Consumer. Now you know.
Join Consumer Donate
Smoke alarm on ceiling.
Product review
Updated April 2021

Smoke alarms

We tested 12 models to see which respond fastest to smoke.

Family Shield FS-588HLL
April 2018

Family Shield

FS-588HLL

Price
$18
Score
70
OK

    Why is this free?

    This report is free thanks to funding from Tenancy Services.

    Consumer NZ is non-profit. To help us get a fairer deal for all New Zealand consumers you can become a Consumer member or make a donation. We’ll use your contribution to investigate consumer issues and work for positive change.

    Donate

    Test results

    • 60
      Ease of use

    More test results

    • Smouldering fire sensitivity

      Good

    • Flaming fire sensitivity

      OK

    Model

    • Avg price

      $18

    • Alarm type

      Photoelectric

    • Noise

      97dBA

    • Battery type

      Sealed lithium

    • Size

      Standard

    Features

    • Battery life

      10 years

    • Alarm life

      10 years

    • Warranty

      10 years

    • Hush period

      10min

    • Carbon monoxide alarm
    • Alarms can be linked
    • Voice alerts

    More info

    • Notes

      -

    • Availability

      -

    Member reviews

    10 Member reviews

    Not worth buying

    Pros

    The claimed 10 year life was attractive

    Cons

    Fitted for 2 years. False alarms are starting. It will have a one-way trip to the bin.

    Recommend it?

    No, this product has too many drawbacks.

    David H.

    Used 6 months or more

    3 out of 5 are faulty

    Pros

    Small and discreet.

    Cons

    These came with a new home build finished May 2020. Repeated false alarms any time of the day or night for no reason. Loud enough to have our neighbours contacting us when we are out, more than once. Diabolical. Barely 2 years into the 10 year guarantee! Currently researching Consumer Mag for a better product. I can't give this a zero rating unfortunately, so 1 star it is.

    Recommend it?

    No, this product has too many drawbacks.

    Blair G.

    Used 6 months or more

    Great Service

    Pros

    We have 3 of these alarms in the house, 2 of them have been replaced by the Distributors, Harkness & Young, at no cost to us as they had started going off inside the 10 year period. We contacted them by email at sales@harknessyoung.co.nz and gave them the model and serial numbers and received a new alarm by courier within a couple of days.

    Cons

    None, although they have gone off, the fact that they are replaced FOC means I will continue to use them

    Recommend it?

    Yes, I recommend this product.

    Russell M.

    Used 6 months or more

    FS-588H is rubbish

    Pros

    It was cheap.

    Cons

    1. It was cheap.
    2. Fitted two just over a year ago, one is still working ok, the other went off with a false alarm that could only be stopped by ripping the battery out.

    Recommend it?

    No, this product has too many drawbacks.

    Niki P.

    Used 6 months or more

    False alarm and couldn't hush it

    Pros

    We were attracted to the 10 year life and bought a two pack from Bunnings.

    Cons

    A few months after installing, it went off at 2am. We could only hush it for 60 seconds and then it started up again. We couldn't open it to remove the battery - because it's made to be closed. In a now funny story, husband and son had to get tools and pry it open and cut wires as if they were defusing a bomb. It was the only way to stop it and, of course, completely ruined it. We had lost the receipt but wanted Bunnings to know about it so my husband emailed them to ask them to tell the manufacturer. He received no response from Bunnings. We will dump the other one - a crying shame.

    Recommend it?

    No, this product has too many drawbacks.

    Andrew S.

    Used 1 - 3 months

    Absolute rubbish - false alarms

    Pros

    Nothing

    Cons

    Bought five of these from Bunnings in June 2019. By May 2020, we have replaced one because the battery went flat, and are about to replace another because it is giving us multiple false alarms. These should never have passed NZS/AS in my opinion.

    Recommend it?

    No, this product has too many drawbacks.

    Chris F

    Used 6 months or more

    Too many false alarms

    Pros

    Nothing

    Cons

    We have some false alarms in the middle of the night; then today I got a phone call to say there were fire engines at my house.... another false alarm that a neighbour called in!

    Recommend it?

    No, this product has too many drawbacks.

    Karolyn

    Used 1 - 3 months

    too many false alarms

    Pros

    I was attracted by the 10 year battery life

    Cons

    Multiple false alarms, especially on colder mornings. Possibly caused by condensation / bathroom moisture? Im taking it back to Bunnings despite no longer having the receipt, just so they know.

    Recommend it?

    No, this product has too many drawbacks.

    Bill E.

    Used 6 months or more

    faulty alarms

    Pros

    I don't like it

    Cons

    I have 3 and 2 have gone off for no reason

    Recommend it?

    No, this product has too many drawbacks.

    Monty A.

    Used 1 - 3 months

    Beware

    Pros

    Nothing

    Cons

    I bought 2 "Family Shield" (from Bunnings) alarms with the model number SD-588H-LL in 2015. The model was SD-588H-LL and the packaging referred to harco.co.nz. I realise this is a slightly different model, but the 588HLL identifier has to be a worry. Both started giving false alarms within a few months. Nothing wrong with the batteries. I took one alarm back and got it exchanged, but the new started giving false alarms a few months later. Gave up and binned them. Distributors & retailers shouldn't be allowed to sell substandard safety product.

    Recommend it?

    No, this product has too many drawbacks.

    John B.

    Used 1 - 3 months

    Have you used this product? Share your opinion with Consumer members

    See all 10 member reviews

    We also tested

    Not found what you want?
    We've tested 11 other smoke alarms.

    Compare smoke alarms
    Fire Angel smoke alarm
    $50
    Fire Angel
    ST-750
    Score
    80
    Good
    Recommended
    Goldair smoke alarm
    $29
    Goldair
    GS-526
    Score
    80
    Good
    Recommended
    Nest smoke alarm
    $199
    Nest
    Protect A13
    Score
    80
    Good
    Recommended
    © Copyright Consumer NZ. All rights reserved.

    This site uses cookies to help us understand how visitors engage with our website. By using Consumer NZ, you accept our use of cookies.