How to Choose the Best Digital Lock for Your Home

Mistake #1 — Choosing a digital lock based on price

a) Error #1 — Buying the most expensive lock

There is an assumption that buying the most expensive digital lock will provide the highest performance and reliability. While this may be true sometimes, this is not always the case. Some digital locks are priced more highly because of the brand of the lock, or because they may use premium materials such as diamonds or gemstones or high-tech materials such as titanium or carbon fiber for the lock. There are also locks which are developed in collaboration with premium luxury brands or sports or lifestyle brands such as racing brands.

These may help the digital lock look better aesthetically or look like a highly attractive designer luxury item, but if the underlying digital lock technology is basic or average in reliability. A number of factors listed above may help the lock look better, but does not affect its often average performance.

b) Error #2 — Buying the most affordable or cheapest lock

If all locks are about the same, then buying the cheapest lock is a good way to save money and get the same performance, right? Wrong.

We find that many cheaper digital locks will use plastic parts, instead of metal for the lock’s components. If using plastic or cheaper metal parts for the lock’s internal mechanisms, this may mean that the lock will have a shorter lifespan. Lower quality metal parts may mean that it will rust more easily and if used for the lock’s internal mechanism’s moving parts, it may have a lower lifespan. To offer a lower price, the manufacturer may use lower quality electronics which may show errors and fail to unlock more often. We have also encountered lower quality keypads which are non-responsive when trying to enter a PIN code, or low quality fingerprint or facial ID sensors which fail to recognise a registered fingerprint or facial ID profile.

We have also encountered situations where phone apps have stopped working with digital locks because the lock brand did not invest in meeting the Apple or Google app store requirements to keep their apps updated or to meet security requirements. If a phone app is used to register and set the app’s settings and is no longer available, then this could be a security issue too. If considering a cheap or clearance digital lock, we offer the advice “you often get what you pay for”.

Mistake #2 — Choosing a digital lock based on features

It may sound wonderful to find a digital lock that offers advanced features such as facial ID, remote control over the Internet or being able to offer intercom-like features at a bargain price. In some cases, we find that the electronics and sensors that provide these features may be of lower quality, so the functions may not work reliability or may stop working after some time.

We have met customers whose lock’s advanced functions such as facial ID stopped working shortly after the warranty period ended and they switched to using basic functions like PIN codes and access cards. In other cases, a cheaper digital lock offering fingerprint ID seemed like a good deal. However, the customer often had to tap their finger on the sensor multiple times before it would be recognised.

We would recommend checking feedback that the advanced features work reliability and offer long-term performance to be able to meet your digital lock needs for security and peace of mind.

Mistake #3 — Choosing without considering the existing lock

When a lock is installed, it requires holes to be cut into the door to accommodate the lock mechanism or to allow connecting rods or wires to connect the inside and outside sections of the lock. Depending on the type of lock, the hole could be a small 2cm diameter circle or a large 6cm diameter hole. The replacement lock would need to cover the existing hole cutouts. Also, the dimensions of the new lock need to be similar to the old lock.

We have had customers who have bought locks from online sellers, then find to their disappointment that the locks could not be installed because the dimensions were significantly different from the old lock and the new lock could not be installed without significant modification to the door. In some cases, the lock could not be installed in the door! If you are considering options for a new digital lock, or even installing a mechanical key lock to replace a faulty or old digital lock, do get in touch with our team at 87582418 as we have helped hundreds of customers.

Types of Digital Locks

Some of the digital locks we have worked with and/or installed:

Nexus Locksmiths is an appointed installer for several digital lock brands and we also provide emergency unlock and repair services for almost all digital lock brands.