Best Smart Lock Review

We take a look at our top 3 smart locks to suit any budget.

With the invention of smart locks, it has become much easier to secure your precious possessions. You no longer have to worry about someone compromising your deadbolt and breaking into your home while you’re at work or out with your friends. In fact, most smart locks even come with a biometric fingerprint scanner that makes it impossible for intruders to open them.

Some even go as far as allowing you open and close doors with your phone. On the other hand, there are those that can be activated using voice commands. With these devices, you even get to see who entered your home, at what time they did, and exactly what they did.

When choosing a smart lock, there are several factors you need to put into consideration. These include ease of use, ease of installation, level of security provided and the cost of the lock.

Benefits of a smart lock

You can simultaneously authorise access for multiple people
Most can work with smartphones
Convenient and highly secure

Disadvantages of a smart lock

If you control your smart lock using your smartphone, you may be unable to access your home when your phone battery is out of charge
The smart lock technology can fail, leaving you unable to lock or open doors

For this review, we selected smart locks that are extremely secure and highly rated. In order to make sure that everyone’s budgetary needs have been catered for, we decided to include an affordable lock, a moderately priced one and a high-end option.

Best Budget Smart Lock

The ZKTeco Global PL10B

With this impressive smart lock, you can lock and unlock your home in a variety of ways. For instance, you can use its fingerprint recognition algorithm to enrol the fingerprints of up to 100 people including yourself. This system allows you and your loved ones to open and shut doors using your fingerprints.

This system takes less than 0.5 seconds to run a fingerprint. Alternatively, you can use your smartphone to unlock doors. This is done by using this lock’s ZKBioBT App that uses Bluetooth low energy to communicate with the lock. This means that ZKBioBT will continue working even during power and internet outages.

Moreover, this app allows you to upload users from the lock and access all transaction records. It is worth noting that the ZKTeco Global PL10B ships with an instruction manual.

Benefits of the ZKTeco Global PL10B

Allows you to keep track of visitors through detailed logs
Allows you to give selected people limited access to your home
The reversible design of the handle, strike, and latch make it possible to open doors in any direction
Allows you to unlock doors using a mechanical key, fingerprint identification or your smartphone

Disadvantages of the ZKTeco Global PL10B

Its instruction manual isn’t clear
Not waterproof

Manufacturers Specs

Weight: 1.9 kilograms
Dimensions: 15 × 20 × 14 cm
Suggested operation temperature:>= 24 ºF
Battery type: 4 AA

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Rating

Although its unclear instructions can make it a pain to use at first, once you get the hang of it, the ZKTeco Global PL10B doesn’t disappoint. It offers a healthy balance of high security, affordability, and good aesthetics.

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Best Value Smart Lock

The Ultraloq UL3

Fully equipped with advanced fingerprint identification technology, the Ultraloq UL3 Smart Lever Door Lock can enrol up to 95 fingerprints and identify them in less than 0.5 seconds. This smart lock also allows you to open doors using a code, giving you the power to enrol up to 95 codes. Alternatively, doors can be opened and closed using the Ultraloq app.

This app comes with a Knock to Open feature that allows you to open doors by just knocking on your phone four times. You don’t even have to open the Ultraloq app to do this. This app also comes with a feature that allows you to open doors by shaking your phone. To do this your smartphone screen must be on but the Ultraloq app doesn’t need to be open.

Although the Ultraloq UL3 Smart Lever Door Lock isn’t the cheapest smart lock on the market, its many helpful features make it worth it. This lock ships with a user guide, an 18-month electronic warranty, and a lifetime mechanical warranty

Benefits of the Ultraloq UL3

Its zinc alloy body ensures it’s completely dustproof and waterproof
Its reversible lever makes it suitable for both left-handed and right-handed doors
Allows you to unlock doors using a mechanical key, fingerprint identification, codes or the smartphone app
Easy to install
Provides up to one year of battery life

Disadvantages of the Ultraloq UL3

The Ultraloq app’s Knock to Open feature is only compatible with iOS smartphones
The app’s Shake to Open feature is only compatible with Android smartphones
Long fake fingernails can make it difficult to read fingerprints

Manufacturers Specs

Weight: 2.18 kilograms
Dimensions: 17.8 × 16 × 8.9 cm
Battery type: AA

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Rating

If you are willing to spend a little extra cash on a smart lock that is high-quality and feature-rich, the Ultraloq UL3 Smart Lever Door Lock is right up your alley. It definitely gives you good value for your money.

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Best Performing Smart Lock

The ZKTeco TL100

This is yet another impressive smart lock from ZKTeco. For maximum efficiency, this smart lock comes with a ton of helpful features. These include:

Fingerprint identification technology that allows you to access doors using your fingerprint. This system can enrol up to 100 fingerprints
Code/password identification that enables you to unlock doors using a code.
125kHz ID card reader that allows you to unlock doors using any of the 5 included RFID cards
Mechanical key design that helps you unlock doors using the included mechanical keys
Voice guide feature for ease of use
Idle handle design to prevent forced entry
Illuminated keypad for ease of use, especially in the dark
USB port that allows for easy upload and download of data
Additional 9V power supply port to provide power under circumstances of low battery
A smart alarm that lets you know when the battery is low on charge

It is also worth noting that the ZKTeco TL100 comes with a user manual.

Benefits of the ZKTeco TL100

Provides you with four methods of unlocking
Easy to use
Provides up to 8,000 hours of battery life

Disadvantages of the ZKTeco TL100

Its handle isn’t reversible
Expensive

Manufacturers Specs

Weight: 5.6 kilograms
Dimensions: 44 × 17 × 33 cm
Suggested operation temperature:>= 32 ºF
Battery type: 8 AA

Gallery

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Overall Rating

Considering all that the ZKTeco TL100 has to offer, it is not surprising that it’s one of the most expensive smart locks on the market right now.

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Best Smart Lock (Overall Winner)

ZKTeco TL100

Although we believe all our featured smart locks are worth your time, there is one that truly stands out; the ZKTeco TL100. The fact that it is the only smart lock in this review with a voice guide and four methods of unlocking makes it a very attractive buy.

Moreover, its low battery alarm and back-up power supply add a layer of reliability that the other two smart locks just can’t provide. We also love that it doesn’t come with any of the disadvantages the other two have.

Although this smart lock’s handle is non-reversible, it comes in two handle types in order to cater for both left-handed and right-handed people. As long as you choose the right handle for you, you should be alright.

All things considered, the ZKTeco TL100 is the best that money can buy. If you can afford it then you should definitely buy it.

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The Bottom Line

When it comes to securing your home, you can never be too careful. For most of us, using a smart lock is about as careful as we can go. As such, a lot of time is put into selecting one. Since we know how gruelling the selection process can be, we decided to put together this helpful review.

It contains the best smart locks available right now and at the very least will greatly simplify your selection process. At the end of the day, it is up to you to decide which smart lock works best for you and your family.

Best Smart Lock Review