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Christian de Looper,Monica ChinNov 5, 2019, 22:32 IST
You don't need an expert to install a high-tech security system anymore, thanks to the many smart home devices you can install yourself.
If you want a smart lock to protect your home, we recommend the August Smart Lock Pro because it's easy to use and very secure.
The home is getting a whole lot smarter, and home security is a big focus for tech companies. From smart security cameras to smart doorbells, connected technology can allow you to keep a much closer eye on your home. But what about your actual door? It turns out that there are a ton of great smart locks that you can install in your front door.
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There are a few things to consider before you choose which smart lock is right for you and your home. For starters, you'll want to think about whether you want to replace the entire deadbolt, or simply buy a retrofit lock that will allow you to use your old keys. Retrofit locks generally fit onto your lock on the inside of your door, giving you smart control while eliminating the hassle of having to use new keys.
Full deadbolt replacements, however, have their own advantages. For starters, some of them offer much easier input methods on the outside of the door, like a number pad or touch sensitivity.
You'll also want to think about how you want to integrate the lock with the rest of your smart home. A number of locks are beginning to offer compatibility with smart home systems like Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, Amazon Echo, and Google Assistant.
To make it easier, we've rounded up the best smart locks you can buy for your home, whether you want a retrofit option or an entirely new deadbolt. - Christian de Looper
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The August Smart Lock Pro is well-designed and easy to use, plus it offers smart home compatibility and automatic features like geofencing.
August has made quite a name for itself in the smart lock business over the past few years, and for good reason. The August Smart Lock Pro is the follow-up to the original August Smart Lock, and it's been highly reviewed countless times, thanks to its easy installation, high level of connectivity, and excellent app.
Installing the August Smart Lock Pro is pretty easy, and it should take about 10 to 15 minutes. Instead of replacing your entire deadbolt, the device simply replaces the back, inside portion of it, so you'll be able to keep your normal deadbolt installed.
Once installed, you can connect the August Smart Lock Pro to a range of smart home systems. Those include the likes of Nest, Samsung SmartThings, Amazon Echo, Google Assistant, HomeKit, and so on. It's safe to say that you'll be able to connect your lock to pretty much any smart home system.
Best of all, the August Smart Lock Pro works automatically. You can set it to automatically lock when you leave and unlock when you get home, so you don't have to worry about forgetting to lock the door when you leave the house. It'll also alert you if your door is unlocked.
The August Smart Lock is well-designed and easy to use, plus it costs less than $150.
The smart locks on this list are all pretty great, but they all have something in common: they're expensive. Now, that's for a good reason. You're probably not going to want to get a super cheap lock considering the fact that it could compromise the security of your house, but you can find a decent one for a slightly better price. We recommend the standard August Smart Lock, which costs $149.
Now, the August Smart Lock obviously isn't cheap, but it is the cheapest smart lock we recommend. Thankfully, it still offers plenty of nice features. It's well-designed and just as easy to use as the August Smart Lock Pro. On top of that, the device offers keyless locking and unlocking, though you won't be able to lock and unlock your door remotely like you can with the August Smart Lock Pro.
Also, like the Smart Lock Pro, the device locks automatically when you leave, so you won't have to worry about always locking the door on your way out. When it comes to smart home compatibility, the August Smart Lock is compatible with Amazon Alexa, though you will need an Echo. — Christian de Looper
Pros: Easy to use, inexpensive compared to some, works with Alexa
Cons: Could be more connected, no remote access
The best smart lock with an alarm
The Schlage Encode is an excellent smart lock that also includes a forced-entry alarm.
Schlage is a classic, trusted lock manufacturer. Its $249 Encode is one of the best smart locks out there, and it includes a loud brute-force alarm.
The Encode is easy to set up; it took our reviewer just about an hour.
You can control the lock remotely with Schlage's app: You can check whether the door is locked or unlocked at any time, and the app can send you a push notification when someone else unlocks the door. You can also pair the Encode with Alexa to lock and unlock it with voice commands.
Schlage will sound the alarm if someone is trying to force entry into your home. Note, however, that in our testing, we weren't able to set off the alarm by pretending to break in. This means it's possible the alarm might miss a real crook, but it also means you're unlikely to accidentally set it off. — Monica Chin
Pros: Compatible with Alexa and Ring, easy to set up and use, can monitor and unlock remotely, brute-force alarm
Cons: Alarm isn't very sensitive, expensive
The best smart lock with a keypad
The Schlage Sense comes in a few different designs and colors, plus it's relatively easy to install and works well with the Apple Home app.
Schlage is another classic lock maker, and it brings a lot of experience to the table. The company has launched a few smart locks over the past few years, and we think the best of them is the Schlage Sense.
The Schlage Sense offers easy key access with a keypad. In other words, you can create and use codes to lock and unlock the door. That's very helpful for guests, because it means you can create a code for them, then delete it when they no longer need to access your home.
The Schlage Sense connects largely through Bluetooth, but it can also connect to the internet through the Schlage Sense Wi-Fi adapter, which gives remote access. The device isn't as compatible as some smart locks, but it's still compatible with Apple's HomeKit, and with Amazon Alexa.
The Yale Assure Lock SL eliminates keys entirely. It's simple to set up, though you will need to purchase an extra network module if you want to connect it to your router.
The benefit of a keyless lock is that you never need to rekey your home; if someone finds out your PIN, just reset it and you're good to go. You can also assign different PINs to different residents. The keypad can accommodate up to 250, though I can't imagine anyone needs that many.
The lock has a compact, minimalist design. It's just a keypad: no keyhole and no nonsense. It also comes in three finishes to accommodate different door designs.
Once you have a networking module, you can connect the Assure SL to Apple HomeKit or Samsung SmartThings. You can also control it in the Yale Secure app, via Bluetooth, with or without Wi-Fi.
The Assure SL runs on four AA batteries and has a backup power supply in case they die. — Monica Chin
Pros: Versatile design, 250 PINs, backup power supply
Cons: Only works with HomeKit, requires network module, expensive
The best smart lock with a fingerprint reader
The Lockly Secure Plus is a nice-looking smart lock with a decent app, but a fingerprint reader offers an extra layer of security.
Like most smart locks, the Lockly Secure Plus includes a manual lock and a keypad. But you can also unlock the door simply by touching a fingerprint reader on its screen.
The Lockly is simple to install, and it comes in both deadbolt and latch-on models. You can drill an extra hole in your door to keep the lock extra secure, which is unusual for a smart lock.
The lock's smart features, however, are somewhat limited. You can create new PINs in the Lockly app, but fingerprints need to be set up on the lock itself. And you need to purchase an additional Wi-Fi adapter to monitor and operate the lock remotely or to connect Alexa and Google Assistant.
We aren't the only ones who recommend this lock. Tom's Guide named it the best smart lock with a fingerprint reader. — Monica Chin
Pros: Fingerprint reader, PIN pad option, deadbolt and latch-on variations
Cons: Needs Wi-Fi adapter to work with smart home and remote monitoring, not compatible with HomeKit
What else we considered
Schlage Connect: The Schlage Connect is well designed, touchscreen deadbolt that, like the Schlage Encode, includes a brute-force alarm. However, you need a Z-Wave smart-home hub to connect the lock to other smart-home devices.
Nest x Yale Lock with Nest Connect: The Nest X Yale Lock integrates with Google's Nest smart-home system, so you can control it with the same app as devices like the Nest Hello, Nest Secure, Nest Learning Thermostat, and Nest Cam, and can set them up as part of scenes and routines together. However, it's not compatible with smart devices outside the Nest system yet, there's no voice control capability, and it's quite expensive.
Kwikset Premis: Kwikset's Premis is a great lock for those already plugged into the Apple ecosystem. You can control it with HomeKit, and use Kwikset's iPhone app to assign key codes. However, Android users are out of luck, as there's no equivalent Android app, and there's no support for Alexa or Google Assistant.
Kwikset Kevo: The Kwikset Kevo pairs with your phone, and automatically unlocks when it senses that your phone is outside the door. You can also pair a fob keychain accessory to serve this purpose, but those are $25 extra. It's a cool idea, but the lock doesn't connect with any larger smart-home platforms. — Monica Chin