Smoke alarm magnet buying guide
Updated: October 2026
You are standing under a hall ceiling with a battery smoke alarm in one hand and no wish to drill. A smoke alarm magnet buying guide has to start with that job, because the four packs on our [smoke alarm magnet comparison](/hub/fire-protection/smoke-alarm-magnet) are self-adhesive plates, not detectors. Peter F. checked the amazon.co.uk listings on 20 October 2026, not in a lab. If you buy through our links, a qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. By the end you should know whether to buy a plate, use the screws that came with the alarm, or wait until you own an alarm.
You are standing under a hall ceiling with a battery smoke alarm in one hand and no wish to drill.
You are standing under a hall ceiling with a battery smoke alarm in one hand and no wish to drill. A smoke alarm magnet buying guide has to start with that job, because the four packs on our smoke alarm magnet comparison are self-adhesive plates, not detectors. Peter F. checked the amazon.co.uk listings on 20 October 2026, not in a lab. If you buy through our links, a qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. By the end you should know whether to buy a plate, use the screws that came with the alarm, or wait until you own an alarm.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Plate size | Pack size | Listed weight | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  ECENCE ECENCE 70 mm magnetic mount, 10 pieces | 70 mm | 10 | 150 g | 9.5 | about £11.99 | View offer |
| Best value |  ECENCE ECENCE 50 mm magnetic mount, 10 pieces | 50 mm | 10 | 220 g | 9.3 | about £10.99 | View offer |
 ECENCE ECENCE 50 mm magnetic mount, 3 pieces | 50 mm | 3 | 68 g | 7.8 | about £5.99 | View offer |
On this page
What you are actually buying
Every kept listing is a magnetic plate. ECENCE sells a 70 mm ten-pack at about £11.99, a 50 mm ten-pack at about £10.99, and a 50 mm three-piece at about £5.99. IME sells a three-piece pad at about £5.99, listed as 5 × 5 × 1 cm. None puts a smoke alarm in the box. If you still need the detector, start with the smoke alarm comparison. A plate does not beep, and BS EN 14604 applies to the alarm, not the mount.
The click is the magnet. The part that has to stay on the ceiling is the adhesive. A 500 g bullet is a claim. Do not copy the 550 g figure from the separate page B01FUFN1PK onto the 70 mm ten-pack.
Measure the flat back
Measure the flat area on the back, not the outer case. Ribs, a battery door, or a curved cover shrink the patch the glue can wet. Trade pages pair a 70 mm plate with a base around 70 mm or more. Safelincs describes its 70 mm kit for bases at least 70 mm across, or 60 mm along each edge. A review on the three-piece 50 mm file called that size unsuitable for larger and interlinked alarms. The IME pad states no diameter. That match is the 50 mm or 70 mm page. Read the alarm manual before you skip its screws.
Ceiling first, then the price
The ceiling has to be smooth, sound, and free of dust. Safelincs has matt emulsion in mind. Bellman excludes vinyl, silicone, and Teflon-style coatings. Gloss, fresh filler, woodchip, stipple, and Artex fail even when the click feels firm. A larger disc does not repair loose paint. That limit is the textured ceiling page.
Three plates are about £5.99. The ten-packs are about £10.99 and about £11.99, about £1.10 to about £1.20 a plate. The 50 mm ten-pack is the best value for several compact alarms, 4.6 from 1,842 reviews. The 70 mm ten-pack is for larger flat backs, 4.6 from 2,047 reviews. The three-piece, 4.5 from 1,245 reviews, suits a hall and a spare. The IME pack is 3.8 from 56 reviews, with no numeric load. The two 50 mm pages share one photo, so pack size is the title.
What the law does not decide for you
In England, from 1 October 2022, a relevant landlord needs a smoke alarm on each storey used as living accommodation, a check at a new tenancy, and a repair if a fault is reported. After a remedial notice, a penalty can reach £5,000. The GOV.UK booklet does not mention magnets. Scotland, from 1 February 2022, expects interlinked ceiling alarms, and a plate does not interlink them. Wales and Northern Ireland are separate. Fire Kills still wants an alarm on every level, on the hall and landing ceiling, about 300 mm from walls and lights.
When to buy, and when to walk away
Buy a plate only after you have measured a flat back on a battery alarm you already own, and only if the ceiling is smooth and sound. Use 70 mm for larger backs and the 50 mm ten-pack for several compact alarms. Take three plates for one small alarm and a spare. Walk away if you still need the detector, if the manual wants its screws, if the paint is textured or fresh, or if a remedial notice is already in force.
Common questions
Does the pack include a smoke alarm?
No. All four listings kept here are plates or pads. The ECENCE three-piece contents line names three self-adhesive holders. The IME listing states that an alarm is not included. A catalogue word such as audible is not a sounder in the box. Buy the alarm first, then measure its flat back.
Will any magnet fit any alarm?
No. The plate has to sit on the flat back, and ribs reduce the glue contact. A 70 mm disc is the trade size for bases around 70 mm. A 50 mm disc is for a smaller alarm, and one review called it unsuitable for larger and interlinked units. The IME listing gives 5 × 5 × 1 cm and no diameter. Check the manual before you drop the screws.
Is 50 mm cheaper for a reason?
The 50 mm ten-pack is about £10.99 against about £11.99 for the 70 mm ten-pack, about £1 on the pack, or about 10p a plate. The three-piece is about £5.99, about £2 a plate, dearer per disc than either ten-pack. Both ECENCE sizes claim 500 g. The lower unit price does not make 50 mm correct for a large base.
Can a landlord use adhesive instead of screws?
The English regulations do not mention magnets, screws, or adhesive. They require a working smoke alarm on each relevant storey, a check at the start of a new tenancy, and a repair if a fault is reported. A pad can hang a battery alarm on a sound flat ceiling. It does not, by itself, meet a landlord's duty, and it does not interlink alarms for a Scottish home. A remedial notice is a compliance problem, not a fitting tip.
What if I cannot reach the ceiling safely?
Stop. GOV.UK points you to the local fire and rescue service rather than a taller chair. A mains alarm is outside this buy as well, because mains work needs an electrician. An alarm left on the floor is not a fitted alarm, and a magnetic plate does not make an unsteady job safe.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources from the research digest, retrieved 20 October 2026. Listing prices, stars, and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures stored with this comparison.
- Fire Kills — detection (retrieved 20 October 2026)
- GOV.UK — fire safety in the home (retrieved 20 October 2026)
- GOV.UK — smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, landlord booklet (retrieved 20 October 2026)
- legislation.gov.uk — Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 (retrieved 20 October 2026)
- Scottish Government — fire and smoke alarms in Scottish homes (retrieved 20 October 2026)
- Scottish Government — tolerable standard, fire and carbon monoxide detection (retrieved 20 October 2026)
- Safelincs — magnetic alarm mounting kit (retrieved 20 October 2026)
- Bellman & Symfon UK — magnetic mount kit (retrieved 20 October 2026)