From January 2021, smoke alarms will be mandatory in German apartments and houses. Stiftung Warentest presents a total of 17 models and examines them according to different categories. In addition to the standard models, the so-called "stand-alone" detectors, three smoke alarms that can be networked via radio are also examined. Also included in the selection is a mini smoke detector with a diameter of just 4 centimeters.
In the test of smoke alarms, the most important criterion was the reliability of the alarm in the presence of smoke or fire. Other test criteria were the sensitivity, volume and handling of the detector. The quality of the smoke alarms was tested in four different test fires. No less than 13 of the detectors achieved a good overall rating, while 3 other devices reacted too sensitively to smoke development. As a result, a false alarm can be triggered quickly. One model received an overall rating of poor because the device detected the fire too late.
According to Stiftung Warentest, wireless smoke detectors are particularly suitable for large apartments or houses. Compared to a "stand alone" smoke detector, which only triggers a signal in the room in which it detects smoke development, the radio smoke detector triggers an alarm in all rooms at once thanks to an integrated radio module. Installation is easy and the radio system works perfectly even through thick walls and reinforced concrete ceilings. In terms of price, there are already models from 13 euros. However, the price range varies widely, so that a single detector can also cost more than 80 euros. The costs for the tested wireless detectors were between 68 and 85 euros.
Source: Stiftung Warentest
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