Smart/Keyless locks

Tim

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I don’t even have a key at my current house. Seriously, I haven’t locked the door in years.

I’m looking to change that up when we move on a couple weeks. What experience do y’all have with smart locks?

- web/WiFi enabled to lock/unlock. May be ok with just Bluetooth, but leaning heavily to WiFi

- integrated camera like the ring doorbell

- deadbolt

- key pad/code

I’m mostly an Apple iOS kinda guy, but prefer generic web enabled vs iOS specific.
 
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Ask me in a few weeks. We got a Nest X Yale lock delivered today.
 
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K.I.S.S. ... I understand “convenience” and truly looks only keep honest and semi-honest people out but I do not like the longevity of electronic thingamabobs. Power outages, dead batteries, etc. Old Kwiksets, Schlage, etc key locks last for years and years with little to no trouble ... how long will the techno-wonder last and how much a problem will it give you? For home I just like simple old keyed locks for a house.
 
K.I.S.S. ... I understand “convenience” and truly looks only keep honest and semi-honest people out but I do not like the longevity of electronic thingamabobs. Power outages, dead batteries, etc. Old Kwiksets, Schlage, etc key locks last for years and years with little to no trouble ... how long will the techno-wonder last and how much a problem will it give you? For home I just like simple old keyed locks for a house.


Ok, Boomer. =)

With kids running around, a touch pad and app is preferred over keys.
 
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I have literally countless IOT devices, of virtually every type available. I’ve been beta testing for major brands for around 10 years and get to play with tons of toys before the public ever hears of them.

If hackers get off watching me scratch my balls as I stumble from the bedroom to the coffeemaker, have at it. If Alexa is a gateway for someone to hear me pass gas, I’m tickled.

But, the two items I’m strictly old school about are locks and alarm systems. I get the attraction of smart locks...I just don’t trust ‘em. YMMV
 
I don’t trust needless IoT. I would go with digital keypad ANDI grade 1 or 2. Make sure strike plate is screwed into studs with 3’ screws. Same for at least one hinge screw on each hinge. Better still would be a large strike plate than default. Without securing the plate or upgrading plate to displace force, lock is an expensive decoration
 
I like Schlage keypad deadbolts. It is a true deadbolt, and works with both a key and the keypad.

We have one that is a deadbolt turner, adds a device on the inside. It's electronic components are not stout, but it works well. Reports every action to your phone via wifi.
 
I have a ring doorbell. It works pretty good except mine has a small notification delay to my phone. Something about the WiFi which I could maybe fix with a booster.
 
I had the google nest deadbolt. For about a week.
It would routinely fail.
It was a cool idea, lock or unlock via my phone.
It just didn’t work that well.

I swapped it for a Schlage.
Now it’s a real deadbolt, but in order to open/close you have to manually renter a code on the keypad.
There is also a key backup.

badically, once it is locked/unlocked for more than 10 seconds, it disengages the internals, so the knob just spins.
It was around ~~ $100 at Lowe’s.

I liked it so much I installed 2 more.
 
I also have google nest cameras and CO detectors/smoke alarms.
I like that they integrate together and the app support is pretty strong.

The cameras are pretty good at picking stuff up- movement, people, etc.
I have set it to specifically tell me if a person approaches and it works pretty well.
The motion sensors are often set off by bugs and squirrels.
After 30 days, I had to buy a subscription if I wanted anything other than the live stream.
I think it was $80 per year for the first camera, and 60 for the second camera, and I have 5 days of replay.
 
Using Ring cameras and lights outside but don't trust iot to handle door locks. I've got a keypad opener on the garage door. The door from the garage into the mud room has a schlage keypad doorknob. I come and go almost exclusively from the garage. Front door is for guests. Using it is inconvenient for day to day.
 
I installed the Schlage keypad lock on all our doors. My wife had a bad habit of leaving the doors unlocked and when she did lock them she’d forget her keys. Because these lock automatically I don’t have to worry about her not locking up and if she forgets the code she deserves to be stuck outside.
 
We have cameras and an alarm, but i still don't trust IoT devices. Too much potential that somebody could hack our account, steal a phone, etc, and get in.
And I still like KwikSet SmartKey locks because they're a lot harder to bump/pick than regular locks
 
I swapped it for a Schlage.
Now it’s a real deadbolt, but in order to open/close you have to manually renter a code on the keypad.
You can lock 'em with your code, or by pressing the "Schlage" button above the keypad.

I installed the Schlage keypad lock on all our doors. My wife had a bad habit of leaving the doors unlocked and when she did lock them she’d forget her keys. Because these lock automatically I don’t have to worry about her not locking up and if she forgets the code she deserves to be stuck outside.
I like those as well. They are for door knobs, not deadbolts. I put them on closets. We have two storage closets that must remain locked.
 
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Check out The Lockpicking Lawyer on youtube. Pretty much every IP lock he's tried has huge physical security flaws, mostly because powered locks have certain design issues that make them much easier to pick/bypass than regular locks. He opens a bunch of them in seconds with nothing more than a magnet.
 
Check out The Lockpicking Lawyer on youtube. Pretty much every IP lock he's tried has huge physical security flaws, mostly because powered locks have certain design issues that make them much easier to pick/bypass than regular locks. He opens a bunch of them in seconds with nothing more than a magnet.

To be fair, he bypasses all best selling old school locks in less than 5 secs with plastic shims too.
 
To be fair, he bypasses all best selling old school locks in less than 5 secs with plastic shims too.

Yes but that's a lot more to do with skill than just slapping a magnet against the housing IMO.

But most chain store house locks are weak. I'm no expert but I can usually open a front door lock with my Dyno Kwik Pik just by raking, it just takes me a minute or two.
 
We have cameras and an alarm, but i still don't trust IoT devices. Too much potential that somebody could hack our account, steal a phone, etc, and get in.
And I still like KwikSet SmartKey locks because they're a lot harder to bump/pick than regular locks

im not as worried or paranoid about someone getting into my home as I am into my network. That’s the real danger with talking meteorologist refrigerators and smart locks etc....
 
I’ve used a Schlage for about 8 years. Keypad door handle style. Enter code on the pad and it’ll unlock. Locks behind you when you close the door. Once we had kids we found ourselves forgetting to lock the door on the way out with all the baby crap that MUST be taken out. the simplest answer was get a door that locks itself.

Has a little led light you press the Schlage logo for if you for some reason don’t have a porch/floodlight on tour entryway. (If you don’t, I’d go ahead and just add one to your investment)

Battery life on a 9volt averages about 2 years. Has a hidden 9volt “jumper” you can use if battery fails that will power the keypad to enter code until the depleted one is swapped out. I Just ensure there’s 1 9v in each car glovebox in case I miss the battery dying beeps on the way out. —have only needed to use that once so far.

We went with the brass and after about 5 years the finish had worn off. I’m not concerned with such trivial things as the bezel of my door handle looking worn but be aware if your door needs to look as good as your lawn, the brass prob isn’t a good long term option.
 
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