Nest Protect Review

The well-designed but pricey Nest Protect is one of the smartest smoke and carbon monoxide detectors you'll find. You can monitor and manage it using a smartphone, and silence it with a wave of your hand.

Nest Protect

The Protect is a combination smoke/carbon monoxide (CO) detector that uses a colored light ring and audible alerts. Among its many features are an early warning system, a motion detector, and iOS, Android, and web browser support.

Dimensions

Available in white or black, the Protect eschews the usual round white casing used on most home smoke detectors. Instead, it uses a square 5.28-by-5.28-inch housing that is 1.63 inches thick and weighs 13.1 ounces.

Web App

The app is very basic but well designed and user friendly. The main page shows each alarm and its status. If all is well you'll see a green circle, if there's a head's up warning it'll be yellow, and if there's an emergency it'll be red.

iOS App

When one alarm gives an alert, every Protect alarm in the house will chime in, with each alarm identifying the room which triggered the event.

Status and Alerts

The only thing missing from the Nest Protect is email and text message alerts, which would add another layer of event reporting for when you're away from home.

Fire Safety Tips

If the status circle is red you'll get a message with tips on how to proceed (such as to get out now, feel the door before opening it, alert all children, and call 911).