Smart lock not only make your home more secure, but it bring convinence to you as well. It can be controlled and managed through your smart phone, you can even use voice control to unlock it through voice assistant.
If you’re not at home, a smart lock can alert you through mobile app when someone arrives home. And most of the smart locks can let you create temporary virtual keys that only allow access for certain periods only. Besides that, it can communicate with other smart devices, so when you open the door, it can send signal to turn on your smart light or change your house thermostat.
Let’s check out our review of the best selling smart locks for 2020.
- Best Smart Lock – August Smart Lock Pro
- Best Budget Smart Lock – August Smart Lock
- Best Smart Lock for Google Home – Nest x Yale
- Best Smart Lock for Amazon Alexa – Schlage Encode
- Best Smart Lock for Apple HomeKit – Yale Assure SL
- Best Smart Lock for Airbnb – Igloohome Deadbolt 2S
Best Smart Lock: August Smart Lock Pro
Lock Type: Deadbolt | Smart Home Compatibility: Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Z-Wave Plus | Number Pad: Optional | Alarm: No | Codes: Unlimited | App: Yes
Pros:
- Easy to install
- Works with HomeKit, Alexa, Google Assistant and more
- Convenient Auto-Lock and Auto-Unlock features
- Comes with August Connect
Cons:
- No built-in alarm
Bottom line:
August Smart Lock Pro is a nice-looking lock and it comes with everything you need and could want in a smart lock. It can support Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, and Amazon Alexa, and Z-Wave plus straight out of the box.
Best Budget Smart Lock: August Smart Lock
Lock Type: Deadbolt | Smart Home Compatibility: Alexa, Google Home(Requires August Connect) | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Number Pad: Optional | Alarm: No | Codes: Unlimited | App: Yes
Pros:
- Easy to install
- Cheaper
- Convenient Auto-Lock and Auto-Unlock features
Cons:
- No voice assistant support without August Connect
- Doesn’t support HomeKit even with the connect
Bottom line:
For those on a budget, August Smart Lock could be your choice. It’s significantly cheaper than the Pro version, but has most of the same features, with the only major omission being Apple HomeKit support. However, you’ll require to purchase the August Connect to link it to your Wi-Fi network, so that you can monitor and control the lock remotely and link it with other smart-home devices.
Best Smart Lock for Google Home – Nest x Yale
Lock Type: Deadbolt | Smart Home Compatibility: Google Home &Assistant, Nest | Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | Number Pad: Included | Alarm: No | Codes: Unlimited | App: Yes
Pros:
Simple installation process
Integrates with other Nest devices
Cons:
- No support for Amazon Alexa or Apple HomeKit
Bottom line:
“Hey Google, lock the front door.” If you are a Google household, you probably want a smart lock that speaks to the Google Assistant smart home system. The best smart lock that offers this feature is the Nest X Yale. This smart lock is not the most feature-rich lock on the market, but it incorporates very well into a smart home run by Google Assistant.
Best Smart Lock for Alexa – Schlage Encode
Lock Type: Deadbolt | Smart Home Compatibility: Alexa, Google Home | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Number Pad: Included | Alarm: Yes | Codes: 100 | App: Yes
Pros:
Simple installation and setup
Built-in alarm
Cons:
- No support for Apple HomeKit
Bottom line:
Schlage Encoded not just a beautiful piece of lock, but it’s also a device that works well with Alexa. The Schlage Encode has a great combination of a manual, keycode and remote-controlled. And it will blare out an earsplitting siren in the attempt of a break-in.
Best Smart Lock for HomeKit – Yale Assure SL
Lock Type: Deadbolt | Smart Home Compatibility: Alexa, Google Home, Homekit, SmartThings | Connectivity: Bluetooth, Zigbee, Z-Wave Plus | Number Pad: Yes | Alarm: No | Codes: 250 | App: Yes
Pros:
Attractive
Simple design
Easy to use
Support for Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Apple HomeKit
Cons:
- Touch screen sometimes takes a couple of touches to respond
Bottom line:
Yale Assure SL is an attractive, well-designed lock that is easy to install. There is no manual key option, though: it’s a keycode, app or nothing. If the battery runs out, you can give it a temporary boost by touching a 9v battery to two contacts underneath the keypad.
Best Smart Lock for Airbnb – Igloohome Deadbolt 2S
Lock Type: Deadbolt | Smart Home Compatibility: Alexa,Google Home (limited to generating PINs and reading out your activity log)| Connectivity: Bluetooth | Number Pad: Yes | Alarm: No | Codes: Unlimited | App: Yes
Pros:
Easy to install
- Slim, stylish design.
Quiet.
Bluetooth, touchpad, and keyed entry.
Cons:
- Cannot lock door using app.
- Doesn’t support, Apple HomeKit, or integrate with other smart home devices.
- No email or push alerts.
Bottom line:
Igloohome Deadbolt 2S is a sleek Bluetooth-enabled smart door lock that allows you to unlock your door, create permanent and temporary PINs for family and guests, and view activity logs, all using your phone. It also offers support for Airbnb guests and is equipped with a tamper alarm and an emergency jump-start option that lets you unlock the door even if its batteries die.
What to look for when buying a smart lock
When shopping for a smart lock, there are a few factors to consider.
- Lock Type:
- Smart locks come in two types: deadbolt and lever-style.
- The former is designed to replace your existing deadbolt, while the latter has the lock and door-opening lever in one.
- Deadbolts are the most common, but lever locks are becoming more common.
- Design:
- Your smart lock should blend in with your home decor.
- Most locks are available in a variety of styles and finishes, such as brass, silver, and bronze.
- Connectivity:
- In order to control and monitor a smart lock remotely, you have to connect it to your home network.
- This can be done in one of several ways. Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Bluetooth are the most popular radios built into smart locks, as they require little power.
- Most smart locks require that you connect the lock to a bridge of some kind, like the August Connect module, or a smart home hub, such as the Samsung SmartThings or Amazon Echo Plus.
- Relatively few smart locks have Wi-Fi built in, as it requires a lot of power, and will have you changing batteries more frequently.
- Smart home compatibility:
- The better smart locks should be able to work with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Homekit, which allows you to tie them in to other smart home devices.
- For example, if you say “Siri, Goodnight,” Apple’s assistant will turn off your lights and lock your doors automatically.
- If you have a home security system, you can also connect some locks to it, so that they’ll automatically lock when you leave home.
