Is it actually possible to buy peace of mind?
We should probably leave answering that question to the philosophers, but in a practical sense, money spent on security for you and your family is rarely wasted.
Improving your safety is rarely just a question of throwing cash at the problem, though. Whether for a private dwelling, shared accommodation, or business premises, actually knowing what you want to achieve should always be the first step.
What to Use this Door Lock For
You may, for example, want to allow your plumber to let himself in when you’ve called him, but without actually giving him access to your keys. In other cases, perhaps in an office or apartment building, it might be a good idea to keep track of who enters and leaves a building, and when.
This door lock makes things like this much easier: you, your family, and guests can now open the door by either entering a numerical passcode, placing their finger against the biometric reader, or using the associated iOS/Android app over Bluetooth. If the battery runs out (which shouldn’t happen before a year or so has passed), you can also use the physical, metal key.
Semi-Professional Fingerprint Reader
While this kind of functionality is pretty impressive in a household product, you will be disappointed if you expect a true professional-grade security system. Managing multiple users can be a bit of a chore. For example, each identity allows you to register only one fingerprint, whereas most biometric access control systems allow you to use at least two.
The fingerprint reader itself is pretty capable and reliable, but not something you’d expect to see on the door of a nuclear missile silo. A dirty or injured finger will probably not work, while the lack of hyper-spectral or very-high-definition imaging makes it less secure than truly high-end units (see the birthday problem to learn how this works).
It’s also something of a silly idea to install a $200 lock on a $50 door; if your home improvement budget is limited, you might be better off spending it on something else. If, however, you are looking for a medium-security lock with a couple of nifty features, this is certainly worth considering.
Installation is not very difficult, it works reliably most of the time, you can order either right- or left-handed versions, and the aesthetic design will suit most homes.
The app, which you will use for things like reviewing logs and allowing certain users access at some times while locking them out at others, could use some work.
However, both the hardware and software have improved greatly since the manufacturer had its start on IndieGogo. We’re not alone in expecting great things for this company.
