One of the main goals of creating and running a connected smart home is to make everyday life easier and more efficient.
Arguably of equal importance though, is how the smart devices that make up your home contribute to helping keep you and your family safer and more secure.
Welcome to the age of the smart smoke detector.
From a growing range of smart lock solutions to connected security cameras, the variety of devices available to help protect what you care about means there is now more choice than ever when it comes to smart security.
However, another area where intelligent devices are redefining home safety is in the field of smart smoke and air quality detectors.
We’ve taken a look at 6 of the best smart smoke detectors and compared the major features of each, rounding up some of the top options that monitor the quality of the air in your home and let you know when something’s up, wherever you are.
The Best Smart Smoke Detector Systems
If there’s smoke in the air, you want to know that you’ve got a system in place that will pick up the slightest changes and let you know instantly and with complete reliability.
The best smart smoke detectors are designed to let you know the moment something doesn’t seem right, letting you know wherever you are so you can respond instantly.
Nest Protect
Smart home leader Nest are well established in the field of intelligent devices with revolutionary products such as the Learning Thermostat changing the way we interact with our homes, and the Nest Protect is no exception.
The Protect monitors the air in your home for signs of both smoke and carbon monoxide, letting you know (via a voice rather than an alarm) exactly what the problem is and where in the house it’s happening.
If you’re out and about, the companion Nest app lets you know as soon as there’s a problem as well as providing a rundown of detections over the last ten days so you can have a complete overview of your home air quality.
Learn more about Nest Protect here
First Alert Onelink Safe & Sound
The First Alert Onelink Safe & Sound delivers a lot of smart technology for the money, combining both a smart smoke detector and an Amazon Alexa enabled smart speaker system rolled into a single smart home fire safety unit.
As a smoke and air quality detector, Onelink Safe & Sound is effectively a hardwired photoelectric smoke and electrochemical carbon monoxide alarm that’s capable of detecting smoke and tracking carbon monoxide levels, providing you with remote notifications via the Onelink Home app at the first sign of danger.
Beyond the smoke detection credentials though, the Safe & Sound is powered by Amazon’s Alexa smart assistant system, meaning that as with other Alexa enabled devices, this smart smoke detector also functions as a smart speaker which will listen out for voice commands or questions, wherever it’s installed.
If you’re looking to create a fully connected (and voice controlled) smart home ecosystem, what this means in practice is that installing a couple of these smart smoke detectors in your home will effectively allow you to extend the voice controlled range of an Alexa-orchestrated smart device setup meaning you’ll be able to control the lights upstairs simply by talking to the smoke detector in your kitchen.
Somewhat uniquely, the Safe & Sound also integrates a high-end omni-directional speaker meaning it’s going to serve you well as a connected audio solution in whichever room you install it.
A 10-year battery backup provides peace of mind and comes as standard with the Safe & Sound providing extra reassurance that your smart smoke detector will always keep home safety as the priority.
Learn More About the First Alert Onelink Safe & Sound Here
First Alert 2-in-1 Z-Wave Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarm
If you’re a current (or prospective) owner of a Z-Wave smart hub such as the SmartThings from Samsung, then the First Alert 2-in-1 represents a great choice for a smart smoke detector with out of the box compatibility.
Unlike the Onelink Safe & Sound mentioned above, this smart smoke detector doesn’t include an in-built smart speaker so if you’re looking for a smart detector without this additional functionality, this could be a good choice.
Upon detection of either carbon monoxide or smoke, the First Alert sounds an alarm on the unit itself while simultaneously sending an alert to your smartphone letting you know there’s a problem.
For times when you’re on vacation or away, the First Alert can also be set up to contact any other number of your choice in your absence.
Learn more about the First Alert 2-in-1 here
Leeo Smart Alert Smoke and CO Monitor
The smoke and carbon monoxide alarm from Leeo offers instant alerts to your smartphone as soon as an anomaly is detected 24 hours a day.
With the option to also contact friends and family if you don’t respond to the alarm as well as local emergency services, the Leeo Smart Alert has got you covered in the event of an emergency.
An in-built nightlight offers the ability to choose from over 16 million colours which can be controlled remotely via a companion app to illuminate whichever area of your home in which the device is located.
Learn More About the Leeo Smart Alert Here
Birdi Smart Detector
Birdi combines the usual features of a dual smart carbon monoxide and smoke detector alongside a comprehensive air quality monitor to give you a full picture of the air of your home.
By monitoring dust, soot, pollen, temperature and humidity, the Birdi Smart Detector aims to provide information on the environment both outside as well within your home, providing warnings on interior air quality issues as well as weather warnings.
The feather in the cap of the Birdi is the ability to not only alert you through your smartphone of a problem (at which point you can disable the alarm remotely), but also to contact other landline numbers if required.
Learn More About the Birdie Smart Detector Here
Roost Smart Battery
While clearly not a smart smoke detector in its own right, the Roost Smart Battery makes our cut of the best due to the fact that it lets you transform your existing smoke or carbon monoxide detector into one with simple smart features.
If your detector picks up a problem the battery will let you know via an alert on your smartphone. Roost will also let you know on the app when it’s nearly time to replace the battery so no more intermittent beeps from the alarm when it’s time to switch.
With a life of up to 5 years, the lower price point of the Roost, as opposed to a dedicated smart smoke detector, may make economic sense if you’re happy with your existing devices but are looking to bring them into line with your interconnected home.
Learn More About the Roost Smart Battery Here
Halo Smoke Alarm
When the Halo detects either smoke or carbon monoxide, it will let you know by lighting up the device while a voice tells you that the device has detected something. Simultaneously, the Halo Smoke Alarm will send an alert to your phone so you’ll know if there’s an issue, wherever you happen to be.
With a battery life of up to 10 years, the Halo represents an excellent choice for a traditional-meets-smart smoke and CO detector that will serve as a reliable alarm and air monitor for years to come.
Learn More About the Halo Smart Smoke Alarm Here
The Best Smart Air Quality Monitors
Beyond the initial safety and protection provided by a smart smoke detector system, the overall quality of the air in your home becomes an important consideration for long-term health.
It can be easy to overlook the importance of air quality when it comes to the interior environment of your home, but the effects of pollution on health and wellbeing are now being taken increasingly seriously.
From sleep to concentration and of course, allergies, the quality of the air we breathe is one of the most important aspects of maintaining a healthy home and technology is now able to help us monitor and detect the quality of the air within the home itself.
Blueair Aware
The Blueair Aware tracks airborne quality and monitors the quality of the air in your home before sending the data directly to your smartphone for real-time access through the ‘Blue Friend App’.
With this smart air quality monitor you can keep watch over the condition of your home environment including levels of carbon dioxide, particulate matter, temperature and overall humidity.
If you’re looking for one of the best smart air quality monitors for keeping a connected eye on the air in your home, then the Blueair Aware is a great choice when it comes to both reliability and value.
Learn More About the Blueair Aware Here
Netatmo Weather Station
While officially a smart home weather monitoring solution, the Netatmo Weather Station goes beyond just measuring meteorological data and actually includes an excellent sensor system for keeping track of carbon dioxide levels within your home.
The Netatmo Weather Station not only takes atmospheric and climate measurements like barometric pressure, temperature and humidity but also provides an overview of indoor carbon dioxide levels.
A great all-rounder for the smart home when you’re looking for a solution that gives you information of what’s going on both inside and out.
Learn More About the Netatmo Weather Station Here
Awair Smart Air Quality Monitor
The Awair Smart Air Quality Monitor measures a whole lot when it comes to monitoring the quality of the air in your home.
Providing readings on CO2, VOCs and Fine Dust, the Awair is also able to provide insights specific to your personal situation and preferences including allergy considerations.
Topped off with a beautifully stylish design and LED display, the Awair Smart Air Quality Monitor is a great choice for a device which fits in with the aesthetic of your interior.
Learn More About the Awair Smart Air Quality Monitor Here
Foobot Indoor Air Quality Monitor
The Foobot Air Quality Monitor provides a real time dashboard of the air quality in your home as well as providing notifications directly to your smartphone if and when a pollution threshold is reached.
What this means is that you’re going to have an ever-vigilant smart air monitor in your home that will ensure levels stay where they need to and will let you know if this acceptable threshold of air quality is passed.
The multi-room monitoring action of this smart air quality monitor detects both VOC levels alongside temperature and humidity for total peace of mind regarding the internal environment.
Learn More About the Foobot Indoor Air Quality Monitor Here
Should I Invest in a Smart Smoke Detector?
It almost goes without saying that installing a set of reliable smoke detectors in your home makes all of the difference in an emergency situation.
From internal fire and air quality threats caused by electrical faults or open flames, to external risks posed by neighborhood fires or natural wildfire events, an unfortunate reality is that threats to both health and home exist all around us.
With the devices in our homes becoming smarter and more interconnected by the day, the latest smart smoke, carbon monoxide, and air quality monitors are looking to blend the basics of everyday safety with integrated convenience like never before.
