The best HomeKit locks for your smart home in 2022 – AppleInsider

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The best HomeKit smart locks
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The number of HomeKit-enabled locks continues to grow. To find out which is best, we put several of them to test to come up with our recommendations for your smart home.

All HomeKit locks share some degree of similar functionality. They all can be controlled with the Home app, included in scenes, and automated based on location.
Of the locks we’re recommending, each has unique features that set them apart from the rest of the marketplace.
Our most oft-recommended lock for 2022 has to be the Level Lock Touch Edition. Level has two other versions of its signature smart lock, which may be appealing depending on your installation.
The Level Lock Bolt just replaces the internal mechanics of your lock, earning it the title of the “invisible smart lock.” The standard Level Lock has the internals, as well as the exterior door hardware as well.
Level Lock Touch Edition is the most capable of the three. This lock stands out by offering several methods of gaining ingress to your home.
You can lock and unlock your door just by touching the outer keyhole of the lock. It checks the Bluetooth connection with your phone to authenticate, then controls your lock. It’s easy and seamless.
The other options is using the included NFC key cards. These credit card-sized cards can tap against the door where it will then unlock. This is a perfect solution for those who don’t have a smartphone.
As a final option, Level sells a wireless keypad that can be installed nearby. Find it for $79.
If you’d like to buy the Level Lock Touch Edition, you can find it for around $300 on Amazon.
The August Wi-Fi edition has two features that we’re in love with that make it an exceptional smart lock.
August locks famously are easy to install, just swapping out the internal throw while leaving the internals and external hardware. Just like with the Level Bolt we briefly mentioned above, that makes it great for rental properties.
What’s unique though is its door sensor. This sensor goes inside the door frame and can detect if the door is merely cracked, or left wide open.
For us, this provided peace of mind out door was always closed. We have dogs and are perpetually worried the door may come open and they could run free. While we’re home, we don’t always keep it locked.
August Wi-Fi edition will alert us so we don’t waste the AC/heat and no animals or small children will escape.
This version also connects over Wi-Fi, allowing access from almost anywhere in your home, including places Bluetooth previously didn’t reach.
There is one downside though, which is that HomeKit door locks can’t communicate over Wi-Fi. You’ll still need a Home Hub within Bluetooth range to remotely control via HomeKit. Only the August app will work over Wi-Fi.
It’s available on Amazon for $198.
Thus far, the Schlage Encode Plus is the only HomeKit-enabled lock available in the U.S. to support Apple’s Home Key technology. While it remains frequently out of stock, it still made it to our list.
With Home Key support, your door lock’s key can be added to the Wallet app on your iPhone and Apple Watch. These can also be shared with guests and visitors and stored on their phones.
Otherwise, this look has all the hardware you need for the inside and outside of your door and boats a built-in keypad for numerical access.
Grab one while you can for $359.99.
The last lock we want to recommend is the Assure Lever lock. This happens to be the first and only HomeKit lock designed for the interior of your home.
With this, you can secure important rooms in your house and control access with HomeKit. A basement, a space bedroom, a home office, and more can have their standard doorknobs swapped for this lever lock. As a bonus, it has a built-in keypad too.
Grab the Yale Assure Lever Lock on Amazon.

The poor support and bugs in August products are so abundant that it really should not be on a list like this. Unless of course AppleInsider is getting paid for pushing this; in which case I wouldn’t trust this list at all…

I have a pair of August locks and find them quite good. Their only real downside is chewing through batteries at quite a rate.

By far the best lock ( at least here in Europe) is the Nuki. Installed in minutes with no tools. HomeKit support and great design and features. 

rrabu said:

The poor support and bugs in August products are so abundant that it really should not be on a list like this. Unless of course AppleInsider is getting paid for pushing this; in which case I wouldn’t trust this list at all…

Mine works just fine. Thank you.

The lack of examples or details makes me think you work for one of the competitors. Probably one that didn’t even make the list.

I’ve had the Schlage Encode Plus since release and it is wonderful. It’s performed flawlessly so far. HomeKey with my Apple Watch is great when coming back from my morning run since I don’t carry a phone. Still at 95% battery after 2 months or so. I’m surprised the review didn’t mention anything about Thread on the Encode, which makes for quick response and low battery consumption. 
Only thing I wish it had was something like August sensor so that it wouldnt try to lock and instead notify you if the door wasn’t all the way closed. I do have a Homekit door sensor on that door so there’s probably a way to set up something, but I just haven’t taken the time to figure it out yet.
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