Or do you consider it a waste of electricity?
AsideFor commercial units or units without a test button, the aerosol or the magnet is the preferred method of testing (compared to actual smoke) as it will not leave behind residue which can effect certain types of smoke detectors (namely the photoelectric type.) Finally, contrary to many of your other answers, unless your smoke detector has an intregal heat detector, heat will not set it off. (Some do, most don't.)
Ours goes off when there is smoke coming from the stove or something. :] It's pretty cool!
The test button on it or smoke!
smoke, if you cover the detector it will go off because it thinks smoke is covering it too.
Plaster would be more durable, but you can also get rubber or silicon moulding material which is flexible, so easy to remove from the original and cast.
