoke detectors should be replaced at least every 10 years and tested regularly to ensure the alarm is functioning properly. At the end of ten years, the smoke detectors will give an end-of-life warning letting you know to replace the alarm.

Photoelectric alarms respond to particles in the air created by smoldering fires or steamy showers. They're less prone to false alarms caused by cooking, so consider them for areas near kitchens.

Photoelectric smoke detectors are best at detecting the large particles typical of smoky, smoldering fires but poor at detecting fast, flaming fires. Photoelectric units are less prone to false alarms from burnt food, so they may be a better fit in kitchen areas.

There are three types of smoke alarms, ionization, photoelectric and a combination of the two which is commonly called a “dual” detector. Look for the UL stamp on any smoke alarm. Research has shown: Ionization smoke alarms detect flaming fires marginally earlier than photo-electric smoke alarms.

Which is better photoelectric or ionization smoke alarm false alarm? ›

In many tests of both types of smoke alarms, ionization alarms are indeed faster at warning us of a fast fire than photoelectric alarms… but faster by seconds. Meanwhile, photoelectric alarms often pick up on slower fires many minutes before their ionization siblings, if these latter alarms even go off at all.

Generally, there are two types of home smoke alarms: photoelectric and ionization.

If your alarm has "long life," or nonreplaceable batteries, they can be effective up to 10 years without any battery replacement needed, the NFPA notes. But if you have any other type of batteries in your alarm, replace them at least once a year.

Because alarm sensors wear out, replace each alarm at least every 10 years. Also, alarms have labels showing when they were made. If you don't see a label, the alarm is old and must be replaced.

"Replace all smoke alarms, including those that use ten-year batteries and hard-wired alarms, when they are ten years old or sooner if they don't respond properly when tested." Each smoke detector should be replaced 10 years after the date of installation.

As a result, the NFPA recommends having at least one smoke alarm on every level of the home — including basements — as well as in every bedroom, and outside of each sleeping area. Larger homes may need extra detectors. "It is best to use interconnected smoke alarms.

Will taking the battery out of a smoke alarm make it stop beeping? Taking the battery out of a smoke alarm will not make it stop beeping. Even after the battery has died, the detector maintains a residual charge that will keep the chirp going for at least seven days.

So especially in a bedroom, a dual-sensing detector is best. You might want a photoelectric sensor in the kitchen, an ionization sensor in the garage, the ability to add a voice saying “Fire!” to alert a sleeping child, or a sensor with a strobe light for someone who is hard of hearing.

Disadvantages: Advantages of ionization smoke detectors: Produce false alarms sometimes which often leads people to disable them. They only detect flaming fires.

Are ionization smoke detectors being phased out? ›

Ionisation smoke alarms are now being phased out across the entire fire safety industry, from standalone domestic alarms to detectors in the largest commercial panel systems.

CR's take: The hardwired Kidde KN-COSM-IBA CO detector performs very well. It receives top-level marks in our low-CO-level test and for the accuracy of its CO-level display, and a near-top-level mark in the high-CO-level test.

Alarms with traditional (alkaline) batteries are fine. But those batteries must be changed at least once a year—and you may experience a “chirping” sound when the batteries are dying, which will require your immediate attention for safety. Instead, we recommend you get alarms that have long-life lithium ion batteries.

Older smoke alarms that have accumulated a lot of dust and dirt in and around the sensor will usually become less sensitive. However, sometimes the reverse is true, and they can become overly sensitive. This is rare, but it may signal that it's time to replace or upgrade your smoke alarms.

The Cavius Smoke Alarm with 5 year battery and with 10 year battery is recognised as the world's smallest smoke alarm at 40mm wide and 41mm deep. This makes it discreet and perfect for homes, caravans or mobile homes.

Smoking under smoke detectors will set them off! Where possible, you should prevent the use of aerosols in the vicinity of fire alarm detector heads, where this cannot be avoided use of alternative products should be considered. Products such as deodorant and hair spray will commonly set off smoke detectors.

The Nest Protect allows you to easily silence the unit in the event of a nuisance alarm with the large and easy-to-press test/silence button. You can even silence the alarm from your smartphone, although it doesn't allow for this if the smoke is too heavy.

Many experts point out that smoke alarms should be placed on the ceiling, or high up on the walls. 6 By positioning the detectors at roughly 12 inches below the ceiling, you can ensure that they will detect smoke at the earliest opportunity.

Smoke alarms should be mounted in or near bedrooms and living areas, either on the ceiling or the wall. Ceiling mounting it is typically preferred as it allows the smoke alarm to be placed more centrally in the room.

Smoke detectors should be placed inside the bedroom and just outside the bedroom areas, such as in a hallway. If you don't have enough smoke detectors to place them everywhere, locate one outside the bedrooms in a spot where everyone sleeping could hear the alarm.

What 2 types of detectors should you have in your house? ›

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are two of the most important safety devices in your home. Bottom line, you need both smoke detectors AND carbon monoxide detectors to keep you and your family safe.

No, a smoke detector is one or more devices that detect the presence of smoke and report that information back to an alarm system. A smoke detector may sound, however the alarm system will always sound for a fire alarm. A smoke alarm is a stand-alone device that is not tied into a system.

If you are wondering which types of fire detectors is the best for bedrooms, well we must say that, for bedrooms, ionization smoke alarms are the best. Electric smoke detectors are ideal for living areas and hallways and ionization smoke detectors are good for bedrooms.

We typically attribute smoke detector false alarms at night to one of two factors: low battery power and a drop in the home's air temperature, or an environmental factor such as high humidity, steam, or smoke particles in the air.

National Fire Protection Association:

For best protection, it is recommended both (ionization and photoelectric) technologies be used in homes. In addition to individual ionization and photoelectric alarms, combination alarms that include both technologies in a single device are available.

Research into their longevity has concluded that hard-wired as well as battery-operated devices should be replaced every 10 years, or sooner if they do not respond properly when tested. The manufacturing industry also recommends that smoke alarm detector heads should be replaced every decade.

If your detector is hardwired into your home's electrical system, replace the backup battery at least every 6 months and replace the smoke detector itself at least every 10 years.

Any radioactive source in a smoke detector cannot corrode or disintegrate. The source itself is within a metal seal in the ionization chamber. The seal can only be broken by the deliberate use of force; such as smashing the detector with a hammer.

Homes that have a set number of hardwired alarms can still place additional battery-operated smoke alarms throughout the house. There is no such thing as having too many smoke alarms in your home! Just make sure fire detectors are properly placed in each area.

It's pretty simple to check the age of your smoke detector: Just climb up on a ladder and take a look at the back of the alarm up-close. There will be a manufactured date that tells you when the alarm was made. If that date was 10 years ago or more, it's definitely time to replace it.

Where is the best place to put a smoke alarm? ›

Fit smoke alarms on a ceiling (or high up on a wall, if the instructions state it is suitable for wall mounting). Make sure you fit an appropriate alarm in every room where there's a fire risk.

A dual sensor alarm provides the best protection and for that reason it is recommended. There are alarms available that are multicriteria or intelligent alarms, what this means is they use many different sensors such as photoelectric, ionization, and heat along with an algorithm to detect a fire.

Absolutely! You can mix and match hardwired First Alert, BRK, and Onelink models.

Wireless systems use signals that are transmitted through a radio bandwidth in order to alert you to smoke or a fire. If a fire does break out, there'll be no damage to wires. Conversely, in a wired system, the wires can be damaged before the alarm is triggered.

Ionization technology is generally more sensitive than photoelectric technology at detecting small particles which tend to be produced in greater amounts by flaming fires, which consume combustible materials rapidly and spread quickly.

Every residential property should have smoke detectors installed because they are faster to detect possible fires than heat detectors. This is the major advantage of smoke detectors over thermal detectors.

Ionization models are best suited for rooms that contain highly combustible materials that can create flaming fires. These types of materials include flammable liquids, newspapers, and paint cleaning solutions. Photoelectric models are best suited for living rooms, bedrooms and kitchens.

Photoelectric smoke alarms works best in living rooms, bedrooms, and outside kitchens. Additionally, heat detectors work best inside kitchen, attic, garage, laundry and furnace rooms. Frequently test smoke alarm and it's batteries, at least every month. Fire Prevention Week celebrates 100th anniversary in 2022.

The most common type of fire detection system, smoke detectors live up to their namesake by detecting smoke.

The least sensitive is the heat detector, that will not go off because of smoke or other dense gasses at all, but will go if it senses the heat from an actual fire underway.

What type of fire detector is best for kitchen? ›

Smoke alarms are not suitable for kitchens but heat alarms are. Fitting a heat alarm in your kitchen will give you warning of an increase in temperature caused by a fire but will not be set off by cooking fumes.

There are two main types: photoelectric and ionization. Photoelectric alarms respond to particles in the air created by smoldering fires or steamy showers. They're less prone to false alarms caused by cooking, so consider them for areas near kitchens.

Alarms with traditional (alkaline) batteries are fine. But those batteries must be changed at least once a year—and you may experience a “chirping” sound when the batteries are dying, which will require your immediate attention for safety. Instead, we recommend you get alarms that have long-life lithium ion batteries.

The second type of smoke detector is photoelectric, which uses a light beam to help detect the presence of smoke. According to NFPA, these alarm types are more effective at sounding when a fire originates from a smoldering source, like a lit cigarette that falls into a couch cushion.

Mount smoke alarms high on walls or ceilings (remember, smoke rises). Wall-mounted alarms should be installed not more than 12 inches away from the ceiling (to the top of the alarm).