Top 10 Smart Smoke Detectors in 2027 — Best Overall + Best Value

Direct Answer

The best smart smoke detector in 2027 is the Google Nest Protect (2nd Gen) at $119, which pairs a split-spectrum smoke sensor with a CO sensor, calm voice pre-alarms, and reliable phone notifications — the rare combination unit that gets the fundamentals right without nagging you with false alarms.

The best value pick is the X-Sense SC07-W at $49, a 10-year sealed-battery smoke-and-CO combo with wireless interconnect that covers a whole house for a fraction of the price of the premium options. This list is for homeowners and renters who want smoke + carbon monoxide protection with phone alerts, easy install, and enough smarts to know which room is on fire before they ever reach the hallway.

How We Ranked the Top 10

We weighted real safety performance over app gimmicks. A smart detector that misses a smoldering fire or wakes you at 3 a.m. Over a shower's steam fails its only job, so detection quality and false-alarm resistance carry the most weight.

Pricing reflects single-unit street prices in mid-2027; multi-packs lower the per-unit cost. Our scoring drew on Wirecutter, PCMag, CNET, Tom's Guide, This Old House, and manufacturer spec sheets from Google Nest, First Alert, Kidde, and X-Sense.

• Detection (smoke + CO, sensor type) — 25%
• Smart alerts & app — 20%
• Interconnect & integrations — 15%
• Battery/hardwired & life — 15%
• Reliability & false-alarm resistance — 15%
• Price-to-performance — 10%

1. Google Nest Protect (2nd Gen) 🏆 BEST OVERALL

Price: $119 | Best for: Whole-home buyers who want the smartest combo unit

The Nest Protect remains the unit to beat because of its split-spectrum sensor, which reads both fast-flaming and slow-smoldering fires far better than a single photoelectric element, paired with an electrochemical CO sensor for true smoke-plus-CO coverage. It announces the specific room and the type of hazard in a calm voice before the loud horn fires, and its Heads-Up pre-alarm lets you silence a minor event from your phone in the Google Home app.

It self-tests automatically, runs as either hardwired or 6-AA battery, interconnects wirelessly with other Nest units, and lasts about 10 years before replacement. The one catch is that Google has signaled tighter app changes, so confirm current app support at purchase.

Pros:

• Best-in-class split-spectrum detection of multiple fire types
• Spoken room-by-room alerts plus phone notifications
• Self-testing with monthly Sound Check and nightlight path light
• Wireless interconnect so every unit sounds together

Cons:

• Premium price per unit
• Replace at roughly the 10-year mark; no sensor swaps

Verdict: The most capable smart smoke-and-CO detector you can buy, and worth the premium for a primary home.

2. First Alert SC5 (Hardwire) 💎 runner-up smart pick

Price: $129 | Best for: New construction and homes already wired for alarms

The First Alert SC5 is the closest spiritual successor to the Nest Protect and is explicitly built to replace Nest hardware on existing wiring. It is a photoelectric smoke + electrochemical CO combo with Precision Detection tuned to cut nuisance trips from cooking and steam, voice Heads-Up warnings, and First Alert app notifications whether you are home or away.

The hardwired version interconnects with other compatible First Alert units so the whole house sounds at once, with a 10-year sealed lithium backup battery for outages. It is a strong, no-drama choice if you want app alerts without committing to the Google ecosystem.

Pros:

• Direct Nest-replacement wiring compatibility
• Precision Detection reduces false alarms
• Whole-home interconnect with voice location alerts

Cons:

• App is functional but less polished than Nest's
• Pricey for a non-Google unit

Verdict: The best pick for hardwired homes that want app smarts without the Google account.

3. First Alert SC5 (Battery) 💎 BEST VALUE

Price: $99 | Best for: Renters and retrofit rooms with no alarm wiring

The battery SC5 delivers nearly everything the hardwired version does without an electrician. It is a smoke + CO combo with 10-year sealed battery, Precision Detection, voice Heads-Up alerts, and full First Alert app push notifications, and it still wirelessly interconnects with other compatible First Alert alarms.

For renters who cannot touch the wiring, this is the most capable plug-nothing-in smart combo at a fair street price, which is why it earns our value nod among the premium-tier units.

Pros:

• No wiring required, true 10-year sealed battery
• Smoke + CO with app alerts and interconnect
• Nuisance-resistant Precision Detection

Cons:

• Six-AA-equivalent sealed pack means full-unit replacement at end of life
• Slightly slower app response than Nest

Verdict: The smartest combo you can mount in five minutes with no electrician — excellent value.

4. X-Sense SC07-W 💎 BEST VALUE

Price: $49 | Best for: Covering a whole house on a budget

The X-Sense SC07-W is the budget hero of this list: a photoelectric smoke + electrochemical CO combo with a 10-year sealed lithium battery, a large LCD that shows live CO ppm from 30–999, and wireless RF interconnect so a fire in the basement sets off the bedroom unit.

It is UL 217 and UL 2034 certified, the two standards that actually matter for smoke and CO. App connectivity requires X-Sense's optional base station, so treat the SC07-W itself as a superb interconnected detector first and a lightly-smart one second. At roughly a third of the Nest's price, buying five of these to blanket a home still costs less than two premium units.

Pros:

• Unbeatable price for a 10-year smoke + CO combo
• UL 217 + UL 2034 certified with LCD CO readout
• Wireless interconnect across the whole house

Cons:

• Phone alerts need the optional base station
• Avoid the unrelated SC07-MR variant, which lacks UL listing

Verdict: The smartest dollar-for-dollar way to cover an entire home with real smoke and CO protection.

5. Kidde Smart Smoke + CO + Air Quality (P4010ACSCOAQ-WF)

Price: $84 | Best for: Buyers who want air-quality data alongside safety

This Kidde combo is Wi-Fi native — no hub required — and adds an indoor air-quality monitor on top of photoelectric smoke and CO sensing. It is hardwired with a 10-year lithium backup battery, interconnects with select Kidde alarms for whole-home activation, and pushes smoke, CO, and air-quality notifications to the Kidde app.

It works with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, and certain Kidde models tie into the Ring app for real-time alerts. The air-quality readout is a genuine extra, though it is a comfort feature rather than a life-safety one.

Pros:

• Built-in Wi-Fi, no separate hub
• Smoke + CO + air-quality in one unit
• Alexa and Google Home compatible

Cons:

• Photoelectric-only smoke sensing, no split-spectrum
• Requires hardwiring

Verdict: A well-priced hardwired combo with a useful air-quality bonus for ecosystem-flexible homes.

6. Kidde Smart Smoke + CO (Ring-Enabled)

Price: $74 | Best for: Existing Ring Alarm households

For homes already running Ring, this Kidde combo is the cleanest fit: a hardwired smoke + CO alarm with AA backup battery that surfaces real-time notifications inside the Ring app, so smoke and CO events land alongside your door and motion alerts. It uses photoelectric smoke detection and an electrochemical CO sensor, interconnects with compatible Kidde alarms, and avoids the need for a second safety app.

If your smart home already lives in Ring, the unified alerts are worth more than a slicker standalone app elsewhere.

Pros:

• Native Ring app notifications
• Hardwired smoke + CO with battery backup
• Whole-home interconnect with Kidde units

Cons:

• Best value only if you already use Ring
• AA backup rather than a 10-year sealed pack

Verdict: The obvious smart smoke-and-CO pick for a home already centered on Ring.

7. Kidde Smart Smoke Detector (P4010ACS-WF)

Price: $54 | Best for: Bedrooms needing fast smoke-only alerts

When a room needs smoke-only coverage — for example a bedroom paired with a separate CO alarm near the furnace — this Wi-Fi Kidde is a tidy, affordable choice. It uses a photoelectric sensor for visible smoke, is hardwired with a 10-year lithium backup battery, sends voice and app alerts, and is Alexa-compatible with no hub required.

It interconnects with select Kidde alarms so a smoke-only unit still triggers the whole house. Buy this only where you genuinely do not need CO sensing in the same spot.

Pros:

• Affordable Wi-Fi smoke detection
• Hardwired with 10-year backup battery
• App + voice alerts, Alexa-ready

Cons:

• No CO sensor — pair with a separate CO alarm
• Photoelectric-only

Verdict: A budget smart smoke-only unit best used to fill gaps, not as your primary CO defense.

8. First Alert Onelink Safe & Sound

Price: $199 | Best for: Hallways and shared spaces that double as a speaker

The Onelink Safe & Sound is a hardwired smoke + CO alarm built into a ceiling speaker and voice assistant, with Alexa on board and AirPlay streaming so a single ceiling unit handles safety plus audio. It delivers app notifications, interconnects with other Onelink alarms, and includes a night-light.

It is expensive and overkill for a closet, but in a hallway or open kitchen-living area where you would appreciate a speaker anyway, the combined hardware earns its keep.

Pros:

• Smoke + CO plus full Alexa speaker
• App alerts and Onelink interconnect
• AirPlay audio and night-light

Cons:

• High price for a single location
• Larger ceiling footprint than a standard alarm

Verdict: A premium smoke-and-CO alarm that justifies its cost only where you also want a speaker.

9. X-Sense XS01-WT Wi-Fi Smoke Alarm

Price: $36 | Best for: Cheap direct-Wi-Fi smoke alerts to your phone

The XS01-WT is X-Sense's standalone Wi-Fi smoke alarm that connects to your phone without a base station, pushing low-battery and alarm notifications straight to the X-Sense app. It uses a photoelectric smoke sensor and a sealed battery rated for years of service, making it the cheapest way to get true smartphone smoke alerts in a single room.

It is smoke-only, so plan separate CO coverage, and like all single-room Wi-Fi units it does not RF-interconnect with the SC07 line.

Pros:

• Direct Wi-Fi, no hub or base station
• Very low price for app-connected smoke alerts
• Photoelectric sensor with sealed battery

Cons:

• No CO sensing
• No RF interconnect with other X-Sense alarms

Verdict: The cheapest real path to phone alerts for a single room, as long as you cover CO elsewhere.

10. Airthings View Plus (with smoke-alarm listening)

Price: $299 | Best for: Air-quality obsessives who want radon and CO tracking

The Airthings View Plus is not a code-compliant smoke alarm, but it earns a spot for homes that care about the air they breathe every day. It packs seven sensors including radon, CO2, PM2.5, humidity, temperature, and VOCs, runs on battery or USB, and feeds continuous data to the Airthings app and Alexa/Google.

Pair it with any listed smoke alarm above for life-safety, and let the View Plus handle the slow, invisible threats — radon and chronic CO — that a smoke detector ignores. Treat it as a companion, never a replacement.

Pros:

• Seven-sensor air-quality and radon monitoring
• Continuous app trends, Alexa and Google support
• Battery or USB with cable-free mounting

Cons:

• Not a UL-listed smoke alarm — supplement only
• Highest price on this list

Verdict: A superb air-quality companion to a real smoke detector, not a substitute for one.

Buyer Decision Tree — Which One's Right for You?

What to Look For When Buying a Smart Smoke Detector

• Combined smoke + CO — a single combo unit covers both fire and carbon monoxide, the two threats that kill people in their sleep; buy combos for primary rooms.
• Sensor type — split-spectrum (as in the Nest Protect) reads both flaming and smoldering fires best; photoelectric is excellent for smoldering fires and the safe default; avoid ionization-only units for nuisance reasons.
• Hardwired vs battery, and 10-year sealed — hardwired units interconnect and never need battery swaps, but a 10-year sealed lithium battery unit installs anywhere in minutes and is ideal for renters and retrofits.
• Phone alerts — make sure the alarm pushes smoke and CO notifications to your phone when you are away, not just a local horn.
• Interconnect with other alarms — when one sounds, all should sound; confirm the unit interconnects (RF or hardwired) with the others you plan to buy.
• False-alarm resistance — features like Precision Detection or split-spectrum sensing cut the 3 a.m. Cooking-and-steam trips that make people disable alarms.
• Integrations — Alexa, Google Home, or Ring support matters if you want alerts inside an app you already use; UL listing matters more.

A quick note on what matters less than marketing implies: built-in speakers, AirPlay, premium night-lights, and air-quality dashboards are pleasant extras, not safety features. Never let a fancy add-on talk you out of confirming UL 217 (smoke) and UL 2034 (CO) certification first.

FAQ

Do I need both a smoke and a carbon monoxide detector? Yes. Smoke alarms do not sense carbon monoxide and CO alarms do not sense smoke. A combo unit like the Nest Protect, First Alert SC5, or X-Sense SC07-W covers both threats in one device, which is the simplest way to be fully protected.

Are hardwired or battery smart detectors better? Hardwired units never need battery swaps and interconnect easily, making them ideal for new construction. 10-year sealed-battery units like the X-Sense SC07-W and battery First Alert SC5 install in minutes with no electrician, which is better for renters and retrofits.

Both are excellent when UL-listed.

What does split-spectrum sensing actually do? A split-spectrum sensor reads two wavelengths of light to detect both fast-flaming and slow-smoldering fires earlier than a single photoelectric element. The Nest Protect is the main consumer unit using it, which is a key reason it tops this list.

Will these still work if my Wi-Fi or the app goes down? Yes. Every UL-listed alarm here sounds its local horn and triggers interconnected alarms independent of Wi-Fi. You lose phone notifications during an outage, but the life-safety alarm itself keeps working on the device.

Is the X-Sense SC07-W really safe at that price? The SC07-W is UL 217 and UL 2034 certified, the same standards the premium units meet, so its core protection is legitimate. Just avoid the unrelated SC07-MR variant, which lacks UL listing and is not recommended.

How often should I replace a smart smoke detector? Replace combo smoke-and-CO alarms about every 10 years, since both the smoke sensor and the CO cell degrade over time. Most units here are built around a 10-year sealed battery that times out alongside the sensors.

Bottom Line

For most homes, the Google Nest Protect (2nd Gen) at $119 is the best overall smart smoke detector thanks to its split-spectrum sensing, spoken room-level alerts, and dependable app notifications. If you want to protect an entire house without spending a fortune, the X-Sense SC07-W at $49 is the best value — a UL-certified smoke-and-CO combo with a 10-year battery and whole-home interconnect.

Renters and ecosystem loyalists have great choices too, so run your needs through the decision tree above to land on the right pick.

Sources

• Wirecutter — The Best Smart Smoke Detector
• PCMag — The Best Smart Smoke Detectors
• CNET — Best Smoke Detectors
• Tom's Guide — Best Smart Smoke Detectors
• This Old House — Best Smoke Detectors Reviews
• Google Nest Protect — Official Product Page
• First Alert SC5 Smart Smoke & CO Alarm — Spec Sheet
• Kidde Smart Smoke & CO Alarms — Smart Home
• X-Sense SC07-W Wireless Interconnected Combo — Spec Sheet
• Airthings View Plus — Official Product Page

*Smart smoke detector review — smart smoke detector reviews, rating, best smart smoke detector 2027, and a review of the top smoke and CO picks for homeowners.*