Home fires claim dozens of lives every year. Did you know that most fire victims are killed by smoke? Smoke spreads at lightning speed and is also suffocating. If a fire breaks out at night, the risk of not waking up in time is high. You don't smell when you sleep so you won't wake up to a fire smell either.
Therefore, invest in a good smoke detector, hang it in the right place and test it regularly. That way you will go to sleep with peace of mind!
Choosing the right smoke detector
It has been in the news several times, but it cannot be repeated enough: smoke detectors can save lives. It is therefore a legal requirement to provide smoke detectors.
European standard smoke detectors
Smoke detectors must be CE marked and comply with NBN EN 14604 (European standard). Always buy optical smoke detectors, which are smoke detectors that work on the basis of an infrared light beam.
You might still come across smoke detectors with an ionic working principle here and there. These are smoke detectors that work on the basis of very slightly radioactive particles. They are therefore difficult to dispose of as waste. Ionic smoke detectors are therefore forbidden by law in Belgium and do not comply with standard NBN EN 14604.
Type of battery smoke detector
You have smoke detectors with a replaceable battery and smoke detectors with a built-in (non-replaceable) battery.
We always recommend choosing a smoke detector with a built-in 10-year lithium battery. They are slightly more expensive, but you won't have to replace your batteries for 10 years. Moreover, the optical cell of a smoke detector lasts about 10 years, after that you need to replace it integrally.
Wirelessly linkable
Wirelessly linkable smoke detectors transmit an alarm signal to each other. This means that when one detector in your home goes into alarm, all the detectors in your home will sound the alarm. If you want to protect a large area, linkable smoke detectors can be very handy.
There are also smoke detectors (and other types of detectors) that connect to each other and to your Wi-Fi network. So they can also alert you to danger on your smartphone via an app.
Best smoke detectors by category
We briefly list all the smoke detectors that we think are the best choices:
1. Smoke detectors with 10-year battery
Our pick: Fire Angel Thermoptek smoke detector with 10-year battery
- Smoke detector with built-in heat sensor to reduce false alarms
- 10-year warranty on battery and detector
- With pause button and test button
Budget choice: Elro smoke detector with 10-year battery
2. Wirelessly linkable smoke detectors with 10-year battery
Our pick: Fire Angel Wi-Safe Thermoptek wirelessly linkable smoke detector with 10-year battery
- Smoke detector with built-in heat sensor to reduce false alarms
- 10-year warranty on the detector and 5 years on the batteries
- Easy to link, including with CO detectors and heat detectors within the Wi-safe range.
- Up to 256 detectors can be linked together