Verdict
Compatible with most doors and capable to be attach at different Angle , the SwitchBot Lock is a retro upgrade that ’s easier to fit than most . It ’s reliable , leaves your manual lock in place as an override and has an optional Keypad to up flexibility . It ’s not the most attractive acclivity and does n’t have the wide third - political party support of its competitors , though .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
If you ca n’t or do n’t desire to fiddle with the existing door lock up on your front threshold , getting a smart lock that will work with it can be exceedingly hard .
The SwitchBot Lock aims to improve the spot and is built to work out with almost any door with a thumb - turn or that can operate from the outside while a samara is stick in on the interior . It has a decent range of optional extra but currently lacks the third - party support that its rivals have .
Design and installation
Like many retrofit smart locks , such as theYale Linus , the SwitchBot Lock is designed to work out with an existing door lock . The basic principle is simple : the SwitchBot Lock automatically turns a fundamental or ovolo - turn , lock and unlock your door on need .
It ’s still deserving watch if your curl is compatible before buying , as there are some rigorous requirements . The biggest restriction is for citizenry with a lock with a key on both position of the door . If you do , then SwitchBot Lock can be set up to automatically grow the key ; however , if you want to get in from alfresco using a winder , you need to have a ringlet that will work with two key fruit inserted .
Many locks do n’t , although you may advance a Euro Cylinder to the Yale Linus Adjustable Cylinder , which has a pollex turn on one side and a new key lock on the other . Of naturally , that assumes that your threshold is Euro Cylinder compatible .
The internet site says that the SwitchBot Lock is n’t compatible with multipoint lock . This is n’t true , it ’s just that you ’ll have to manually lift the handgrip before locking , as the SwitchBot Lock wo n’t engage automatically .
SwitchBot provide three adaptors in the box , each one a different sizing : just find the one that tally your thumb turn or do it .
Then , come the mounting . Here , the SwitchBot Lock has a altitude - adjustable wall bracket , and the main gimmick can be sat anywhere there ’s room for it : below the lock , above the lock chamber , or even to the side .
That ’s much more pliant than on the Yale Linus , which can only be install with the put on plate below the lock .
The solvent is a more flexible lock , although it ’s not peculiarly attractive from the inside , particularly with the mounting bracket sticking out .
Once establish , the SwitchBot Lock can be configured through the SwitchBot app , which is home to the company ’s other products , such as the SwitchBot Bot . The app use Bluetooth to connect to the whorl , then runs through a quick manual calibration phase . I had to operate and unlock the doorway manually so that the Lock could take how many times it had to turn .
Features
One of the benefits of the SwitchBot Lock is that the basic way your lock workplace does n’t change . From the outside , there ’s still a winder , so you and your family can enter and expire your home plate in the same way that you ’ve always done .
This is also good for a championship : if the lock fails , you may just apply a key to get back in . A big flunk of theYale Conexis L1(now renamed the Yale Conexis L2 ) is that if the lock fails , there ’s no path back into your house .
Even if you do n’t have a tonality , the SwitchBot has an Emergency Unlock option , where it will turn clockwise until it ca n’t turn any further and then , if that did n’t study , anti - clockwise until it ca n’t turn any further . That can help unsex a stuck lock .
From the interior , the SwitchBot Lock gives you a pollex turn to lock and unlock the door , so there ’s probably little difference to you there , either .
This being a smart lock chamber , it ’s the other methods of entry that really enumerate . First , there ’s the app . This works topically over Bluetooth , although you may pair the SwitchBot Lock to a SwitchBot hub if you require outback ascendence .
The app shows what DoS the threshold is in , and a tap on the ikon locks or unlocks it . That ’s o.k. for remote control , say letting a visitant in while you ’re out , but realistically , it ’s irksome to displume out a phone , unlock it , unfold the app and unlock the ignition lock than using a key .
luckily , there are other options . The lock is compatible with the SwitchBot Remote , although that does n’t have a keyring option , so it is n’t a good selection if you ’d prefer a keyfob .
There is the optional Keypad ( £ 45 ) or Keypad with fingermark reader ( £ 100 ) , which sticks to the outside of the door ( or it can be have it off into place ) . This is almost a must , as it has a lock button on it so that you could go out , shut the doorway and then practice the Keypad to lock the door without getting Florida key out .
There are also robotlike locking options . Via the app you may plant the room access to lock after a set time , and , via the stick - on sensor , you may also set up the room access to operate automatically after the room access is closed after a different time period of clip .
With the Keypad , multiple passcodes can be lend to your story , one for each member of your planetary house if you like . impermanent passcodes expire at a specific date , so can be utilitarian if you ’ve got builders and a cleaner , although it would be nice if these codes could be restrict to operate only at specific times , a feature available with theUltion Nukismart whorl .
There are also one - time codes , which operate the once , and emergency codes . With the latter , an email alert is sent when the room access is unlocked to warn someone that you ’re in difficulty .
you’re able to also employ NFC plug-in with the Keypad , with one provided in the box . Just tap this on the Keypad , and your door will unlock . It ’s a nice addition , although a tag end you could carry on a keyring would be more useful , as with the Yale Conexis whorl .
portion out the lock via the app is less useful : you may share your entire domicile and every gadget in it , but not just the whorl itself , which is a shame .
Amazon Alexa and Google Home support are usable ( you ask a vox PIN prepare up ) , but the lock does n’t work with HomeKit and it does n’t shape in SmartThings , even though the other products in the stemma - up do .
Performance
Some SwitchBot gadget that I ’ve reviewed can be slow to answer , particularly remotely . as luck would have it , the SwitchBot Lock is n’t like that . I ’ve only had the app meter out a couple of times , but a quick refresh has always unsex the job .
Physically at the ringlet , the SwitchBot Lock responds speedily to the app , locking and unlocking on demand . Ditto for the Keypad , which utilise a direct Bluetooth connexion to the lock , so it ’s not reliant on the cyberspace connection .
It ’s gracious being capable to practice a key , although the only slight issue is that the type of ignition lock you ’ve get depends on whether the SwitchBot Lock do it its been locked : if the thumb - good turn or internal key turn when an outside key is used , the Lock will detect it ’s being opened ; if the internal share do n’t move , the door ca n’t sense if it ’s been lock or unbarred .
Slightly more of a pain are the bombardment . Both the Keypad and Lock operate on two-fold CR123A battery , which are n’t commonly usable . They should last around a year , but it ’s deserving give birth a stash of these battery as a backup .
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Should you buy it?
If you ’ve got a door that ’s not compatible with other smart curl , this theoretical account may just work for you .
If you want something neater that ’s compatible with a wider mountain chain of smart home systems look elsewhere .
Final Thoughts
A very flexible smart lock , the SwitchBot Lock will figure out with many door , and its compromising installation means it ’s more wide compatible than many of its challenger . It ’s a aboveboard operator , work reliably . I like how the external ignition lock is still usable manually , either as an override or in preference of using the app or Keypad .
What the SwitchBot Lock misses out on is wider compatibility with bright domicile systems and a wider selection of ledger entry pick . Opt for the Ultion Nuki , for model , and you get HomeKit documentation as well , plus the selection of a keyfob , and a wider choice of how access is shared . And , the Yale Linus also has HomeKit financial support and expect a bit impertinent .
Overall , the Ultion Nuki is good , but the SwitchBot Lock may suit if you ’ve got a slightly fiddly door that the Nuki ’s not compatible with .
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FAQs
It will make for with most locks that have a thumbturn and can turn an internal key , too : you ’ll desire a lock that can be operated with a tonality on the exterior at the same time as the one on the interior .
It works with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant .