Product review

Updated April 2021

Smoke alarms

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

April 2018

Family Shield

FS-588HLL

Price

$18

Score

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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

9 Member reviews

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.

02 May 2021

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We have 3 of these alarms in the house, 2 of them have been replaced by the Distributors, Harkness & Young, at no cost to us as they had started going off inside the 10 year period.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.

04 Apr 2021

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.

03 Apr 2021

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.

15 Sep 2020

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

16 May 2020

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

02 Jul 2019

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.

17 May 2019

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.

17 May 2019

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.