I've Tested Dozens Of Smart Locks, But I Keep This One For Its Handy Keycard Feature

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The Aqara U100 smart fastener was primitively priced astatine $230, but it is presently discounted to $135.
• This smart fastener is nan astir versatile I've tested; it offers a assortment of unlocking options, a user-friendly app, and easy integration pinch Apple Home.
• The Aqara U100 drains nan artillery quickly, and nan app doesn't ever alert users, resulting successful reduced capacity wrong 4 months of use.

The Aqara U100 Smart Lock is presently connected waste for only $135 connected Amazon, down from its original value of $230.

Aqara's first Apple Home Key smart fastener successful nan US arrived aft nan institution offered galore Home Key-compatible smart locks extracurricular nan country. Was nan hold worthy it? I've had nan Aqara U100 for complete a year, and nan short reply is: Absolutely.

Also: I tested a TCL smart lock, and its thenar vein nickname characteristic blew maine away

Getting nan Aqara U100 connected my beforehand doorway was reasonably simple, moreover though my circumstantial reappraisal portion didn't travel pinch instructions. It took a fewer minutes to fig retired which portion goes connected earlier nan other, but a deadbolt is simply a beautiful straightforward mechanism, truthful it was easy. The full process took little than 15 minutes.

Once nan U100 smart fastener was connected nan door, I group it up pinch nan Aqara app connected my iPhone and connected it to an Aqara M2 Hub

Although an Aqara Hub isn't basal to usage nan basal features of nan smart lock, you do request 1 to execute distant fastener and unlock actions, position nan existent fastener status, configure password settings from your phone, and create automations pinch different Aqara devices. 

I utilized nan Aqara Hub M2 to group up nan U100 lock.

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

Without a hub, nan U100 smart fastener tin only link to your telephone via Bluetooth and beryllium controlled arsenic agelong arsenic you're wrong Bluetooth range.

Also: Your aged router could beryllium a information threat - here's why and what to do

The Aqara U100 smart fastener is unsocial successful nan US, arsenic it's nan only 1 connected nan marketplace to connection nan pursuing unlocking options successful one:

• Passcode unlock: The U100 fastener features a keypad that requires 6-10 digit passcodes to open. You tin adhd one-time passcodes aliases ones that only activity during a preset period, for illustration for a babysitter each weekday from 3-6 p.m. The app allows you to group up to 75 passwords.
• Fingerprint unlock: After mounting up my U100 to unfastened pinch my fingerprint, I've ne'er had issues pinch it not recognizing my people aliases failing to respond to it. You tin adhd up to 50 fingerprints successful nan app, and Aqara says its fingerprint scholar features a 98.6% nickname rate.
• Apple Home Key: I group up nan U100 fastener to unlock pinch my iPhone utilizing nan NFC-powered Apple Home Key. This adds a virtual cardinal to your iPhone's Wallet, and you tin unfastened your smart fastener only by bringing your iPhone aliases Apple Watch adjacent to it.
• NFC tags: You tin besides programme NFC tags to unlock nan Aqara U100, which is cleanable for anyone who isn't an Apple user, aliases to usage arsenic keycards for houseguests.
• Mechanical keys: The U100 smart fastener comes pinch 2 beingness keys, and nan keyhole is hidden down a sliding sheet connected nan look of nan wave.

Although I didn't find nan Aqara mobile app very intuitive, I loved nan features disposable for nan U100 lock. You tin adhd different users and springiness them each a unsocial unlocking method. For example, I've ever fixed myself a passcode and a fingerprint to way who entered and really they entered erstwhile checking nan lock's arena history.

The fastener blends seamlessly alongside my door.

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

The app besides lets you customize alert settings and take nan sound measurement and connection for immoderate sound alerts during nan locking operation. Thanks to a built-in gyroscope for mobility detection, you tin group nan instrumentality to auto-lock erstwhile nan doorway is closed (no other modules are required).

Also: Forget Ring: This information video doorbell has akin features and nary subscription fees

That said, it wasn't each sunshine and automatically locked doors. I sometimes struggled pinch nan app's beta features, particularly erstwhile it came clip to get nan U100 to fastener down maine aliases erstwhile I swiped it. At 1 point, I had to spell backmost wrong to find nan mechanical cardinal because it wasn't working. I later realized this happens erstwhile nan lock's artillery life ends aft 3 to 4 months.

While my acquisition was mostly positive, I recovered nan app very slow and unreliable astatine giving maine nan fastener status, moreover erstwhile my telephone was wrong Bluetooth range. Sometimes, it would conscionable springiness maine nan incorrect position and opportunity nan doorway was locked erstwhile I could spot intelligibly that it wasn't, but this was resolved aft a fewer months and immoderate updates.

ZDNET's buying advice

Why do I still emotion nan Aqara U100? The pros outweigh nan cons, and nan firmware upgrades support improving performance.

Considering really elaborate smart locks tin get, I went into this reappraisal biased toward nan simplicity of nan Level Lock+ and nan sleek creation of nan Yale Assure Lock SL. The further unlocking features that make nan Aqara U100 unsocial turned maine around.

Also: My favourite indoor information camera has nary subscription fees and is connected waste correct now

Being capable to consistently (and flexibly) unlock my doorway pinch either my fingerprint aliases Apple Watch, and not 1 aliases nan other, has added nan nonstop magnitude of convenience to my life that I look for successful each smart location devices.

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