How safe are smart locks: Tips to buy the right one – Times of India

You might want to buy a smart lock if you’re looking for easier ways to get in and out of your home. It’s really frustrating when you’ve reached your front door and can’t enter as you spend the next few minutes fumbling around for your keys.
Smart locks help you to unlock doors from anywhere through an app on your phone, or they can open when you’re in close proximity to your front door. These smart home devices won’t necessarily make your home any safer, but they do allow for more control and efficiency.
It can not only ensure that you never again have to drop everything in your hands to look for keys, but you can also extend digital ‘keys’ to friends, family, caregivers or anyone else who regularly visits your home.
However, all smart locks are not the same. There are keyless options, Bluetooth options, locks that use your fingerprint, locks that fit on your existing deadbolt and complete deadbolt replacement locks.
Here’s a guide to navigating around multiple smart lock options, what you need to know before buying one and how to choose the right lock for your needs.
Do not throw away your existing door lock right away
There are some smart locks that you can hang on to the manual lock that you already have. They’re typically described as “retrofit” ones and they can be great for renters or anyone not wanting to change keys.
With these retrofit setups, you get to keep the hardware already defending your door and add a layer of connectivity over top of it. This also means you get to keep your physical keys. Retrofit smart locks are the simplest way to add connectivity to your door without replacing your entire lock system.

The other option is to replace your existing deadbolt altogether. Since most locks are entire lock replacements, you’re going to have significantly more options if you go this route. Just remember to make sure that your door is smart-lock compatible before buying in.
Picking the right connectivity protocol
A smart lock is usually able to communicate with the rest of your smart home setup and with your phone. Most will do that using one of two common communication protocols: Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi.
There are pros and cons to each and it’s better to be sure to understand the differences before making a purchase.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a popular smart-lock protocol as it doesn’t burn through battery life as quickly as Wi-Fi does. After all, it’s not like you can plug your deadbolt in and no one will remember to change the batteries on a door lock. With Bluetooth, your lock’s batteries should last a year or longer.
The drawback to Bluetooth is that your range is very limited — nearly 300 feet in a best-case scenario, and probably a lot less than that depending on how your home is laid out. It’s enough to control your lock while you’re at home, but wander too far afield and you’ll lose the connection.
Bluetooth locks will connect directly with your phone or tablet. You don’t need any sort of hub device to act as translator since your phone already speaks the language. That’s convenient if your smart-home aspirations end at your lock, but hubs grant you the ability to control multiple appliances from a single app, which can be more convenient than dividing home control among an assortment of device-specific apps.
Options
LAVNA L-A28 Smart Digital Lock: Available at Rs 7,779
It comes with a 360° Fingerprint sensor, LCD display and it can connect to Bluetooth.
Yale J20 Smart Door Lock: Available at Rs 9,500
This is another Bluetooth option which you can get in the market. It has a low battery alarm, automatic locking system and wireless connectivity with Video Door Phones.
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is available as an optional add-on with most smart locks. With these devices you can lock and unlock your door remotely, create new users or access codes from anywhere and view your lock’s status and activity log.
Connecting your smart lock to the internet with Wi-Fi is going to give you the most options for features, including integration with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa.
Options
Denler DL04 Smart Digital Door Lock: Available at Rs 24,999
It comes with an LCD display and camera and connects with your Wi-Fi. You can also use a password or RFID card to unlock it.
T Tinxy Device Door Lock: Available a at a price of 6,999
This is another Wi-fi option for your smart door lock but it won’t work with Hotspot. It has a door sensor and it’s compatible with both Android and iPhone.
Non-IoT smart locks
Another option for smart locks are the ones that don’t connect to your Wi-Fi and bluetooth. Yet, they come with Biometric fingerprint, keypad and RFID options which also make them convenient for the user. In this case you won’t get access to your door lock from your phone but you can use passcodes and fingerprints to open your door.
Options
Godrej ADVANTIS Revolution Smart Door Lock: Available at 28,000
This smart lock also has a 360-degree fingerprint registration. It can also be opened by RFID cards and passwords. It comes with a low battery indicator and break-in damage alarm.
Yale YDME 100 Digital Door Lock: Available at 15,998
This one can also be accessed by lock- biometric and pin code. It also has a low battery alarm and an anti-panic locking for emergency situations.
Compatibility
Apple
There are models that work with Apple’s HomeKit, Apple’s own network of smart home devices that harnesses the voice-control powers of Siri to control your lock.
Some smart locks that work with Siri and allow you to use voice control to lock and unlock your door with a PIN code.
Yale Assure Lock SL with iM1: Available at Rs 35,555
This one can connect to Apple’s Homekit and other Apple devices like your Apple TV.
Amazon
Initially, Amazon rolled out its support for August Smart Lock for its virtual voice assistant which now supports brands like Yale and Qubo. It’s easier than ever to find a smart lock that you can control with Alexa voice commands for locking, unlocking or checking the lock status.
August Home Wi-Fi Smart Lock: Available in India at 39,999
This smart lock connects to the amazon voice assistant and you can unblock it from anywhere. It has an auto unlock detector along with biometric and facial recognition options.
Yale Smart Lock Pro: Available at Rs 19,612
This one also supports Alexa and has an Activity Feed where you can check who unlocked your door. DoorSense technology tells you when your door is open or closed.
Qubo Smart WiFi Wireless Video Doorbell from Hero Group: Available at Rs 6,990
This one can also connect to Alexa and has an instant video call visitor feature. It comes with 1080P Full HD Camera and an in-built intruder alarm system. It has 36 unique chime tunes for multiple modes.
Google
Google is also in the mix with Google Assistant. Above mentioned August smart lock works with Google as well and is available in India at Rs 39,999.
Ways to interact with the locks
There are clear variations among smart locks in terms of installation, wireless technology and integration with third-party products, but they all do roughly the same thing — give you advanced, remote control access to a space. But there are still nuances in terms of how that advanced smart control happens.
Most smart locks have touchpads. Just enter your secret code and your door will open without a key. But that doesn’t mean you have to throw away your key. You might not need to use one if you choose to rely on coded or app-enabled entry, but most smart locks still let you use your key, too.
Each brand seems to take a slightly different approach, but the results are pretty much the same. Think about the one that makes the most sense to you and your needs and then go from there.
Some locks offer scheduled key codes, allowing certain access codes to work only during specific days and times. Some locks also include activity history, letting you know when doors are locked and unlocked and by which access codes.
Another general concern is battery life, but this will vary significantly (for all smart locks) based on how much you lock or unlock your door, the quality of the batteries you’re using if your deadbolt occasionally sticks and requires extra effort from the built-in motor, and even the weather — colder temperatures can hurt battery life.
Smart locks can grant convenient access to more than just your friends, family and neighbours. An Amazon Key kit includes the Amazon Cloud Cam and a compatible smart lock for in-home delivery of all your Prime packages. Current smart lock choices include models from August, Yale and Qubo.
If the idea of someone unlocking your door to deliver a package makes you nervous, you’re not alone. But, if the thought of packages delivered inside your home safe from would-be thieves and mother nature appeals to you, companies are developing the most in-home delivery compatible locks.