First Alert CO615 – The Best Carbon Monoxide Monitor on the Market? Carbon monoxide is also known as the silent killer. It is odorless, tasteless, and invisible, but it is also one of the leading causes of accidental poisoning in this country. Whenever anything is burned, such as charcoal, propane, oil, wood, natural gas, or gasoline, carbon monoxide is one the gases that are produced. This usually isn’t a problem when it is in an outdoor space, because the gas can easily dissipate into the atmosphere. Click here for the Top 10 Best Carbon Monoxide Detectors.
Hence, carbon monoxide levels never reach dangerous levels. However, when the gas is released indoors, such as in a garage, an RV, or the home, then there is a potential problem, and one that can kill. To prevent this, every indoor space should be fitted with a CO (carbon monoxide) monitor and you should make sure that it is a good one. There are many on the market and one example is First Alert CO615. Let’s take a look at what this particular model has to offer.
About First Alert CO615
This particular CO monitor has been on the market for a number of years, and it has established itself as being one of the best ones and most reliable out there. What sets it apart from the many other detectors with digital displays, which this one has, is that the battery charge level is only visible when levels of CO are within the acceptable range. Other detectors will constantly show a level and unless you know exactly what you should look for, you won’t instantly know whether or not the readings are low, high, or even dangerous. There is another key difference between the CO615 and other carbon monoxide monitors, and that is that it has to be plugged into a power outlet. It has a six foot extension cord, which ensures that you can mount the monitor at eye level. It is important that you do so, because it is here that the readings are the most important.
First Alert CO615 also has a lot of other features, and it is affordable. Because you can plug it in, it is a very versatile device that can be moved between different rooms. The six foot cable makes it particularly flexible. The digital display is also easy to use and understand. Because the device is so portable, you can carry it with you between rooms and compare the levels of CO in there. This ensures that you can be aware of potentially hazardous areas before carbon monoxide levels become a problem. The device is also fitted with electrochemical sensors, which make the detector incredibly sensitive and accurate. The readings displayed can be fully trusted, in other words.
The design is the device’s only downfall. A lot of people have stated that the way the battery compartment is placed isn’t useful, and battery power also isn’t as good. It seems, therefore, that this device really is designed to be plugged into an outlet. However, you should still fit the device with batteries, even if it is a tight fit and it then becomes hard to close, because it gives you that backup power should there by a power outage.
First Alert CO615 features:
⦁ A technologically advanced electrochemical sensor, known to be the most accurate of all such devices.
⦁ An extension cord that is six foot long.
⦁ A battery holder as a backup.
What I Liked About First Alert CO615
⦁ The battery backup ensures that in the event of a power outage, you can still take readings. Indeed, you can also choose not to hook it up to a power outlet at all, simply operating it on batteries instead. The fact that it does both, however, is important, because CO levels are most likely to rise during a power outage, which is when people start to burn fossil fuels in order to keep the house warm and to provide light.
⦁ The panel is very easy to use and has excellent visibility because it lights up. It lights up automatically if there are high levels of CO, but you can also push on the test button to take readings for comparison.
⦁ Because it has a long cable, it can be placed in any room and even moved about.
⦁ It is a digital device, which means it provides more accurate and easy to see readings.
⦁ If it alerts you to high levels of carbon monoxide, it is very easy to silence it.
⦁ Installation is incredibly easy.
⦁ It is UL certified.
⦁ It comes with a manufacturer’s warranty.
What I Didn’t Like About First Alert CO615
⦁ Because you can simply plug it into an outlet, it could be tempting to put the device at a low level and close to the floor, or even on the floor itself. However, in order to easily read the display and find out if the CO level is at at dangerous level, the device must be placed at eye level.
⦁ The battery compartment’s design is poor, making it difficult to fit the batteries in and then closing it up.
⦁ If CO levels are below 30 PPM, no reading will be displayed.
⦁ It does not automatically show CO levels, unless they are too high. This is both an advantage and a disadvantage.
The Final Verdict
First Alert CO615 has been around for a long time and for good reason. It is vital that everybody protects themselves from the silent killer, and this device enables people to do so. It is a simple plug-in device that works perfectly thanks to its electrochemical sensor. The display is large and backlit for ease of use and it also has a battery backup in case there is ever a power outage.
It is easy to see, therefore, why so many people love this device. Yes, there are some design flaws with this device, particularly with the battery housing. On the other hand, it offers dual power, which only a few other devices do, and the device will also tell you whether the batteries have sufficient power or whether they need to be replaced.
Add to this the fact that it is UL (Underwriters’ Laboratory) certified and that it comes with an excellent warranty, and the fact that it is a surprisingly affordable device, it should be obvious why First Alert CO615 is 100% recommended.