Smoke and CO detectors that connect to your phone
Alerts to your phone help most when you are not on site.
Rules first
Many places set legal requirements for detectors in rentals. Check your local rules and the standards a detector must meet before you buy.
Smart features worth having
Phone alerts, a loud local alarm that works without Wi-Fi, a long-life battery and a clear end-of-life warning. Test every detector between stays.
Our picks
We have not tested these products ourselves. The picks below come from published reviews and roundups, and some are written by sellers, so we treat them with care. Models and prices change, and many are sold mainly in North America: check the current version, price and compatibility where you live before you buy.
First Alert SC5: smart smoke and CO with phone alerts
Described as sending phone alerts and announcing the hazard and the room by voice, and as working with Google Home.
Kidde and First Alert sealed ten-year battery models: no battery changes
Several models run on a sealed ten-year battery, which suits a rental where nobody swaps batteries. The same roundup lists wired models that sound together across the property.
X-Sense combined smoke and CO unit: budget option
Listed as a lower-cost combined alarm with a sealed battery.
The roundup explains that photoelectric sensors suit slow, smoldering fires and give fewer cooking false alarms. It also notes that its own picks list had inconsistencies, so confirm which models are still sold. In Europe, look for the EN 14604 standard on smoke alarms, and check local rules for rentals.