Now that all the fun stuff in our homes is “smart,” it’s time we started shifting the focus to web-connected tech to keep us safe. We’re talking top security cameras, motion detectors, lights, and the focus of today’s roundup, smart smoke detectors. Like the many smart home devices you already have connected to your Wi-Fi network, a smart smoke detector joins the ranks of 2.4GHz and 5GHz-connected gear to keep you in the know at all times. Smart smoke detectors will notify you immediately if an alarm goes off or the batteries start running low.
There are several brands and products to choose from in the world of smart smoke detectors, but this is a list of all the best models on the market to help remove some of the guesswork.
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Best overallTreatlife Smart Smoke Detector
Treatlife earns its spot as our best overall choice on the strength of its solid stable of features paired with a few genuinely useful extras, while not unnecessarily inflating the price tag by jamming in a bunch of cruft that most people will never use (or even realize is included).
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Premium pickGoogle Nest Protect Carbon Monoxide Detector
The Google Nest Protect slides in as our premium pick in large part because of its advanced feature set. The included carbon monoxide detector, self-diagnostic suite, and ease of operation (including the fact that it’s battery-powered, making it easy to install and use, with no hard-wiring required) make the Nest Protect the best smart smoke detector available if you’re willing to pay top dollar.
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Best valueX-Sense XS01-WX Smart Smoke Detector
X-Sense fills our value slot admirably with the XS01-WX, an inexpensive detector that provides all the baseline features you want while costing a fraction of the price of the top models. If you’re looking for a quick solution with some good features but don’t need a ton of premium bells and whistles, the X-Sense is solid, reliable, and won’t annihilate your bank account.
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Kidde Smart Smoke Detector
The Kidde Smart Smoke Detector is a midrange model that takes advantage of its built-in speaker to announce specific alerts in case of emergency. The speaker can call out “Fire,” “Carbon Monoxide Warning,” or even alert you by voice prompt that the alarm needs replacing. It’s compatible with both Android and Apple devices and comes with the standard suite of smart detector features, like mobile alerts and app support.
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SimpliSafe Smoke Detector
The SimpliSafe Smoke detector features a reliable photoelectric sensor that can pick up small traces of smoke, delivering timely alerts before the fire gets out of hand. It has a loud built-in siren, sends real-time notifications through the SimpliSafe app, and is very easy to set up, thanks to its wireless design. It will also dispatch help if you subscribe to SimpliSafe’s monitoring plan.
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Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen)
While the Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) doesn’t have any smoke-detecting tech built in, the smart speaker can listen for the sounds of smoke detectors and other alarms. It’s part of the Alexa Emergency Assist suite, which also monitors the sound of glass breaking. Alexa will immediately ping mobile gadgets and compatible smart home devices when these sounds occur. The alert will also include an audio file, as well as an Urgent Response button for contacting emergency services.
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X-Sense Smart Smoke Detector Combo Kit with Base Station
This X-Sense bundle offers a ton of peace-of-mind smoke detection in a single box. You’ll get three X-Sense smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and an X-Sense base station, which allows you to connect up to 50 X-Sense devices. On top of lightning-fast alerts, you can also control and monitor your X-Sense equipment via the X-Sense app.
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First Alert Smoke and CO Alarm
While not the most advanced unit on the list, the First Alert Smoke and CO Alarm stands out due to its compatibility with the popular Ring product ecosystem and its lower price. It still includes the key features expected from a smart smoke detector and uses a photoelectric sensor for accurate smoke detection. If you’re a Ring convert already, this is the choice for you.
Important smart smoke detector features
A smart smoke detector shouldn’t just alert you when fire or carbon monoxide is present, the life-saving technology should also check several boxes when it comes to notifications and alerts, smart home integration, battery life, and a few other criteria we’ve listed below:
Multi-hazard safeguarding
While smoke and fire are always top-of-the-list for a smoke detector’s priorities, the best smart smoke detectors can detect many hazards, including carbon monoxide, natural gas, VOCs (volatile organic compounds), and radon. Some of the most advanced models can even monitor for fluctuations in temperature, humidity, and air quality.
Simply put, the more dangers your smart smoke detector can inform you of, the better.
Smart home integrations
Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit are fun, easy-to-use automation tools that can connect to many smart smoke detectors (as long as the model is compatible). When the smoke detector is enabled, you’ll receive many alerts from your smart voice assistant via mobile device and whatever smart speakers or smart displays have at home.
Even if you’re at work or on the go, you will receive smart alerts and respond accordingly. You can even set up certain smart devices to respond with an action when the smoke detector goes off (such as a smart lock unlocking or smart lights turning on).
Device health monitoring
Your smart smoke detector is only as good as the batteries keeping it alive. Made to keep you and yours safe, a smoke detector should regularly test and check its sensors and other essential monitoring tech, as well as its battery life. And should any of these vitals come back with less than stellar results, the smoke detector should issue an alert.
Battery life
The best smart smoke detector should have the longest battery life possible, but backup capabilities are also important. Should your smoke detector be hardwired to your home’s power, a detector with a backup power source will keep the device going in the event of an outage.
Ensure your peace of mind, at least where fire safety is concerned
Smoke detectors have an extremely important job to do, and these devices need to be accurate and efficient. Adding “smart” to a consumer tech category is nice on paper, but the product should still perform well. Fortunately, those new to the world of smart smoke detectors will find the Treatlife Smart Smoke Detector is more than satisfactory.
The Treatlife detector protects against smoke and carbon monoxide, has an 85-decibel siren, and delivers instant mobile notifications when a hazard is detected. You can also pair the detector with other Treatlife devices for extra peace of mind. But if you have a few more dollars burning a hole in your pocket, the incredible Google Nest Protect is a solid premium option.
The Google Nest Protect monitors for smoke and carbon monoxide and can even hone in on smoldering and fast-burning areas of your home. On top of phone alerts, the Google Nest Protect can be managed via Google Assistant and the Google Home app. For those who can’t afford a triple-digit purchase, the X-Sense XS-01-WX Smart Smoke Detector is a great value. With its 10-year battery life, intuitive app controls, and real-time notifications for smoke, faults, and low power, the X-Sense does the job for well under $100.
