Nest Protect review : Smart smoke alarm for peace of mind

When Nest launched in Australia their approach was unorthodox and somewhat controversial, but in the end what matters is the product and we’ve installed the Nest Protect smoke and Carbon Monoxide alarm to give it a whirl.

At $189 it’s bloody expensive.  Walk into Bunnings and $30 will get you a Smoke detector with a 10 year battery.  So, what’s the extra $159 offering?

App connectivity & voice smarts.  Plus, Carbon Monoxide monitoring too.

Installation is a breeze, just like any other roof alarm, it has a mounting plate which the Nest Protect just twists into.

Setup was also simple, a really basic app that steps you through things like where the Alarm will be located and performs a test too.

Around the centre circle where the Nest logo is are a set of LED lights which shine to show different states so at a glance you know what’s going on.

Not convinced? Next up the device has voice alerts, so it will beep, but also say “There’s Smoke in the Kitchen” – or what you’re more likely to hear is “About to perform a test” so you know that beeping is just a test.

None of this is really enough to justify the price, but perhaps the remote connectivity will give that peace of mind to make it worth it.

Because the Nest protect is connected to your home network, any alerts it sends are also sent to your phone.  You can be at work, and if smoke is detected call 000 on the spot.  You’re not always going to be home when the worst happens.

Multiple phones can receive the alerts too.

Oh, and at night, when you walk down to the kitchen for a drink in the dark, the Nest Protect detects motion and shines its light, acting as a subtle night light for the kitchen.  Simple!

The price is certainly hard to justify, but as an investment in your home, it seems a great way forward for remote access and information about your home at all times.

Available only at iSelect for $189, you can save money by buying multiples too, and there are two variants, the mains connected and battery powered versions.

Web: iSelect

[schema type=”review” rev_name=”Nest Protect” rev_body=”Advanced internet connected Smoke alarm with app alerts and even a night light” author=”Trevor Long” pubdate=”2017-08-10″ user_review=”4″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”5″ ]