Eton Blackout Buddy CO review: a CO alarm with a flashlight built in for the night the power fails

This is a research-based review, based on manufacturer specs and published data. We do not test products. Specs come from Eton's product page for the American Red Cross Blackout Buddy CO (BBCO), checked November 1, 2026. Safety guidance comes from the CDC, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Ready.gov.

Two things go missing in the first minutes of a night blackout: light, and any sense of whether the generator someone just started is putting fumes into the house. Eton's Blackout Buddy CO tries to cover both from one outlet. It is a plug-in carbon monoxide alarm with a ppm display and AA backup, and it has an LED flashlight built in.

Eton says it is ETL certified to UL 2034, the standard residential CO alarms are listed to, and gives it a 10-year lifetime. The page is thinner on other numbers, so this review sticks to what Eton states.

Who should buy it

• Households that want a CO alarm and a known-location flashlight in the same hallway outlet.
• People who like a live reading. The display shows current CO levels in parts per million.
• Families who already use Eton's other Blackout Buddy lights and want a matching CO unit.

Who should skip it

• Anyone who wants no battery maintenance. The backup cells are replaceable, so they need replacing. The Kidde COBD10 uses a sealed 10-year battery.
• Buyers who need a stated alarm volume. Eton's page does not list a decibel figure; Kidde and First Alert list 85 dB.
• People who need a bright work light. Eton does not list lumens for the flashlight. For real light, see the Energizer WeatheReady lantern.

Strengths

• UL 2034 certification. Eton says it is ETL certified to UL 2034 CO standards.
• Keeps working in an outage. Replaceable AA batteries take over when the 120 V outlet loses power, which Eton says gives continuous protection.
• Live ppm readout. The display shows current CO levels, so you can see a rising number before it reaches alarm level.
• Flashlight in a known spot. The built-in LED flashlight is where the alarm is, which is the one place in a dark house you can find by memory.
• 10-year lifetime, per Eton.

Drawbacks

• Several specs missing. Alarm volume, flashlight output, flashlight runtime and number of backup cells are not on Eton's page.
• Display wording is inconsistent. Eton's page calls it both an LCD and an LED display. Either way, it shows ppm.
• Outlet-bound. Direct plug only, so it goes wherever the outlet is.
• Shared batteries. If the flashlight runs on the same backup cells as the alarm, heavy flashlight use could drain the alarm's backup. Eton does not say. Use a separate light for long tasks.

How it compares

The Blackout Buddy CO against other alarms that keep working without grid power. Figures are from each manufacturer's page, checked November 1, 2026.

Using it in a long outage

Set it up

1. 01Install fresh AA batteries before plugging it in, and date them.
2. 02Plug it into a hallway outlet outside the bedrooms, not one controlled by a wall switch.
3. 03Use the alarm's test function to confirm the siren and light.
4. 04Show everyone in the house where it is and that it doubles as a flashlight.

Ready.gov advises CO detectors with battery backup in central locations on every level of the home. One Blackout Buddy CO in the bedroom hallway is a good start; add another on the level closest to where a generator will run, and one in any room with a fuel-burning heater.

Reading the number

A ppm display gives you an early hint. A reading that climbs while a heater or generator runs is a reason to shut the source down from outside and air the house out, even before the alarm sounds. If the alarm does sound, the CDC's advice is to get to fresh air right away and call for help. The CDC lists headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain and confusion as the most common symptoms.

Keep it going through a long outage

Check the display morning and evening. If it goes blank or shows a low-battery state, replace the AA cells right away with fresh ones from a set kept just for the alarm. For room lighting, use lanterns, and save the alarm's flashlight for finding the lantern. CPSC's Carbon Monoxide Information Center covers the generator and heater rules that cause most outage CO cases.

Eton also makes a plain Blackout Buddy Swivel power-failure light without a CO sensor, if you want automatic light in more rooms.