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Smart Locks I Installed Myself Without Calling a Locksmith
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items Staring at your front door wondering if you really need to pay someone $200 just to swap a lock is a special kind of frustration. This list is for renters, new homeowners, and anyone who owns a screwdriver but not a lot of patience. Every lock here w...
Sections
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Keypad Smart Locks for Front Doors
Wi-Fi Connected Smart Locks
Smart Locks with Auto-Lock and Auto-Unlock
Smart Locks for Renters
Smart Lock Accessories and Add-Ons
Smart Locks with Keypads for Airbnb and Guests
Keypad Smart Locks for Front Doors
Lost my keys three times in one month. That was the breaking point. These keypad locks meant I never had to dig through my bag in the rain again.
Swap this in using just the existing deadbolt holes. Took me 20 minutes on a Saturday morning. Perfect for anyone who keeps losing keys but doesn't want anything too techy.
Schlage Electronic Keypad Deadbolt Lock
Grab this if your door has a standard prep and you want something clean looking. My neighbor thought I hired someone to install it. Nope, just a Phillips head and ten minutes.
Kwikset 92640-001 Contemporary Electronic Keypad
Use this one if you hate bulky hardware. The slim profile actually looks like it belongs on a modern door. Installed it before a holiday party and got three compliments that night.
Yale Assure SL Deadbolt Smart Lock
Keep this on your radar if budget matters. It's not fancy but it works every single time. My rental property has had one for 14 months with zero issues.
Defiant Electronic Keypad Deadbolt
Snag this if you care about how your front door looks as much as how it works. The finish options are way better than most smart locks. Installation was straightforward even on my old wooden door.
Emtek Empowered Motorized Touchscreen Keypad Smart
Wi-Fi Connected Smart Locks
Wanted to check if I locked the door from my office downtown. That paranoia alone justified going Wi-Fi. No extra hub needed for any of these.
Try this if you want to keep your existing deadbolt and just add smarts to the inside. Fits right over what you already have. I installed it without even touching the outside of my door.
August Home Matte Black Wi-Fi Smart Keyless
Get this for the rotating keypad. Numbers shuffle every time so nobody can guess your code from smudge marks. My sister with three kids swears by it because little fingers can't memorize the pattern.
Lockly Secure Pro Wi-Fi Smart Lock with Handle
Pair this with the app and you've got fingerprint, keypad, and phone unlock all in one. Went from fumbling with keys in grocery bags to just pressing my thumb. Wish I'd bought it before winter hit last year.
ULTRALOQ U-Bolt Pro Smart Lock with WiFi Bridge
Toss this inside your existing deadbolt if you rent and can't change the exterior hardware. Completely invisible from outside. My landlord didn't even notice I'd installed it.
Level Lock+ WiFi Deadbolt Smart Lock
Use this if you want fingerprint unlock without spending $200. Recognized my print even when my hands were slightly damp from the gym. At this price there's really no reason to wait.
Wyze Auto-Lock Bolt
Smart Locks with Auto-Lock and Auto-Unlock
Forgot to lock up twice while rushing to catch the train. After the second time I decided the lock needed to be smarter than me.
Keep this one in mind if geofencing matters to you. It locks when you leave and unlocks when you walk up. Felt like living in the future the first week, now it just feels normal.
August Home Smart Lock Pro + Connect Hub
Grab this if you're deep in the Apple ecosystem. HomeKey support means you just tap your phone or watch. Installed it the day I moved in and haven't touched a house key since.
Schlage Encode Plus Smart WiFi Deadbolt Lock
Switch to this from a dumb deadbolt and the auto-lock alone will change your mornings. Set it to 30 seconds and stop wondering halfway to work if you remembered.
Yale WiFi Smart Lock Deadbolt with Keypad
Try this if you want a big visible keypad. My parents visited and figured it out immediately without me explaining anything. That's the real test right there.
Kwikset Halo Wi-Fi Smart Lock, Keyless Entry Door
Snag this for the fingerprint reader that actually works in cold weather. Tested it all through a Michigan January. No gloves needed, just a quick tap and you're in.
eufy Security Smart Lock C220 Fingerprint
Smart Locks for Renters
Renting means you can't drill new holes or your security deposit disappears. Every lock here goes on and comes off without leaving a trace.
Use this if your lease says you can't modify the door. Hides completely inside the existing lock. Swapped it in when I moved in, swapped the old one back when I left. Deposit saved.
Level Lock+ WiFi Deadbolt Smart Lock
Try sticking this right over your existing thumbturn with the included adhesive. No screws, no drilling, no angry landlord. Controlled it from my phone within five minutes of opening the box.
Amazon
Get the Bluetooth version if you just want basic phone unlock without a monthly fee or hub. Sits on the inside only. Perfect for anyone who moves apartments every year or two.
August Home Matte Black Wi-Fi Smart Keyless
Pair this tiny thing with your existing deadbolt and it just turns the knob for you. Smallest smart lock I've tested. Nobody walking by would ever know it's there.
CANDY HOUSE Sesame 5 US, Smart Lock
Grab this budget option if you want auto-unlock on approach. The gateway plugs into any outlet nearby. Took it with me through two apartment moves and reinstalled it each time in about 15 minutes.
Wyze Auto-Lock Bolt
Smart Lock Accessories and Add-Ons
Realized pretty quickly that a smart lock by itself only gets you halfway there. These extras filled in the gaps I didn't know existed.
Get this to see who's at the door before you remote unlock. Caught a package thief on camera the second week. Worth it for that moment alone.
August Home Doorbell Camera 1st Gen Silver
Use this as the brain if you're connecting multiple smart home devices. Pulled all my locks, lights, and sensors into one app. Setup took one evening with a glass of wine.
SmartThings Hub 3rd Generation
Toss this next to your SwitchBot Lock so guests can punch in a code instead of needing the app. Gave my dog walker a temporary code that expired automatically. No awkward key exchanges.
SwitchBot Smart Keypad Touch
Swap your Yale lock module to upgrade from Bluetooth to Wi-Fi without replacing the whole thing. Saved me about $150 compared to buying a new lock. Took maybe eight minutes.
Yale Assure SL Deadbolt Smart Lock
Snag this little plug-in if you already own a Schlage Sense and want remote access. Plugged it in behind my couch, connected in the app, done. Should have bought it the same day as the lock.
SCHLAGE BR400 Sense Wi-Fi Adapter 2.4GHz
Smart Locks with Keypads for Airbnb and Guests
Coordinating key handoffs with short-term guests was a nightmare. Started missing check-ins. These let me send a code from anywhere and change it between every stay.
Try this if you need a physical key backup but still want smart access. Generates offline codes so it works even without Wi-Fi. Hung it on my Airbnb gate and haven't driven over to hand off keys in months.
igloohome App
Get this for a budget Airbnb setup. Multiple user codes, easy to program, and it looks way more expensive than it is. Guests always assume the whole place is high-tech after seeing the door.
Keyless Entry Door Lock with Handles
Use the 3D fingerprint sensor if you host repeat guests who hate remembering codes. Just register their print once. One of my regulars said it was the smoothest check-in she'd ever had.
Lockly Secure Plus Smart Deadbolt
Grab this entry-level option for a secondary door or back entrance. Voice prompts walk you through setup. Put one on my basement rental unit and the tenant set up his own code in two minutes.
TURBOLOCK TL114 Keyless Door Lock with Keypad
Pair this with the app to generate time-limited codes for cleaners, guests, or anyone who needs temporary access. Changed my whole hosting workflow. No more hiding keys under doormats like it's 1997.
Sifely Keyless Entry Door Lock, Smart Deadbolt
Heavy Duty Smart Locks for Extra Security
Live on a ground floor apartment facing a busy street. Peace of mind meant getting something that could actually take a beating, not just look smart.
Keep this at the top of your list if security rating matters. ANSI Grade 1, which is commercial level. My door feels like a vault now. Installed it with the same tools I used for an IKEA shelf.
Schlage Connect Smart Deadbolt Camelot
Switch to this if you want biometric plus a solid metal build. The fingerprint reader stored 100 prints, which is way more than I'll ever need. Feels like it could survive a zombie apocalypse.
ULTRALOQ Bolt Fingerprint WiFi Smart Lock
Try this for the motorized deadbolt that's actually quiet. My bedroom is near the front door and I don't hear it cycle at night. Built like a tank but smooth like butter.
Kwikset 916 Keyless Entry Touchscreen SmartCode
Get this commercial-grade option for a home office or side business entrance. Bump-proof, pick-resistant, and the touchscreen is responsive even with wet fingers. Worth every penny for the paranoid among us.
Yale Assure Lock Touchscreen with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Toss your old deadbolt and put this on if you want a built-in camera right in the lock itself. Watched a delivery driver set down my package in real time. Two birds, one lock, one screwdriver, done.
Bosma Aegis Smart Door Lock and Fingerprint Keypad