Your front door is often the only barrier between you and random people in the outside world. You’ll put so many reps on locking and unlocking your deadbolt that your finger twistin’ muscles are ripped like a powerlifter’s. Depending on how many people use the door and how often you’re in and out of your house, a smart front door lock can be a decent timesaver and a huge improvement in peace of mind.
My house has all of its entry doors rigged with smart locks. This ensures I have access to any entrance to my house in any scenario, and lets me see if any doors are unlocked before I go to bed at night or when I’m away from my house. It’s a tremendously useful addition that has saved me countless inconveniences. By my calculation, my smart locks save me an average of around 2-4 minutes per day thanks to lock automation, not needing to fumble for my keys, and not needing to worry about our nanny and housecleaner. That average also includes the time saved from needing to run down stairs and check all the locks at night or drive home when I’ve already left. At that rate, it’s somewhere between 12-24 hours a year – that adds up! I’ve had my smart locks for 3 years now, going strong. They have more than paid for themselves in convenience and comfort. This value also doesn’t include the elimination of worry about my doors being accidentally left unlocked, either.
The Advantages of Smart Locks
No more wondering if you locked the door
It’s truly a momentum killer in your bedtime routine to have to get up and check if the door is locked. It’s even worse to be on the road to work or a party and realize that you might have left the door unlocked and have to drive all the way back home. A smart lock lets you remedy the situation from your phone and carry on.
Proactive notifications when someone else leaves the door unlocked or open
Related to the above, you can also program notifications that tell you whether the door is unlocked and, depending on the device, open. This is particularly useful for that spouse who always forgets to lock the door after excitedly grabbing their Amazon package, exposing your entire family to the possibility of any random person wandering in off the street to sit in your family room.
Code controlled access
If you have multiple people using your door, you can set unique codes for each of them (and in some cases grant them restricted app access). This creates a log of when your door was unlocked with each specific code or user, and it also gives you the ability to revoke access. It’s also super useful for renting out your home conventionally or through AirBnB. You can play fun games with the numeric codes, such as giving your ex-girlfriend the code “666666” when she comes back to pick up her stuff from your place.
The best smart lock options
There are a few ways that smart locks are designed with different combinations of: app control, numeric keypad, conventional key, and proximity sensors (phone or RFID). Having tested around the different options, I personally believe the key + smart phone + keypad code option is the best as you will probably still continue to carry keys, a phone, and a brain that can remember 6-10 digits. Proximity unlocks feel un-secure to me, though generally you won’t have advanced wireless hackers targeting your home to get in, both because your home isn’t that interesting and because they probably could just as easily break a window.
My recommendation: the Schlage Connect with Z-wave (Buy on Amazon). This is the best smart lock for use with a SmartThings hub. This is a solid contribution by Schlage with a classic design and a keypad. They also have the Schlage sense for Zigbee and the Schlage Encode (for WiFi-only).
Some alternatives:
- For a fingerprint reader: Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro (Buy on Amazon)
- A solid competitor to Schlage: Yale Assure Lever YRL256
- With a built-in lever if you’re not classy enough to have your own handleset: Yale Assure Lever (YRL256)
- Retrofits your existing deadbolt: Wyze
- A super invisible (but expensive) retrofit: Level Bolt
- A budget option w/ proximity: Lockitron Bolt
How to hire someone for Smart Lock installation
Usually, you can self-install these easily (especially the retrofit types). One important thing to do is to make sure that the bolt of your door cleanly moves in and out without a lot of friction, or it will nuke the batteries and motors. Many of the bad reviews I’ve seen on smart locks relate to poor installation rather than poor design. When in doubt, you can hire a freelancer on Thumbtack or TaskRabbit to install it, or just go to your local locksmith.
While you’re at it, reinforce your entry doors with a door reinforcement kit—many front doors are extremely vulnerable to straight-up kick-ins or pry bar attacks, and reinforcement kits resolve that.
Smart locks are essential
Smart Locks are a terrific technology that improve convenience and security in your home. Installed properly and cared for, they will last for years just like all of your other hardware. Seriously, when was the last time you thought about your deadbolt or handleset? Judging by the average house I see, the handleset looks like someone was eating a dripping Shawarma every day as they were opening their front door. But on a more serious note: all it takes is one mistake of leaving your door unlocked to be burglarized (or worse). Peace of mind derives from pre-emptively stopping these rare events from derailing your life.