Verdict
Head-to-head · Best Smart Smoke Detectors

X-Sense SC07 Smoke & CO Alarm vs X-Sense XS01-M Interconnected Smart Smoke Alarm (FS31 kit)

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

X-Sense SC07 Smoke & CO Alarm comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.2 vs 4.1). X-Sense SC07 Smoke & CO Alarm is best for: Homeowners with a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network who want battery-powered smoke and CO alarms with phone alerts and no wiring. Read the strengths below before deciding.

X-Sense SC07 Smoke & CO Alarm
Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Smart Smoke Detectors
X-Sense SC07 Smoke & CO Alarm
1 source$35.98as of Oct 6

The Gadgeteer found that this Wi-Fi-connected detector offers valuable remote monitoring via smartphone push notifications and an LCD screen displaying carbon monoxide levels in parts per million. It supports interconnecting up to 24 units under a single account, though it is incompatible with 5GHz networks and requires users to verify their router settings for successful pairing. The device produces a deafening alarm of at least 85 decibels, but its replaceable battery means it does not satisfy rules such as New York's, which require ten-year sealed batteries or hardwiring, and Reviewed found the SC07-MR variant carried no UL label. This model fits homeowners with standard dual-band routers who prioritize app integration over hard-wired reliability, while those in jurisdictions requiring ten-year sealed batteries should look elsewhere.

Strengths
  • — Provides real-time smartphone push notifications via Wi-Fi connectivity when not at home
  • — Features an LCD screen that displays carbon monoxide levels in parts per million (ppm)
  • — Supports interconnectivity of up to 24 detectors within a single account for comprehensive coverage
Watch-outs
  • — Incompatible with 5GHz Wi-Fi networks, requiring connection to a 2.4GHz router
  • — Some variants lack UL certification and require an additional base station for smart features
X-Sense XS01-M Interconnected Smart Smoke Alarm (FS31 kit)
Ranked #2 in Best Smart Smoke Detectors
X-Sense XS01-M Interconnected Smart Smoke Alarm (FS31 kit)
1 source$30as of Oct 10

The X-Sense FS31 kit is three battery-powered XS01-M smoke alarms linked by radio to a small Wi-Fi base station that relays alerts to the X-Sense app. PCWorld rated it 4 out of 5: in its testing a test alarm set off all three units from the far corners of a house, simulated smoke triggered them quickly, and push and email notifications arrived in seconds. PCWorld's criticisms are that the alarms do not detect carbon monoxide, the base station has no battery backup so phone alerts stop in a power outage, and one alarm dropped offline during testing and would not reconnect.

Strengths
  • — In PCWorld's test all three alarms sounded together from the far corners of a house, through walls and floors
  • — Alerted quickly to simulated smoke, with push and email notifications sent in seconds, per PCWorld
  • — Alarms kept triggering one another with the base station unplugged in PCWorld's testing
Watch-outs
  • — Does not detect carbon monoxide
  • — Base station has no battery backup, so a power outage stops push notifications, per PCWorld
  • — Base station connects to 2.4GHz Wi-Fi only

How they stack up

X-Sense SC07 Smoke & CO Alarm

The X-Sense SC07 Smoke & CO Alarm runs on a replaceable CR123A lithium battery, where the Kidde Ring-Enabled Smart Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector and the First Alert SC5 Hardwire Smart Smoke and CO Alarm are hardwired. It detects both smoke and carbon monoxide, unlike the smoke-only X-Sense XS01-M Interconnected Smart Smoke Alarm (FS31 kit), and its LCD shows CO levels in parts per million. It costs less than the Kidde and the First Alert.

X-Sense XS01-M Interconnected Smart Smoke Alarm (FS31 kit)

Unlike the X-Sense SC07, the Kidde Ring-Enabled detector and the First Alert SC5 on this page, which all combine smoke and carbon monoxide detection, PCWorld notes the XS01-M alarms detect smoke only. They run on batteries, where the Kidde and First Alert SC5 are hardwired, and they depend on a plugged-in base station for app alerts.

Specs side-by-side

SpecX-Sense SC07 Smoke & CO AlarmX-Sense XS01-M Interconnected Smart Smoke Alarm (FS31 kit)
Power SourceCR123A Lithium BatteryAlarms: replaceable 3V lithium cell; base station: USB-C, no battery backup
Lifespan10 Years—
Detection TypePhotoelectric Smoke / Electromechanical COSmoke only
Alarm Volume≥85dB at 3 meters—
Dimensions5.7"D x 5.7"W x 2"H—
MaterialHeat-Resistant PC Plastic Material—
Sensor TypePhotoelectric smoke, Electrochemical CO—
Kit contents—Base station plus 3 XS01-M smoke alarms (X-Sense model FS31)
Battery Life—5 years claimed for the preinstalled batteries
Alarm Lifespan—10 years
Interconnect—915MHz radio between alarms, up to 24 alarms per network
Connectivity—Wi-Fi (2.4GHz only) via base station; X-Sense app
Base Station Size—3.5 in square
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