Smoke and CO alarms sold online: what the CPSC's October 29 warnings mean, and how to choose one

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warned consumers on October 29, 2026, to stop using two combination smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms sold online. According to the agency, both models fail to alarm when hazardous smoke and fire are present. Neither warning comes with a remedy: in each case the CPSC says those it asked to recall the alarms did not respond, so it tells owners to stop using them, dispose of them and install working alarms.

Which alarms the warnings cover

Both models are white plastic units with a digital display, and both were sold on Amazon.com and eBay.com, singly and in multipacks.

On the GuardianSense/KLTseanife alarm, the model number and the manufacturer are listed on the back. Both models were made in China, the CPSC says.

These are not the first such warnings this year. On August 20, 2026, the CPSC gave the same advice about TJTFJS 2-in-1 CO and smoke detectors, model TJ00907, which it said can fail to alert consumers to hazardous smoke and fire. Those were sold on Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Kmart.com, Sears.com and Desertcart.com, and the CPSC says some were sold without a model number listed.

A warning is not a recall

In all three cases the CPSC says the seller or maker did not respond to its request for a recall, and the warnings offer no refund or replacement. The agency also asks owners not to sell the alarms or give them away. Our guide to checking recalls before you buy a kitchen appliance explains the difference between a recall and a warning, and how to check a model against the CPSC's listings.

What to buy instead

Each warning carries the same buying advice: choose smoke alarms and CO detectors that meet UL 217 and UL 2034. Both standards are published by UL Standards & Engagement. UL 217 covers smoke alarms; its current edition, the tenth, was published on November 27, 2024 and last revised on January 14, 2026. UL 2034 covers single and multiple station CO alarms; its current edition, the fifth, was published on June 3, 2024.

A CO alarm built to UL 2034 is meant to sound before CO reaches levels at which people can no longer react to the danger. It is not designed to go off at every trace of the gas. The standard's scope says such alarms are not intended to alarm during long-term, low-level exposure, or slightly higher short-term exposure, such as from air pollution or from fuel-burning appliances and fireplaces that are properly installed and maintained.

If you want alarms that work together, UL 217's scope also covers smoke alarms interconnected so that when one sounds, they all sound, and it allows an alarm to include a built-in transmitter that sets off a remote sounder. A standard number on the box is only as good as the certification behind it. Our guide to counterfeit safety marks explains how to check a product against Intertek's and CSA Group's online listings.

Types and typical prices

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) says smoke alarms come in two basic types, ionization and photoelectric, and that they detect different types of fires. Because no one can predict which kind of fire might start, it recommends that every home and place where people sleep have both types, or dual-sensor alarms that contain both kinds of sensor.

USFA also recommends interconnected alarms, so that when one sounds they all do, and points to alarms for people with hearing loss, which may use strobe lights or vibration. Your city, county or state may require a particular type, so it suggests checking with your local fire marshal.

Power matters too. According to USFA, battery alarms run on a disposable 9-volt battery or a nonreplaceable 10-year lithium-ion battery, and hardwired alarms usually have a backup battery that needs replacing once a year. It says only qualified electricians should install hardwired alarms.

Where to put them, and how to keep them working

• Smoke alarms: inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, according to the CPSC. USFA adds: on the ceiling or high on a wall, following the maker's instructions.
• CO alarms: on each level of the home and outside sleeping areas, but not in attics or basements unless they include a sleeping area, the CPSC says.
• Power: the CPSC says alarms should be battery-operated or have battery backup.
• Testing: the CPSC recommends testing alarms monthly and replacing the batteries every year. USFA says to replace a smoke alarm 10 years from its manufacture date, or as the maker instructs for 10-year battery models.
• Cooking: if a smoke alarm goes off while you cook, USFA says to open a window or door and press the hush button, wave a towel at the alarm to clear the air, and never take the battery out.

The stakes are high. The CPSC says accidental CO poisoning associated with consumer products, apart from fires, kills more than 200 people in the US every year, and that more than 100 of those deaths are linked to portable generators. Once a smoke alarm sounds, USFA warns, there may be less than 2 minutes for everyone to get out safely.

If you own one of the warned models

• Check the model number: JZA-540COM, YHW-542COM-R or, from the August warning, TJ00907.
• Follow the CPSC's advice: stop using it, dispose of it and install working smoke and CO alarms. Do not sell it or give it away.
• Report any safety incident with it to the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov.