Carbon monoxide, also known as CO, is a best portable carbon monoxide detector, odorless, tasteless gas that can build up to deadly levels in enclosed spaces like cars or homes. This can happen when people burn charcoal, wood, propane or any other fuel without proper ventilation. Luckily, portable carbon monoxide detectors are available to help prevent such tragedies from occurring. These gadgets are compact and can be brought on trips so you’ll always have an extra layer of safety protection in your bag, whether you’re headed on a hike or planning to stay in a hotel.

If you’re looking for a lightweight option, this one from Toxin Sensors has a carabiner that lets you attach it to your backpack or luggage. It also works as a smoke and humidity monitor so you can keep tabs on the air quality wherever you are. The alarm starts at 25 PPM with progressive alarms going up to 500 PPM, which is loud enough to alert you to any elevated levels of CO in the room.

Choosing the Best Portable Carbon Monoxide Detector: Features to Consider

Another popular option is this plug-in model from First Alert that’s fairly compact and has a voice alarm. It can interconnect with other devices and has a 9-volt battery backup in case of power outages. However, it’s slightly more expensive than some of the other options in this article.

If you’re traveling to a country where you don’t speak the language, this carbon monoxide detector from Gzair is ideal because it comes with an English-language instruction manual and has a voice that speaks instructions. It also has a digital display that shows your current CO level, as well as battery life and status. You can even use an app to get notifications when it’s triggered, which is helpful when you’re away from home.