Expert's Rating
Pros
- Fast to detect, faster to clear
- Easy installation, including interconnect features
- 10-year lifespan means no changing batteries
Cons
- No smart features
- Busy design
- High price for no smart features
Our Verdict
Kidde’s top-shelf smoke and CO detector works like a dream, but it’s pricey for a model that doesn’t have Wi-Fi connectivity and true smart home features.
Best Prices Today: Kidde Detect 10 Year Smoke + Carbon Monoxide Alarm (model 30CUA10-V)
If you’re looking for a smoke detector with everything, Kidde’s latest covers almost all the bases.
First, it handles both smoke and carbon monoxide, warning you of danger with both an ear-piercing siren and voice alerts corresponding to the specific problem detected. This hardwired unit includes an integrated, non-removable battery that’s good for 10 years—the typical lifespan of any smoke detector in its entirety—so you’ll never need to replace anything in the unit until you trash it altogether.
Kidde says its new smoke detection tech is more than 25 percent faster and 3X more precise than what you’ll get in the average smoke alarm.
Interconnect features are built in through a standard red wire in the connector bundle. Up to 24 Kidde devices can be interconnected on a single network so that if one unit is tripped, all the alarms connected to the network will sound. (Note however that you’ll need advanced know-how if you want to connect more than 12 devices.) The company doesn’t claim universal compatibility but it’s possible that non-Kidde devices will work with interconnect system; you’ll have to experiment to find out.
Kidde Detect 10 Year Smoke + Carbon Monoxide Alarm is a chunky device that will jut out a full 2 inches from from the wall or ceiling it’s mounted to.
Christopher Null/Foundry
Everything but Wi-Fi
This top-of-the-line model in the Detect family has everything but Wi-Fi connectivity, and there are lower-priced Detect models if you don’t want or need all of its features: You can opt for a smoke-only detector ($45), AA battery power instead of hardwiring ($55), siren only/no voice alerts ($65), and various combinations of the above. With all the bells and whistles (as reviewed here), the unit hits a toasty $75.
What’s it missing? Smart/wireless features. It feels like a missed opportunity, but the Kidde Detect isn’t available in any of the above iterations with Wi-Fi connectivity to Kidde’s mobile app.
This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart smoke detectors.
One of the big sells of the new Kidde Detect line is updated detection technology, which the company says delivers smoke detection that’s more than 25 percent faster and 3X more precise than the average smoke alarm. Both claims are extremely difficult to test outside of a laboratory setting—and in fact, Kidde’s data is all internally generated—but in my tests with canned smoke, I found the unit amply responsive to ambient smoke and, nearly as importantly, quick to stop sounding when the hazard dissipated. All that said, Kidde also asked that we link to a press release on their website that includes several disclaimers. The siren is extremely loud, the spoken “Fire!” warning considerably less so, to the point where it probably isn’t very useful.
I encountered no surprises whatsoever during installation. A round mounting plate attaches to the wall with two screws, and a wiring harness supplies black, white, and red wires (the last for optional interconnection to other detectors) to connect to your household wiring. Once these are done—wire nuts are not provided—you can snap the harness into the back of the detector, and you’re up and running after rotating the detector into place.
The LED on the Kidde Detect 10 Year Smoke + Carbon Monoxide Alarm will glow red while it’s in an alarm state, and a voice will also warn of danger.
Christopher Null/Foundry
One small but handy feature is the inclusion of a removable plastic cover that protects the device if you’re doing painting, drywall work, or any other type of construction or remodeling. This prevents the unit from generating false alarms while also keeping any contaminants from reaching the detector’s sensitive internals. It’s a small thing, but it sure beats trying to wrap a plastic bag around the alarm to keep it clean while you’re working.
Stylistically, the unit feels a bit busy, though Kidde calls this new industrial design “a cohesive overhaul that prioritizes simplicity by leveraging an easy-to-follow hierarchy of visual information and color utilization to help consumers navigate a complex assortment while shopping.” Whew! For my money, there are quite a few too many ridges and visible grilles on the device, but it’s not the worst design I’ve seen of late.
Should you buy the Kidde Detect 10 Year Smoke + Carbon Monoxide Alarm?
The $75 price tag is certainly steep, and it pegs the Kidde Detect at the high end of the non-smart detector market, even among units with combo CO/smoke detection capabilities, hardwiring, and 10-year batteries. While it’s possible that the claims of faster and better detection are legitimate (and important), it’s asking a lot from a buyer to potentially outfit a home with these and still not get any smart functionality. (Six detectors would cost you a hefty $450.) As a one-off purchase, I can rationalize it; but in bulk, the detector feels a bit too precious, at least for now.
Updated, July 9, 2024: Kidde asked us to add a link to the press release announcing this product, so that readers can be aware of several disclaimers related to this device’s performance.
Best Prices Today: Kidde Detect 10 Year Smoke + Carbon Monoxide Alarm (model 30CUA10-V)
Author: Christopher Null, Contributor, TechHive
Christopher Null is an award-winning technology journalist with more than 25 years of experience writing about and reviewing consumer and business tech products. Previously, he served as Executive Editor for PC Computing magazine and was the founder and Editor in Chief of Mobile magazine, the first print publication focused exclusively on mobile tech. In addition to covering a wide range of smart home gear for TechHive, he is a frequent contributor to Wired, This Old House, and AAA’s Via Magazine.