With a smart lock on the front or back door, your key is superfluous, you can see who comes home and leave, and let your guests in. How safe is such a lock, what are the options and what should you pay attention to if you want to buy a smart lock? Techzle lists nine smart locks from Dutch and foreign brands.
Smart locks are not new, but they seem to be gaining in popularity. More models are being released, they are more readily available at Dutch (web) stores and manufacturers are investing in attention to them. Interestingly, there are a handful of Dutch brands that make smart door locks. Some people simply have more confidence in a Dutch party than in a foreign one.
A more objective advantage is that Dutch manufacturers understand which type of cylinder is common here: the euro cylinder. Almost all smart locks are suitable for this. If you are considering a smart lock, it is useful to check which cylinder is on your front or back door. If you have a different cylinder or a door with multiple locks, we recommend that you contact the smart lock manufacturer in advance to check whether the lock is suitable. You may need a new cylinder.
Some smart locks require a separate cylinder anyway. In that case, it is often supplied. Installing is a little more work, but almost all brands claim that installing is easy and quick. Many smart locks run on a number of AA or AAA batteries that you have to replace after a few months. Other locks use a battery that you have to charge after a few months via a power bank or the socket.
Yale Linus
Yale is one of the best known players when it comes to smart locks. The latest model came out last year and is called the Linus. A nice and clear name, especially in comparison with some competitors. The lock is easy to install and runs on four AA batteries. According to the (originally American) manufacturer, these last six to nine months, after which you replace them. You will be notified when they are almost empty.
The Linus fits over the existing euro cylinder on the inside of the front door. So you don’t have to get rid of your keys and the lock is not visible from the outside. The lock works via bluetooth low-energy and uses AES-128 and TLS encryption for the connection. This way it unlocks and locks when you are nearby.
If you want to operate the Linus remotely, you need the Connect Wifi Bridge. It connects the lock to the internet and works via the Yale Access app. You can also operate the lock via your digital voice assistant. Also optional is the Smart Keypad that you hang at your front door. This way you enter with your own code.
Bold Smart Cylinder SX-33
Bold is a smaller brand of smart locks, but Dutch. With the Bold Smart Lock SX-33 make your front door a lot smarter, with the necessary cylinder included. It will replace your current cylinder. Interestingly, you can hire Bolds installation service for 59 euros to put the lock in your door. According to Bold, the lock will last for at least two years or twenty thousand activations and you will receive a signal in the app in time when the battery runs out.
You unlock and lock the lock by carrying your phone with you. You can also set a backup PIN in the app to unlock the lock with a twist (like a safe). Handy, and actually necessary, if you don’t have your smartphone with you.
For about 100 euros you can buy the Bold Connect, the bridge that connects the lock to the internet. This way you can always open and close the lock via the app and you can adjust settings. The bridge must be hanging or standing near the lock and will work when the USB-C cable is plugged in.
Loqed Touch Smart Lock
If you like to look for a smart lock from Dutch soil, the Loqed brand also comes up. Not the biggest name indeed, but it gets generally positive reviews from users. Loqed sells his Touch Smart Lock for a solid 349 euros, but does provide a cylinder and bridge. With some competitors you have to buy them separately for tens of euros each.
The Loqed lock also comes with a five-year warranty. The manufacturer promises a battery life of nine to twelve months via the AA batteries. Also built-in is an emergency power function so that you are never in front of a closed door.
The lock is suitable for a euro cylinder, works via WiFi and Bluetooth and of course comes with an app. With that app, you can open and close the lock from anywhere in the world, and set it to unlock and lock automatically when you arrive and leave. In addition, you can set the lock to open when you touch it briefly – provided you carry your smartphone with you. A point of attention is that Loqed is not (yet) suitable for voice assistants and Apple HomeKit.
Dom Tapkey Pro
The Dom Tapkey Pro is a smart lock from the French Dom Security and costs about 479 euros. It is one of the most expensive models you can buy. The Tapkey Pro uses a Euro cylinder, has a T90 fire-resistant feature and works with your smartphone or special NFC tags. Dom supplies one tag, but you can buy extra tags for 20 euros each.
You open and lock the lock via the Dom app, which uses the bluetooth connection of your device. In that app you can also adjust all kinds of settings, and see who opened and closed the door at what times. The manufacturer also offers a web version, if you don’t have your smartphone to hand.
Dom praises its slot with a focus on ease of installation and user-friendliness, things that competing brands also like to advertise with. The smart lock is not only intended for households, but also for smaller companies or holiday homes. For example, you can give guests an NFC tag so that they can open the door during a preset period. It is good to know that the sales partners offer a wide choice of cylinder sizes. Handy if you have a different cylinder size.
Yale ENTR
Most smart locks are barely visible from the outside, which is nice if you don’t want people to know you have a smart home. If you don’t mind, you can look at the Yale ENTR. It is clearly recognizable as a smart lock and that has several reasons. An optional accessory (99 euros) contains a number panel to enter your own PIN code and open the door.
The ENTR also has a fingerprint scanner to let you in that way. Some people find a lock with a fingerprint scanner ideal because you can’t forget your fingers and you don’t have to worry about software/updates and an empty battery. The ENTR can also be unlocked with a special remote control and of course via bluetooth with the Yale app. According to Yale, the lock fits almost all cylinders, comes with two regular backup keys and a micro USB charger.
The Yale ENTR costs – excluding code panel – about 250 euros. This makes it the same price as the Yale Linus, a newer model, but without a fingerprint scanner.
Danalock V3
It Danalock V3 is a smart lock from the Danish Danalock. The brand specializes in smart locks and sells the Danalock V3 in multiple colors for 199 euros. The lock works with a euro cylinder and is easy to install. The battery life of the lock is a maximum of one year, after which you have to replace the CR123A batteries.
The lock uses AES-256 digital encryption and TLS1.2 protocol and works via bluetooth. The Zigbee and Z-Wave standards are also supported. You can set the lock to open and lock automatically when you arrive and leave. For the WiFi functionalities via the app, you need the (remarkably compact) Danabridge V3. This bridge connects to the lock via bluetooth and enables Apple HomeKit support, among other things.
The bridge costs 80 euros. Don’t have your phone to hand or do you want to give guests access to your house? With the optional Danapad V3 (99 euros) you can open the smart lock via an access code. You determine the codes and how long they work in the app. Hang the Danapad V3 near your door and run on four AAA batteries.
Nuki Smart Lock 2.0
The Austrian Nuki is one of the most popular brands of smart locks and has been around for many years. The most recent model is the Nuki Smart Lock 2.0. This is not very new, by the way, because this lock has been available since the end of 2018.
The Smart Lock 2.0 costs 199 euros and works with various optional accessories. For example, Nuki sells the Fob, a Bluetooth remote control for 39 euros that locks or unlocks the lock with a click. You can also hang the 79 euro Keypad number panel next to the door to enter with a six-digit PIN code. It is also possible to set different codes for guests. The lock itself works via bluetooth with the smartphone app.
do you want it on connect wifi to be able to control the lock from anywhere and use smarthome integrations like Apple HomeKit? Then you need the 99 euro Nuki Bridge. You hang it on the socket, within five meters of the lock. According to Nuki, the Smart Lock 2.0 can be installed in three minutes and fits over your existing cylinder and key. The lock has been assessed as safe by the German test institute AV Test.
Hack smart lock
The most important question with a smart lock is: is it safe? A vulnerable lock literally swings the door open for criminals, which can have major financial and emotional consequences. Manufacturers are therefore investing heavily in the security of their locks. They use AES-128 or AES-256 encryption and TLS encryption to keep the connection between your device and the lock private, so that malicious parties cannot get in.
In addition, most apps to control your smart lock are secured with two-step verification, further enhancing security. Nevertheless, it cannot be ruled out that your favorite smart lock will be hacked at some point. Because in 2019, for example, researchers cracked the security of the Zipato SmartHub and it turned out to be childishly easy to Nuki Smart Lock 2.0 to reset.
Conclusion
If you’re thinking about making your front or back door smart, you can choose from a variety of smart locks from various brands. Partly foreign (many European) players, but also a few from Dutch soil. The prices also differ, as do the functions of the locks. So you can decide for yourself which lock suits you best, but you should pay attention that some locks only work optimally if you also purchase the optional accessories.
Also check if your potential lock will fit on your door. You may need a new cylinder. If you use a door with different locks, a smart lock may not be possible at all. In addition to the technical feasibility, the security issue also plays a role.
Smart locks from reputable parties are well tested and therefore very safe, but in the end everything can be hacked. A regular house key can be imitated and the lock can be cracked, but digital security is a major point of attention with a smart lock. If you do not live alone, it is wise to ask your roommates beforehand whether they are positive about a smart lock.
.