Which? Don't Buy smoke alarms
A Don’t Buy smoke alarm may fail to sound when there’s smoke in the air – and
the consequences don't bear thinking about. Here are the alarms to avoid.
Our tough lab tests reveal the smoke alarms you can rely on to keep you safe and the ones that simply fail to do the one job they're designed for – detecting smoke when there's a fire in your home.
The consequences of a smoke alarm failing to detect danger don't bear thinking about, and that's why we make the alarms that fail to do this in our tests Don't Buys. So, if you're in the market for a new alarm, make sure you buy the best smoke alarm for you.
We've found Best Buys selling for around £13 and Don't Buys that can cost as much as £28.
Join Which? to find out which smoke alarms have been named as Don't Buys.
The best vs the worst smoke alarms
Every time we test smoke alarms, we use four different test fires to determine which are best at detecting smoke. We use fast flaming fires fuelled by plastics and solvents, as well as slower smouldering cotton and wood fires. And we test each smoke alarm with each type of fire twice.
The models we name and shame as Don't Buys are proven to be the least effective at detecting smoke in our lab tests.
So, don't throw your money away on a dangerous dud.
- In the Which? test lab, we put every smoke alarm through the same series of rigorous tests, including four types of house fire, sound output analysis, sound level and ease of use, so you'll know exactly what to expect.
- We give every smoke alarm a Which? test score, so you can immediately see which are the best and worst, plus how each model compares in terms of features and specifications.
- Our tests cover a range of brands, prices and features, including smoke alarms with lights, hush buttons, 10-year batteries, smart alarms that link to your phone and those that link wirelessly.
Every Don't Buy smoke alarm has failed to detect smoke in our smoke-filled test chamber at least once. But all of our Best Buys detect smoke every time and will sound the alarm quickly.
Avoid the worst smoke alarms
Buying the right smoke alarm could be one of your best decisions. It won't cost the earth to do this, but in the most dire circumstances it could save your life.
These are the Don't Buy alarms that failed to sound the alarm at least once in our smoke detection tests.
Hispec RF Pro Battery Radio-Interlink Smoke Alarm (HSA/BP/RF10-PRO)
Unbranded red and white smoke alarm
Unbranded SS-168 / General Purpose Smoke Alarm
Find out which smoke alarms are Don't Buys and which are Best Buys by joining Which? today.
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