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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Ionization smoke detector with 10-year battery
- 10-year battery
- Good at detecting fast fires
- Not sensitive to slow fires
- Poor quality battery
Reviews say the First Alert 10-year Smoke Alarm with Lithium Battery SA340CN is the best choice for people who don't like to change batteries because a 10-year lithium battery is included. While some owners say the battery lasted far less than 10 years, the National Fire Protection Association Journal suggests any such failure is more of a consumer issue than a safety problem since the First Alert SA340CN chirps to indicate the battery is low. It's important to note that the First Alert SA340CN is best at sensing fast-flaming fires and not as adept at detecting slowly smoldering blazes. For a detector that can sense both types of fires, you need a dual-mode model like the First Alert Dual Sensor Remote Control Smoke Alarm SA302CN (*Est. $23).
We found the best reviews at ConsumerGuide.com, which gives the First Alert SA340CN an rating of "excellent" for performance, but doesn't explain its testing methods. A few other owner reviews are available online; those at Amazon.com provide a balanced mix of plusses and minuses, the latter mostly related to battery performance. A report in the National Fire Protection Association Journal is not a product review but rather an analysis of 10-year batteries in smoke detectors.
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Our Sources
The First Alert 10-year Smoke Alarm with Lithium Battery SA340CN earns a Best Buy designation and a rating of "excellent" for performance, but it's unclear from the brief review how the alarm was tested. In addition to the extended battery life, ConsumerGuide.com praises the tamper-proof battery case for providing an extra measure of safety.
Review: First Alert SA340 Smoke Alarm with 10-Year Sealed Battery, Editors of Consumer Guide Products, Jan. 24, 2007
2. Amazon.com
The handful of reviewers at Amazon.com is evenly divided on the First Alert SA340CN smoke detector. Critics say the smoke detector's battery lasts well short of 10 years, while positive reviewers say the battery lasts as long as 12 years.
Review: First Alert SA10YR, Contributors to Amazon.com
3. National Fire Protection Association Journal
This is a general report on 10-year batteries in smoke detectors, not a review. Critics say that battery longevity is a marketing issue rather than a matter of safety since the detector chirps to alert users when the battery runs low.
Review: The 10-Year Battery, Alisa Wolf, Jan.-Feb. 1999
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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