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Carbon Monoxide Detectors Reviews
Updated July 2007
We found the most carbon monoxide detector reviews at Consumer Reports magazine. The magazine last updated its coverage in 2005, but the design of CO detectors doesn't change rapidly so most of the 20 models in its ratings chart are still available. We discovered good articles about safety and carbon monoxide poisoning from The New York Times and USA Today, and a nice comparative review by Mike Busch on AVweb.com. But the most recent information comes from the owner-written reviews at Amazon.com. The two brands currently dominating the market are First Alert and Kidde Nighthawk carbon monoxide detectors. In reviews, experts say that the First Alert models sometimes have difficulty detecting low levels of carbon monoxide (CO). Because of this, and the fact that First Alert alarms were not rated more highly than Kidde Nighthawk by the sources we found, we did not include First Alert carbon monoxide alarms in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers. The Kidde Nighthawk 900 series of carbon monoxide detectors is lauded in reviews as the best CO detector, based on tests for accuracy, speed and durability. These models meet Underwriters Laboratory (UL) requirements, have electrochemical sensors, come with five-year limited warranties and have full-range digital displays that constantly report carbon monoxide levels (this feature is not available on all models). Many Nighthawk carbon monoxide detectors have peak-level memory that saves a record of the highest CO level detected. This helps emergency responders find the CO source and discover how much exposure has occurred. The Kidde Nighthawk 900-0146 (*est. $40) in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers has all these features. This model is also sold as the Kidde KN-COPP-B. Carbon monoxide detectors have received a curious "on-again/off-again" buzz
in the media, which seems to report on the need for these units only in the
wake of tragedy. Almost every day there are reports of CO poisoning in homes,
boats, hotels or offices. Some of the press about carbon monoxide detectors
has been negative, particularly after thousands of units were recalled in
1994 for setting off false alarms. This led many people to distrust the effectiveness
and usefulness of these devices. However, what the media hasn't conveyed is
the significant boost in product quality and performance over the past few
years in response to earlier recalls. New laws are also being passed throughout
the country to make carbon monoxide detectors mandatory in certain places,
such as in new single-family homes, apartments or in hotel rooms. Underwriters Laboratory (UL) is the most common certifier of carbon
monoxide detectors in the U.S., and all UL-listed models carry the UL 2034
seal along with the phrase "Single Station Carbon Monoxide Alarm." Other
certifying agencies are the International Approval Services (IAS-696) and
Canadian Standards Association (CSA 6.19-01). These three agencies have similar
requirements. Experts strongly recommend choosing a model that has been certified
by one of these organizations.
... Continued
Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
Kidde Nighthawk CO detectors receive top recommendations in most reviews. First Alert detectors make up a large percentage of the market along with Kidde, but are not as often recommended by experts. Advertisement
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Carbon Monoxide Detectors Reviews |
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© 2008. ConsumerSearch, Inc. A service from 
, a part of The New York Times Company. All Rights Reserved.
ConsumerSearch and ConsumerSearch.com are registered trademarks of ConsumerSearch, Inc. Other trademarks or service marks on this site are the property of their respective owners. ConsumerSearch is not sponsored by any source reviewed, and we accept no consideration or payment for including, excluding, or ranking any reviews, products or services in our reports.
* Pricing information is approximate as of the time this report was written and is based on observed market selling prices and/or list prices. Actual selling prices may differ.
