Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are not the most exciting smart-home purchase, which is probably why people put them off until one starts chirping at 2 a.m.
That is also the wrong time to figure out what you should have bought.
If you are replacing old alarms now, I would not just grab the cheapest detector on the shelf. The better question is what kind of alarm system actually fits your home: hardwired or battery, interconnected or standalone, voice alerts or simple sirens, smart notifications or local-only alerts.
Quick Answer: What Smoke and CO Detector Should You Buy?
For most homes, I would look for modern smoke and carbon monoxide detectors with a 10-year battery or hardwired power with battery backup, clear voice alerts, and interconnect capability where possible. If one alarm goes off, you want people elsewhere in the house to know what is happening and where.
| Feature | Why It Matters | What I’d Look For |
|---|---|---|
| Smoke detection type | Different fire types produce different smoke patterns | Modern alarms designed around current smoke-alarm standards |
| Carbon monoxide detection | CO is invisible and can be deadly | Combination smoke/CO alarms where appropriate |
| Power | Dead batteries are a common failure point | Hardwired with backup or sealed 10-year battery |
| Interconnects | One alarm can warn the whole house | Wired or wireless interconnect support |
| Voice alerts | Can make alarms clearer, especially at night | Location or hazard-specific voice alerts if available |
| Remote alerts | Useful if nobody is home | Smart alarm, monitored system, or relay into home automation |
In a previous post, I discussed the decision making process in picking a smoke detector. I wanted to follow up with some more practical recommendations.
If your current alarm won’t stop chirping, it may actually be reaching the end of its 10-year lifespan. Here’s what that means and how to fix it.
Before picking a model, these are the features I would actually compare.
- Type of Smoke Detector
- Hardwired or Battery
- Interconnect Capability
- Alert Type
We mentioned the two types of detectors, photoelectric and ionization previously, batteries, and interconnects. In 2026, while you can still get them, I wouldn’t buy anything that wasn’t up to the new 2024 standard.
Voice Alerts vs. Simple Sirens
Pretty much every smoke detector can emit a sharp siren, but some of them can also provide Voice Alerts. Some studies suggest many respond better to Voice alerts than sirens. Some allow only for pre-recorded messages, some allow you to set the names of each detector when interconnected so you can determine the source of a particular alert.
Hardwired vs. 10-Year Battery Smoke Detectors
My building was built in the 70s, so it had no hardwired power for smoke detectors. I invested in having mine wired, to make sure a dead battery didn’t cause a disaster. I also live in New York, where smoke detectors have to have a ten year battery life.
Why Interconnected Smoke Detectors Matter
The two different types of interconnections are wireless and wired. Newer construction tends to have wired interconnected smoke detectors, but this isn’t a guarantee. While I wired for power, I did not interconnect my detectors.
You can solve the problem of having no wires by having a hardwired smoke detector with a wireless interconnect. Looking at the First Alert website, however, they don’t offer this option with the latest detection technology, nor does Kidde, at least not that I could find. The last model they have that fits those parameters can also bridge wired and wireless interconnects, so I assume eventually they’ll make a new version with up to the modern smoke detection standards.
So, that leaves my previously recommended solution. A device that turns your wired interconnect into a wireless relay in my case the Zooz Z-Wave Relay. This allows the smoke detectors to signal my home monitoring system over the Z-Wave protocol when triggered. The device can also act as a relay to power a light or other option if needed, and it can work as part of a full hardwired interconnect system.
Unfortunately, there seems to be a lack of options in this area. Wireless hardwired interconnected smoke detectors seem rare, but why the manufacturers don’t offer an accessory that takes power off the line and wirelessly takes the place of the interconnect wire? Or some sort of retrofit option from a third party? I’m not sure the certification requirements that might be necessary, but it seems there might be interest.
Remote Alerts for a Vacation Home or Empty House
For a primary home, a loud interconnected alarm may be enough. For a vacation home, rental property, or house that sits empty, the question changes: who hears the alarm if nobody is there?
That is where smart smoke/CO detectors, monitored alarm systems, or smart-home relays can matter. A local alarm protects people in the building. A remote alert protects the building when it is empty.
If you are building a broader setup for a second home, see my guide to vacation home remote monitoring.
Smoke and CO Detector Options From First Alert and Kidde
Fortunately, while First Alert offers wireless interconnect and hardwired detectors, not with the latest sensors. They do offer it with the hardwired detection option, either the SMI105-AC smoke detector, with 10 year backup battery, or the carbon monoxide variant, the SMICO105-AC. First Alert’s commercial division, BRK, also offers near identical detectors.
The other popular brand is Kidde, which offers the 30CUA10, hardwired, with a 10 year backup, or the Smoke Detector only option, the 20SA10.
Do Not Wait For A Detector To Fail
In the end, you should get the best smoke detector you can to protect your home and loved ones. You are probably fine to keep the older models until they need replacement, but when getting new ones why would you wait for failure?