Best Smoke Detectors & Fire Alarms in 2022

Last update: January 19, 2023

Are smoke detectors and fire alarms the same thing?

Smoke alarms and fire alarms are not the same thing. Smoke alarms are designed to detect smoke and notify people in the event of a fire. Fire alarms are designed to detect fire and notify people in the event of a fire.

Can I install a smoke alarm myself?

You can install a smoke alarm yourself, but it's important to follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully. It's also a good idea to have a professional electrician check your work to make sure it's up to code.

Do I need an electrician to replace smoke alarms?

If your smoke alarm is more than 10 years old, it’s time to replace it. You can do this yourself, but it’s always a good idea to hire a professional electrician to do the job. They will know how to properly wire the new smoke alarm and make sure it’s working correctly.

Do local fire departments install smoke detectors?

According to the National Fire Protection Association, local fire departments do not typically install smoke detectors. However, they may provide other services related to fire safety, such as public education and code enforcement.


Kidde i12060 Hardwire with Front Load Battery Backup Smoke Alarm, 1 Pack, White Review:


I was quite pleased with how simple it was to install and configure these smoke alarms. They include a dust cap in case you are still working on the house, a three-pin AC connector with more than 6 inches of wire for simple installation, and—most importantly—a 9V battery (which might only last a month because it is a zinc air battery). The $12 pricing per detector is more than reasonable given how nicely this gadget just works. The product was dated January 2019 and has additional nice features like a place for you to write when you installed it. Products typically last 10 years before they need to be replaced, but because the postmarked date was not advertised, I was initially concerned it might be one or two years old already. Even the instruction was simple to read and understand. Even if it's simply a smoke detector, it's nice to see something made with care and quality for a reasonable price. Very pleased thus far with this goods; I'll let you know if there are any problems.



First Alert Smoke Detector Alarm | Hardwired with Backup Battery, BRK9120b6CP Review:


Regarding this product, there are both good news and bad news. (In-depth review to follow.)The most reputable publication for consumer testing has given this item top marks. Additionally, the price on Amazon is reasonable.I purchased 6 of them, and they all arrived quickly, beautifully cushioned, wrapped together but in separate smaller boxes.Five of the things arrived flawlessly and were simple to install (but more info on an important installation detail below).One of these detectors was delivered with a sizable manufacturing flaw. For a clear example of the flaw that rendered this detector uninstallable, see the attached snapshot. The device's electrical pins were positioned incorrectly. Additionally, this flaw made it difficult to open and close the battery door on the new detector. The exchange was handled by Amazon in a timely and polite manner.Now let's talk about how to install the OK units: Both good and terrible news are available.The connecting pigtails that come with the new First Alert smoke detectors are the exact same ones that came with my 10-year-old First Alert same-model detectors that they are replacing. This is good news. This implies that replacing each detector did not require unplugging and rewiring fresh pigtails into their wall boxes. To use the new detectors, I simply plugged the old pigtail into them after unplugging it from the old detector. Easy! and secure!The spherical plastic mounting base for the new units has been extremely SLIGHTLY modified by First Alert compared to their own 10-year-old design. As a result, I had to get rid of the old mounting base and install the new one. It's a simple step, no issue. However, because the new mounting base is "trimmer" in form and has a smaller diameter, it exposes a ring of unpainted or unwalpapered wall or ceiling surface and needs to be patched. The turnscrew plastic locking design of the detector has ALSO BEEN SLIGHTLY MODIFIED BY FIRST ALERT, AND IT NO LONGER SECURES COMPLETELY TO THE 10-YEAR DESIGN. Additionally, this means that the old mounting bases cannot be simply removed and replaced by the new detectors.I made the decision to keep the old mounting bases in place in a few extremely obvious and difficult-to-patch wallpaper spots in order to preserve the wallcovering's aesthetics, and I soon learned that the new detectors CAN hang reasonably firmly (though not completely) on the old bases. Even though this is a subpar solution, it DOES work because the electrically hardwired detectors are not in any danger of slipping off the wall. When changing batteries yearly using this approach, some caution (a two-handed task) will be needed to prevent yanking the detectors off their mounts. But it's not a challenge.One last point: From below, it makes no difference whether these detectors are fastened to their OLD mounts or to the NEW ones. In actuality, the new detectors attached to the old mounts are less obvious than the wallcovering issue with the new, trimmer bases.



First Alert Smoke Detector Alarm | Hardwired with Backup Battery, 6-Pack, BRK9120b Review:


Regarding this product, there are both good news and bad news. (In-depth review to follow.)The most reputable publication for consumer testing has given this item top marks. Additionally, the price on Amazon is reasonable.I purchased 6 of them, and they all arrived quickly, beautifully cushioned, wrapped together but in separate smaller boxes.Five of the things arrived flawlessly and were simple to install (but more info on an important installation detail below).One of these detectors was delivered with a sizable manufacturing flaw. For a clear example of the flaw that rendered this detector uninstallable, see the attached snapshot. The device's electrical pins were positioned incorrectly. Additionally, this flaw made it difficult to open and close the battery door on the new detector. The exchange was handled by Amazon in a timely and polite manner.Now let's talk about how to install the OK units: Both good and terrible news are available.The connecting pigtails that come with the new First Alert smoke detectors are the exact same ones that came with my 10-year-old First Alert same-model detectors that they are replacing. This is good news. This implies that replacing each detector did not require unplugging and rewiring fresh pigtails into their wall boxes. To use the new detectors, I simply plugged the old pigtail into them after unplugging it from the old detector. Easy! and secure!The spherical plastic mounting base for the new units has been extremely SLIGHTLY modified by First Alert compared to their own 10-year-old design. As a result, I had to get rid of the old mounting base and install the new one. It's a simple step, no issue. However, because the new mounting base is "trimmer" in form and has a smaller diameter, it exposes a ring of unpainted or unwalpapered wall or ceiling surface and needs to be patched. The turnscrew plastic locking design of the detector has ALSO BEEN SLIGHTLY MODIFIED BY FIRST ALERT, AND IT NO LONGER SECURES COMPLETELY TO THE 10-YEAR DESIGN. Additionally, this means that the old mounting bases cannot be simply removed and replaced by the new detectors.I made the decision to keep the old mounting bases in place in a few extremely obvious and difficult-to-patch wallpaper spots in order to preserve the wallcovering's aesthetics, and I soon learned that the new detectors CAN hang reasonably firmly (though not completely) on the old bases. Even though this is a subpar solution, it DOES work because the electrically hardwired detectors are not in any danger of slipping off the wall. When changing batteries yearly using this approach, some caution (a two-handed task) will be needed to prevent yanking the detectors off their mounts. But it's not a challenge.One last point: From below, it makes no difference whether these detectors are fastened to their OLD mounts or to the NEW ones. In actuality, the new detectors attached to the old mounts are less obvious than the wallcovering issue with the new, trimmer bases.



Kidde i12040 120V AC Wire-In Smoke Alarm with Battery Backup and Smart Hush Review:


There were a number of Lifesaver Model 1275 smoke detectors in my home, which were all at least 19 years old. I wanted a replacement that would use the same connector because they are hard-wired in order to avoid calling (and paying) an electrician. The i12040 detectors were a perfect upgrade from the previous 1275 detectors. The wired connector that was already there might be reused. It was quite simple for me to change the mounting bracket because it had turned yellow (just a matter of loosening two screws). I have no idea if these smoke detectors are particularly good. They cost not that much and have a similar appearance to the previous ones. However, I'm overjoyed to have a simple alternative for my house.The cost is the only issue I have. I initially placed the detectors in my basket for $8. When I placed the order, the price increased to $15. The cost has since decreased to $8.



Kidde 21026063 AC Hardwired Smoke Detector Alarm with 9V Back up and Front Load Battery Door Review:


My 13-year-old Firex alarms, which started to chirp even with fresh batteries, needed to be replaced, so I got these alarms. The recommended replacement interval is ten years. Make sure to replace all of the alarms at once when replacing old alarms.Kidde acquired Firex, and since Kidde alarms are the same size as Firex alarms, replacing the alarms won't require touching up the ceiling paint. Since the pig tail/wiring harness is changed when replacing Firex alarms, a KA-F adaptor is required. The new style pig tail that is provided makes it easy to rewire the ceiling box, but using the adaptor is simpler and safer. Open the new alarm box first, and then write the installation month and year in the space provided on the alarm's side. Buy a premium brand of alkaline 9v batteries and install them with the month and year marked on the side of the battery. These come with cheap imported zinc carbon batteries. Use a big flat/slotted screwdriver to remove the pig tail from the old alarm. At the wiring connection of the old alarm, just twist the screwdriver after sliding it underneath the rounded flange. Before stepping onto the ladder, you should also put the adaptor on the new alarm. I inserted a phillips screwdriver and a flat screwdriver into the holes on the fiberglass ladder's top. The mounting ring of the new alarm is different from the mounting ring of the old alarm; it is likely to be secured to the ceiling by two screws. As I was installing the new alarm while seated on the ladder, I dropped the old mounting ring and alarm on the carpeted floors because there was no place at the top for two alarms and no one to help. There was just one ladder trip per alert because to the earlier preparation. If you do this yourself, you'll save a ton of money compared to hiring an electrical professional.



Kidde I4618AC Alarm Hardwire Smoke Detector with 9V Backup and Front Load Battery Door | Model i4618 Review:


A malfunctioning Firex 120-1182B smoke detector needed to be replaced. Even with new batteries and memory cleaning performed by cutting off all power and holding down the mute/test button for 20 seconds, it was blinking red approximately every 15 seconds and setting off numerous other alarms at random. For those who don't know, Kidde previously acquired Firex, and this is the Firex model that has been replaced. The label on the container actually reads FIREX with a smaller KIDDE in the corner. As has already been mentioned, this KIDDE i4618AC unit's wiring harness differs from that of the Firex 120-1128B smoke detector. Avoid panicking, and save yourself some money by skipping the wire harness purchase altogether. The "hard wired" version's wiring harness is almost identical to that of the Firex 120-1182B unit, but this is not apparent from the picture on Amazon's website. Both this Kidde replacement and the Firex type have a 3-wire harness. White, black, and yellow wires are used in the Firex model. Your AC electric is white and black, and the yellow cable linking it to the rest of your home's fire alarms is yellow (all of which work with this new model without issue). White, black, and red wires are put up in the new Kidde i4618AC wiring harness. Simply connect the red wire in place of the yellow wire if your Firex was previously linked to the yellow (interconnected wire). You don't need to be an electrician to replace this; it isn't rocket science. Here is the procedure for replacement.The first step is not required, although it is advised.1) To prevent electric shock while replacing your smoke detectors, shut off the breaker that manages their power.2) Rotate the outdated smoke detector counterclockwise to remove it from the ceiling.3) Pull the old smoke detector out of the back to detach it from the electrical harness.4) Remove the two screws securing the mounting plate to the ceiling by removing them.5) To remove the mounting plate, simply rotate it so that the mounting screws come off; you'll understand what I mean after the smoke detector is out of the way.6) To reach the 3 wire nuts, remove the wiring harness wires from the ceiling.7) If swapping wires worries you, or if the wires in your particular housing are painted and difficult to discern, just remove one wire at a time from the wire nut and attach the new wiring harness using the wire you are detaching (In other words, if you disconnect the black wire, simply connect the black wire from the new harness before proceeding to the next wire). Confusion will be avoided. As previously mentioned, the red wire from the new harness replaces the yellow wire from the old harness.8) Replace the mounting plate after shoving the wires back into the ceiling. The mounting screws that held the previous one in place must be used (mounting screws are NOT included in the new unit packaging).9) Take off the dust cover and battery saver tab from the new smoke detector's battery compartment. The smoke detector comes with a battery, but I'm not sure if it's a genuine alkaline battery (like Energizer or Duracel, so I replaced mine with a new Duracel so that I was sure).10) Attach the new smoke detector to the wiring harness and tighten it to the ceiling with a 1/4-turn to the right.If you shut off the electricity at the panel in step 1, turn it back on so that the smoke detectors can function.Prior to installing my new smoke detector, I neglected to turn the power off. My other smoke detectors started to alarm as I disconnected the yellow wire from the original wiring harness. I got my son to quiet another alarm by pushing the button, and that fixed the problem. I'm not sure if turning off the power will solve the problem for others, but you should be aware that there's a risk your other alarms will go off while the installation is being done, so you might want to postpone this procedure if someone is sleeping in your home.I hope that was helpful to someone.Good luck replacing.



4 Pack Battery Operated Smoke Detector & Fire Alarm with Photoelectric Sensor,Easy to Install with Test Button Review:


For the price, this smoke detector is excellent. They are extremely sensitive to any smoke odour. The volume is high. I acquired it for the smoke feature because many "fire detectors" miss minor smoke smells, which are present before a fire even starts. These perform admirably. really simple to install It appears that I needed this alarm more than anything.



Kidde Sealed Lithium Battery Power Smoke Detector Alarm | Model i9010 Review:


This product is of high quality. If it does truly last 10 years, only time will tell. When the battery dies, the battery cannot be repaired and must be thrown away.What's that? The instructions are terrible!Installation is as easy as 1-2-3, but you'll need to figure out how to get rid of the tab that prevents insertion into the base (see photos).I looked everywhere in the instructions for a place where it explicitly stated that you needed to remove the (one) tab. A tab with a microscopic image is suggested; this could be it.Look at the pictures once more.



First Alert Battery Powered Smoke Alarm with Silence Button, SA303CN3 Review:


I'm rather terrified of fire, especially when it involves carbon monoxide. Our 100-year-old house is getting a lot of work done, thanks to my wife and me. The basement's completion is one of the numerous ongoing projects. Will be roughly 500 square feet, with a tiny kitchenette and a 3/4 bath.The building inspector visited recently and "recommended" adding a few more detectors. Thus, I now possess a total of 8 smoke/CO detectors. They are all over. The small storage cupboard outside the unfinished portion of the basement is when I started to act a little squirrelly. It is stuffed with paper goods and Christmas decorations. Scary. Yes, it's excessive. unable to stop myself. low-cost insurance.These are really nice tiny gadgets. Nothing out of the ordinary; just a loud alarm accompanied by a cute tiny safety light. includes batteries. My local fire department recommended this particular brand. I've improved. But I'm a crackpot. lolHighly advised. Gratitude for reading



First Alert Dual-Sensor Smoke and Fire Alarm, Battery Powered, Frustration-Free Packaging, SA320CN Review:


This morning, I actually kissed my fire alarm.This was purchased two months ago to be installed in the detached structure where I keep my exotic birds. This alarm immediately detected the smoke from the heater this morning! I was awakened by the alarm (over the baby monitor) and went barefoot outside! Fortunately, the smoke didn't even get a chance to permeate the room; instead, all you could smell was it on the heater. My house was spared by this fire alarm, but more importantly, my cherished birds were preserved! Given how sensitive birds are to smoke, it is AMAZING that this device was able to identify the issue so quickly. Nearly 5 feet straight over the heater, the alarm was placed. I heartily advise it!


How do I get my smoke alarm to stop chirping and beeping?

If your smoke alarm is chirping or beeping, it may be indicating that the battery needs to be replaced. Try replacing the battery first. If the smoke alarm still chirps or beeps, it may be time to replace the entire smoke alarm.

How long do smoke detectors last?

Smoke detectors are an important part of any home safety plan, but like any other piece of equipment, they don’t last forever. Most smoke detectors have a lifespan of about 10 years. Some may last a little longer, while others may need to be replaced sooner. There are a few things that can affect how long your smoke detector will last, such as the environment it’s in and how well it’s maintained. One of the most important things you can do to extend the life of your smoke detector is to keep it clean. Dust and dirt

How many smoke detectors should be in a house?

A typical home should have at least two smoke alarms, one on each level, and one in every bedroom.

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

There are many types of detectors that you can have in your house, but there are two types that are essential. The first type of detector is a smoke detector. This is important to have in your house because it can warn you of a fire, even if you are not in the room where the fire is. The second type of detector is a carbon monoxide detector. This is important to have in your house because it can warn you of dangerous levels of carbon monoxide, which can be deadly.

What are the 2 types of smoke alarms?

There are two types of smoke alarms: ionization and photoelectric. Ionization smoke alarms have a small amount of radioactive material that creates an electrical current. This current flows between two metal plates, and when smoke enters the chamber, it disrupts the current and sets off the alarm. Photoelectric smoke alarms have a light source that shines a beam of light into a sensing chamber. When smoke enters the chamber, it scatters the light, which triggers the alarm.

What are the 3 types of smoke detectors?

There are three types of smoke detectors: photoelectric, ionization, and dual-sensor. Photoelectric smoke detectors are better at detecting slow-burning fires, while ionization smoke detectors are better at detecting fast-burning fires. Dual-sensor smoke detectors contain both types of sensors and are the most effective.