Wireless Smoke Detectors allow you to monitor your home remotely using a phone app. You can receive notifications about the nature and location of a fire, and you can use your phone to silence them in case of false alarms. No one likes getting out of bed at 2am just to silence a false alarm!
Some Wi-Fi smoke alarms can also be connected with smart home hubs or virtual assistants, such as Google Home or Apple’s HomeKit, making them part of larger smart home networks.
In short, connecting your smoke alarm to Wi-Fi adds loads of new functionality to a relatively unintelligent device. There are a number of products on the market, and we’ve put together a list of the best ones here to help you make a decision!
Nest Protect is a smoke- and carbon monoxide detector that connects easily with Wi-Fi and sends notification to your phone.
- Detects both smoke and carbon monoxide thanks to its split spectrum sensor.
- Connects with other smart home devices.
- Control and silence the alarm using a mobile app.
Nest Protect is one of the most popular wireless smoke detectors on the market right now. The device is easy to install. If you’re having problems with the installation, you can follow the guide on the app. The smoke detector has predominantly good reviews on most platforms.
In addition to the split spectrum sensor, Nest Protect features a night light. The light is not too bright and turns on if you move below the alarm. The alarm can be monitored and controlled exclusively through a number of features on the app.
- The alarm gives smart voice alerts before going off, informing users of the nature of the emergency.
- If the device’s batteries need changing, the app will let you know via a notification.
- Test if your alarm is working with just one tap of a button on your phone.
- Nest Protect can send live alerts to your or your family’s phone so you’ll remain up to date even when no one’s home.
- The alarm is expensive compared to non-smart alarms.
- Limited interoperability with other smart home devices, especially ones from other manufacturers.
The X-Sense Smoke Detector is a wireless and smart fire alarm with a variety of functions.
- The smoke detector sends you reminders in real-time on your phone.
- You can silence false alarms using the phone app.
- Keep track of the battery and Wi-Fi connection using the self-check feature. If there is a problem, your phone will alert you.
This smoke alarm from X-Sense is a nice solution for your security needs. It comes in a small and sleek design that is easy to mount on the ceiling. The installation process is quite simple and fast. If you follow the manual, you should be able to get the smoke detector up and running in no time.
Once you’ve set up the device, you can download the brand app and connect the device to your phone. There is a range of control and functionality that comes in the mobile app.
You can check the status of individual alarms, their battery life and the location of a fire in case the alarm goes off. You can also use the app to silence false alarms. Since the detector is connected to Wi-Fi, all this can be done remotely from anywhere in the world.
The alarm’s design is quite unique. It's smaller and more compact than other alarms. The design is quite minimalistic, so it blends in easily with any room.
- The 85 DB alarm is not only loud but also responds to danger quicker than ever before. The alarm is significantly more sensitive and will let you know when you’re in danger.
- The smoke detector has a sleek and slender design, and is easy to install. Follow the manual and install the alarm on the ceiling, connect it to the smartphone app, and enjoy the rest of your day!
- Wi-Fi connectivity allows you to access the device remotely and keep track of alarms going off.
- No carbon monoxide sensor.
- No support for voice assistants.
The BRK by First Alert is a smoke- and carbon monoxide detector with a voice alert.
- Can detect both smoke and carbon monoxide.
- Alarms can interconnect via Bluetooth in case Wi-Fi reception is lost.
- Compatible with Apple HomeKit.
FirstAlert’s smoke- and carbon monoxide alarm offers interconnectivity, customized notifications and sealed batteries with a 10 year lifespan, in a simple and clean design. The alarm has both ionization and photoelectric sensors, making it a very efficient detector. You can get both battery-operated or hardwired variants.
Design
It's a bit larger in size, so installation might take more time, but the good news is it will cover the entire mark left from your previous alarm.
Connectivity
In addition to Wi-Fi, the alarm has bluetooth interoperability. So if you get multiple alarms, they can create a bluetooth mesh and will be able to go off simultaneously even if you lose your Wi-Fi connection.
Most wireless smoke detectors have some level of compatibility with smart home assistants/hubs, but the HomeKit-compatibility of the FirstAlert alarm ensures that if you’re an Apple user, you can have complete connectivity with your smart home network.
Customized Voice Alerts
You can program voice alerts that’ll announce the location of the particular alarm that’s going off. So, in addition to every alarm going off in case of an emergency, you’ll know exactly where the danger is!
- The combination of photoelectric and ionization sensors can detect all types of fires and carbon monoxide levels.
- The alarm will give you a voice warning when you’re in danger. It will also inform you of the location of the fire or smoke.
- The smoke detector features an end-of-life signal. That means that the device will audibly notify you when it needs to be replaced, which should happen after 10 years of use.
- The hardwired version can be tricky to install, since the detector is a bit large in size.
Battery-powered carbon monoxide- and smoke detector from Onelink.
- Dual photoelectric and ionization sensor for all types of fires and carbon monoxide detection.
- Receive emergency notifications on your phone when you’re not home.
- Find out the location and type of danger in the house through voice alerts.
Next up we have Onelink’s wireless smoke detector. Onelink is part of First Alert’s smart home department, and it mostly focuses on its Wi-Fi mesh for smart homes. This particular smoke detector offers interconnectivity, voice alerts, remote control through the app and compatibility with HomeKit and Alexa. The mobile app works on both Android and iOS.
Installation
The device is easy to install. All you have to do is drill some holes for the bracket and you’re good to go. It shouldn’t take longer than a few minutes. Then, you can connect your device to the Onelink phone app and enjoy the full scope of its capabilities.
Design
Sleek, simple and smart, the white-colored alarm will merge with the room’s ambiance easily. It's not the smallest in size, but the minimalistic design makes it look more compact. For the wireless version, the battery can be changed through the front lid without taking the alarm off.
Connectivity
Although the alarm is part of Onelink’s wireless mesh technology for smart homes, it's not limited to Onelink products and is in fact compatible with Apple HomeKit and Amazon Alexa. If you don’t have either, First Alert’s mobile app will still provide you with all the wireless connectivity that the alarm has to offer.
You can receive alerts, check individual alarm status and silence false alarms through your mobile phone. Moreover, voice alerts will notify you of the location of fire, too.
- The smoke detector from Onelink will seamlessly integrate with your smart home devices. Connect it to your Amazon Alexa device to create an efficient flow in your smart home.
- Communicate with your smoke detector through Alexa using voice commands.
- Change the battery with ease through the battery door. The battery is good for 5 years of use.
- Users have reported that while installing the device is fairly easy, setting it up with the Onelink mobile app can be cumbersome.
- If you do not have a Onelink network, the detector offers little compatibility with other smart home devices.
Wireless Smoke Detectors Decision-Making Factors
Hardwired v Battery operated
When you’re picking your smoke detector, you’re going to be faced with a choice: hardwired or battery operated.
Though picking the wireless, battery-operated option may seem like the obvious choice, consider the battery life of the device. Would you have to spend a considerable amount on batteries?
Types of sensors
There are two different types of sensors: ionization and photoelectric. The former works well with physical flames and big fires. The latter, on the other hand, is more responsive to smoldering fires.
While you can guess which part of your house is more vulnerable to which type of fire, it is probably best to not make these predictions and get both types of sensors.
Smartphone app
In this day and age, there is an app for everything, and smoke detectors are no exception. Wireless connectivity allows you to keep track of your fire alarms remotely.
Check to see if the detector you’ve chosen has an app. Is it able to notify you when there’s a fire?
Alarm Sound
You can find how loud any given alarm is in the product description of the fire detector. 85 DB is the general norm for such devices.
To be more specific, sounds above 85 DB are harmful to your hearing in the long term. Thus, such a loud sound can be heard from anywhere in the house.
The Best Wireless Smoke Detectors Verdict
Living without a smoke detector means constantly subjecting yourself to the risk of burning your house down or getting carbon monoxide poisoning. Installing a wireless variant will not only protect you, but also enable you to stay in control even remotely with the help of your phone.
Nest Protect is a smoke- and carbon monoxide detector that connects easily with Wi-Fi and sends notification to your phone.
- Detects both smoke and carbon monoxide thanks to its split spectrum sensor.
- Connects with other smart home devices.
- Control and silence the alarm using a mobile app.