I’m buying a new house, and of course step 1 after closing is replacing the locks. I have a kwikset smartcode lock currently, and have been very happy with it, but thought I’d find out if there are any better options out there before buying new ones.
I’m primarily a zigbee home, but have some z-wave as well.
I’m looking for something that:
connects to Hubitat directly, not WiFi
Numeric codes are fine, but if it also offers fingerprint or some kind of proximity unlock that’s a nice plus.
Preferably Has a keyway
Actually a Canadian brand. I first heard about it when April did a review thread on this forum (I will try to find the thread) and the @diySmartHomeGuy has done a few reviews as well on his Website - just checked and that was only the first version DB1.
There are two things you need to consider when purchasing locks. The first aspect is whether then lock itself is mechanically sound. ANSI rates lock quality from Grade 1 (best) to Grade 3 (builder quality). The smartlocks from Yale and Kwikset are rated Grade 2. The ones from Schlage are rated Grade 1. The second aspect is the wireless protocol: WiFI, Zigbee, Z-wave, or Bluetooth.
I use the Schlage Connect locks with Z-wave connection to Hubitat using S2 access control security. Depending upon the distance between the lock and Hub, you might need a range extender/repeater. For that I use the Aeotec 7 Z-wave range extender with the 700 series chipset. I also have a Hubitat C7 with the 700 series chipset. The combination works well.
If your new home has high quality deadbolts, you can add a lock actuator like August without replacing the existing deadbolts.
I use the Schlage Connect BE469ZP Z-wave Smart Deadbolt With built in alarm. It has grade 1 security rating and z-wave plus keeps it off of my IP network. You can set codes from HE and it works well with direct HE integration. If you want to unlock it via Alexa, you have to use the Alexa app and enter a code.
Keep in mind that if you want to also key your door handles to use the same keys you'll need to make sure you use a handle that can be keyed to match whatever type of deadbolt lock you get. For instance, Yale handles can not be keyed to match a schlage deadbolt.
The August deadbolt lock gives you a lot of flexibility, but they are a bit pricey.
My Kwikset 914 has been working great for years. Great battery life, and it just works. Never had a need to have individual codes so that part is untested.
The 914 I have is a ZigBee lock. Z-Wave modules are available and are interchangeable.
Some here and on the ST forums have issues with battery life. My 914 is within 6 feet of the HE hub and the batteries typically last 6 months or more.
While not quite as consumer-friendly as Kwikset, it's easy to rekey a residential lock in the same manner as a locksmith would. You can buy all the same parts as the pros would use plus a large quantity of pins for somewhere in the $150-200 range. (And that would let you do dozens, if not hundreds, of locks.)
That kit was the first Google hit, but there are plenty out there from a variety of sources.
ETA: I covered the parts, but not the labor. Plenty of both official printed materials and YouTube tutorials to both rekey and perform minor repairs on residential locks. Once you get the hang of it, the rekey part takes about five minutes, not counting the R&R of the lock.
It is super easy especially if you have two 1/2 inch drill bits. I simply removed the pins from my old schlage lock and put them into my smart Schlage deadbolt. Used the 1/2 drill bits to hold the springs in place while I had the lock cylinder out to exchange the pins. Less than 5 minutes of work.
I bought a Schlage re-key kit that had the required pins and tools. It is currently unavailable from Amazon
but here is another set:
There are videos on YouTube that explain how to do it. It's pretty simple and you can re-key to any key code you prefer. If your key doesn't have a code on it, you'll need a key gauge to determine what sizes of pins to use. It takes about 5-10 minutes per lock, very simple.
