EmailBest Reviewed
Smoke Detectors
- Best all-around smoke detector First Alert SA302CN *Est. $23
- Ionization smoke detector with 10-year battery First Alert SA340CN *Est. $22
- Photoelectric smoke detector First Alert SA710CN *Est. $17
- Budget smoke detector Kidde Basic 0914 *Est. $6
- Hardwired dual-sensor smoke detector Kidde PI2000 *Est. $40
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Best all-around smoke detector
- Dual sensors for fast and slow fires
- Ability to ignore smoke from cooking
- Test or silence with remote control
- False alarms
Ionization alarms sense fast, flaming fires, while photoelectric models better detect the smoke from slow smolders. For the best protection, experts say you need to have both types of alarms or a model with both technologies. Among the latter type, the First Alert Dual Sensor SA302CN smoke detector dominates professional and owner reviews. Reviews say the First Alert Dual Sensor SA302CN also has some other unique features: The alarm can discern emergencies from unthreatening conditions like cooking smoke, and owners can test the battery or silence the 85-decibel alarm with a remote control. You might need to experiment a bit on placement, however. In user reviews, most complaints concern false alarms caused by the use of other nearby remotes (such as a TV remote control). If you are looking to spend as little as possible, owners rate the ionization-only Kidde Basic 0914 (*Est. $6) highest among budget smoke detectors.
We found the best reviews by owners at Amazon.com; taken together, they have the most balanced combination of criticism and praise. The First Alert SA302CN is also covered in a 2007 article at Consumer Reports. USA Today magazine (not affiliated with USA Today, the newspaper) and Pronto.com also recommend the First Alert Dual Sensor SA302CN.
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Our Sources
1. Amazon.com
About 60 owners give the First Alert SA302CN good scores overall, but there is a pretty even balance between those who love it and those who complain about false alarms. Many users are annoyed with the alarm because the test function can be easily triggered by other remote controls.
Review: First Alert Ultimate Series #SA302CN, Contributors to Amazon.com
2. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
The First Alert SA302CN is mentioned as one choice for a dual-sensor alarm, but there aren't detailed ratings here.
Review: Fire Safety For Your Home, Editors of ConsumerReports.org, Mar. 2007
USA Today magazine tested the First Alert SA302CN and recommends it because it offers several life-saving and convenient features. They are impressed with its ability to distinguish actual fires from smoke as a result of cooking or tobacco. It also receives praise for incorporating both ionization and photoelectric smoke detection. Lastly, they like the fact that the alarm can be easily tested with a remote, so owners don't have to climb upon a chair or ladder to reach a button. USA Today doesn't compare the First Alert SA302CN to other smoke alarms, however.
Review: Where There's SmokeÉ What's New?, Editors of USA Today magazine, Jan. 2003
4. Pronto.com
The First Alert SA302CN is praised for its dual sensors, remote control and 10-year warranty in this buyer's guide, but there's no comparison to other smoke alarms or any indication of extensive testing.
Review: Smoke Detector Buying Guide, Editors of Pronto.com
Smoke Detectors Runners Up:
2 picks by top review sites.
Kidde PI9000 Battery-Operated Dual Ionization and Photoelectric Sensor Smoke Alarm
 from Amazon.com New: $20.45 In Stock.
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