10 Best Interconnected Smoke Alarms
for October 2023

The XSense Wireless Interconnected Combination Smoke and CO Detector is one of our top picks for smoke alarms because it provides full-home coverage, and the Link+ feature makes it easy to add multiple units. The detector also comes with a 10-year sealed battery, which we found to last longer than we expected. The detector features three buttons--for testing, silencing, and linking more units--as well as LED lights that tell you whether the unit has received a smoke or CO alarm signal and when the battery needs replacing. The XSense is also Wi-Fi and ANT+ compatible, and it's easy to set up. The detector comes with a smart app that you can use to pair multiple detectors, change alarm sounds, and control other smart home devices. But having Wi-Fi and ANT+ connectivity isn't a huge advantage over other detectors, and we prefer the XSense's buttons over Alexa or Google Assistant, which aren't as easy to use. We didn't have any connectivity problems, but it's important to note that if the detector isn't plugged into a power outlet, it will only last about 10 minutes.

The X-Sense Wireless Interconnected Smoke Detector and Fire Alarm offers one of the most comprehensive answers to the smart home safety question, and it's one that's easy to set up. The alarms are easy to install, and, once linked, they can connect to up to 24 alarm units, giving you full coverage throughout your home. The alarms are also easy to configure, and you can use a smartphone, tablet, or computer to adjust the settings and monitor the status of your alarms remotely. The alarms have a range of up to 820 feet, which should give you good coverage throughout your home, even on the second floor. The alarm's infrared remote works well, and it's small enough to clip to your keyring. The alarms also have a convenient test button, which, when pressed, sends a message to all of your linked alarms and beeps to let you know they're being tested. Alarms can be silenced individually, but they can also be silenced as a group, so they're all silenced together. The alarms are also designed to alert you of a false alarm, so there's no need to silence them every time something smells or looks suspicious. The alarms have a two-year warranty, and, in our tests, they worked well and consistently, with no false alarms or glitches.

The X-Sense 10 Years Battery Wireless Interconnected Combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm with Over 820 ft Transmission Range has a bright and easy-to-read display that both smoke and carbon monoxide sensors. The sensor tests automatically and displays a green light when smoke or carbon monoxide is present, and a red light when it is not. The alarm has a clear ring, which is loud enough to be heard over most background noises. The alarm has a silent button, which makes it easier to silence false alarms, and a long battery life of 10 years. The alarm also works with the Nest and Ring smart-home systems, which is a useful feature. The alarm's wireless range is about 820 feet, which is enough to protect most homes, but it's shorter than the 1,000 feet range offered through a few of our favorite alarms. The alarm is also not compatible with smart home security systems, such as ADT, Vivint, and Xfinity Home.

The SCO500B is an easy-to-use photoelectric smoke and CO combination alarm that wirelessly interconnects with the rest of your First Alert monitoring devices. A voice alarm indicates what type of alarm it is -- smoke, CO, or fire and where it is located. The CO detector is smart enough to tell the difference between CO from a broken water heater and CO from natural gas appliances. The smoke and CO detector uses photoelectric sensing, so it ignores smoke and won't set off if the smoke is from a burning candle or incense. The SCO500B offers 10 to 30 minutes of CO detection time, and 10 to 45 minutes of smoke detection time, depending on conditions. The alarm has large, bright light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and a mute button. The alarm has a 10-year sealed battery, and is water and dust resistant.

The X-Sense Wireless Interconnected Smoke Detector Fire Alarm is an unusual, but useful, smoke detector. It's the first detector we've tested with wireless interconnection, so if one alarm is triggered, they all go off, and they stay connected using radio frequency with a transmission range over 820 ft (250 m) in the open air. Each detector has a built-in 10-year smoke sensor, and it's powered by a sealed 10-year lithium battery that doesnt need to be replaced. The detectors also support a 60-60-60 test, so each detector will first signal for 60 seconds when smoke is present, then signal for 60 seconds when there's no smoke, and signal that it's clear after 60 seconds. The alarm is battery-powered and requires no professional installation. The alarm has a bright, white flashing LED that flashes red when smoke is detected, and the alarm has a volume slider to adjust its sound. The alarm's display is large and easy to read, and it includes mounting screws for mounting the alarm on a wall. The alarm is easy to install, and it's user-friendly, so it's a great choice if you're looking for something easy to set up and use.

First Alert's SA511CN2-3ST smoke alarms are the last smoke alarms on our list, but they're by far the most advanced. They offer superior smoke detection, voice location, and battery backup, and they're all interconnected, which means if one alarm sounds they all sound. They also contain a low battery warning, an end of life timer, and a test button, so they're easy to test and replace. These alarms also feature photoelectric smoke sensors, which are designed to detect larger smoke particles produced by smoldering fires. If you're not familiar with photoelectric smoke alarms, they're important because conventional smoke alarms cannot detect smoldering fires, which are more likely to cause fires in homes. The SA511CN2-3ST alarms offer superior smoke detection, and they do a much better job of alerting you to danger than our previous pick.

The X-Sense combination smoke-and-co detector offers better protection than your typical detector, and it's one of the only wireless models we tested that was able to cover an entire home. Its 10-year battery life is the longest we tested, and the alarm is also the loudest of the models we tested. The detector's compact, modern design makes it easy to mount on a wall or ceiling, and it comes with six AA batteries, which aren't included but can be purchased for $

The Ecoey GS511 smoke detector is the cheapest option we tested, but it's also the most bare-bones. The GS511's lone fire detection sensor is fairly small and is located at the bottom of the unit, and there's no visual indicator to indicate whether it's active. The sensor is sensitive enough that it can detect smoke from a candle or a match, but you won't hear any beeping until it detects a fire. The alarm can also be triggered by other loud noises, including thunder and explosions. The alarm can also be silenced by pressing the test button for 5 minutes. The alarm's low battery warning sounds after 3 months of inactivity, but there's no way to silence it. The alarm itself isn't wireless, so you'll need to connect the sensors to a siren via a standard two-wire AC adapter. The alarm is easy to set up, and the batteries can last for up to 10 years, but the alarm isn't very loud, and it's best for apartments and condos with light smoke.

The Kidde P4010LDCS-W Wireless Interconnect Smoke Alarm offers a lot of features for the price, including a wireless interconnect system that lets you pair multiple alarms together, so you can test them all with just one remote. It also includes a sealed 10-year battery, so the alarm should last a long time, and the unit is easy to install, thanks to a quick release bracket. The alarm's LED status ring flashes green when it's working, red when it's testing, or flashing red when it needs a battery replacement. The alarm has a low battery indicator, but the unit doesn't offer any warning when you reach that point. The alarm's battery lasts about 10 years, but we experienced some intermittent beeping from the alarm. It also has a Voice Announce feature, which sounds when the alarm is tested or when the smoke detector needs a battery replacement. The alarm has 10 years of sealed battery life, but Kidde recommends replacing it at least once during that time. The alarm has four buttons and a digital display, and it's easy to set up. The alarm has 10-year sealed battery life, but Kidde recommends replacing it at least once during that time. The alarm has four buttons and a digital display, and it's easy to set up.

The First Alert Wireless Interconnected Photoelectric Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Combo Alarm with Voice and Location, SC500-3 is easy to set up and use, and its two-tone voice alarm makes it simple to locate a problem. With a photoelectric smoke sensor that detects slow, smoldering fires, it is a powerful tool for protecting your home. The alarm's photoelectric sensing technology also makes it easier to test false alarms, which frequently occur when smoke from cooking or another source isn't snuffed out quickly enough. The alarm's carbon monoxide detector is integrated into the unit, so you only need one detector for both smoke and carbon monoxide. The alarm can also connect to other alarms via Bluetooth, so you can use multiple units in your home to create a wireless safety network. Although the First Alert alarm's Wi-Fi feature works intermittently, it can still connect to other alarms through Bluetooth.