Smoke Alarm silencer a must-have for anyone who likes their steaks really seared

Having just refurbished my house (and complied with all the building regulations, if anyone from Westminster Council is reading this) I had to put a smoke alarm in my kitchen. So far, so safety-concious. But what happens when I'm griddling steak or tuna? A piercing noise that turns my dog into jello and me into a fury. Why, I thought, didn't manufacturers put a button on it that turns the sound down — or off — when it's a false alarm?

Designer Beth Fuller has evidently been reading my mind. Her Smokey the Remote Smoke Alarm Silencer is a cutesy orange fridge magnet with an XBee chip inside that communicates remotely with the smoke alarm, (and don't you just love that Fifties UFO-esque design?) turning it off when you press the little fella's right arm.

Smokey also doubles up as a kitchen timer, using its left arm to set up to 60 minutes of time. Let's just hope that its secondary function isn't connected to the smoke alarm, filling the house with a heart attack-inducing piercing blast when your slow-roasted pork shoulder is ready.

Via Yanko Design