A Guide to the Best Smart Locks on the Market
Looking for the best smart locks on the market? SmartMove’s guide has everything you need to know.
The front door to your home stands guard over your family and belongings, but how many times have you driven away from home trying to remember if you locked the door? Or perhaps this scenario rings a bell: your child gets home from school before you and calls saying they forgot their house key. Now they have to sit outside alone until you get home or hope a neighbor is home to watch over them for a bit. Installing a smart lock on your front door will offer you home security and peace of mind in these types of situations.
If you’re ready to make your home safer and smarter by getting a smart lock, then keep reading for all you need to know about smart lock features and our top suggestions.
What is a Smart Lock?
A smart lock is a powerful and practical piece of a smart home setup. Bluetooth or WiFi-enabled, a smart lock is a smart home device that allows you to leave your house keys behind while having the ability to lock and unlock your door using a touchpad or voice command. In addition to letting yourself in and out of the home, the remote access offered with smart locks allows you to unlock your door for a guest while you finish preparing dinner, let the dog walker in while you’re on vacation, or provide contractors access to your home during extensive renovation projects. Smart locks offer a new meaning to the term “home security” and go above and beyond the capabilities of traditional locks.
Typically, smart locks are available in one of two styles: a deadbolt replacement or a deadbolt adapter. For the highest level of security, we recommend opting for the deadbolt replacement, but if you don’t want to replace all of your existing hardware and still want the option of using a key, then you can still retrofit. You can easily find styles to match your existing hardware, such as matte black, brass, or satin nickel.
Smart Lock Features
The latest smart locks offer a variety of features, and there are several brands to choose from with products ranging from about $100 to $300. Before making a selection, it’s important to decide what sort of control you want over your smart lock system. Here are some of the ways you can control various smart locks on the market.
Remote Control Via Apps
Most smart locks are compatible with iPhone and Android cell phones, with apps available for download. With this feature you can lock and unlock your front door from your phone, get alerts about activity, and monitor comings and goings from your home.
Bluetooth
Smart locks with Bluetooth connectivity often offer a feature that allows the smart device to recognize you as the homeowner as you approach the front door. You can set it to automatically unlock as you (and your cell phone) approach. This means you’ll never have to fumble for your phone or keys to get in when carrying groceries and other items to your home.
Plus, if your Internet connection or electricity goes out, Bluetooth connectivity will still work when your smartphone is in range of the smart lock system.
Geofencing
If you often forget to lock the door when you leave home, the geofencing feature allows you to set a perimeter around your home. When your smartphone exits the defined perimeter, the lock will automatically engage. You must have location services turned on to use this feature.
Auto-lock
Worried that your kids will forget to lock the door behind them when they get home? Alleviate that worry by finding a smart lock with the auto-lock feature. You can set the device to automatically lock after the door has been left unlocked for a certain period of time.
Smart Device Configuration
Some smart locks have the capability to connect to other smart home devices such as Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit. Smart home integration provides a better experience for the user, meaning you can adjust your settings for other smart devices to turn on when the door is unlocked. For example, you can have your home temperature adjust automatically when you leave, or you can have the foyer lights turned on when you come home. You can even pair your smart lock with a video doorbell, allowing you to see who’s at the door before unlocking.
Voice Command
If you’re pairing your smart lock with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, or Siri, you can control the lock with voice commands to let guests into your home.
Touchpad
If you’re opting for full keyless entry with a deadbolt replacement style lock and you’re worried you might not be able to get into your home if you accidentally lock your phone inside or forget it, you might want to consider a system with a touchpad. This can either be a code entry or fingerprint-style keyless touchpad. No phone, no keys, no problem!
Our Top Smart Lock Picks
With so many options to choose from, we’ve curated a list of our top picks showcasing the different features available from each one:
- Wyze Bluetooth-enabled lock Featuring app control, Bluetooth, auto-lock, and voice command.
- Z-wave fingerprint ID smart lock Featuring app control, Bluetooth, auto-lock, smart device configuration, voice control, and fingerprint touchpad.
- Yale assure lock: Featuring keypad entry and auto-lock, and the option to purchase an upgrade kit to use with smartphone and smart home devices.
- Kwikset halo touch fingerprint smart lock Featuring app control, Bluetooth, auto-lock, voice control, and fingerprint touchpad.
- Kwikset touchscreen keyless entry: Featuring app control through Apple devices, auto-lock, and compatible with Apple Home Kit, Siri voice control, and touchscreen keypad.
- Eufy security keyless entry door lock: Featuring App control, Bluetooth, auto-lock, and touchscreen keypad.
Ready to install a smart lock to better protect your home?
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