Silence/Test Button The ability to silence your alarm via a button is more straightforward than having to disable the entire unit. Look out for models that have silence buttons since they have been engineered to remain silent once activated until a persistent trigger is detected. There are some models with one silence button, and there are those that provide two buttons. For the latter, one button is meant for false alarms while the second button helps notify users of low battery power. It may vary, but usually, the low battery button can be silenced for more extended periods than the regular alarm. Smoke and fire detectors are an essential part of your home or apartment. Their loud, piercing alarms should wake you if there’s a problem, so you and your loved ones can safely escape, or put out the fire. Smart smoke detectors go a step further, as they can send an alert to your smartphone if they sense something amiss. That way, if you’re at work, or out of town, you can call the fire department or a neighbor check on your house, to see if everything is OK. Another benefit of a smart smoke detector is that you can temporarily silence the alarm from your smartphone — so there’s no more trying to jab the Silence button with a broomstick after you set it off while cooking a steak. There's not a lot of choice when it comes to smart smoke detectors.