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There are so many smart home gadgets around these days that it can be hard to decide where to start, but if you’re new to smart homes and want to try something easy that will truly show off how well smart home gadgets play with your phone or even your smartwatch, then smart locks are a great place to start, and here are some of our recommendations.
August Wi-Fi (4th Generation) Smart Lock
If there is one thing we love about the August WiFi smart lock is that it is incredibly easy to install. Over the generations of the company’s smart locks, they have maintained the ease-of-install practice, and all users need to do is place the device over an existing deadbolt and they’re good to go!
This means that you won’t need to pay for a locksmith to come to your home to set it up, and you could in theory install it not just on your front door, but all doors that use deadbolts. It also plays nicely with a wide variety of smart home platforms including Amazon, Google, and Apple.
August Smart Lock Pro
Another entry from August and similar to the one listed above, the August Smart Lock Pro is equally easy to install. It has the added benefit of not looking like a typical smart lock which could tempt people into destroying it. This is because from the outside, it looks like a regular lock that you use a key with.
While it does work with keys, users also have the option of enabling a feature that would allow the lock to automatically unlock whenever the user is near, which could be helpful if your hands are full and you can’t reach your keys. There is also a DoorSense sensor that lets users know when a door has been opened or closed.
Google Nest x Yale Lock
While Google has yet to officially launch their own brand of smart locks, the company did team up with the folks at Yale to create the Google Nest x Yale Lock. One of the benefits of buying this lock is that if you have other Nest products like the Nest Secure Alarm System, this lock will work with that.
It will obviously play nicely with Google Assistant and features a passcode system that you can generate new one-time codes so that family members and friends can come over to your home and let themselves in even when you’re away.
SCHLAGE Z-Wave Connect Camelot
If you’re looking for an all-in-one system that combines a smart lock along with an alarm, then the SCHLAGE Z-Wave Connect Camelot could be the one for you. It features a keypad system to enter your code to unlock the door, while also sporting a built-in alarm that will alert you to any potential unauthorized entries.
It is also powered by a battery which means that users won’t need to find a way to wire up their smart lock to their home, and there will also be battery indicators to let users know if the battery is running low. The smart lock is also compatible with Alexa, but it will require a separate hub.
Kwikset Halo
If for whatever reason, you might have many family members or friends coming over often, then the Kwikset Halo could be a smart lock to consider. This is because it will support up to 250 user codes, meaning that you could distribute these codes to anyone if you want (although probably not advised).
The lock will send notifications to the user’s phone and users will also be able to see a lock history so that they know who has been coming in and out of their home, thanks to the user codes that will be unique to each person. Kwikset also claims that the keypad will also be randomized each time to prevent people from potentially lifting your fingerprints to see which numbers have been pressed.
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