Recommendations – Smart Locks

Below you will find my most current recommendations for each product category. As always, these are NON-SPONSORED recommendations based on as much empirical information and testing as I can gather.

Last Updated: March 11, 2025

PROJECTORS
PROJECTOR SCREENS
SECURITY CAMERAS
ROBOTIC VACUUMS & MOPS
VIDEO DOORBELLS
SMART LOCKS
DASH CAMERAS
LED'S
POWER
MISCELLANEOUS

Best Overall

Aqara Smart Lock U100

MSRP: $229.99
Common Price: $149.99
Link: https://amzn.to/3LBPVaf

If you’re a big Apple user the Aqara U100 is easily my favorite lock overall, and it uses typical Apple HomeKit magic to give remote notifications and allow for remote unlocking by using your Apple TV, HomePod or other HomeKit hub devices that are already in your house.  Compared to the Schlage which is the other competitor in the Home Key space the Aqara U100 was quieter, used less power per unlock, has a much better app experience with significantly more access options, and it adds a fingerprint sensor in case you don’t have your iPhone or Apple Watch, or maybe for a young kid who doesn’t have a phone or watch at all, and it does all that for over $100 less. Adding an Aqara hub like the M2 also increases connectivity significantly, allowing it to be added to Google Home, Amazon Echo, and Home Assistant using the brand-new Matter protocol.

Best Budget Pick

Wyze Lock Bolt

MSRP: $79.99
Common Price: $74.98
Link: https://amzn.to/3LDKnMp

If you want the best bang for your buck with codes, fingerprints, and a Bluetooth app, the Wyze Lock Bolt gives basically all the same functionality of locks that cost 2 to 3 times as much, and I personally think the minimalist all black look with lighted rubberized buttons is actually pretty slick, but your tastes may vary.

Best Remote Access Lock

eufy Security Smart Lock C220

MSRP: $149.99
Common Price: $109.99
Link: https://amzn.to/48ArTX8

If you want to spend a little more for a lock that will give you mobile notifications for when your door is unlocked, and by whom, the Eufy C220 is awesome, and notifications were accurate, reliable, and fast.  The Eufy app is full of useful settings to tweak your lock’s options and although the built in Wi-Fi is more power hungry than a Bluetooth model, doing away with the bridge leads to a more seamless experience and Eufy did double the battery capacity to account for the increased power draw.

Best "No Smart Lock" Look

Level Lock+

MSRP: $329.00
Link: https://amzn.to/3LBQwJ1

If you or your significant other is completely against having the smart lock aesthetic, the Level Lock+ accomplishes exactly what it set out to do, and looks exactly like a standard lockset, but for me the price tag seems a little steep since it only supports Home Key, has a much smaller battery capacity than the rest of the locks, and it also had some issues with slow updating and misreporting of the lock state in HomeKit.

More information on Smart Locks: https://youtu.be/H7CqQ2paslk