BRK M300 Ionisation Smoke Alarm, Battery Powered, Compact Design

This was a replacement for a similar very old smoke alarm. This replacement fitted on to the original screws and was very easy to install.

This is a compact, unobtrusive ionisation smoke detector that I found as easy to fit as any I have tried. BRK make a wide array of alarms and detectors but this is at their more entry level; nevertheless it is well built and passed my own smoke testing using a taper, provides a deafening tone and at the price you can’t go too wrong. Be aware that recent findings suggest that young children aren’t easily woken by such alarms (there are some on the market that play a recorded voice warning that is supposedly more effective) but otherwise this design of alarm is a tried and tested last way to ensure you are alerted in time.

BRK M300 Ionisation Smoke Alarm This is a compact battery-operated smoke detector of the type so many of us have in our homes. It comes with a battery. The sound is nice and loud. A couple of niggles: * The instructions say to check the smoke alarm by depressing the button for up to 20 seconds till you hear 3 beeps. However, this one only gives 2 beeps. I presume it still works, but it is slightly concerning. * I find it extremely hard to work out where to sight the smoke detector: at least 30cm from this, no more than 30cm from that, and so on and so on. With high ceilings that cannot be reached except by step ladder, I don't know where to place it. The instructions seem complex and they are a list of do's and don'ts. That's the same as other smoke alarms I've had, but it does still leave me stumped. For sale at the time of writing this review at £7.71.

This is a great value, compact smoke alarm. It is supplied with a PP3 alkaline battery of the sort that - being a certain age - I associate with transistor radios. I was pleased to see this, as my previous smoke alarm (which was fitted free of charge by the fire service) turned out to have a non-replaceable battery and failed after three years. I found this alarm very easy to set up and fit. Wall (or maybe I should say ceiling) plugs and screws are helpfully provided, though in my case I was able to install the unit into the holes made when my original alarm was fitted. The alarm is loud (85dB) and can be heard easily when it goes off. You can test it at any time by pressing the plastic tab in the middle. The price of this alarm is very reasonable, and for me it ticks all the boxes. I am therefore giving it the full five stars.

Like a lot of things, smoke alarms seem to have become more complicated than they need to be. Several on the market now need to be wired into the electricity supply and linked via a chain of other smoke alarms around the house. That probably gives more protection, but they are a pain to fix when things go wrong. And on some models the batteries are not designed to be replaced. Happily, the BRK M300 circumvents these issues. It is battery operated, easy to install and the battery can be replaced by the easy to open hinged cover. An important and essential item for home fire safety - without the fuss. Recommended. Comes with battery and fixing screws.

A straightforward. no frills 9v battery operated alarm (battery supplied) that comes with wall plugs, screws, and clear instructions. including some sensible advice on fire safety. The instructions are in clear English. Instructions for installation. If you have screws in the ceiling or high on the wall where a previous alarm was fitted. this definitely won't fit them as the screws are offset. rather than opposite each other. This makes for a compact unit. but does mean you will need to mark the location of the drill points very carefully. using the back as a template. You can't mount the alarm to the wall directly, as any dust from drilling will render the alarm inoperable. What I liked about this is the fact that the test button is nice and large, and in the middle. It doesn't respond instantly when pressed and held. but it gets the message eventually. Having had lithium ten year smoke alarms fitted, with non-replaceable batteries, that lasted just six years., I was pleased to be offered this type to review.

Great little smoke alarm that's fairly easy to fit. Very basic, but it comes with a 9v battery and its own screws and rawlpugs, but I would have thought it's light enough to just stick to a ceiling with double sided sticky pads if that's more convenient. The case easily flips open to insert and replace the battery and snaps shut securely. As another reviewer has mentioned, when tested it only emits two beeps instead of three, but they're piercing and would be audible from quite a distance away. As usual nowadays, it comes with endless safety instructions, but really it's very easy to use.

This is easy to install, comes with a 9 volt battery, ready to work almost out of the box. It has two screw slots in the back and comes with instructions re: placement and operation. There is a button to test operation but this is where I have a single criticism; it make no audible test beep, although a red light flashes. Apart from that it remains basic but presumably effective.