Smart locks are a visible part of your home and you use them almost every day, so it’s important to find a reliable pick for your smart home. Here are some factors to consider when shopping:
Retrofit smart locks like the August lock replace the interior of your existing lock, but not the exterior keyhole or deadbolt.
Complete deadbolt or retrofit
Most smart locks replace the entire existing lock, including the inner thumbturn, outer keyhole, and center deadbolt. Such locks also come with their own key and can replace the one you are currently using.
Other products, such as the August Smart Lock and Lockly fingerprint models, are designed to work with at least some existing lock hardware. With a retrofit lock like this, you probably won’t need a new key at all, and you might not even need to replace the deadbolt. Such locks may be suitable for apartments where the building owner does not allow replacement of the entire lock.
access mode
Different smart locks take different approaches to break-ins. At a basic level, most smart locks allow you to lock and unlock your door wirelessly from your phone using an app. Some products add a keypad for coded input. This makes you a little less dependent on the key and makes it easier to share access with other users. Some of the latest smart locks have added touch sensitivity or fingerprint scanning, allowing you to get inside with just a tap. Apple also Home key” target=”_blank A feature in iOS15 lets you store your digital house key in Apple Wallet, allowing you to open compatible smart locks using your iPhone or Apple Watch’s NFC radio.
Paying for a smart lock that offers all of these things may be overkill. So feel free to dial in to the access mode that interests you the most. These days there are a lot of different options in the mix.
Platform compatibility and issues
Schlage Encode Plus is the first smart lock to support Apple Home Key. Similar to Apple Pay, Home Key lets you unlock your door using your iPhone or Apple Watch’s NFC radio.
If you have multiple types of smart home devices in your home, it’s best to control them all from one smart home platform. That way you don’t have to juggle multiple apps to automate everything. The most popular is Amazon Alexa. Google Home app and accompanying Google Assistant voice control. And then there’s Apple HomeKit, which powers Siri. Samsung SmartThings is another hub-centric smart home option.
So let’s talk about Matter. Matter (and its Tagalong protocol Thread) is an essential smart home protocol designed in collaboration with major brands such as Google, Amazon, and Apple. This ensures compatibility across different platforms and provides additional security and data transfer benefits. This is definitely something buyers should look out for.
Currently, smart lock companies are still adopting the Matter standard. Our top pick uses this and it’s one of the best options we’ve found. Some Schlage Encode locks use this, but it is not yet an option in Schlage Smart Level. The same goes for Yale Assure. August has also announced that it is working on bringing Matter to its smart his locks, so in some cases it may just be a “problem” to wait for the appropriate firmware update. .
Security and privacy
While smart locks aren’t as sensitive to your data as devices with built-in cameras and microphones, you still need to make sure it’s kept secure. Most, if not all, options use some form of encryption to keep the wireless communication between your lock and your phone or home network secure. You should also look for a lock that uses two-factor authentication to protect your account from malicious actors. Login. Also, like any other connected device in your home, you should always update your lock to the latest firmware and set a strong password in the app.
For lockpicking and other physical issues, you can check a lock’s ANSI grade to learn about its durability and how well it can withstand brute force entry attacks. While ANSI Grade 3 is the most basic rating, more and more smart locks are offering ANSI Grade 2 or Grade 1 ratings, which indicate they are built with commercial-grade durability. If you are concerned about forced input, such a lock may be a good investment.
Design considerations
Smart locks are installed on the front of your home’s exterior, so it’s worth aiming for something you don’t want seen. Some smart locks go out of their way to show off their gadget features with glowing touchscreens, color-coded LED indicator lights, and tech-forward designs. Some people take the opposite approach and do their best to make it look just like a standard lock, at least from the outside. Choosing your preference between the two approaches will help you narrow down your choices.
You should also consider how you will keep the lock powered. Most smart locks run on four AA batteries, but some take a different approach. For example, the Level Lock operates on one CR2 battery located inside the deadbolt itself. Eufy’s touchscreen smart lock, on the other hand, runs on a rechargeable battery pack.
