Smart locks are on the rise now and everyone is attracted to these new gadgets with lots of interest. There is a great variety available in the market for you to have your pick, but remember that these great inventions come with their fair share of odd features, mistakes and poor engineering. Really smart marketing is what drives this industry and market. Compared to the past, finally the lay public is taking more interest in considering having a smart lock themselves, and therefore it is now a right time to bring about the discussion about the various types of smart locks of today and what are the good and bad points about each one of them.
UniKey
UniKey is the best type of Kevo Lock that is available in the market today. It is manufactured and sold by Kwiset. This lock is a whole new replacement for your present deadbolt lock that would open if you just touch it, as long as you are holding onto its key or the iPhone app. Kwiset also gives you the chance to hold a manual lock and key along with this.
The good part about UniKey is that it ended being the first smart lock in the stores of the USA. It is also one of the biggest advocates for the smart lock market and through UniKey, many people have been introduced to the idea of having smart locks. The few problems we have with UniKey is that, it does not work with the more recent models of iPhone as of yet. However, it has added the newer Androids into its functioning series so that’s a good thing!
There were some gossips about Kevo having power problems but other than that any potential problem would be along the line of battery life issues. But having battery life issues is something common across the smart lock market so we are not too worried about that. Moreover, Kevo has tried to restrict its functionality to only Bluetooth usage which further boosts battery life.
Lockitron
Lockitron does not need you to replace its hardware or anything and it fits over the area where you turn your present deadbolt. It can be turned open with your smart phone placed right in front of your lock. It can also be opened from afar with a web application or even a text message! That’s cool isn’t it?
Lockitron is very easy to install and also very user friendly. It is designed in a way that it can be installed and be used by anyone without any trouble at all. That is why even a simple text message from the registered device can get you entry through this lock. They definitely have achieved the simplicity needed to ease life despite giving you good security. Lockitron also does not damage or require you to change the structure of your existing deadbolt for its installation. From being a product with low sales, some simple modifications made Lockitron to be one of the leading smart locks in the country now.
Again if we review the bad points, battery life tops the list. Also, when it was first introduced, knocking your phone on the lock to open it was not a very invited gesture to be used. This also led to some frustration amongst its users. The knock sensor at first was not as good as it is now, and since it only ran on WiFi, battery life was a big issue. Lockitron is still working out with all of its issues and we think that it is doing pretty well resolving them.
Goji
Goji is another full replacement system for your present deadlock hardware and this too can of course be opened with your smart device. On the outside of the Goji, you have a LCD screen welcoming you with your name and a small camera attached to it that sends a photo of you entering your unit when you use Goji. When you flip down the screen then you can see a traditional lock. Having the photo sent to you is added protection because if anyone tries to hack into your system, you have their identity captured right through your Goji.
Goji is based on very new technology, so we problems are not going to pop up too often with it. Moreover, they have a 24 hour service for you to attend to if there is possibly any issue with the Goji. The two main problems we could surface with the Goji are the price and the poor quality of the mechanical cylinder that Goji is shipped with. Compared to other smart locks, these problems don’t seem to be very bad. You basically get a lot of features for the price you are paying, so that may not be a complaint for many people.
If you prefer manual locks, consider our range of high security locks at Express Locksmith. Call us today at 5146236332 for more information on our complete Montreal locksmith products and services.