First Alert SC5 Battery Smart Smoke & CO Alarm vs Google Nest Protect (Battery)

The Google Nest Protect (Battery) is better overall, winning on price, owner rating, a broader sensor suite, self-testing and a pathlight, plus documented Home Assistant support. The First Alert SC5 Battery Smart Smoke & CO Alarm counters with a much longer 10-year warranty and 10-year battery rating, so it wins on longevity.

The biggest difference is depth of features versus longevity. The Google Nest Protect (Battery) adds occupancy, temperature, humidity, light and motion sensors, self-test and a pathlight, while the First Alert SC5 Battery Smart Smoke & CO Alarm focuses on core smoke-and-CO sensing with a 10-year warranty and battery life.

The First Alert SC5 Battery Smart Smoke & CO Alarm wins here, with a 10-year battery rating and a 10-year warranty. The Google Nest Protect (Battery) runs on 6 AA batteries rated for about 2 years and carries a 2-year warranty, trading longevity for far more sensing and smart features.

The Google Nest Protect (Battery) works with Google Home and Home Assistant. The First Alert SC5 Battery Smart Smoke & CO Alarm works with Google Home over Wi-Fi, and its Home Assistant support is not documented. Neither supports Alexa, Apple HomeKit, SmartThings or Matter, so both suit Google-centric or standalone setups.

Buy the Google Nest Protect (Battery) if you want the better-rated, feature-rich smoke-and-CO alarm with spoken early warnings, self-testing, a pathlight and extra sensors, and you live in a Google or Nest household without hardwired alarm wiring.

Buy the First Alert SC5 Battery Smart Smoke & CO Alarm if you prioritize a long 10-year warranty and battery life, want combined smoke and CO detection with voice alerts naming the danger and its location, and use Google Home.