Best Carbon Monoxide Detectors In 2022

Next up on our list is Kidde’s Nighthawk CO alarm. This product features an LED display that shows the carbon monoxide level in parts per million (PPM). You can be sure to get accurate readings, as it auto updates the carbon levels every 15 seconds. If the CO in the area hits dangerous levels, the Nighthawk sounds an alarm to alert you of the impending hazard.

This product also features a peak level button that keeps memory of the last highest CO level recorded. A 9-Volt backup battery ensures that the device keeps working even during a power outage. While the Nighthawk does not self-test, it features a ‘normal function’ indicator that lets you know when everything is business as usual with the device. When it is not, you can use the test button to verify that the alarm and circuit are working correctly. You may also like some of the best door alarms from our list, so be sure to check them out and pick the right one for your home.

Every home should have a smoke alarm and a carbon monoxide alarm, so why not combine the two? The First Alert SCO501CN-3ST is an accurate and user-friendly combination alarm that’s battery-powered. It has an 85dB voice alert system that tells you the type of danger and where in the house it is. That means you and your family can get to safety quickly and without having to think. 

First Alert is one of the most trusted brands in home safety. They released the first residential smoke alarm in 1958, so it’s fair to say they have a track record of keeping people safe. This alarm might look like an old-school smoke alarm but it has a few modern features. For example, it features a photoelectric smoke sensor and electrochemical CO sensor, the latest in alarm technology. Plus, you can connect multiple alarms together to create a wireless safety network in your home.

The Kidde KN-COPP-B-LPM is a battery-operated carbon monoxide alarm that protects you and your household from rising levels of lethal fumes, even during power outages. It uses 3 AA batteries that are placed in a slide-out compartment for adequate protection and accessibility. In addition, the device features a digital display that allows you to observe the carbon monoxide rate from 10 to 999 parts per million. What’s more, it stores all carbon monoxide readings in the built-in memory that is also very handy for medical professionals to detect just how much carbon monoxide has been inhaled. And because carbon monoxide accumulates in the body, the device can even keep track of the carbon monoxide levels you have inhaled over time. Hence, you can take appropriate steps in time.

Furthermore, the device is fitted with a LED bulb that serves as a power level indicator. As a tip, when the LED bulb displays a green light every 30 seconds, it’s an indication that the alarm system is running smoothly. However, if it displays a red light, it’s a signal that carbon monoxide has been detected, and so, you need to act accordingly. Furthermore, after the situation has been brought under control, the alarm can be silenced through the test unit circuit. Overall, this is a great product that has been designed with an electrochemical sensory technology, which makes it arguably one of the best carbon monoxide detectors in the market. It can be mounted anywhere and doesn’t require a power socket before use. Just insert the batteries, and you are good to go! Furthermore, this sensor boasts of a 7-year lifespan, and as if that’s not enough, Kidde offers a 10-year warranty with every purchase.

Nest Protect’s 2-in-1 solution doubles as a smoke detector and is a welcome upgrade from the first-generation Nest Protect Alarm. This sleek product sniffs out carbon monoxide from all corners of your home, and it speaks like a human being. Instead of confusing beeps and chirps, the detector speaks to you or sends specific details of the location of the deadly carbon to your phone (after you have installed the Nest app on your device, of course).

The app would also send notifications of smoke/carbon detections to your phone when you’re not home, so you know what’s going on in your apartment when you’re absent. When you do get home, the Nest has an occupancy sensor and subtle ambient lighting that will light up your path as you walk under it.

This First Alert CO detector saves you the bucks on batteries and can be easily plugged into any standard outlet, no mounting required. To keep your space protected at all times, it also includes a battery backup, so CO is monitored even if there’s a power failure.

It’s electrochemical technology accurately detects all CO, and alerts you of danger with an 85dB siren. A lone button will silence the siren after fixing the reason why it went off, and you can use the same button to reset the unit if need be. As with some of the other models on our list, when the First Alert C0605 is running low on battery, it lets you know with its end-of-life signal. For more useful products for your home security, check out our guide to the best water detectors.

Yes, First Alert. Again. What can we say? They make good stuff. With Onelink Smoke Detector And Carbon Monoxide Detector, First Alert brings two solutions in one – smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. The battery-powered unit is long-lasting and reliable and is First Alert’s attempt at making a smart tech solution.

The unit is linked to a OneLink app on your phone or tablet, and will send notifications of detection, complete with where what was detected. It even pops up the call 912 emergency option right on the app, in case you forget that crucial bit in times of distress.

Kidde just had to make a Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Alarm, a step-up on the Nighthawk that comes with an extra feature – voice alerts.  Instead of ear-piercing signals at 2 AM, because the detector thought there was something wrong, you get a civil voice that warns you if the sensor has picked up smoke or carbon monoxide anywhere, or if the unit needs a battery replacement.

Being battery-powered means, you get 24/7 protection, whether you have power or not. And the battery cage is designed to stay open if you’re not installing the batteries right, so there’s no way to mess that up.

First Alert’s Detector eliminates the need to have ‘easy to install’ as a plus because you don’t even have to do any installation. The product uses an in-built 10-year lithium battery that covers the entire life span, so you don’t need any battery replacement till you have to toss it out, and you certainly won’t be getting any ‘battery low’ chirps. First Alert features a LED display that shows peak CO levels and an 85dB audio alarm that alerts you to carbon monoxide threats.

However, the LED only displays carbon levels,  and will not give you heads-up when the battery is low, or when your unit has come to the end of its life. You’d have to get used to the beeping signals to figure those out. 4 beeps and a pause for carbon monoxide detection, 1 beep every minute means your unit is running out of juice and you need to replace batteries, and 5 beeps per minute mean it’s time to toss your unit out. It’s been ten years, Joe. Our guide to the best fire extinguishers features more useful products for your home or office.

First Alert’s trademark seems to be making ‘ready to use’ products. This product features an electrochemical sensor and a standard 85dB alarm, and can easily be plugged into an outlet, no mounting needed. However, to keep things going in case of a power outage, the detector comes with a backup battery.

One button hushes alarms when they’re more annoying than helpful, but it doesn’t help that it’s the same button that runs maintenance and status tests on the unit. Also, the lack of any form of display makes it hard to detect what the beeping alarm means at different times. However, First Alert CO605 Plug Battery Backup CO Alarm comes with an alarm action chart that contains the meaning of all the beeps, but we can’t carry that about now, or can we, First Alert? Be sure to also check out our guide to the best smart locks for more amazing products for your home safety.

Alert Plus’ Detector is curiously similar to Nest Protect 2’s, but we can’t judge them because this bad boy (not literally) pulls its weight.

It delivers an accurate CO detection (else it wouldn’t be on our list, duh) and features a reliable electrochemical sensor. A standard 85dB will rouse you from the deepest sleep if the system detects the presence of carbon monoxide, and you can see the concentration levels shown in PPM by the LED display function.  The LED also displays battery status and 24-hr time so it would double as a clock when you need it. The unit runs on a microprocessor chip, and a built-in voice prompt alerts you of imminent danger or chip failure. For additional safety and control of your home, check out our reviews of the best smart doorbells.

This product is the best bet for customers who have traditional smoke detectors, but don’t want to spend bucks on a smart upgrade. The Ring Smoke and CO Listener doesn’t detect smoke or carbon monoxide, but it will notify you on your smart device when the existing detectors do. It is super easy to set up and connect to your phone with the Ring app, and it comes with a 3-year replaceable battery.

As long as you place it close enough to listen to the siren alarms of the old boys, the Ring alarm will buzz your phone and let you know that something’s up. The downside is that the Ring alarm will only work if the smoke/carbon detectors do. If they don’t, you won’t get any heads-up for the imminent danger that your house may be in. You may also like some of the best smart plugs from our list, so take a moment to check them out.

Just when we thought we have seen all there are to carbon monoxide detectors, First Alert swoops in with their exquisitely engineered SCO5CN smoke and carbon monoxide detector. With its seamless integration with Apple HomeKit, this device can be controlled using the Apple Home application. What’s more, it outshines its rivals with the addition of a voice alarm that plays through the speaker. With this ingenious feature, you will know the type of impending danger as well as the location. Interestingly, you can even network several First Alert Smoke detectors together via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to produce a sound that’s loud enough for an entire house to hear. This way, everyone in the property can take precautionary measures in time.

Another interesting aspect of the First Alert Smoke Detector is the proprietary Onelink app that comes in handy when away from the home – you will be able to detect a smoke or fire situation in your property and curb the situation in time. What’s more, unlike most smoke detectors that take up to an hour for installation, this product does it only a few minutes. Plus, it is very easy to operate – you don’t have to be tech-savvy to learn the ropes. And just like the Kidde Nighthawk Smoke Detector, the First Alert also offers a 5-year warranty for every component and comes with 2 AA batteries.