When searching for the best value domestic carbon monoxide alarm, three main factors should be taken into consideration:
The purchase price including delivery costs
The lifespan of the alarm
The cost for replacement batteries, should the alarm require battery replacements over its lifetime
Comparison of CO Alarms
We have created a simple overview of the leading CO alarms, listing their prices, lifespan and the cost of batteries required and then worked out the resulting cost per year for each model. This assessment will help you make the right buying choice.
All the CO detectors we listed are certified by BSI or equivalent. We have also shown additional features which might be important to you in your selection process.
To help make the data in the table as easy to understand as possible we have included a star rating, which takes into account the cost per year, any additional features as well as the product ratings provided by users of the products.
The carbon monoxide detector with the lowest cost and the best overall rating was the Kidde 10LLDCO which contains a sealed 10 year lithium battery and offers a clear digital display and 10 year warranty.
The battery replacement cost assessment was based on £0.50 per alkaline AA battery and £1.90 per 9V alkaline block battery and of course the required number of batteries for each alarm. The battery life per battery was assumed to be 2 years. The star rating was based on a ranking of additional features, such as digital display and sealed longlife batteries, alarm lifespan, warranty, product feedback from previous customer feedback as well as pricing. Please contact the Safelincs marketing department if you are interested in further details of the study, marketing@safelincs.co.uk.
Reviewed: 01/10/2019 (doc:489 V1.0). Our articles are reviewed regularly. However, any changes made to standards or legislation following the review date will not have been considered. Please note that we provide abridged, easy-to-understand guidance. To make detailed decisions about your fire safety provisions, you might require further advice or need to consult the full standards and legislation.