Latest news with #Kwikset
The Verge
13-06-2025
- The Verge
Kwikset's newest smart lock gets almost everything right
Legacy lock maker Kwikset has been producing innovative smart locks since 2013, when it released the first touch-to-open lock, the Kwikset Kevo. The company followed that up with the launch of one of the first key-free locks in 2016, one of the earliest Apple HomeKit locks, and one of the first fingerprint-only locks. Kwikset has not shied away from new tech. Its latest model, the Halo Select ($279.99), is one of the first full-replacement Matter-over-Thread smart locks. I've tested almost every smart lock that Kwikset has made over the years, and this is its best yet. It's super-responsive with solid features and broad smart home compatibility. It's just too bad that using Matter means giving up its best feature. The Halo Select is a sleek-looking lock that should fit in with both traditional and contemporary door sets, although it has a modern slant. As Kwikset is one of two major residential lock companies (the other being Schlage), you may already have Kwikset locks and handle sets on your outer doors, meaning the Select might fit in with what you already have — something few other smart locks do. It offers four entry methods: a keyway (which is rekeyable), a touchscreen keypad, app / smart home control, and auto-unlock based on location. The latter worked so well that I didn't mind the lack of a fingerprint reader or Apple Home Key — normally my two favorite access methods. (Kwikset has teased a Halo Select Plus model with an NFC chip, but it hasn't said whether that will work with Home Key or the forthcoming Aliro standard.) One of Halo Select's standout features is the option to connect to your smart home via Matter-over-Thread. This brings broad smart home compatibility over a local protocol, working with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple Home, and Samsung SmartThings, among others. The Thread radio brings faster response times than Wi-Fi and significantly longer battery life — almost double based on my testing. There are only a handful of full-replacement Matter-over-Thread locks available – including the Level Lock Plus, the Eufy E30, U-tec's Matter lock, and the Yale Assure SL. But the Halo Select is your best option right now. Kwikset's auto-unlock feature worked flawlessly in testing To set it up with Matter, you need a Matter controller and a Thread border router. An Apple TV is both, or you can use a combination, such as an Echo speaker (Matter controller) and an Eero Wi-Fi router (Thread border router). Alternatively, you can connect the lock using its built-in Wi-Fi. This allows it to work with the Kwikset app, as well as Amazon Alexa and Google Home, via the cloud. You'll lose the broader compatibility and battery life of Matter-over-Thread, but in exchange, you get one of the Halo Select's best features: auto unlock. Auto unlock is a relatively new feature on Kwikset locks. It uses a combination of radios, including GPS and Wi-Fi, to determine where your phone is in relation to your home so it can unlock the door as you approach. This tech has been used in smart locks for a while — it was first seen on the original August smart lock in 2013 — but each company implements it slightly differently. In most locks I've tested with the feature, it's been unreliable, working only about half the time. However, on the Halo Select, the experience has been flawless, with the door unlocking just as I approach my porch, every time. Specs: Kwikset Halo Select The Halo Select can also auto-lock based on location. Most smart locks, including the Select, can be set to lock after a set period of time. In practice, this sometimes means your door locks behind you when you pop out to grab something from the car. Kwikset's location-based lock can be set to not lock until you've left the driveway. The downside is that the Kwikset app has to be running in the background, so if my phone died while I was out, it wouldn't work unless I remembered to open the Kwikset app after I powered it back on. A new technology called ultra-wideband unlocking is coming (someday) to solve this problem. It will communicate directly between your phone and the lock, no app required, and could also work with devices like smart watches. In the meantime, Kwikset's solution is the best I've tested. The other main unlocking option is a touchscreen keypad. While touchscreen keypads can be finicky, the Select's is super responsive, and I like the clicky feedback it gives. However, I'd like to see better fingerprint resistance, as you can see them at some angles, which could be a security concern. The Kwikset app, which is simple and easy to use, lets you share up to 250 access codes and choose from temporary, scheduled, or permanent access. I like the new LED lock indicator, which lights up when the keypad does and shows green for unlocked and red for locked. (Yes, I have often found myself accidentally locking an already unlocked door.) While I like the look of the new Halo Select, I don't like the prominent Kwikset branding, and I wish the lock itself were smaller; the rear housing is still very big. But the mechanism is much quieter than previous Kwikset locks I've tested. Installation and setup were straightforward, thanks to a detailed and easy-to-follow in-app guide. I was impressed with its super slim door sensor that tucks up above the strike plate. This sends an alert via the Kwikset app when the door has been left open and can show you in the app if the door is open or closed when you control it remotely. However, this only works with the Kwikset app. It'd be nice if it showed up as a sensor when the lock is connected in Matter. The lock has to be set up in the Kwikset app and connected to Wi-Fi, but there is then the option to switch it over to Matter-over-Thread. The app does a good job of making it clear what will happen if you do this — you lose access to the lock in the Kwikset app and can no longer use the auto-unlock feature or access the door sensor to see if the door is open or closed. But it also tells you what you'll gain. Matter-over-Thread does promise better battery life, plus the ability to add it to Apple Home, Samsung SmartThings, and other platforms. I set the lock up in Apple Home and Google Home via Matter with no issues, and I could control it with routines and automations in both simultaneously. As for battery life, it uses four AA batteries that Kwikset says will last six months on Wi-Fi and over a year via Thread. I tested it for five weeks on Wi-Fi and was at 50 percent, meaning I would get just over three months on Wi-Fi. After three weeks on Thread, it had only dropped 10 percent, an early indication that it should get the promised double battery life. It's frustrating to forgo features to use Matter, but this is mostly an issue with Matter, not Kwikset. Matter doesn't support auto-unlock, door sensing, fingerprint access, or newer entry methods like facial recognition. And while some ecosystems have geofencing automations that can be set to unlock your door, in my testing, they don't work as well and sometimes require extra steps. All of this means that, today, choosing a smart lock requires making some compromises. Kwikset's solution allows you to use some of those more advanced features today while retaining the future-proofing potential of Matter for tomorrow. Agree to continue: Kwikset Halo Select Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It's impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit 'agree' to use devices when we review them, since these are agreements most people don't read and definitely can't negotiate. To set up the Halo Select, you must download and install the Kwikset app (iOS and Android) and create an account. By doing so, you need to agree to the following (Assa Abloy is Kwikset's parent company): Assa Abloy Privacy Policy Kwikset Terms of Service Assa Abloy Terms of Use The Select can be set up in Matter platforms such as Apple Home and Samsung SmartThings, but it must be set up in the Kwikset app first. Final tally: three mandatory agreements.
New York Post
11-06-2025
- General
- New York Post
Home Depot shoppers warned — if you purchased this popular item, your security could be at risk, expert claims
A home inspector's viral warning has homeowners rattling their doorknobs — and their nerves. TikTokker and self-proclaimed safety sleuth Scott Lubik (@scottlubik) claimed that if you bought your door locks from Home Depot or Lowe's, 'your keys to your place will open your neighbor's door.' Say what now? Advertisement In the trending video, which has racked up over 59,000 views, Lubik dropped what he called a 'well-kept secret.' 'There are only five different locking configurations, meaning that every fifth set that they sell has the same exact key,' Lubik alleged. Advertisement 'This is a well-kept secret, but I'm a home inspector and a realtor, so I know this just from buying and flipping houses.' So, if your block went on a Home Depot run the day you moved in, there's a chance your key might be the neighborhood skeleton? Lubik added, 'My key set would probably get me into your house, or anybody's house that went to Lowe's or Home Depot.' The clip sparked panic — and eye rolls. Advertisement 'Welp, thanks for telling everyone. I feel much safer now,' one TikTok commenter snarked. 3 If your whole block hit Home Depot on move-in day, a TikTokker says your key might be the neighborhood skeleton key. Getty Images 'Five keys per brand is absolutely crazy,' another said. 'It may get you in but it will be the last door you open,' a third warned. Advertisement Turns out, lock brands like Kwikset and Schlage — which dominate the big box shelves — offer way more than just five options. Try tens of thousands. 3 The clip about Lowe's and Home Depot keys set off a firestorm of freak-outs — and facepalms. Getty Images The Kwikset Keyway (KW1) has more than 10,000 key combinations and the Schlage keyway (SC1) has 72,000, according to Marketplace. So the odds of your neighbor having a matching key? Slimmer than a paperclip. 'If you really want to unlock a random home, you're better off learning how to use a pick set,' Erik Glassen, senior brand marketing manager for Kwikset, told the site. Experts say burglars aren't usually finessing keyways anyway — they're smashing windows or kicking down doors. As one commenter put it: 'Locks only keep an honest man out.' Still paranoid? Advertisement Wirecutter recommends the Schlage B60N deadbolt — just $30 and built to stand up to both stealth and brute-force break-ins. And while your key probably won't open the neighbor's place — someone else might still open yours. Just ask New York City influencer Kate Bartlett, who shared her own terrifying experience in a viral video, warning followers to always lock — and deadbolt — their doors. @katebartlett stay safe and lock and bolt your doors always 🤍🤍🤍 ♬ original sound – kate bartlett Advertisement 'Two years ago, a random man broke into my New York City apartment in the middle of the night while I was there,' said Bartlett, 25, who lived alone in a luxury high-rise downtown with 24-hour doormen and an electronic keycard system. 'So the doors to all of the apartments in the building were a key card system… but they also had a deadbolt for an extra layer of protection,' she said. As The Post previously reported, Bartlett admitted she sometimes skipped the deadbolt because her then-boyfriend had a keycard — a decision she later regretted. 'One very, very random weeknight… I was kind of halfway asleep,' she recalled, when she heard the door open and assumed it was her boyfriend. But minutes later, a strange man was fumbling with her lights. Advertisement 'Eventually, I'm just like, 'Hello, hello?'… and I hear a man's voice say, 'No, this is housekeeping,'' she recounted. 3 NYC influencer Kate Bartlett had a nightmare break-in and a message: deadbolt it, always. Connect Images – Her 'heart sunk,' she said, before grabbing a tripod for protection. The intruder bolted — and building staff initially didn't believe her. 'The same thing happens to another girl in the same building,' she said. 'Everybody finally believes me now.' Advertisement Although police eventually caught the man, they couldn't arrest him immediately — because the building lacked 'No trespassing' signs. 'Months later, finally they were able to arrest him or do something,' Bartlett added. 'I moved out.' Her takeaway? 'Lock your doors, even in a luxury building.'
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rently and Kwikset® Announce Partnership to Develop Smart Bolt Elite with Kwikset® SmartKey Security®
Next gen smart lock for the rental industry merges advanced security with Rently patented touring and Kwikset® re-keying technologies for a secure and frictionless rental experience LOS ANGELES, April 03, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rently, the leader in self-touring, smart access, and home automation solutions for the rental industry, today announced a partnership with Kwikset, a trusted name in residential security since 1946, to introduce the Smart Bolt Elite—a next-generation smart lock designed to enhance unit access control for the rental housing market. By combining Rently's expertise in leasing automation, patented self-guided touring, smart home technology with Kwikset® SmartKey Security® advanced re-key technology solution, the Smart Bolt Elite will deliver a versatile, all-in-one smart lock designed to meet the evolving needs of rental operators. The Smart Bolt Elite is engineered to enhance security and streamline access control in the single-family and multifamily rental markets. Traditional access solutions in the rental industry have long been fragmented, forcing operators to choose between Bluetooth-only locks, Wi-Fi/cellular centralized hub solutions or non-smart access options—each with trade-offs in security, convenience and affordability. The Smart Bolt Elite eliminates this compromise, combining the best features of all three into a single, seamless solution. "The future of rental property management hinges on seamless, secure and scalable technology. With Smart Bolt Elite, we're not just introducing a new lock—we're redefining what access control can look like in the modern rental landscape," said Clark Li, CTO & Co-Founder of Rently. "By combining security, automation and flexible smart home integration, we're giving property managers the tools to enhance both operational efficiency and resident experience. This partnership with Kwikset represents a major step forward in creating a smarter, safer and more connected rental industry." Key features of the Smart Bolt Elite include: Seamless, hub-independent access: Operates with or without a hub, allowing property managers to control access via Z-Wave or Bluetooth. The lock can be used as a standalone smart lock or integrated into a larger smart home ecosystem—ensuring flexibility across diverse property portfolios. Multiple access options: Supports fobs, codes, mobile app, and physical keys for ultimate flexibility, ensuring 24/7 functionality even without constant internet or cellular connectivity. Enhanced with Kwikset® SmartKey Security® advanced re-key technology: Protects against common break in methods like lock picking and bumping, while enabling property managers to instantly re-key locks themselves. This eliminates the security risks and costs associated with lost or unreturned keys and streamlines tenant turnover, significantly reducing the need for expensive cylinder replacements or locksmith services. Self-touring compatibility for a frictionless leasing process: Unique, auto-expiring access codes provide secure, independent property tours, minimizing the need for manual key exchanges while enhancing security, and offers full remote management capability. Designed for Rently's Proptech Ecosystem: The Smart Bolt Elite is part of Rently's expanding suite of smart home solutions, seamlessly pairing with other Rently solutions, such as the Access Panel with Intercom, which enables secure, video-enabled entry management for shared spaces like gated entrances and lobbies. Together, these technologies offer property managers a comprehensive platform to optimize leasing, security, and resident experience. This partnership represents a major milestone for both companies, marking the first smart lock designed specifically for the proptech sector. The Smart Bolt Elite offers a long-term security solution for real estate operators in single-family and multifamily rentals, enabling greater security, convenience and cost savings. "A smart lock with both Rently and Kwikset SmartKey technologies is a game-changer for property managers. As the inventor of DIY re-key Kwikset provides unmatched convenience during resident turnover, while simultaneously delivering the robust security residents deserve. We're proud to partner with Rently to offer this proven, reliable solution that simplifies life for everyone involved," said Jeff Sandoval, Director of Marketing for Kwikset Electronics. Testing for the Smart Bolt Elite is currently underway, with a full launch expected in fall 2025. For more information on the Smart Bolt Elite, visit About Rently For single-family & multifamily owners/operators who want to maximize tenancy rates, efficiency and profitability, Rently is a proptech solution company that offers best-in-class leasing automation services and smart home solutions so customers can lease faster, secure their communities, streamline operations, and increase NOI — all from one platform. Whether you're seeking to increase security, reduce operating costs, or increase rental revenue, Rently has a tailored solution for you. Learn more at About Kwikset® Kwikset is the leading residential lock manufacturer, making homeowners feel safe since 1946. Kwikset works hard to understand the world you live in, so that we can do everything we can to protect it. The company's unwavering commitment to meeting homeowners' needs has inspired its innovative lock portfolio that includes patented SmartKey Security® deadbolts, keyless entry combination locks, connected home technology, Bluetooth-enabled Aura™, Wi-Fi and Matter enabled Halo™, door hardware with Microban® antimicrobial product protection and a wide variety of styles and finishes. Our interior and exterior door products provide customers with the quality, technology, durability and style they want while guaranteeing the highest level of security. Headquartered in Orange County, Calif., Kwikset is part of ASSA ABLOY Americas Residential, an ASSA ABLOY Group Company. Kwikset products are sold online and through retailers and distributors throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Australia. Visit us at View source version on Contacts Media ContactIdea Groverently@
