Essentially what we’ve got here is a multi sensor device that measures temperature, humidity and carbon monoxide levels, which can be visualised via the band of light around the device itself. Before we do, let’s have a quick look at the presentation of this product.

Now, I have to tell you that I’ve had this since November, and at the time I couldn’t get the thing to work at all, and was almost getting ready to send it back as faulty – given that even calling their North American help line was a waste of time and money for me – however, I persevered and eventually figured out what the issue was that Onelink couldn’t themselves, and so I’m here to review it. Now, if this was a review of packaging alone, then this would be getting all the awards! The packaging is definitely amongst the most nicely designed and presented containers I’ve seen so far, and having seen a recent video of one of their smoke alarms, I could see the packaging design follows through with their other products too. Essentially the carton is a box in two halves, with a red inner section that shows up as a line around the middle. This is all held together with an outer cardboard sleeve. The box itself is really sturdy, almost like a jewellery presentation box, if you will.

The stylish packaging is carried over to the inside too, with a sort of card folder on top that can be pulled out via a tab. The folder contains an instance of the HomeKit code. The folder contains a well-printed and thick manual, as well as some ‘warning stickers’. Once the folder is removed, the device is revealed, held in place with a moulded tray that houses the device itself and the power supply. The power brick also contains and instance of the HomeKit code.

The first thing that takes you by surprise upon seeing the device is how small it actually is. You could actually have this sit comfortably in the palm of your hand (unless you’re Donald Trump maybe…). At its tallest (it has a sloped top) it’s 7cm/2.76″ at its tallest, and 6.5cm/2.56″ at the base. Now despite the size, both the power supply and the monitor feel very sturdily built, with the monitor feeling especially well constructed. The first impression of the design is it reminds me a little of a Cylon helmet (the early 80s version of a Battlestar Galactica ‘Cylon’, for reference) or maybe a Stormtrooper helmet from Star Wars, but all in a good way, I might add.

The unit connects to your system via wi-fi, and the monitor is mains electricity powered, although there is an included backup CR2 battery, so that in the event of a power outage, your device can still detect carbon monoxide. To access the battery compartment, you first simply twist off the top half of the monitor, to reveal an inner section with one small screw holding in place a sort of hinged cover. In the centre are two small LEDs that are used to light up the device for visual notifications, which I’ll get to shortly. The underside of the device has the connection for the power supply, along with a reset/test button.

To start the ball rolling, you simply remove the small plastic tab that keeps the battery from being in an active state, and install the device. You will have to download the Onelink app initially, and if you want to be able to customise the experience, you’re going to want to keep the app as well. Installation, despite having a HomeKit code ready, does require you to set up the device with their app. You can create an account, which also helps you to register your device with First Alert (First Alert is the company, with Onelink being the ‘smart’ line of products in their family of devices).

Once you’ve registered your device, you’ll then have to simply set a few parameters; You can set the range for both temperature and humidity, so that if your room is too hot or too cold, the built-in light lets you know visually – an amber light tells you the room temperature is higher than the set range, with a blue light meaning it’s colder than it should be. These lights only refer to the temperature, so for humidity, you have to rely on the app itself, or set it up for push notifications. When all parameters are within the range you’ve set (and assuming you have no CO issues) then the light on the device will be a neutral white. In regards to the light itself, unlike some devices that have a ‘night light’ that appears as a separate ’tile’ or device in the Home app (like the iDevices ‘Switch’ smart plug), this light does not appear at all in the Home app, so unfortunately, if you want to turn it down at night (you can’t actually turn the light off, just set it to minimal brightness), or even adjust the brightness, you will need to do this in the Onelink app, which is a bit of a hassle when it would be so much easier to be able to control it all from within Home. It’s a minor point, and to be fair, given that the light is meant as a visual aide, it wouldn’t make a lot of sense to be able to turn it off so easily, as it could be forgotten about, with you then wondering why you’re not being told when there’s an ‘issue’. However, as this is fully HomeKit compatible, there is scope for setting off a colour light with different hues for temperature, humidity and CO detection, and just set the night-light on the device to its lowest level.

The main sensor, at least in my eyes, is CO detection. The sensor has a very loud built-in alarm, much like a regular smoke alarm, and so you’re going to get both visual and audible notifications. If the sensor detects low levels of CO, you will get a visual notification in the app (a yellow screen) along with a push notification. If the reading is deemed any higher than ‘low level’, you’re going to get an 85dB beep-style alarm sound, as well as the LED flashing red, that will keep going until you decide to look into the issue, or silence the alarm itself, which is achieved via the reset/test button on the base of the device. You shouldn’t simply ignore these warnings however, so it’s advisable to look into what the issue is from the start.

Within the Onelink app, which I happen to think is visually really quite nice, you get an overview of all your devices, with quick-look info. It will also tell you of any potential issues by way of tiles. On the HomeKit side of things, in the Home app, you simply get three tiles – CO, temperature and humidity. The CO sensor will presumably light up much like the tile for a motion sensor, whereas the humidity and temperature sensors just show a reading.

While the device has a typical (loud) ‘beep’ type alarm, it’s also capable of warning you of other issues, so when you test the alarm, which they recommend you do at least once a week, the alarm will beep 4 times, with a pause and then 4 further beeps. This is accompanied by a red flashing light that syncs with the beeps. If the battery is low or missing, then you get a simple single beep about once a minute. If there’s some other form of malfunction, then you get three beeps per minute along with a flashing amber light. If the device (which is supposed to last for 10 years) is reaching the end of its life, then you’ll get a similar warning to the previous one, only it’ll be 5 beeps with an accompanying flashing amber light. Now I’d say you’re not expected to remember all these different types of warnings, so with the visual side of things giving you the basics, it’s still probably a good idea to keep the manual in a nearby safe place for reference, so you know the difference between a low battery and a general malfunction for example.

I originally mentioned that I was going to return the device for a refund. This was all down to the fact that when I received the device, it was telling me that the battery was low and needed to be replaced. Luckily, I had exactly the right battery and indeed the right brand that is recommended by First Alert – namely a Duracell branded one. I dutifully replaced the battery, only for nothing to change at all, so in the Onelink app I was told that the battery was low and in the Home app, the battery level was zero – on a brand new battery. Worse still, when I disconnected the mains power from the device, it was still functioning – even though it was saying there was ‘juice’ in the battery. I even removed the battery totally, and once again, both app were reporting a low battery – even with no battery in the compartment! Now I first thought, well I can at least use the sensors and ignore the ‘low battery’ warning perhaps, but as already mentioned, if the battery is deemed ‘low’ then there’s a beep sound once a minute. The manual says you can silence this warning beep for up to 8 hours with a press of the reset button – oh no it can’t! So, after speaking to the First Alert help line, I couldn’t get any helpful advice at all from the (admittedly polite, but fairly clueless) customer service rep, and was told to return it. I didn’t return it immediately, due to the fast approaching Christmas period, as things go ‘missing’ very easily at this time of year, in my experience.

Before I did start to pack it all away, ready for returning it, I tried one last time, by replacing the battery after removing it, and doing a ‘test’. I can’t even recall all of the steps I took to be honest, but all of a sudden, the low battery warning was gone and in the Home app, the battery level was showing 100%! None of this is mentioned in the manual and wasn’t even suggested by the customer service team, which is disappointing to be honest. What’s worse, is that the instructions in the manual don’t match what is required in terms of how many times you’re supposed to press the button for reset purposes and even the visual indicators are different from what is described in the manual. There clearly needs to be a rethink of the instructions if they’re this wrong. I hate having to return stuff if for no other reason than the hassle of going to the post office to fill out various forms and print off labels etc. so I’m ultimately very happy to have made the final attempt to get it working.

It’s now working, and both the temperature and humidity readings seem to be fairly comparable to other sensor readings I’m getting. Obviously, it’s not so easy to test for carbon monoxide (at least not that I’m aware of), but I’m fairly confident that if the weekly tests are trustworthy enough, then I’m ok with that. To First Alert’s credit, the manual goes into a lot of detail about CO and the potential dangers, so it does show they take it seriously and want to let their customers know this too.

So, at the end of the day, I managed to get it working, and although I got it for about 40% off the list price at the time, I wasn’t keen to send it back if I could avoid doing so, and I’m glad I persevered. Should I have had to go through that? Not really, and I’ve heard similar issues mentioned with other Onelink products, so it certainly has made me think twice about investing in other products by this company. The fact that First Alert have been around for a while would suggest they have experience in smoke and CO detection, so I can only assume that their ‘dumb’ devices work well enough. It may be just that they haven’t quite gotten to grips with the ‘smart’ side of their product range, which is a shame, as they’re well presented, and look really nice. Nice looks are not the top of my list though if functionally isn’t there – especially a device that can be a ‘life saver’.

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• Wi-Fi and Apple HomeKit-Enabled for Unparalleled Protection

Compatible with iPhones and iPads using Apple iOS 9.0 or later, the First Alert Onelink Wi-Fi Photoelectric Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm helps ensure you are informed if there is a smoke or carbon monoxide emergency in your home. This CO smoke detector combo will immediately send a notification to your device that lets you know what type of danger is present and where it is in your home. Also, you can silence false alarms or test alarms from your device with the simple press of a button. The alarm is Apple HomeKit-enabled to work with other compatible HomeKit accessories. Privacy is built-in to the alarm and data is always encrypted.

• Dual Sensors Guard Against Danger

The First Alert DC10-500 Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm features a photoelectric sensor that detects the smoke most commonly produced by smoldering fires, providing sensitive detection while minimizing false alarms from cooking smoke or shower steam. The advanced electrochemical CO sensor detects carbon monoxide leaks from multiple sources, such as faulty fuel-burning appliances, blocked chimneys, and generators running inside or too close to homes.

• 10-Year Sealed Battery for Continuous Protection

The built-in 10-year sealed battery ensures the alarm is always operational, even when the power goes out. This internal battery eliminates the need to replace the battery during the lifetime of the alarm. This CO and smoke detector is designed to last for 10 years, the longest time permitted by the National Fire Code.

• Alarm Announces Where Danger Is

This carbon monoxide smoke detector features Voice with Location technology, which audibly announces the programmed location of the unit as well as which type of danger is detected. If multiple Onelink Wi-Fi Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms are used together, they can communicate with each other using a Bluetooth mesh, causing every alarm in the system to sound when one is triggered.

https://www.firstalert.com/product/wi-fi-photoelectric-smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-alarm-with-10-year-battery-apple-homekit-enable/

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Smart Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm for Home Protection

Add intelligent protection to your home with the Onelink Smoke & Carbon Monoxide alarm. The 2-in- 1 alarm detects both smoke and carbon monoxide and will notify you if something is not right in your home, whether home or away. The alarm also tells you the type and location of the danger and wirelessly interconnects with other compatible alarms.

• Mobile Connectivity Through the Onelink Home App

With the Onelink Home app you can test and silence your alarm and adjust your nightlight color and brightness through your phone or tablet.

• Voice Alerts

The Onelink Smoke & Carbon Monoxide alarm has voice location technology. In an emergency, the 2-in-1 alarm will tell you the type and location of the danger. It also wirelessly interconnect with other compatible alarms and if one sounds, they all sound.

• Battery-Operated

The Onelink Smoke & Carbon Monoxide alarm is battery-operated and has an easy access battery door for convenience. The alarm requires 4 CR123 batteries and will let you know when it is time to replace.

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Smart Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm for Home Protection

Add intelligent protection to your home with the Onelink Smoke & Carbon Monoxide alarm. The 2-in-1 alarm detects both smoke and carbon monoxide and will notify you if something is not right in your home, whether home or away. The alarm also tells you the type and location of the danger and wirelessly interconnects with other compatible alarms.

• Mobile Connectivity Through the Onelink Home App

With the Onelink Home app you can test and silence your alarm and adjust your nightlight color and brightness through your phone or tablet.

• Voice Alerts

The Onelink Smoke & Carbon Monoxide alarm has voice location technology. In an emergency, the 2-in-1 alarm will tell you the type and location of the danger. It also wirelessly interconnect with other compatible alarms and if one sounds, they all sound.

• Hardwired Alarm with Easy Setup and Installation

The Onelink Smoke & Carbon Monoxide alarm is a hardwired alarm with easy adaptor plugs included. There is no need to rewire, allowing for quick and easy installation.

• Battery Backup for Continuous Protection

The Onelink Smoke & CO Alarm is equip with battery back-up for protection during power outages.

The post First Alert/Onelink Smoke & CO Alarm – AC Power appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

• Intelligent 2-in-1 Smoke and Carbon Monoxide alarm sends alerts to mobile devices, and tells you the type and location of emergency in your home.
• High-end speakers provide immersive, omni-directional audio with crisp vocals and powerful bass; noise-cancelling microphones hear you from any direction, even while playing music.
• With built-in Alexa Voice Services, Onelink Safe & Sound can play music, news, or audio books; hands-free voice commands let you control smart home devices, lights, locks, and more.
• Safe & Sound is a hardwired alarm that connects easily to electrical systems using the included adapter plugs so you don’t have to rewire.
• The Onelink Home companion app allows you to test and silence your alarm, control entertainment and adjust your nightlight color and brightness through your phone or tablet.

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