Best Smart Locks for Incredible Security
One of the essential gadgets in any smart house, if you’ll excuse the pun, is smart locks. These gadgets not only regulate access into your home, but they can also inform you who is coming and departing from anywhere, saving you from having to create and distribute replacement keys. The highest-rated smart locks in 2023 allow you to generate virtual keys and time-sensitive passcodes, enabling you to manage who and when you may enter your home – ideal for rental homes.
Smart locks may also send you notifications when someone tries to sneak into your house. These can also communicate with other smart home equipment, allowing you to switch on the lighting and adjust your temperature when you open the door. Here are the top smart lock alternatives, as well as what you should know before purchasing one and how to pick the appropriate lock for your requirements.
Buying Guide to Finding a Smart Lock
Scrambling for the proper key to unlock the door may appear to be a little inconvenient, but it can be really aggravating. Knowing the different types of electronic door locks can assist you in deciding which approach is ideal for you. In the event of a battery or technical failure, most electronic locks will still provide a physical key alternative.
What Factors Regarding a Smart Lock Are Worth Considering?
Design
Your smart lock must be in accordance with the rest of your home’s decor. You will come across locks in a variety of styles, colors, and designs.
Security
Smart locks offer one or more access choices; you may pick which one you prefer.
Keys
Some smart locks include a traditional keyhole, similar to a traditional lock. You can even re-key some of the smart locks for a smoother transition.
Virtual keys
You may send a digital code to anyone who can then use the smart lock software on their phone to access your entrance. You have complete authority over the duration of these credentials.
Keypads
Most smart locks enable you to produce and maintain dozens, if not hundreds, of distinct key combinations, making this the most popular method of entry.
Reader for fingerprints
Many smart locks now have biometric readers, which eliminate the need to memorize a passcode. Moreover, you don’t have to carry keys with you all the time to get access; merely lay your finger against the sensor, and the door will readily unlock.
Connectivity
The most common radios integrated into smart locks are Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Bluetooth, which need little power. Wi-Fi is increasingly being incorporated into smart locks, making it easy to link them to your home network.
How Did We Choose the Finest Smart Locks?
Installing a smart lock on your door and seeing how effectively it works is the only way to truly test it. The simplicity of installation is the primary consideration. Someone with a screwdriver and a little know-how should be able to install a smart lock on their front door. To activate smart locks virtually, most of them now require a Wi-Fi gateway, which adds another layer to the setup procedure.
After that, we consider the level of effectiveness with which the lock performs in regular use. Is it as simple to operate as a regular door lock? How user-friendly is the app? What functions does it have? The finest smart locks allow you to establish multiple temporary “keys” that you may give to others to unlock the door. You should be able to schedule when certain keys will operate, ideally. If you have a dog walker, for instance, you must be able to set the online key so that he or she only works during the weekdays.
We also check if the smart lock is compatible with other smart home gadgets. Even nicer, when a smart lock can be used in conjunction with smart lighting and alarm technologies to build a completely automated environment.
Which Type of Smart Lock Will Work For You?
Smart locks with a keypad and a combination
To unlock the door, you’ll need a pin code from a smart lock with a keypad. These are simple to set up and assign various PINs to different persons, so you always know who is coming and departing and when. The majority of smart keypad locks utilize a touchscreen, but a handful requires you to push physical buttons to operate. Most of these models also include an optional linked capability, allowing you to connect them to other smart home devices such as those that support Z-Wave, for example.
Smart locks with keyless and wireless access
There are several keyless and wireless smart locks available. That means you can leverage your Wi-Fi connection to link to your smart locks if you have one. You may open the lock by tapping it with your phone or a specified key-fob.
Some smart lock manufacturers also provide generic bridge-like devices that allow you to link their locks to your home Wi-Fi network. You’ll be able to access, monitor, and operate those locks from afar.
Smart lock with a fob
These operate with a key fob that you keep in your handbag, pocket, backpack, or another bag. In most cases, a single key-fob can access numerous door locks. In another sense, as long as your entrance door lock, back door lock, lateral door lock, and other locks are all linked to the same network of locks, a single key-fob may open them simultaneously.
Smart locks with fingerprint and biometric recognition
Fingerprints are one-of-a-kind and extremely difficult to duplicate or modify. When you place your finger on the lock’s scanner for the first time, the data is collected and preserved using pre-saved identification values, allowing you to provide access to numerous individuals.
There are a few possible drawbacks with these sorts of locks, including the fact that you can’t change your fingerprint as you can a password, which means you’ll have to replace the locks in some situations. Moreover, wounds or scratches on your finger, as well as power interruptions, might lock you out.
What Kind of Doors Should Have Smart Locks Installed?
Doors to the front
The majority of smart locks are used in these areas. However, there are left-handed and right-handed lever handle sets, so keep that in mind while shopping for a smart door lock.
Furthermore, when purchasing smart locks for an outside door, ensure that they are meant to be used outside and are not labeled for use exclusively on internal doors.
Sliding glass doors
Since they’re so easy to break into, a sliding glass door is one of your home’s most susceptible doors. As a result, finding ways to lock a sliding glass door is the greatest thing you can do to protect them.
Doorways to the bedroom
Bedroom and bathroom smart locks function similarly to other smart door locks. The main difference is that you’ll need to seek internal smart door locks that are branded “for interior doors” while shopping. These are also available in a number of colors and finishes, making them compatible with a wide range of existing hardware and interior decors.
The Great Smart Lock You Can Buy in 2023
Yale Smart Lock
– Best Overall
Do you have a lot in your hands most of the time and find it hard to take out keys and open the door? Auto-Unlock will open your door for you. Alternatively, you may use the keypad or the app on your phone to unlock the door.
When you come home, just use your smartwatch or mobile phone and you can unlock the door and get inside the home completely hands-free. Your house is automatically secured with Auto-Lock and Door Sense after your door is closed or after a certain period of time has passed. It has a fully motorized and extremely quiet certified deadbolt.
- Possible to have two hundred and fifty pin codes
- When you reach home, the door automatically unlocks
- For complete usability, an extra hub is required
Lockly Smart Lock
– Runner Up
This smart lock uses a sophisticated 3D fingerprint sensor to unlock your door. Lockly, unlike other smart locks, solely employs high-quality capacitive fingerprint sensors that only identify fingerprints, as opposed to less secure optical readers.
The patented PIN Genie technology makes guessing your unique access code virtually difficult. Lock and unlock your house, business, or rental property door from anywhere in the globe using your smartphone and a secure Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection. For further security, it comes with two actual backup keys.
- Autosave complete access history
- Allows you to create codes that only function once or during specific hours
- House doors with deadbolts are not compatible
Eufy Security Smart Lock
– Honorable Mention
In only 0.3 seconds, this smart lock identifies your fingerprint and opens the door. It is a lot quicker than looking for your keys to get inside your home. This smart lock features a built-in sensor that identifies when your door shuts and instantly locks it, keeping your house safe even when you’re in a rush.
This smart lock is waterproof and ready to safeguard houses in any climate. It can tolerate extreme temperatures as well as rain and will last for years.
- Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) certified
- Stainless steel coating withstand a weight of more than 1100 kg
- The battery performance is not good
August Home Smart Lock
– Also Consider
August’s previous smart lock didn’t need much improvement, but the manufacturer went ahead and modified it to make it smaller and simpler to operate. The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is a lot smaller than the original and it now includes built-in Wi-Fi.
If you are a tenant or someone who wants to avoid the hassles of replacing locks every few months, this lock proves to be a pioneer in smart locks and keyless entry. A control system, low power warnings, and a safe built-in Wi-Fi link are all included. When you’re at home, there’s also Bluetooth connectivity for greater battery life.
- Compatible with your existing deadlock
- Compliant with home automation
- Installation is simple
- The keypad is not included
- Battery life is minimal
ULTRALOQ Smart Lock
– Another Option
This smart lock is perfect since it has a Touch and Go 360° Fingerprint ID and an anti-peep Panel. You may use Bluetooth to operate your Ultraloq Smart Lock. Using a mobile application, you can lock, reopen, share rights, and check a track of who has visited and when they did so.
You may give your relatives, friends, or service personnel access to your home using a code or an eKey for unrestricted access, on certain dates, or time intervals. To open your smart lock, all you need is a single touch. With your smartphone in your pocket, the smart lock gets locked as you leave and opens when you return home.
- There’s also a physical backup key for urgent activation
- Even if the batteries in your smart lock are depleted, you may use an additional charger to reactivate it
- Fingerprint functions do not work all the time
People Also Asked
A: Smart locks, regardless of who you are, are worth the investment since they eliminate any vulnerable moments while also improving security in other ways.
A: Many smart locks can not only be hacked but they have also been shown to have additional flaws, such as the ability to be removed using a flathead screwdriver.
A: Smart Lock offers a number of ways to keep your Android phone unlocked in pre-approved situations. It's a basic yet useful technique for striking a decent equilibrium between safety and convenience.
