Aqara Smart Smoke Detector vs First Alert SC5 Hardwire Smart Smoke & CO Alarm

A hub-dependent Zigbee sensor against a self-contained hardwired alarm: the First Alert SC5 Hardwire Smart Smoke & CO Alarm has the edge here, covering carbon monoxide alongside smoke, running on mains power with a battery backup instead of a single battery cell, and backing it up with a warranty about ten times as long (10 years versus the Aqara's 1 year) plus steam-check tuning. The Aqara Smart Smoke Detector fights back on cost and ecosystem reach, undercutting the SC5 Hardwire on price, earning a higher owner rating, and plugging into Apple HomeKit, Home Assistant, IFTTT and Matter once paired with a Zigbee hub such as the Aqara Hub M3, plus a colorful status light the SC5 Hardwire skips. The two also differ in what they actually detect: the Aqara unit is smoke-only, so anyone needing carbon monoxide coverage in the same device has to look at the SC5 Hardwire. Zigbee and HomeKit households who already own a hub and only need smoke detection get more automation flexibility from the Aqara Smart Smoke Detector, while homes with existing alarm wiring that want combined smoke and CO protection in one unit should choose the First Alert SC5 Hardwire Smart Smoke & CO Alarm.