Smoke detectors have been mandatory in almost all of Germany since January 1, 2021. The small devices can save lives in an emergency. Which model is well suited and reliably raises the alarm? We present the best smoke alarm devices from tests by Stiftung Warentest.
Overview
Smoke detectors should ensure security at home and sound the alarm in an emergency. The last transitional period ended on January 1, 2021. Since then, the detectors have been mandatory in almost all federal states - only in Saxony are existing buildings exempt. As in the whole of Germany, new buildings must also be equipped with smoke detectors there.
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We'll clarify the most important ones Questions about smoke detectors and show what features you can use to recognize a good model. We also present recommended models that were able to convince the Stiftung Warentest.
DISPLAYThe test winner: Ei Electronics smoke detector Ei 650The test winner: Ei Electronics smoke detector Ei 650In which rooms does a smoke detector have to go?
All bedrooms and children's rooms in an apartment as well as all corridors that serve as escape and rescue routes must be equipped with smoke detectors. In the case of detached houses with an open stairwell, a detector must also be installed there on each floor. In Berlin and Brandenburg, the smoke detector requirement also applies to all common rooms, including the living room.
Exceptions: According to the fire department, smoke alarms should expressly not be installed in the kitchen or bathroom, as many particles are released into the air when cooking or showering, which could trigger a false alarm.
Smoke detectors in the test: almost all of them convince the Stiftung Warentest
In the 01/2021 issue of the Stiftung Warentest, the Stiftung Warentest tested a total of 17 smoke detectors with and without a radio module. 13 models achieve the judgment "good". Only one Pyrexx model warns too late. The reliability of the alarm, the volume, the handling, the robustness and the declaration were examined. These are the test winners:
The multiple test winner: Ei Electronics Ei650 smoke detector
INDICATORSmoke detector Ei Electronics Ei65018,4821,0028,382621,9029,952729,9929,99The test result: The Ei Electronics Ei650 has won the Stiftung Warentest test for the third time ("test" issue 01/2016, "test" issues 01/2018 and 01/2021). The device received the test result "good (1.9)". The smoke detector convinced the testers with its reliability and volume.
Product details: The device works according to the scattered light principle: If smoke develops, a beam of light inside the device is refracted and deflected to detection sensors that sound the alarm. It covers an area of around 60 square meters, is Q-tested and has passed an additional quality check. The alarm is at a volume of 85 decibels. The smoke detector has a permanently installed battery with a service life of ten years. Dowels and screws are included in the scope of delivery for fastening to the ceiling. The smoke detector from Ei Electronics also has a mute button for false alarms, a test button to check the function with reduced volume and sensors for self-monitoring.
This smoke detector is also available in a variant with an additional radio module: the Ei Electronics Ei650MRF is particularly suitable for multi-storey apartments or houses. The model also achieved the rating "good" in the test.
With lots of extras: Hekatron smoke detector Genius Plus
INDICATORSmoke detector Hekatron Genius Plus21,1036,834222,4536,833931,91The test result: The Genius Plus smoke detector from Hekatron achieved the quality rating "good (1.9)" in the Stiftung Warentest test ".
Product details: In addition to its efficient smoke sensors and the quite extensive sensor area of 60 square meters, the model has a number of extras. The device has a real-time clock that dims the optical display during bedtime between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Another special feature: the warning tone, which is loud at 85 decibels, is frequency-optimized and changes pitch, making the alarm more noticeable in an emergency. In the Genius Plus version, the functional status of the detector can be read out and managed via an app.
The fire detector is sold individually or in sets of different sizes. The device can either be glued or screwed to the ceiling. Adhesive tape, wall plugs and screws are supplied with the product. Also included is the permanently installed battery. The device is Q-tested. The manufacturer also offers this model as a wireless smoke detector, then it has the name Hekatron Genius Plus X.
The award winner: Abus RWM150 smoke detector
DISPLAY ABUS smoke detector RWM15018,9024,952428,55The test result: The cheapest test winner is the smoke detector from Abus. It achieves the test result "good (1.9)" and is one of the five test winners.
Product details: The device is characterized by the high reliability of the smoke sensors and a low susceptibility to false alarms. It bears the Q seal of quality. The model has a battery with a specified service life of ten years. This roughly corresponds to the service life of a smoke detector. The alarm triggers at 88 decibels in the test, which is in the range of the competition.
The standard attachment is made using the set of screws supplied with the smoke detector. The very large test button, which you can also press with a broom handle in high rooms, is practical.
The robust one: Busch-Jaeger smoke alarm Professional Line
INDICATORSmoke detector Busch-Jaeger22,0929,41The test result: Another winner in the Stiftung Warentest test is the smoke alarm Professional Line from the manufacturer Busch-Jaeger. The model achieved the rating "good (1.9)".
Product details: Probably the most robust of the smoke detectors listed here sounds the alarm at 85 decibels. The device works at temperatures of up to ten degrees Celsius below zero and is therefore also ideal for extensions and unheated rooms.
However, the Busch-Jaeger smoke detector has fewer additional functions than the test winners from Hekatron and Ei. The devices can be networked in two ways: the option for networking via cable is integrated, and radio modules can also be purchased as an option. The advantage: If there is smoke, for example in the attic, an alarm is also triggered in other parts of the house. The device comes with a built-in battery that promises a service life of at least ten years. This smoke detector also carries the Q certificate.
Conclusion: This is the right smoke detector for you
All the models presented here impress with good test results and have the additional Q certification. The all-rounder and our recommendation is the test winner from Ei Electronics. It offers many functions and is very good value for money. The detector by Hekatron is particularly useful in the bedroom, as the flashing LED status light is automatically switched off at night. Our price tip is the Abus model. The detector by Busch-Jaeger is a good choice for extensions and as a robust smoke detector.
DISPLAYThe test winner: Ei Electronics smoke detector Ei 650The test winner: Ei Electronics smoke detector Ei 650Important questions about smoke detectors
What are the best smoke detectors?
The CE mark and the DIN specification EN 14604 are required by law for all smoke detectors. "However, this minimum standard is not sufficient to distinguish between a high-quality detector and an inferior one," explains Christian Rudolph, Chairman the initiative "Smoke detectors save lives".
If you want to be on the safe side, you should get a smoke detector with the independent quality mark "Q" for high-quality fire detectors. This quality mark was introduced in 2012 and ensures that devices with the "Q" have undergone an extra quality test. In such models, for example, false alarms are reduced. They also have a permanently installed battery with a service life of at least ten years.
How many smoke detectors do you need in an apartment?
Regardless of the legal regulation, the following principle should apply: Better one more smoke detector than too few. A smoke alarm can also be useful in the living room (keyword candles at Christmas) or in the hobby room. On average, a smoke detector is sufficient for an area of 60 square meters.
In the house it is advisable to install a set of interconnected smoke detectors, so-called wireless smoke detectors. If a wireless smoke detector sounds an alarm, all other detectors go off immediately and the alarm can be heard everywhere. In a small apartment, wireless smoke detectors are superfluous. A smoke detector's alarm has a volume of 85 decibels, which is loud enough across several rooms.
Where should a smoke detector be installed?
Since fire smoke always rises, a smoke alarm device should always be mounted on the ceiling - only then can you be sure that it works properly. The center of the room is best, but at least half a meter away from the wall. You should also always mount a detector horizontally. Also avoid places near air shafts or strong drafts.
Sloping roofs are a special case: Heat pockets can form at the top of the roof, which prevent the smoke from rising. For this reason, smoke detectors should be mounted at least 0.5 meters and no more than 1 meter from the top of the roof in the middle of the room if the roof is sloping at an angle of more than 20 degrees. The attachment should also be horizontal here, it is best to build a small wooden construction. Otherwise, if installed at an angle, there is a risk that the smoke will pull through the openings of the smoke alarm device without triggering an alarm.
Who is responsible for installing smoke detectors?
The following applies to all federal states: The owner is responsible for installing the smoke alarm device. This also includes the maintenance of the smoke detectors, because the owner is legally obliged to keep the rented property in the prescribed condition. He must therefore check (or have checked) at least once a year that the smoke alarm devices are operational.
Don't be unsettled by the fact that the state building regulations in ten federal states assign the maintenance obligation to the tenant - the tenancy law abolishes all these regulations.
However, the landlord can transfer this task to his tenant, but this must be done by mutual agreement and by both parties. Only through such a contract can the landlord release himself from his maintenance obligation.
Is there a smoke alarm obligation?
In Germany, smoke detectors are compulsory for private living space in all 16 federal states. The details of the smoke detector obligation are regulated in the state building regulations of the individual federal states. New buildings and conversions throughout Germany must be equipped directly with smoke detectors; for existing buildings, the last transitional periods for Berlin and Brandenburg ended on December 31, 2020. Only Saxony has not yet introduced a smoke detector requirement for existing buildings.
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