Incredible new smoke detector
Smoke detector with a range of cool features?
Nest Protect Nest.com. Price: €119
The smart-home is no longer a thing of the future. From lightbulbs to washing machines, if you buy a new appliance this year there’s a good chance it’ll have WiFi, Bluetooth or a small, silicone mind of its own. One of the big names in smart-home automation, Nest, makes very clever security cameras and a money-saving thermostat. It is less well known for its smoke and C02 detector, the Nest Protect.
Unpacking the Protect reveals the stylish white device as well as a user guide, a back-plate for mounting and four mounting screws. Slightly bigger than a traditional smoke-detector, the Nest is still slim at less than 4cm deep and just over 13cm wide.
To set up the device, download the iOS or Android app. Nest has made the set-up intuitive and easy; you use your phone’s camera to scan a QR code on the back of the Protect and it gets under way. The app lets you name the room where the device is being placed, and it’s important to do this, as the Nest Protect speaks the name of the room when it’s alerting you.
The six long-life AA batteries that power this gadget can last years and are pre-installed. The Nest Protect also has various sensors built in and gives you a few different types of warnings. There’s what Nest calls a ‘Heads-up’ where it lights up in yellow and speaks in a human voice. It might say that the C02 level is rising or there is smoke in the kitchen. You can use the app to silence this notification, which you might do if you’ve just burned the toast. If the smoke level increases, though, the Nest pulses red, unleashes an 85decibel siren and announces the emergency and the room it is happening in. Another useful feature is its builtin Pathlight. The Nest will detect a person walking into a dark room and will light up for a few seconds just to guide the way. It would be unfair to point out that this device is more expensive than a conventional smoke-detector, as it’s so much more. With a human voice and visual assistance in emergencies, it is better than a smart-home device – it’s about giving you a safer home.