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Oct 25, 2024

Best Smoke Detectors for 2024 - CNET

Article updated on October 7, 2024 at 4:47 PM PDT These smoke detectors will alert you in a timely manner in case of emergency and won't break the bank. CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of

Article updated on October 7, 2024 at 4:47 PM PDT

These smoke detectors will alert you in a timely manner in case of emergency and won't break the bank.

CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise.

What to consider

Power source

Does your state have hardwired requirements? Do you want wireless models for extra rooms?

Battery backups

Does your state require battery backups? How many years do they need to ask?

Battery alerts

Does the detector use battery chirps? Does it have an easy hush button?

Sensor types

What sensors does the detector have? Does it offer dual sensors for different fire situations?

Smart home support

Does the detector work via app? Is it compatible with smart home platforms like Alexa or Google Home?

CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise.

What to consider

Power source

Does your state have hardwired requirements? Do you want wireless models for extra rooms?

Battery backups

Does your state require battery backups? How many years do they need to ask?

Battery alerts

Does the detector use battery chirps? Does it have an easy hush button?

Sensor types

What sensors does the detector have? Does it offer dual sensors for different fire situations?

Smart home support

Does the detector work via app? Is it compatible with smart home platforms like Alexa or Google Home?

A smoke detector in your home can greatly improve response time in case of a fire and save your life. However, not all models are made equal. You ideally need one that is both reliable and efficient. Our pick for the most reliable smoke alarm is the Kidde Dual Sensor Smoke Detector PI9010 because it can detect different types of home fires.

Depending on the size of your home, you'll need to install smoke alarms at multiple spots. NFPA recommends installing one on every floor, in each sleeping area, at the top of each stairway and at stairway-adjacent ceilings in basements.

We've tested a wide variety of smoke detector models and rounded up the ones which work best for households. Whether you’re replacing an old unit or shopping for one for the first time, here are the best smoke detectors available right now.

As the name suggests, this Kidde smoke detector is equipped with dual sensors that allow it to efficiently detect two common types of home fires. It's no surprise that it had the best performance detecting a slow-smoldering fire, averaging 24.1 seconds after initial exposure to smoke, and similarly, the second-best performance detecting a fast-flaming fire, averaging 17.9 seconds.

It's powered by a 9-volt battery, plate-mounted and features both "hush" and "test" buttons for weekly testing.

If you're looking for efficiency and reliability at an affordable price, the Kidde PI9010 is where your search should start. However, it doesn't have the smart home compatibility of some brands like Google Nest, which may be disappointing to some high-tech homeowners.

If you are looking for a high-tech device that you can control and communicate with, the Nest Protect is perfect for the task. It features a single button that has "hush," "test" and "reset" functionality, and you can hard-wire it to a 120-volt circuit or run it on a battery.

It features two alert modes: Heads-up, characterized by a yellow glow in the background when smoke levels are rising, and Emergency, when the smoke concentration in an area has reached a critical level, displaying a red light. The device will speak to you in English, letting you know which area of your home needs immediate attention. This is particularly useful if you have a large home and need to know exactly where the emergency is located.

The Nest App allows you to interconnect other Nest Protect smoke alarms in your home, displaying them all in a single dashboard. From there, you can easily hush and/or test all or any of your smoke detector devices at the press of a button. Sensors, alarms, voice, battery level and Wi-Fi connectivity checks are all part of the assessment.

The original Nest Protect ranked fourth in our quickness of response test, but its ample functionality, versatility and smart features make it a very compelling option for those looking to upgrade their smart home security game.

Many states require hardwired smoke detectors with battery backups (often with yearly requirements too), so battery-only models aren't much used to homeowners in these areas. Fortunately, many smart smoke detectors have wiring options, but this Kidde model stands out for its easy installation and reliable operation, a design made to meet stringent fire codes.

The 20SD10-V model ditches the battery chirps like other Kidde models, and is tested to reduce false cooking alarms. The 10-year battery backup and associated warranty should be enough to meet any residential requirements. There's also an easy-access hush button in case the alarm does sound off unnecessarily. It also can connect with other compatible Kidde alarms for simultaneous alerts.

This ionization detector is a perfect fit if you're on a budget and just want to make sure your home has a reliable smoke alarm. Featuring a compact size and easy installation, the Kidde Firex i4618AC is battery-powered, but you can also wire it to a 120-volt circuit so that battery life is never an issue.

As expected from an ionization detector, it had the best performance detecting a fast-flaming fire in just 16.9 seconds, and the second-best score detecting a slow-smoldering fire, in 28.1 seconds.

The only possible downside is that ionization detectors like this, in general, are prone to false alarms, triggered by pollutants that are not always smoke particles, which is the only reason this smoke detector is not topping the list.

Our smoke detection test chamber lets us test how quickly each model raises an alarm when smoke enters the environment.

When it comes to detecting smoke, time is of the essence. That is why we designed a test that simulates a real-life emergency.

The first thing to know is that there are two main types of fires that these products are designed for: smoldering fires and flaming fires.

A smoldering (or slow-burning) fire refers to the combustion that occurs at the surface of a solid material. Smoldering fires produce large amounts of thick smoke but can't sustain a flame. Think of a cigarette slowly burning but never actually bursting into flames.

Smoke detection testing in progress.

A smoldering fire can and will become a flaming fire if proper action is not taken immediately.

Flaming fires are the ones we're more familiar with, and they usually arise from the ignition of any flammable material, such as a flammable substance, wood, paper, etc. These generally produce less smoke than a smoldering fire but are more destructive.

We built a chamber that houses the smoke detector under test and fed to it the two different types of smoke through a chimney. Then, we timed the quickness of the response. The faster the smoke detectors' alarm was triggered, the better.

To simulate smoke coming from a smoldering fire, I ignited 300g of charcoal and let it heat up for 10 minutes before feeding the smoke. I wanted to make sure most of the coals were ignited and that the smoke was thick enough to trigger the alarm.

Recreating a flaming fire was easy, just 30g of shredded paper did the trick. Again, I ensured a significant amount of smoke was present before feeding it through the chimney and into the chamber.

To the great discomfort of my neighbors, who had to endure smoke alarms going off randomly, and to whom I sincerely apologize, I repeated the whole process three times per smoke detector model under test and per type of smoke, totaling six test runs per smoke detector. Finally, I averaged the response times. You can check them out in the chart below:

First Alert SA320 Dual Sensor Smoke Detector: Ranked third in both tests, a solid option at an affordable price. The silence/test button is stiffer than most other models, which can be a pain if you're trying to hush a false alarm or conduct a weekly test.

Kidde Firex PI2010 Hard-Wired Dual Sensor Smoke Detector: Lowest overall performance detecting a slow-smoldering fire, taking 83 seconds. Second-lowest performance detecting a fast-flaming fire, in 27.9 seconds. The device needs to be hard-wired, but it comes with a 9-volt battery as backup.

Onelink Battery Powered Smart Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector by First Alert: This model looked great at first: App-controlled, useful smart features and the ability to pair up with other smart home security devices make it a strong contender for the best for smart home. It did not impress us in the smoke detection test. It had the lowest performance detecting a fast-flaming fire and the second-lowest performance detecting a slow-smoldering fire, taking almost twice as long as the Nest.

A look at the interior of CNET's carbon monoxide detector.

Battery smoke detectors are incredibly easy to place, but there’s a problem: Local fire codes and state requirements often require hardwired smoke alarms in residential buildings, which can create insurance and remodeling headaches. We advise getting hardwired versions when possible to meet state requirements and use battery models for additional protection in other areas.

Battery backups are another common fire code requirement, so it’s a good idea to look at our local codes to see what kind of battery backup you need.

Many of our picks mute battery beeps and find other ways to let you know when backup batteries are running low. It’s a nice feature, especially when backed up by an app.

Different sensors specialize in different types of heat or particle detection. Our top pick has a dual sensor to take advantage of both, as does Google’s “Spectrum” sensor.

Support for Google Home, Alexa or other platforms may be very important for some users, and the added app support is great. This feature can be rare, but is useful for the right homeowners.

Commonly, smoke detectors utilize different smoke-detecting mechanisms, such as photoelectric sensors, ionization sensors or a combination of the two, called "dual sensors". We don't need to go too deeply into the science behind them but it's useful to know that the main difference between the two is their ability to detect different types of smoke.

For instance, a smoke detector that has a photoelectric sensor is better at detecting slow-smoldering fires, whereas a smoke detector that has an ionization sensor will be better at detecting fast-flaming ones. Plenty of "combo" or "dual sensor" smoke detectors feature both mechanisms, so you don't have to worry about either eventuality.

Some smoke detectors, like dual-sensors, and especially ionization detectors, are designed to sense disruptions in the circuitry of the device. The ionization sensor is inside a chamber and has two electrically charged plates that ionize air between them. When smoke particles enter the chamber, they occupy the air within the plates, blocking the flow of ions and, consequently, triggering the alarm. Debris, dust, paint, cigarette smoke, dirt and steam particles can also have the same effect. Keep that in mind if you're renovating your home or if you have your smoke detector installed near a kitchen. If you suspect your smoke detector has been contaminated with foreign particles, give it a good cleaning.

Smoke detectors will have instructions on how to clean the device in the user's manual, but there are a couple of easy fixes you can try if you don't feel like looking for that elusive bit of paper. Grab a hand-held vacuum or a vacuum that's equipped with the smallest nozzle piece. Then, simply vacuum every open spot you can find in your smoke detector. If you have an air blower, blow some air in those spots as well. If you're renovating your home, make sure to cover your smoke detector or remove it from the work area to prevent it from going off when no smoke is present.

Most smoke detectors will produce a low chirping noise, signaling their batteries are getting low or that the unit itself needs replacing. This is a common feature of most smoke detectors but occurs mostly during the night when your home's temperature drops a couple of degrees. If the chirping continues during the day, it may be a sign of something else. Refer to your smoke detector's manual for troubleshooting specific to your smoke detector model. Keep in mind that the average lifespan of a smoke detector is 10 years, so if your detector is close to that, it'd be a good idea to play it safe and replace it.