In the latter case, alerts through the app keep you posted on whether the lock thinks you are at home (unlocked), or away (locked), but there are warnings such as not to turn your phone off while away otherwise the location data can be inaccurate. The Yale Linus lock offers Bluetooth proximity unlocking, which works well enough, and geofenced lock/unlock, which also works but seems a little unnecessary. The main benefit (apart from easy installation), is that the insurance rating of your lock should be unaffected, and the Linus can be removed at a later date without major work – ideal for a rental situation. It’s an ingenious solution and with the supplied screws and backplate it’s easy enough to attach to the interior of a Euro cylinder door. When triggered, Linus turns the key on the inside, unlocking the door. The premise here is that the exterior Euro cylinder lock and handle remain untouched, while the interior handle is removed, a key inserted into the lock, and the Linus Smartlock screwed on top. Indeed, the similarities to the US-only August One locks are considerable. The Linus lock is one of Yale’s most recent forays into smart locks, and takes a more US-style approach to tackle the problem of smartening up home security. Dimensions: 28cm x 6.2cm (internal door plate).Smart home platforms: Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit. The attention to detail is impressive, and the quality is equally so. These can all be used to open the door, a fact that makes it very unlikely you’ll be accidentally locked out. Indeed, the biggest faff in setup is syncing all the various elements – we had the lock, a wifi hub, a key fob, a separate number pad and a smartphone. The clever bits are numerous, but keeping your existing exterior handle is one of them, as is the fact that you can always use an old-fashioned key if you have to. Three screws later (and having inserted a new Brisant Euro cylinder core), and you have a smart lock. Designed to be user-installed, the kit comes with a variety of fitting options to suit most sizes of multi-point locking systems. The Brisant Ultion Nuki is the product of a partnership between UK security brand Brisant, and European smart home firm Nuki – the latter providing the tech, the former providing the security nous. We chose several locks from the established market leader for high-quality door locks, Yale, as well as some newer challengers. The smart locks on the list are a selection of UK-specific locks that fit British doors, an area of potential confusion we’ll dip into fully further down. We didn’t physically attack the locks to check for robustness or try to break in using aggressive digital hacking techniques. We then carried out a range of methods of opening (if available), over an extended period to check for consistency and any connectivity issues. We installed the locks into our test door(s), and connected them to an accompanying app and/or wider smart home platform like Alexa, Google Home or Apple Homekit. We set out to test a wide range of locks that are available and compatible with UK locksets - many US brands are not. The best smart locks have backup options so you can open the door if the batteries in the lock go flat, the wifi is down, or a brand’s servers suffer an outage. Some smart locks take this a step further, using keypads so a master code unlocks the door (if your keys are lost or your phone battery is exhausted), and in some cases fingerprint readers. This authenticates you to the lock and allows you to control it. The latter options contain a unique, virtual key that’s ideally encrypted to prevent interception. To unlock the smart lock, you will need a key, which can range from a standard metal key to a digital version in a mobile app, a credit card or a fob. The best smart locks work by replacing part of your existing locking system with a ‘smart’ element that can unlock the door – in some cases physically retracting the bolts, in others allowing the keyholder to do so using the manual handle.
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