Best smart locks to shop in 2020
Your smart home can be easier to navigate — and protect — with a smart lock. Here’s what to know.
Whitson Gordon
Whitson Gordon
If you’re ready to get rid of your keys altogether, the Yale Assure Lock SL sticks a touch screen keypad on your door. You can enter a code, set it to automatically unlock as you arrive home or use your voice assistant of choice.
If you aren’t allowed to remove your existing deadbolt, August’s retrofitted Smart Lock allows you to control the lock that’s already on your door by replacing only the internal hardware. You’ll probably want the version with the Connect Wi-Fi bridge, which allows you to lock the door from afar and use voice assistants like Amazon Alexa. It’s not as feature-filled as other smart locks, though August’s Smart Lock Pro does offer a few more smart home integration features like Apple’s HomeKit or compatibility with Z-Wave hubs. Regardless, for renters, it’s certainly a step up from a traditional lock.
Having a separate hub, or bridge, to enable Wi-Fi can be a bit of a hassle. For a smart lock that has Wi-Fi completely built-in — and uses the Schlage keyway — the Schlage Encode is a great option. It doesn’t have some of the more widespread support you get from Ultraloq, Yale or August, but it works with the Amazon Alexa and Google Home voice assistants and is otherwise simple to set up.
If you like the idea of a Wi-Fi smart lock but the rest of your house uses a KW1 keyway, check out the Kwikset Halo. It doesn’t need a hub, allows for a keypad with custom codes and you can easily re-key it to your existing Kwikset keys without the need for a locksmith.
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