What Are Smart Door Locks? We Look at the Technology and the Top Products
Smart technology has been on the rise and continues to grow in popularity. It has seen devices such as the Amazon Echo and Google Home Hub find their way into people’s homes, along with all kinds of smart technology to connect to them, from lights to thermostats.
While not everyone wants to turn their house into a fully-automated smart home, there’s one smart device that everyone could benefit from. Smart door locks help to keep your home more secure while simplifying your life. Want to know more? We’ve produced this comprehensive guide in conjunction with the Leicester home security experts at Locksmith Leicester.
What Is a Smart Door Lock?
A smart door lock allows you to do away with keys for gaining access to your home. Instead, you use a fob, keypad or smartphone to control your lock. On the smartphone locks, an app and wireless technology on your phone, means you have full control over your lock. No more lost keys, and no chance of anyone getting hold of your keys either.
The Top UK Smart Door Locks Brands
If you’re thinking of installing smart locks in your home, there are several major brands that offer excellent choices. These range from well-known lock brands, to systems designed to work with whole home management systems like Nest.
Yale
Yale is firmly associated with locks, but they usually come with a traditional key. Now, Yale is also in the market of selling smart locks that don’t require a key. Yale smart locks give you several options for how to gain entry. You can use the touch panel control, a key card, a key tag or even remote access using your phone when you connect the lock to a smart home system. The Yale smart lock has options connects to most lock types, which makes it easy to install.
It only needs four AA batteries and will warn you if they get low, but you can also touch a 9v battery to the bottom of the unit for temporary power if the batteries run out. Yale also makes a Smart Home Hub, which is ideal if you want to connect up devices from the same manufacturer.
Conexis
The Conexis lock is another option from Yale for anyone looking for a smart lock. Unlike some of their other smart locks, the Conexis doesn’t come with a keypad. The lock uses mobile access so that you can gain access to your home using your phone. You can also send mobile keys to other people so that they can unlock your door. So you might send a key to a friend or family member who is visiting if you’re not at home to greet them, or you could send a key to a guest in your holiday home.
Key cards and tags are available too, and you can revoke keys, tags, and cards if you want to stop giving access to someone. Yale offers installation to make it easier to get started, and they will even perform a security survey of your home for you.
Samsung
Samsung is a big name in technology, and many people have phones or other gadgets from Samsung. They have plenty of home tech, so it makes sense for them to offer smart locks too. The Samsung Smart Doorlock has a host of handy features for homes. For example, it’s excellent for parents, letting them know through a push notification that their child has returned home. Or adult children can check up on the safety of their parents who live far away using family access history.
The lock opens using Bluetooth on a smartphone, so no keys are required. Samsung has a range of smart lock products, some of which include fingerprint access, passwords, key tags, and a mechanical key option. Encryption technology keeps your home safe, and you can connect your home further with other Samsung smart home products.
August
August offers the Smart Lock and Smart Lock Pro to protect your home. The Smart Lock Pro has a few more features, and you can get even more when pairing it with a Connect Wi-Fi Bridge. August’s locks give you access via Bluetooth, featuring auto-lock and auto-unlock that senses when you leave home and when you arrive at your door. Features on the smartphone app include activity monitoring, guest access, as well as DoorSense, which tells you the status of your lock so that you know it’s secure.
These locks are compatible with most standard single-cylinder locks, making it easy to add them to any door. They also work with a number of smart home brands, so you can use them with your preferred smart home assistant or even integrate them with Airbnb and HomeAway platforms.
Codelocks
Codelocks is a manufacturer of keypad entry locks, and they recently added smart locks to their products. Their CL4500 and CL5500 ranges combine keypad and card entry with smart technology for more secure entry options. Both feature mortice latches and are ideal not just for homes but also for business.
They allow for up to 350 users, including 100 phones, 100 codes, and 150 smart cards, this makes them ideal for large apartment blocks main entry systems. The CL5520 has a mortice lock for an extra level of control and enables the locking out of code users with a key. The locks can be controlled using the K3 Connect app from Codelocks.
Nest
Nest makes smart home products including thermostats and alarms. Their lock is made in partnership with Yale, combining a smart technology brand with one that knows its locks. The lock is a tamper-free, keyless deadbolt that you can connect to the Nest app through the Nest Connect or Nest Guard.
Like other smart locks, you can give others a key to securely allow them access. You can also unlock your door from your phone, so you can let someone in, no matter where they are. Alerts let you know whenever someone locks or unlocks the door, and also if anyone tries to tamper with the lock. It also works with the Nest Secure Alarm system. Using Google Assistant, you get hands-free control over your lock.
In Conclusion
A smart lock can offer not just extra security on the door in question, but also better convenience and control over your home’s overall security. Different locks offer varying features and benefits, so it’s important to consider their individual benefits fully before deciding which one to buy.
