Best Smart Locks Reviews and Buying Guide
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In the present situation, there is a considerable increase in the number of thefts and break-ins in almost all parts of the world. So, as property owners, many people these days look for ways to secure their homes effectively. Thanks to the smart lock! This innovative technology is now safeguarding not only residential properties but also business properties effectively.
As a responsible property owner, you might be thinking to find the best smart lock for protecting your valuable property and the possessions stored therein. When you start searching for these locks to secure your property, you will be overwhelmed by the different choices available in the market. To reduce your confusion and to shortlist the best options available for you, we have provided the list of the top 12 options for smart locks. From this list, you can also find why these locks are best in their own ways.
You will agree that just having the list of top smart locks alone with how they are the best is not enough. You should get into detailed smart lock reviews of these top 13 products. To help you make an informed choice, we have posted a review of these products here:
This smart lock lets you lose your keys for good. After a big shopping when you are back home with lots of stuff in your hand, you can auto-unlock your home with this lock. If your hands are free, you can use the keypad for unlocking. The other option that this lock offers to unlock your property is to use the Yale Access App. Not only from your smartphone but also you can operate this lock using this app from your Apple Watch. With this lock, you are relieved of carrying your bulky key chain and can get key-free entry into your home.
Even, this lock will let you expand your smart home. Yes, you can connect this lock to your smart home system or your favorite voice assistant. It works not only with Apple HomeKit but also with Philips Hue, Airbnb, Hey Google and Amazon Alexa. It does not require you to add a hub as it comes included with Wi-Fi Connect Bridge.
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With this best smart lock, you can unlock your home from anywhere. It is possible because it supports Wi-Fi. You can simply set up the included Wi-Fi Bridge for unlocking and locking the Smart Lock comfortably from your phone. You can do this from anywhere and you need not have to be near your home. It has been designed to recognize your fingerprint just in 0.3 seconds. Also, it can unlock your door within 1 second. This is faster as compared to entering a key for unlocking your door.
You will be surprised to know that you can unlock this lock in 5 different ways. You have the option to open the smart fingerprint door lock instantly using your fingerprint. Otherwise, you can unlock using the Eufy Security App either using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Otherwise, you can use the key or electronic keypad. At times, when we are in a hurry we tend to forget to lock our homes. For this condition, this lock has been designed with an auto-lock feature. It comes with a built-in sensor that identifies when your door is closed and not locked and automatically locks.
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Are you thinking about whether it is possible to install a smart lock in your existing deadbolt lock? If so, you can rely on this product from August Store. It is mainly for this reason, this product is part of our smart lock reviews of the best options available in the market. It will help you gain access to your home through the August App. With this lock, you can forget key copying. The reason is that you can easily and quickly share temporary, schedule and permanent access to your home with friends and other people, whom you trust.
With this lock, you need not have to think about placing your home key under the doormat. It is has been designed as an easy-to-install lock and the installation will hardly take 10 minutes. It fits perfectly into most single-cylinder deadbolts.
This award-winning product has been rated by CNET Editors continuously for two years for its reliability. You can install it without any effect on the appearance of your door from the outside. The reason is that you can install it only on the inside portion of your home door.
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With this lock, you can unlock your door within a second. The reason is that it can recognize your fingerprint within 0.5 seconds. This lock uses patented PIN Genie Technology. With this technology, it will almost be impossible for intruders to know your code. The reason is that the keypad with the backlight always shuffles the location of numbers.
This best smart lock connects your Wi-Fi smart lock to your voice assistants like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Further, to make this connection easy, it comes with Wi-Fi Connect Bridge without the need for a hub separately. This unit will let you grant one-time digital eKeys or codes to your trusted friends and relatives in your home. Otherwise, you can set the access for a specific time duration. You can do this using your mobile phone.
With this unit, you need not have to feel worried about stolen, lost or copied keys again.
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This secure lock can easily replace your deadbolt lock if you already have one in your home. This lock will let you access your door without any key with an impressive LED keypad. Further, the keypad chimes play sounds to confirm your responses. Examples include turning on and off privacy mode, unlocking and locking.
This system is part of our smart lock reviews of the best units because it lets you provide access to trusted people without requiring you to be close to your home. For guest access, you can unlock your home with this system using your phone. Further, you have the option to give unique passcode to your guests and family members. You also have the option to set a schedule for the passcode to control when they should work. When you look for privacy, you can use the privacy mode. When this mode is on, the keypad will display but will not open with a passcode.
Further, from this lock, you can set alerts when someone unlocks or locks the door or tries to tamper with your smart door lock. You also have the option to check the status of your door lock from anywhere and can lock it with the Nest App.
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This Wi-Fi-enabled lock connects directly to your home network and smartphone. In turn, you can make your smart home secure without the need for any third-party smart home hub, subscription or panel. The unique feature of this unit is that it provides the opportunity for you to create 250 unique user codes for your guests, family and friends. Once used, you can delete these codes from your Kwikset App.
The lock also provides you the opportunity to set schedules for custom user codes from your smartphones with the help of the associated app. Also, the unit helps you get notifications on its activities. You can view the event history of the lock from your phone using the app.
The good thing about this smart lock is that it safeguards against advanced break-in techniques. Also, it allows you to re-key your lock in seconds yourself. It works with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. It is AAA and BHMA Certified for finish, durability and security.
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This lock has been designed to replace your thumb turn on the inside of your door. In turn, it makes your existing deadbolt smarter and more secure. This convenient product lets you keep away from your home door keys.
Are you worried that you cannot carry the keys of your home along as you are traveling hands-free? Nothing to worry about. You can just lock and unlock your door with the August app on your smartphone. You also get the option to lock and unlock using your Apple Watch via the August App. So, you need not have to carry your home keys every time.
With this best smart lock installed in your home, you need not have to worry about searching for key-copying outlets when you wish to share your home key with trusted friends and family members. You can provide them with unique codes that work all the time. Otherwise, you can also provide access at set schedules. With a live activity feed from the app, you can know exactly who came in and when to your home. When you reach home, you need not have to search for the phone every time. It will automatically unlock with its DoorSense feature. It works seamlessly with your smart home.
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This Wi-Fi-enabled unit can connect to your home wi-fi and your smartphone directly without requiring you to install a separate smart home panel or hub. With this lock, it will be possible for you to create 250 user codes uniquely for your guests, family and friends. Once used, you can delete or disable the code from the Kwikset App. You also have the option to set schedules for custom user codes from your smartphone with the help of the Kwikset App.
You can get notifications about the activities of your lock and can view the lock history from your phone with the help of the Kwikset App. The SmartKey Security safeguards your property against advanced break-in methodologies. Above all, it will permit you to re-key your lock yourself. You can do it within seconds.
This unit is part of our smart lock reviews of the best locks because it comes with a patented security feature for Kwikset touchscreen deadbolts. It prevents on-screen fingerprint user code identification by using random digits before you key in your personal user code. It works with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
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This smart lock provides you the opportunity to control it at any time and from anywhere. You can share access and even you can get to see, who entered and the exact time of entry using the smartphone app. This unit comes included with Wi-Fi Bridge. So, you need not have to install a separate Wi-Fi hub in your home.
When you intend to provide access to your trusted friends or maids into your home when you are away, you can share a code or Ekey remotely. You can choose to provide this access for a particular period or during any specific dates you need. The unique feature of this lock is that it provides you the opportunity to unlock your home in six different ways. They are using the mechanical key, shake to open, auto-unlock, smartphone, anti-peep keypad and touch & go 360-degree fingerprint ID.
This lock can lock your home automatically when you leave. Also, it can unlock automatically when you arrive at your door. You can get the door unlocked without having to pick up your phone from your shirt pocket. You can just keep the phone in your shirt pocket and it will automatically open when you get near the door. You can voice control the lock using Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. It is compatible with Apple Watch and works with IFTTT.
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This all-in-one best Smart Lock holds the pride of being the most versatile smart door lock by providing 5 different modes to unlock your home. Yes, you can control it using your smartphone from anywhere. Otherwise, you can use a mechanical key to unlock, shake or known to open, use code or use your fingerprint.
This unit assures easy DIY installation. It can quickly replace your present knob or level on your standard doors with a single hole. You can install it just using a screwdriver included in this set and you need not have any other tools to install it. It has been designed ideal for utility rooms, computer rooms, offices, bedrooms, home officers, wine cellars, basement, garage entry and side entry doors in your home.
This unit provides instant access with the second-generation lighting-fast fingerprint ID. Further, the lock is powered by a self-learning fingerprint algorithm.
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This unit is part of your smart lock reviews as it has been designed to suit Airbnb short-term rental houses, self-housing residents and rental property management. From this unit, you can get the option to generate a passcode remotely and can share it with your visitors and guests with ease. You can get five options to unlock your home. Yes, you can use the key, your smartphone, the fob, a code or your fingerprint to unlock your home.
You can easily install this unit within minutes just using the associated screwdriver. It does not require you to make any additional drills. The door handle is reversible both for right and left-handed doors.
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A smart lock is a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi-enabled smart home device. The good thing about this lock is that it allows you to leave your home locked without having to carry the key to unlock it.It will be easy to lock and unlock this lock with a tap of a finger. Otherwise, you can use your voice command to unlock. Even, these locks provide remote access such that you can let your guests unlock them even when you are away from your home.
When a smart lock is existing for a long, this technology is growing continuously. New locks are being released with an advanced set of features every year by lock manufacturers. These locks are undoubtedly innovative when it comes to ensuring the safety of any property. Nowadays, many of them come with an associated application to let you do more right from your smartphone. Even, you need not have to get near the door to unlock or lock it. Also, just in case, you forget to lock your home when you start with urgency, this lock will automatically lock your home after a few minutes. Let us gain more understanding about these locks here:
A smart lock is a keyless door lock. It will let you open your door without the need for a physical key. You can control it remotely with the help of the smartphone app that the manufacturer suggests you download from Google Playstore or Apple Store when you buy the lock. You can control the lock using the controls in the app.
Even, many models of this lock feature a numeric keypad. So, using your unique code, you can gain access to your home. Some offer both app control and keypad entry. These locks work by connecting to your home Wi-Fi network. Through net access, the lock sends a code to your smartphone for locking or unlocking.
Earlier when you were away from home when your friends visited, you asked them to take the key from a particular place in your home. It can be under the entryway doormat or in the garden or such places. If you install a smart lock, you might wonder how will your trusted friends and relatives access your home when you are away. To handle such situations, most smart locks these days permit owners to provide their friends with a one-time code that they can use to gain entry into the house.
You might wonder how are these locks installed. Some locks need replacing your main door entirely, while some permit installation of a smart lock into your original lock without requiring you to spend a lot of money on the installation of an entirely new lock. Nowadays, many locks are made in such a way that customers can install themselves with ease. Otherwise, most manufacturers also provide technical assistance if you want the installation done. What if your home internet has some issues? Most locks let you connect to another Wi-Fi connection like your smartphone’s internet so that you will not face any issues.
Naturally, you know that when you are installing a smart lock, you can prevent intruders from breaking into your property. But, what more will you get? Let us find out here:
When you have conventional locks in your home, you will have to change keys then and there. Only by doing this, you can ensure the safety of your property. Many people do this whenever they have handed over their keys to maids for one reason or another. Otherwise, some do this when they lose their keys to prevent the person, who got the lost key might break-in. But, the hassle of changing keys is eliminated with a smart lock. All you have to do is just change the entry code when you feel that the old code should be changed.
Often, house keys are misplaced. To prevent changing keys when one tenant vacates and a new tenant comes in, you can consider smart lock installation with keypads. With this lock, you can unlock your home using Bluetooth technology. Even, you can assign your kids their passcodes for gaining entry when they are back from school. With these facilities, a smart lock will increase accessibility to your property to trusted people without any compromise on security.
The good thing about smart locks is that they take away one of the greatest hassles. Apart from providing excellent security, they also get rid of the need to fumble and search for your house keys. You will no longer need time to search, where you have misplaced your keys. Even, you can easily provide access to your friends to your home by providing them with codes to gain entry when you are away. With this lock, you can prevent your keys from getting into unwanted hands. You are relieved of frantic searching for keys in the dark. So, you can reach your home with ease even at night.
Nowadays, it is hard to find adults without a smartphone. Thanks to smart locks that are made smartphone-friendly. We get back to our homes full of shopping bags with groceries, fruits, and vegetables in many instances. In these instances, we are juggled with finding the key. Many of us have faced such instances in our lives. With a smart lock, you can get your door automatically opened for you using your voice. When the lock is Bluetooth-enabled, it brings even more convenience of connecting itself with other devices in your home.
Not just via Bluetooth, most smart locks these days provide free apps. So, you can easily control the lock via your smartphone using these apps.
You can expect many other friendly and safety benefits from a smart lock as compared to a conventional locking system. So, without any doubt, this investment will be beneficial for you and your family.
When you intend to buy a smart lock, you will have to consider different factors. Here are some key factors to consider in this shopping:
A smart lock in your home will have to communicate with the other smart devices. For this communication, most manufacturers ensure that the lock uses one of the three popular protocols. They are Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, and Bluetooth. Each has its own pros and cons. You can gain more information about these protocols here:
Bluetooth:
This is the most commonly used protocol by most smart lock manufacturers. The reason is that it does not burn through battery life as quickly as Wi-Fi. Once installed, it will be hard for you to change the batteries then and there. But, if the lock is Bluetooth-enabled, the battery will last longer. Another attractive thing about this technology is that you can easily connect your phone and lock with this technology without the installation of any separate hub in your home.
Now, you know how is Bluetooth beneficial. You should know how is it not good as well, isn’t it? The con of this technology is that its range is somewhat limited. The range will be roughly around 300 feet. Due to this problem, you can control the lock when you are in your home. But, when you are far, you will lose connection. So, controlling the lock from a distant place will become hard.
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As against the locks with Bluetooth technology, Z-Wave locks do not connect straight with your smartphone. But, it needs you to connect to a hub that is compatible with Z-Wave. This hub will convert the Z-Wave signal from the lock into something that your router can comprehend. Once this happens, you can connect with your home entryway from any place.
So, you can understand that the benefit of the Z-Wave smart lock is that it will let you connect from anywhere. Nevertheless, the requirement to install an additional hub for communicating with your home Wi-Fi is the biggest problem with this protocol.
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Some smart locks in the market offer Wi-Fi as an optional add-on. In this type of lock, there will be a hub that will plug into a power outlet in your home and will bridge the connection between the Wi-Fi network in your home and the lock. Once plugged, you can control the lock from anywhere with Wi-Fi protocol in a smart lock.
With this technology, you will be able to unlock and lock your door remotely. Further, you also can create access codes for new users from anywhere and can see the status of your lock and activity log as well. Also, with Wi-Fi protocol, you will get features like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to voice control your lock. The issue with this protocol is that it needs Wi-Fi access at all times
Of course, smart locks are designed universally. Nevertheless, not all locks fit all doors. So, you should first know the dimension of the locks that will fit your home. Do not forget to check the dimensions of your door in and out before you buy.
When you begin your shopping for a smart lock, you will come across options under two main categories. The first category of locks will require you to entirely replace your existing in-door bolt lock. The other type is an add-on to your existing back or front door latch. These are retrofit locks and they are installed on the top of the rear thumb-turn cylinder inside your door. This type will leave the present key lock on the front of your door as such without any modification.
Which of these choices to make will be your question. Even, most homeowners decide that they can opt for a retrofit lock, where they need not have to replace the entire door for the installation of a smart lock. But, as against this model, the other model of replacement lock will be the best. The reason is that you can get many different choices when it comes to gaining entry into your home.
Further, people visiting your property irrespective of whether they visit with good or bad intentions will get to see that you have installed a smart lock. So, even if they came up with an idea of breaking in, they will not do it as they can see that you have installed a smart lock. But, with a retrofit lock, no one will know that you have installed a smart lock. Some feel that others knowing the presence of this lock is good, while others believe that it is not good. The choice is yours in this respect.
Fingerprint entry can be a convenient option if the smart lock is going to be installed in a place that will be accessed by nearly 100 people. Yes, this feature will be an added advantage if you plan to install the lock in your small business space. With this feature in the lock, you can make sure that only authorized employees gain access to areas, where your business has stored expensive products or sensitive information. Biometric smart locks are easy to program as well, thereby ensuring easy installation.
Different smart locks offer different techniques that will help you gain access to your home. For instance, you will come across locks with keypads. The other option is wireless locks. The problem with keypads is that they want you to remember many codes to gain entry into your home. On the other hand, wireless ones can be unlocked using your smartphone. Even, you will come across models that provide voice access entry. Some provide access via an App. But, with this technology, your friends might not want to download an app just because they want to stay in your home when you are away. If you feel that you will have frequent friend visits when you are away, you can go for a smart lock that offers other options to gain entry for them.
When talking about a smart lock, it will not be an overstatement to say that it is the newest innovation in home security products. Its main purpose is to ensure not only safety but also convenience as the motto. Apart from providing you with the option to unlock the door using a custom key code, you can also use your smartphone app to unlock your smart lock. Another feature that reiterates its safety to your home is that you are relieved of carrying keys with you. So, you need not have to worry about what will happen if you, unfortunately, lose the keys.
A smart lock can also let you use your voice for unlocking. If you are hands-full after completing a shopping, this feature will bring added safety and convenience to you. Another key reason that ensures the safety of these locks is that they operate via the associated app. When you keep this app updated, you can stay clear of new types of intrusions as well. Undoubtedly, by choosing the right smart lock, you can ensure the complete protection of your property.
Some owners keep away from the smart lock fearing that they won’t be able to turn off the lock from functioning once installed. They feel that at times, they will not need the smart lock to function as they can easily use the regular lock and unlock mechanism. But, the relieving thing about smart locks is that you can turn them off when you do not need them to function on their own. But, how to do it will be your question.
Most smart locks come with an auto-unlock and auto lock facility. The former works when the lock opens automatically when you get near the door without you requiring to enter a code or place your finger impression. The latter works when the lock automatically locks when it remains unlocked for a while irrespective of whether you are inside or outside the home. You can turn off this functionality via the associated smartphone app. Not only turning off and on, but also you do many other functions and controls through the app that comes as a part of your smart lock.
When your smart lock is not working all of a sudden, there are chances that there will be an issue with your phone. You can try to just turn off and turn on the lock app on your phone. But, if you have already done it and even if you have tried resetting your phone, the problem will be with your lock and not the phone.
Similar to all other electronic devices, there are chances of your smart lock malfunctioning. Nevertheless, being a security device, a broken smart lock can affect your home’s security to a great extent.
To unlock the device in case the lock is broken, you can follow the steps given below:
1. Check whether the battery in the smart lock is dead.
2. If the battery is not dead, just try to find whether the handle moves with ease. When it moves with ease, you can understand that there is no blockage.
3. If there is no blockage, there can be an issue with either the communication between the lock and the app. Otherwise, there can be a lack of communication with the security panel.
4. You can also try disabling and enabling the smart lock from your smartphone app.
Similar to most smart devices, people generally forget that a smart lock is actually a small computer. So, there is a greater possibility of hackers hacking it. They can access your phone’s data and can break in. Otherwise, they can access the lock itself if it is Bluetooth-enabled. Here are some methods that hackers can follow to hack a smart lock:
Via Bluetooth Sniffing:
As Bluetooth is the key communication protocol for most smart locks, it is crucial to know how hackers can listen to the communication. They can probably do so with the help of Bluetooth hacking devices that range from simple tools to even advanced technology. But, this way of hacking is possible only when the hackers are proximate to the lock. They can use Wi-Fi breaching to hack as well.
It is possible to reset a smart lock. Nevertheless, the method to follow for resetting differs based on the model and the brand of your lock. However, you can get a general idea of how to reset your smart lock:
You can start the resetting process by locking the deadbolt. Once you do this, get rid of the cover and the battery pack. You can find that the battery pack gets out of the top layer of the lock. When you lower the battery pack back into its slot, you will have to hold a button that you can find in the center of the lock. Now, continue to hold down the button for around 30 seconds. Otherwise, you will have to hold it until the light flashes red. After this, press the button again. You will find that the light flashes green and red a few times indicating that you have successfully reset the smart lock.
However, remember that the resetting process can be different for your smart lock. So, it is better to check the user manual once before you do anything to ensure safety.
Many of us have been using a traditional key lock in our homes for a very long now. The main difference between a traditional key lock and a smart lock is that the latter lets you move freely without requiring you to carry your home keys, wherever you go. In many instances, many of us have experienced the loss of keys. We have faced the hardships of calling a locksmith for breaking up our traditional key lock. The chances of losing physical keys are nullified with a smart lock as you need not have to carry any keys along.
Also, when there is a traditional lock in your home and your friends show interest to stay in your home when you are away, you have no other option other than placing the keys under the entryway mat. As this is the commonplace chosen by many homeowners for placing their keys, it becomes easy for intruders to break in. But, with a smart lock installed in your home, you can share a one-time code with your trusted friends. In turn, they can use the code to gain entry into your home. As this code you share will work only once, you need not have to worry about what will happen if the code gets into the wrong hands.
The purpose of a smart lock is to unlock and lock your entry door when it gets orders from an authorized appliance. It gets instruction from authorized devices using a wireless protocol and encryption key from the door. A smart lock can turn out to be a part of your smart home with ease.
When you take the case of an electronic lock, it is a locking device that operates using electric current. These locks are independent at times and their electronic control components are installed directly on the lock. It is possible to connect an electronic lock to an access control system.
You might wonder, which of these two locks is better. Here, a smart lock is better than an electronic lock in many ways. For instance, it will provide you with alternate input options. Further, it is possible to automatically unlock and lock without using your hands. Also, it is compatible with your smart home. As against an electronic lock that cannot function during a power outage, a smart lock does not essentially rely on electricity.
Without any doubt, investing in a smart lock is worthy. Of course, your initial investment will be more in this case as compared to a traditional lock and electronic lock. But, you can expect better security and many other advantages from a smart lock that are absent in other types of locks.
As a smart lock is compatible with your smart home, you can control it with ease with your smart devices. But, this type of control is not possible with traditional locks. Some might argue that there are chances of smart locks being hacked. But, by keeping the firmware updated and by regularly changing your Wi-Fi password, you can prevent hackers to ensure the safety of your smart lock. In turn, you can stay assured that your home remains safe.
Smart locks let you provide access codes to your reliable friends to gain access to your home even when you are not nearby. So, for these reasons and many other valid reasons, investing in a smart lock is undoubtedly worth every penny.
A smart lock can safeguard your property and your belongings. But, which of these top 13 options to choose will be your question. Your search for the best smart lock will end only when you choose the one that suits your requirements. Accordingly, based on our smart lock reviews, here are some options based on your needs:
This post was last modified on April 27, 2023 4:18 pm