Installing Smart Smoke Alarms At Home? Know The Types

January 31, 2025
9 Min Read

Key takeaways

Smart alarms are beneficial for remote access & real-time alerts.
Dual-layer protection beats traditional detectors.
Top picks In the US: Google Nest, Kidde, and Alexa integration.
Reduce false alarms & track battery status via apps.
Alexa can help upgrade old alarms affordably.

Smart smoke alarms are replacing the traditional smoke detectors and alarms in the industry. Why? The reason is that these smart devices incorporate the integration of modern and advanced technology, which enables you to access them remotely, get enhanced insights, and provide a better way of ensuring fire safety with an interconnected system.

Before we dive into the best smart smoke alarms out there in the market, let’s understand how these systems overpower traditional smoke detectors and alarms and provide a better way of fire protection. We will then also discuss some pros and cons of these smart systems and how they can effectively combat the limitations with proactive strategies.

Smart Smoke Alarms Vs. Traditional Detectors

Smart smoke detectors offer two layers of protection, unlike traditional ones that give only one of them. Both of them fulfill the main objective — to alert when there is a possibility of fire by the detection of smoke or gas particles in the air. However, smart smoke alarms and detectors offer a little more than that. They come with a plethora of smart features that come with being interconnected with other systems and also connected with the internet.

You get instant notifications on your smartphone whenever there is an alert.
You can hush a beeping alarm from your phone without having to get on a chair and fiddle it with a broom.
In case of low battery or malfunction, you will also be notified via a smartphone, eliminating the extra hassle and guesswork that comes with it.

These are just a few of the benefits of replacing your traditional smoke detectors with a smart smoke alarm. Other features depend on the kind of device you’re purchasing and integrating with your systems.

Top 3 Smart Smoke Alarms You Need To Try

After checking out multiple alarms and detectors and reading reviews from users, we have come up with a top 5 list of the best smart smoke alarms you can install for your home.

Google Nest Protect

Price: $149.99

This is one of the most popular products and a pioneering smart smoke detector. With great user reviews, this is one of the most popular items available on the market. Users have reported and confirmed its easy setup, which can be completed in very little time — less than the time taken to prepare a meal.

With a brand like Google, you can already be assured of the quality of the smoke alarm. The device features advanced technology in terms of smoke detection, combining photoelectric and ionization monitoring into a split sensor that detects both kinds of fire – smoldering and flaming as well. These devices are connected to your home wifi system within just 20 minutes. You will need to install the Nest app to receive notifications on your smartphone. Receive alerts, heads-up notifications regarding battery status, specific room alerts, and much more!

Last but not least, it helps reduce false alarms as it can distinguish between real smoke from a fire or a minor cooking smoke that is emitted when you burn a toast or something.

Kidde Hardwired Smoke Alarm

Price: $50.51

Though not as pricey as Google Nest Protect, Kidde smart smoke alarms offer great features at their valued price. They have built-in sensors that detect humidity, temperature, and gaseous particles in the air. And since it’s far less expensive than Nest Protect, it lacks some features in the Google smart device. If you’re looking for a smart smoke alarm to place in your home but do not want to spend too much money on it, this is the alternative you might wanna chase after!

If you look at the features of Kidde’s hardwired smoke alarm, you will realize that they have provided much at far lower prices. They comprise features such as prompt alarm, instant hush feature, and offline alerts. On top of that, you can send these alerts to any contact on your list, given that you customize the settings on the application first.

Amazon Alexa

Price: $22.99

Did you know you can turn your Alexa device into a smart fire alarm system?

It’s true. If you already have an Amazon Alexa, there’s just one more step you need to do. You need to subscribe to Alexa Emergency Assist, which costs approximately $59 annually. This can enable Alexa to listen for smoke and fire alarms (the traditional ones, if you still have them installed at home) and alert you on your smartphone in case it hears anything. This way, you can keep your old systems installed and still enable a smarter way to get notifications on your smartphone while you’re away or not near your devices.

Which Smart Smoke Alarm To Buy?

Smart smoke alarms will slowly but gradually replace traditional smoke detectors and alarms. At this point, it’s not imperative that you need to spend a lump sum on your fire alarm systems. As mentioned in the blog, you can also turn your Alexa device into a smart fire alarm system by customizing it to send you alerts in case of any beeps or chirps heard from the fire alarms.

If these suggestions don’t fit your budgetary range, we have made a separate blog on the top 10 choices for a smart fire alarm and smoke detectors.

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