First Alert - Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector Battery Powered - White

Our Nest Protect stopped working… so we knew we needed something that could connect similarly and to our phones. What a great product! It’s definitely not as fancy but we’re happy with it!

Smoke detectors have an expiration date after which they don’t work as well. The original Nest Protect was an attempt at making the smoke detector an enviable product rather than merely a safety necessity but sadly most are now expired and discontinued. This First Alert smoke detector is a worthy successor to the Nest Protect. It mostly matches the design and feature set with a new model that continues the legacy set by the expired predecessor. Highlights: * Easy to set up. * Compatible with Nest Protect app and mounting plate. * Includes first set of long-life batteries. * Enrollment QR code is on both the product and the Quick Start Guide. * Attractive design. * Basic functions work out of the box without app/setup. * Quiet protection. Room for Improvement: * Needs six (6) special (CR123) batteries when time to replace. * Battery status light blinks infrequently so easily missed. * Test/Reset button is a bit mushy. * Not as low-profile or sleek as the Nest Protect. Setup: I already have a Nest Protect smoke detector set up in my hallway. It’s been a trusted watchdog for smoke and fire for years, but it’s now expired and discontinued. I’m in need of a replacement unit as mine has just expired. This cordless version of the First Alert smoke detector includes the six (6) required CR123 batteries pre-installed with a pull tab to keep them from draining before set up. A mounting ring and screws are also provided, but if you’re like me with an older Nest Protect, you won’t need them. Out of the box, this unit works as a standard smoke detector. You don’t need to install an app or set up the unit on your WiFi for the basics, but you’ll probably want to. If you do have an older Nest Protect and don’t need the app-connected benefits of this model, all you need to do to get protected again is twist off the old detector from its mount, pull the battery-protection tab, and twist this detector onto the same mount. Done! Most likely you’d want the connected benefits of this model, though. Setup is really easy. First install the free First Alert by Resideo app and set up a free account. Then choose to add your new detector. The easy setup process finds the detector over Bluetooth, then walks you through everything and even includes options for people like me who are replacing a Nest Protect. Once the detector is set up and online, you can also link it to the Google Home app like the Nest Protect was, but the Resideo app covers most of your app-based needs. Usage: The detector is not quite as slim and stylish as the Nest Protect, but is similar in shape, size and overall design. It has a large illuminated button in the center that is used to test the unit or silence an alert if one is going off, and show you various status messages in addition to the friendly voice and alarm sounds it makes. The button is large and easy to press, but is a bit mushy - I would prefer one that is more “clicky” but that’s just me. Also, unless you’re tall enough to reach the ceiling without help, you’ll probably need a step stool or a stick to press the button. The shape of the button is not quite as easy to press with a stick (like a mop handle) when needed, but again that’s a small nit. Perhaps have a concave center would make it easier to press. The First Alert app has nice overviews for your new detector and the ability to get more detail or change settings remotely. When an alert is happening (provided your home internet is still working), you’ll get a push notification in the app with the ability to easily call for help. We don’t have natural gas in our home so I doubt I’ll ever get a CO alarm, but it and the app will also indicate CO levels if present. I haven’t had this unit long enough to need battery replacement, but it’s supposed to gently warn you before they die with a chirp and a light on the detector. Plus, if you’ve connected it to the app, you can see the current battery level in the app and should get a push notification with advance notice before the batteries die. This detector also has an “interconnect” feature so that any connected smoke detector will trigger all of them. Very handy if you have multiple floors or rooms with compatible detectors. Summary: There are a few nice-to-have features missing that the Nest Protect had and it’s not quite as slim and stylish, but overall it matches the basics and serves its purpose as a connected smoke detector. It does the job of silently guarding your home while also being noticeable and easy to use in the event of an alert. The app is useful and you can even link it back to Google Home for all other types of notifications and automations.

Like many others, I’m nearing the expiration of my three Google Nest Protect smoke alarms, with one already expired. The timing of the First Alert smoke alarm’s release feels convenient, as it appears designed as a direct replacement for the Nest Protect. While I’ll avoid constant comparisons, some are unavoidable. My first impression is positive—the First Alert has a sleek design that I actually prefer over the Nest Protect’s appearance. For those transitioning from Nest, you’ll appreciate that the First Alert is compatible with the existing Nest mounting plate, eliminating the need for a new one. It uses CR123A batteries, which I believe are intended to last the alarm’s lifespan. If replacement is needed, the process seems straightforward and the battery model is sold everywhere. However, the speaker quality disappointed me. Compared to the Nest Protect’s loud, clear, and pleasant sound, the First Alert’s speaker sounds tinny and cheap. I tested the alerts themselves and they are LOUD, so the voice speaker appears to be seperate. Setup requires downloading the First Alert app, which I found less than ideal. The only Google integration involved linking the device to Google Home during setup, and everything seems to function well afterward. With two of my Nest alarms still functional for another year or two, I hope this First Alert proves reliable, as I’ll need to purchase two more of them soon. The First Alert app feels outdated and clunky, like something from 2019, but I don’t expect to use it often. I assume the alarm will send alerts to Google Home if triggered, as my Nest Protect does. Overall I can recommend it simply based on it being the only viable replacement for the Google Home Protect product line. At the end of the day, its sole existence is to save my life, and I have no doubt it will handle that task just fine since First Alert has decades of real-world experience...it's just not a Nest Protect.

This is my first smart smoke detector and my first CO detector, and I was trepidatious about smart detectors, but I’m so glad I have this in my house now. If you’re looking for a smart detector this is the one you want. Being in my home for just over 10 years, I knew it was time to start replacing my three smoke detectors. I started with this one, the battery powered one first as it is the easiest to swap out and closest to my kitchen and fireplace, the likely sources of CO outside of my water heater in the garage. The packaging is simple. It contains the detector, with batteries preinstalled, a mounting plate, screws and anchors for the mounting plate, two manual documents, an informational document about CO, and two stickers about the dangers of CO. Setting up is about as straightforward as all smart devices these days. The first thing you do is download the First Alert app, create an account if you don’t already have one, selecting the device, and the app will walk you through the rest of the setup. After removing the tab to activate the device, it will talk to you as the app walks you through connecting via scanning a QR code on the device or manual, automatically connecting via Bluetooth, selecting your WiFi network, and joining it. If you bought multiple devices at this point you could add more or link it with you Google account to be in your smarthome devices list. Then the app instructs you on mounting the device. These instructions ARE also physically printed and included, too. Mounting was screwing two holes in my ceiling and twisting the device on. At that point, you’re done. I did run a test via the app just to see. The detector itself spoke aloud to inform me the test was running, that it would sound the smoke alarm, then the CO alarm, followed by the CO ppm it detected. Everything went fine and this test was noted in the app’s activity, so you can see when it was last tested. This area would also tell you when it’s previously alerted you. The unit itself is noticeably bigger than the previous First Alert smoke detector I was replacing. I’m unfamiliar with the typical sizes of CO detectors to compare them to. That said, it still isn’t that large, about 1.5 inches tall and about five and a half inches in length and width. Bigger than older detectors, but not enough to make it stand out too much. The rounded square shape makes it sort of blend in. There is a power light that very dimly blinks every half minute, but you wouldn’t notice unless you were looking right at it. There is a large single button in the center of the unit to use for testing or silencing the alarm, should you not do those things from your phone app. Among the many features that I feel makes this device worthwhile are its smart features. Firstly, once I get more devices, they will be able to interconnect with one another even if some are hardwired and some are battery. This means if one goes off to alert you, they all will. Having a house where there’s a combination of hardwired and battery powered, this is a feature I appreciate. Speaking of alerts, another feature I appreciate is how it will alert you on your phone. It’s internet connected, so I can be alerted no matter where I’m present. One of the alerts it can also do is warn you as it slowly detects smoke or CO levels rising – alerting you of potential danger before it would be at a level it where the alarm would normally sound. This feature, to me, is something I most appreciate. It allows me the ability to investigate sources of such things before it becomes a problem. And, lastly, I also like the fact that it knows what time it is and if there is a low battery warning you won’t have to worry about chirps waking you up in the middle of the night nor having to wait for more chirps to successfully identify what unit is the source. Like any smoke and CO detector, you must have trust that it works when the need arises. The detectors I’m replacing are First Alert and have worked well over the past ten years, so I have confidence in the brand and its ability to do its job when the time comes. I understand that this device is costlier than other devices. This is partly why I cannot replace all my home’s smoke detectors at once. However, like all detectors, they are good for ten years. If any of the smart features excite you or make you feel safer, I feel like the cost per year over a ten-year lifespan is negligible. I’m glad that I have more of a piece of mind for me and my family with this detector than I have for any other I’ve had in my life previously!

Just last weekend, we finished building our 5th bedroom in our basement. When the opportunity came to get this battery powered First Alert - Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector, I jumped on it. our basement is 80% finished, with the unfinished portion of the basement (per usual) cantains storage, gas fueled hot-water heater and of course, the gas fueld furnace. Given that we already have 2 classic smoke detctors, this will add a third, but of most importance, it will provide carbon moxide detection. In the box you will findthe alarm itself, mounting plate and hardware, batteries, and the ubiquitous quick-start and manual. Set up was simple. I would suggest first downloading the Resido First Alert app, and creating an aaccount. Once you've done that, remove the plastic strip, press the center button, and you will be alerted to scan the QR code. Next, you can add to to your WiFi network, and then, in my case, I was queued to add to my Google Home networ. And there it was, accessible via the RFesido app, but more importantly, the Google Home ecosystem. If you press the button for a couple seconds, it runs a test. First for the smoke, and then for the carbon momoxide. One cool feature, that I hope I'll never have to use, is that if it detects, you will sent a notification of alarm and to call 911. Nice add. Physical mounting was, as expected, simple. Mount the base with a couple screws, and pop the detector onto it. Boom, you are done. This can be mounted horizontily on a cieling, or vertically on a wall. I placed mikne on the cieling. End of the day, I'm glad to have this and I hjave some immediate peace of mind