Between our kids frequently misplacing their keys and family coming in from out of town, my wife and I are constantly walking up and down our stairs to unlock the front door. It's become irritating, especially when we're already relaxing comfortably on our couch. So, we decided to upgrade to a smart lock to give our family and guests more options for getting into the house, even without a physical key.
A lot of research went into getting a smart lock. Whatever we went with needed to be easy to install and program, as well as provide a variety of options for entry, including physical keys. Most brands, including Weiser and Schlage, had interesting options, but they were all missing some key feature. When we stumbled onto Smonet, we weren't sure about it because we'd never heard of the brand. But it was close to $100 CAD and had some decent reviews. Since we could return the lock if it didn't meet our needs, we ordered the Smonet Smart Deadbolt to give it a try.
We were not disappointed.
I had this deadbolt installed within 30 minutes. It would have taken far less time, but the holes in our front door weren't properly cut decades ago. I had to modify the door to accommodate a modern lock (would have been the same issue regardless of what brand we went with). I popped in four batteries, opened the Next Lock app, and started programming FOBs, passcodes, and fingerprints without an issue. I got some extra keys copied for the people in my home who like to have a physical key as a backup, but everyone has been using their passcodes or fingerprints to get in since the lock was installed.
To be honest, the fingerprint scanner is ultra sensitive. If your finger is dirty or sweaty, you're not likely to get a good reading. Myself, I've been happy with the keypad and entering my code.
A bonus feature is the auto-lock. I am well-known for getting distracted and accidentally leaving the deadbolt unlocked. The auto-lock feature allows you to set the time the deadbolt will automatically lock, so you never have to worry about keeping your family protected.
The app is pretty decent. Easy to navigate, shows me the battery life, allows me to unlock and then lock the door from wherever I am in the house. Very versatile little unit. There are so many other features we don't use, like Apple Watch, Alexa, and Google Home, but could if we wanted to.
Lastly, the physical key can be copied using a Schlage SC1 key-blank. Don't go to Home Depot, Rona, or any other general hardware store as they have no clue how to cut these keys. Go directly to a reputable locksmith and tell them to use an SC1. I made multiple copies successfully.
If you're in the market for a smart lock for your home, we'd highly recommend the Smonet Smart Deadbolt. I kind of wish we had more doors in the house. I'd get another one in a heartbeat.
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