2024-03-02 04:44:15
Smoke detectors are mandatory in Germany. The small devices can save lives in an emergency. These are the best smoke detectors at Stiftung Warentest.
The most important things at a glance
Smoke detectors are intended to ensure safety at home and sound the alarm in an emergency. The last transition period ended on January 1, 2021. Since then, the detectors have been mandatory for new buildings in all federal states – only in Saxony are existing buildings still exempt.
We clarify the most important questions about smoke detectors and show which features you can use to recognize a good model. We also present recommended devices that impressed Stiftung Warentest in the 01/2021 issue.
In which rooms do you have to install smoke detectors?
All bedrooms and children’s rooms in an apartment as well as all hallways that serve as escape and rescue routes must be equipped with smoke detectors. In single-family homes with an open staircase, a detector must also be installed 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 because cooking or showering causes many particles to get into the air that could trigger a false alarm.
Smoke detectors in the test: Almost all of them convince Stiftung Warentest
In the 01/2021 issue, Stiftung Warentest tested a total of 17 smoke detectors with and without a radio module. 13 models achieved the rating “good”. 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
The test result: The Ei Electronics Ei650 was the winner in the Stiftung Warentest test for the third time (“test” issue 01/2016, “test” issues 01/2018 and 01/2021). The device received the test rating “good (1.9)”. The smoke detector impressed the inspectors with its reliability and loudness.
Product details: The device works according to the scattered light principle: a beam of light inside the device is refracted when smoke develops and deflected onto signaling sensors, which sound the alarm. It covers an area of around 60 square meters, is Q-tested and has passed an additional quality test. The alarm sounds at a volume of 85 decibels. The smoke detector has a permanently installed lithium-ion battery with an operating life of ten years.
Dowels and screws are included for attachment to the ceiling. The Ei Electronics smoke detector also has a mute button for false alarms, a test button to check function with reduced volume and sensors for self-monitoring.
This smoke detector is also available in a version with an additional radio module: The Ei Electronics Ei650MRF is particularly suitable for multi-storey apartments or houses. The model also achieved a “good” rating in the test and also has a 10-year battery.
The test result: The Genius Plus smoke detector from Hekatron achieved a quality rating of “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 visual 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, which increases the perceptibility of the alarm in an emergency. In the Genius Plus version, the functional status of the detector can be read and managed via an app.
The fire detector is used individually or in Sets sold in different sizes. The device can either be glued or screwed to the ceiling. Adhesive tape, dowels and screws are included with the product. Also included is the permanently installed lithium-ion battery. The device is Q-tested. The manufacturer also offers this model as a radio smoke detector, which is why it has the name Hekatron Genius Plus X.
The prize winner: Abus smoke detector RWM150
The test result: The cheapest test winner is the smoke detector from Abus. It achieved the test rating “good (1.9)” and was one of the five test winners.
Product details: The device is characterized by the high reliability of the smoke sensors and the low susceptibility to false alarms. It bears the Q quality seal.
The model has a lithium-ion battery with a lifespan of ten years. This roughly corresponds to the operating time of a smoke detector. In the test, the alarm goes off at 88 decibels and is therefore in the range of the competition.
Installation is carried out as standard using the screw set supplied with the smoke detector. The very large test button is practical, which you can also press with a broom handle in high rooms.
The robust one: Busch-Jaeger smoke alarm Professional Line
The test result: Another winner in the Stiftung Warentest test was the Professional Line smoke alarm from the manufacturer Busch-Jaeger. The model received a rating of “good (1.9)”.
Product details: Probably the most robust of the smoke detectors listed here sounds an alarm at 85 decibels. The device works at temperatures of up to ten degrees Celsius below zero and is therefore 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, the alarm will also be triggered in other parts of the house.
The device comes with a permanently installed lithium-ion 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 models presented here impress with good test results and have the additional Q certification. The all-rounder and our recommendation is this Test winner from Ei Electronics. It offers many functions and a very good price-performance ratio. The reporter from Hekatron is particularly practical for the bedroom, as the flashing LED status light is automatically switched off at night. Our price tip is this Abus model. The detector is suitable for additions as a robust smoke detector Busch-Jaeger a good choice.
Important questions about smoke detectors
Which are the best smoke detectors?
The CE mark and DIN EN 14604 are required by law for all smoke detectors. “However, this minimum standard is not enough to distinguish a high-quality detector from a low-quality detector,” explains Christian Rudolph, chairman of the “Smoke detectors save lives” initiative. .
If you want to be on the safe side, you should get an independent smoke detector 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 check. With such models, for example, false alarms are less common. They also have a built-in battery with a lifespan of at least ten years.
How many smoke detectors do you need in an apartment?
Regardless of the legal requirement, the principle should apply: It is better to have more smoke detectors than too few. A smoke alarm can also be useful in the living room (keyword candles at Christmas) or in the hobby cellar. On average, one smoke detector is sufficient for an area of 60 square meters.
It is advisable to install a set of networked smoke detectors in the house, so-called radio smoke detectors. If a radio 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 unnecessary. The alarm of a smoke detector has a volume of 85 decibels, which is loud enough for several rooms.
Where does a smoke detector have to be installed?
Since fire smoke always rises, a smoke alarm should always be mounted on the ceiling – this is the only way to ensure that it works properly. The middle of the room is best suited, but at least half a meter away from the wall. You should also always mount a detector horizontally. Also avoid places near air ducts or strong drafts.
Sloped roofs are a special case: heat cushions can form at the top of the roof, preventing smoke from rising. For this reason, smoke detectors should be installed in the middle of the room at least 0.5 meters and no more than 1 meter from the top of the roof on sloping roofs with an angle of more than 20 degrees. The attachment should also be done horizontally; it is best to build a small structure out of wood. If installed at an angle, there is otherwise a risk that smoke will pass through the openings of the smoke detector 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 detectors. This also includes the maintenance of the smoke detectors, as the owner is legally obliged to keep the rental property in the required condition. He must therefore check at least once a year that the smoke detectors are operational.
Don’t be confused by the fact that the state building regulations in ten federal states assign the maintenance obligation to the tenant – tenancy law overrides all of these regulations.
However, the landlord can delegate 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 requirement to have a smoke alarm?
In Germany, the smoke detector requirement for private living spaces applies in all 16 federal states. The details of the smoke detector requirement are regulated in the state building regulations of the individual federal states. New buildings and conversions must be equipped with smoke detectors throughout Germany; for existing buildings, the last transition periods for Berlin and Brandenburg ended on December 31, 2020. Only Saxony has not yet introduced a smoke detector requirement for existing buildings.
Note: In an earlier version of the article we reported that Stiftung Warentest gave the smoke detector from the manufacturer Pyrexx the grade “poor”. Stiftung Warentest withdrew this test result at the end of February 2024. We have therefore removed the relevant passage in the text.