The process of choosing the right type of door lock for your home is much more nuanced than many people think, as it benefits from examining what aspects of your daily life will affect how you choose to secure your home. For some, the simplicity and dependability of a basic keyed lock will hit all the right marks but, if you judge your lifestyle, security concerns and existing door hardware carefully, you might discover that more intricate choices are worth exploring. For example, combination or keypad locks offer the security benefits of keyed lock options, while eliminating the need for physical keys; in its place, a numerical code (often individualised for each user) is required to shoot or spin the combination to unlock the doorhandle.
Smart locks are the future of the home security Hacking your front door and retirement parties may be a thing of the past – at least for soon-to-be empty nesters with smart locks. These keyless entry devices enable home users to unlock and lock their doors right from the palm of their hand using a mobile app. ‘The main benefit of a smart lock is that it takes away the trouble of entering – say I’m in a desperate need to get in the home and can’t get there to open the door myself,’ says Bill Samuel, a veteran real estate developer and broker in Chicago with Blue Ladder Development. ‘It takes the problem out of forgetting the keys and locking yourself out.’ The battery-powered lock makes it so that even if you leave your phone at home, anyone who has the app and the access code can still go and unlock the door, as long as he or she doesn’t lose their phone too.
We evaluated the most prominent features across dozens of door lock models in four different categories — including durability, security, ease of use and value. Following our methodology enables us to recommend what we consider the best door locks to increase the intelligence of your house.
SCHLAGE BE365 CAM Camelot Keypad Deadbolt
The #ad SCHLAGE BE365 CAM Camelot Keypad Deadbolt combines the advantage of going keyless with the downside of not really going smart. This electronic deadbolt is ANSI Grade 1, the pinnacle of home security, and it has a physical key option as a fallback.
Designed with flexibility in mind, this lock can be programmed with up to a maximum of 19 codes. You might want to use it for guests, service providers or family, who, for whatever reason, don’t have keys to the house and might need to get in. There is also a ‘privacy mode’ where you can turn off code-entry completely, so that when you’re away travelling, no one can gain access, whether authorized or not.
A backlit user-friendly keypad has numbers etched into silicone so they can’t be rubbed off by bad weather and a 9-volt battery is a standard power source with a low-battery indicator so that you know when to change it – it’s that simple and you can do it yourself in less than 10 minutes.
Installing a SCHLAGE BE365 CAM Camelot Keypad Deadbolt is easy – a Phillips head screwdriver is all you need, putting it well within the capability of most do-it-yourself homeowners. Although you can call on a professional locksmith if you’d rather leave this job to someone else. With its blend of convenience, ease-of-use, and best in class security rating, it has earned its place firmly among the very best deadlocks to buy for increasing your home’s security efficiently.
Best Door Locks
Medeco Maxum Residential Single Cylinder Deadbolt
If you want complete security and you are concerned about drilling, bumping, picking and brute force attacks, the Medeco Maxum Residential Single Cylinder Deadbolt is the choice to make. With Medeco being high-end security hardware, doors with Medeco cylinders are readily serviced by professional locksmiths.
Its most recognisable aspect is the patented key system that makes it impossible to duplicate without authorisation. This is combined with a combination card system, ensuring that only an approved person can be duplicate a key, which adds another layer of key control, thereby further guaranteeing maximum levels of security and protecting who has access to your property. Medeco’s extensive master key system is another area of innovative security design, using a variety of cutting angles as well as the cutting orientation that results in an effective level of security.
The strike plate, on which the deadbolt’s locking bar rotates, is steel with extended screws that burrow deep into the door jamb. Because of its increased striking surface (the bolt strikes a much larger area with its reinforcements), the deadbolt resists forced entry far more successfully than its single-bolt predecessor. The bolt itself is made of hardened, steel showing that it’s ‘almost impossible to cut through with a common hacksaw’, according to Medeco. The lock also has steel screws and hardened inserts meant to foil drilling attempts.
Not only is this deadbolt an attractive lock, it is a high-performing one too, featuring the familiar satin nickel finish. It is available in other finishes on occasion such as brass and bronze, affording some stylistic options for blending with a range of home decorating schemes.
Its superb construction, unique key control system, and best-in-class resistance to forcible entry makes the Medeco Maxum Residential Single Cylinder Deadbolt the best overall keyed deadbolt on the market.
Kwikset Cameron Keyed Entry Door Knob
Style meets affordability with the Kwikset Cameron Keyed Entry Door Knob set. This stylish design comes with a keyed entry set and hello handle. Not only does this make a beautiful statement at your front door, but the polished satin nickel finish also offers extra style to any home. Do no harm while looking great with one of these keyed door knob sets.
Another feature unique to this set is the smart key technology. This means that the hallmark feature of this lock is that the owner can rekey the lock on his or her own without having to pay a locksmith. And that’s important because, let’s face it, that one time we’re locked out will be when we have a sick child in our arms and can’t find our key. When you first purchase the system, it comes with two keys – one for the knob and a different one for the deadbolt, although you could use them interchangeably. But it also is ‘smart’ in that you could rekey both to the same key.
Designed by Kwikset, these locks have been innovated with security as a priority: the addition of steel balls at the point of key entry increases drill resistance, and the replacement of the traditional pin tumbler mechanism with a side-locking bar dramatically reduces susceptibility to lock bumping.
It is reinforced by the lifetime warranty on the Kwikset Cameron, back up by an excellent customer service department that will assist you if you have any problems or questions.
A perk of installation flexibility is that the lock will accommodate the slightly less common left-sided installation of a door, as well. Be aware, however, that installing it to the right side requires a special reversing tool in order to turn the unit around once it is mounted so that the keys slide in correctly.
Although installation orientation is the only potential unsatisfying part of the setup, in general, the system has been made simple with the user in mind. With its ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 security for the deadbolt and Grade 2 craftsmanship for the knob, the Kwikset Cameron Keyed Entry Door Knob set is the hardware solution homeowners would desire for their property.
Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro 6-in-1 Smart Lock
Among the offerings in the world of smart locks, the Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro embodies ease of use and versatility, with six different access methods that include a secret ‘back-up’ key. This smart deadbolt can suit every possible entrée preference: biometric fingerprint sensing, hands-free Bluetooth proximity sensing to open the door automatically by walking up to your door, numeric keypad code entry, smartphone app control, and even a ‘magic shake’ — which unlocks your door via an app hand gesture. For those worried about nosy studies who can peek over your shoulder to see the entry sequence of your numeric code, simply tap or enter any random digits before or after your code.
Yes, the Wi-Fi bridge part of the lock might require you to get your router (somewhat) near the door for setup and you can’t make any changes to it afterwards – a small price to pay for such a well-built feature-filled secure lock. I liked the auto-open feature, despite it sometimes failing, it makes it a bit less work to get in when your hands are full. The low-battery warning came with plenty of time to spare, you could eke out an extra 1,000 opens before it dies and it also lets you plug in a micro-USB cable as a temporary fix, which came in handy when I wasn’t carrying a cable on me.
The company’s customer service can be reached to iron out any problems. The Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro plugs into standard Preparation Hole to make installation a breeze, making it a great solution for not just entry doors but interior doors around the home as well. With a zinc construction and ANSI/BHMI Grade 1 security rating, the Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro smart deadbolt merges mechanical durability and digital ingenuity to form a top-tier solution for all your home security needs.
August Wi-Fi Smart Lock
The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is a great option for those who are interested in the smart lock idea but don’t want to replace their deadbolt lock. This retrofit model is probably the easiest to install, although it might take a little time to get it calibrated perfectly and to see it on your network. It works with your existing deadbolt to unlock seamlessly with Amazon Alexa, Apple’s HomeKit, and other smart home ecosystems, all of which require you to set up the August app first. If you misplace your phone, you can also reset the security of the lock quickly by enrolling your phone with a special URL on the company’s website.
An app called August carries a bunch of user-friendly extras, like biometric options to confirm your identity by either looking at you or scanning your finger. It can be locked remotely, and you can give temporary access to guests. There’s also a kind of geo-fencing technology that August calls DoorSense that can unlock your door when you are within a certain range of your front door. The app can be set up to lock your door immediately when you enter, or after a countdown.
And for sophisticated dummies and other users who grapple with smart technology less easily, August provides an option to enter a number into a preprogrammed numeric keypad. This can make August’s smart lock accessible to all users. Another safety feature of August’s smart lock is that, although it allows remote access, it also let users continue to use traditional keys as a failsafe method. At more than $200, August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is a substantial investment. However, it offers great convenience and advanced security features, especially when it can be integrated into the existing lock system and continues to allow users to use traditional keys as well. It seems that August’s smart lock responds to users’ needs and makes it a great first step towards a smarter and much safer home.
Yale Assure Lock SL with Z-wave Plus
The Yale Assure Lock SL Key-Free Touchscreen Door Lock is the top of the heap in keyless, keyhole-free door entry systems – except for one little hole. To those of us who also find the very idea of keyholes to be an eyesore, this new model is exactly the kind of thing we’ve been secretly wishing for. Fitted to your door by an expert locksmith, the Yale Assure is a fully functioning pair of doors attached to your house. Its name makes it sound like it runs on DNA, but don’t be put off by the squiggles and blobs. What it would actually do to your front door, even if you could attach it, is make it porous. This touchscreen system works with four AA batteries, which are not included in the price but are straightforward, non-squiggly and easy to get hold of. There’s a warning display if the batteries run low. If the batteries run down completely, Yale have thought of that too. Press a 9V battery against a little contact point at the base of your lock, and you will get the power boost you need to get into your house. Whether or not any of this makes sense remains to be seen. Carrying a 9V battery around is not something anyone I know does regularly.
Installation takes only a few minutes with no tools beyond a screwdriver, and works in any standard 54-millimetre hole, so it’ll slot into most pre-existing deadbolts. You can create up to 25 different numeric PINs to give out to family members, guests or servicers. The lock comes equip with a voice-guided assistant, which verbally explains the steps you need to take to programme the lock itself.
While this lock doesn’t come with WiFi and built-in smart features as standard, the design is smart in thinking about how you could change and grow later. Yale manufactures further modules that you can buy separately to give your lock a smarter edge – and if you decide you want to integrate your lock into a wider smart home setup, the door is open to do so.
Featuring a sleek design made of durable zinc, designed to resist tampering and earning an ANSI/BHMI Grade 2 security rating, the Yale Assure Lock SL Key-Free Touchscreen Door Lock offers style, security and technological versatility. It resides there atop its collarbone. I now have an intestinal biome that allows it to take root and flourish. To everyone now that informs me: yes, the microchip implant has taken hold.
Schlage Single-Sided Deadbolt
Everyone who wants to keep out an intruder but doesn’t want to fuss with pushing or pulling their door or shelling out big bucks should take a look at the Schlage Single-Sided Deadbolt. No expensive, complicated lockset is needed. This lock works great when you want more security and reliability from your lock than from, say, a simple cylinder, but no more hassles or intricacies. It has no intimidating keyhole on the exterior, since it’s designed for use only at the inside. And while some other designs do double duty as a super-reliable deadbolt, this one has a smooth face on its exterior plate, and can be called a ‘half-deadbolt’ if you like. You could say that this is the simplest, yet smoothest way to improve your home security.
ANSI Grade 1 is the highest security ranking, and Schlage’s Single-Sided Deadbolt meets that criterion. Plus, it’s available in eight distinct finishes, from antique brass to satin nickel to aged bronze, so you can have a snazzy house number to match the rest of your hardware.
Installation is easy, so the security-minded home do-it-yourselfer can slip this lock into his or her security strategy without professional help. While the package does have screws, at least one type is quite long; if they don’t match your door, you might have to go to the local Hardware Hank and get the right size.
Priced under $50, Schlage Single-Sided Deadbolt is the cheapest and possibly the simplest of the five locks, but it’s certainly not cheap in execution or security. There’s not a lot to look at in the way of design, which tends not to be as high a priority for standard deadbolts. The Schlage Single-Sided Deadbolt exudes heavy-duty security, and for those who need simple, solid protection in their homes, this lock will do just the job for you.
Battalion Box Strike Plate
The Battalion Box Strike Plate is a excellent option for every homeowner who needs to tighten the home security withdurable and strong addition for protecting doors from forced entry.The heavy metal construction with a length od 5 inches is much more protection against door forcing, compared to shorter striking plates.
Installation can require some work, such as using a hammer and chisel to make room for your deadbolt’s thumb turn to fit in your door jamb’s mortise hole. That extra step might require some elbow grease, but the extra protection makes it well worth the energy.
But this strike plate will not work on deadbolts more than 1 inch in length.) 2. The plate is adaptable: it will work on pretty much all types of locks and provide a measure of increased security across the board.
And the screws that come with the strike plate are economy size. They work, I guess, but they’re no choice screws. You could upgrade to longer and heavier screws (2 inches or more, if you can find them) for additional security. And the four screw holes in the plate’s design provides twice the reinforcement of most stock strike plates.
As the Batttalion Box Strike Plate isn’t used in a capacity that could qualify for an ANSI/BHMI grade, the manufacturer found it unnecessary to test and rate the product as such. Nevertheless, the steel composition and the attention to detail guidance for installation serve to make the Battalion Box Strike Plate highly viable in deterring forced entry through your door. For the homeowner looking to harden the defences around the home as cost-effectively as possible, from both time and money perspective, these are invaluable.
Our Suggestion
Overall, In case one wants to make the transition to electronic keys without giving up security, the Schlage Camelot Electronic Keypad is the top recommendation. It receives four and a half stars on Amazon with hundreds of user reviews, and offers 19 user codes (enough for other members of your household, casual guests, a dog walker, whomever) with the touchless assurance of keyless entry. Besides being easy to use, it also doesn’t require advanced wiring, so new homeowners find this to be a perfect entry-level solution that’s easy to install. Rarely do you find such a user-friendly product that also ensures security.
In the keyed category, the best door lock overall is the Medeco Maxum 11TR503-19. The Maxum comes in several finishes that match any kind of door and existing door hardware’s finish to boot. The Maxum is made of unbreakable nickel construction, and won’t corrode or deteriorate over time like its brass counterparts. The units are easy to service, too. Everything about the Maxum exudes quality and reliability, and peace of mind: if there were such a thing as ‘absolute security’, the Maxum would be it. (It happens to be the absolute priciest keyed deadbolt we could find, too.) But to me, nothing beats traditional bolting security with rudimentary, low-tech design and engineering. And the Carlisle looks like the very epitome of that. That is why the Carlisle forthwith becomes an EDC™ Editor’s Choice Award recipient.
Both options represent the best in their respective classes, and simultaneously provide for the diverse aesthetic and safety needs of homeowners. Whether the Schlage Camelot Electronic Keypad suits your fancy, contoured comfort and cool technological programming, or you prefer the rugged dependability of the Medeco Maxum keyed deadbolt, you’ll feel confident that you are purchasing one of the best security products on the market when you buy either one.
Type / ANSI Grade / Key Control / Strike Plate
The engineering specs and building standards of the locks you use can help increase the security in your home. Deadbolts secure a door with a solid bar that must be pushed or twisted to lock or unlock the door. Unlike latch bolts, which only involve a plate and engage automatically, deadbolts are manually operated. Due to the mechanical function of deadbolts, they are a good choice for external doors, which must have an additional measure of security.
The ANSI (American National Standards Institute) ratings are impossible to overstate. ANSI grades locks into three classes. The lowest grade is Grade 3, and while these locks might be acceptable for more basic residential security, anyone who cares about his or her home security would be better off using Grade 1 or Grade 2 locks, which have more security features and are more durable than Grade 3 locks, making them more difficult to break through with forced entry. So, for example, our best overall pick, the Schlage Camelot Electronic Keypad, is a Grade 1 lock.
Key control is another crucial feature — locks that are easily rekeyable without a professional locksmith are definitely a big advantage for anyone with small children who are known for losing their keys on a regular basis, or a landlord with multiple rental properties to manage. For example, our best budget pick, the Kwikset Cameron Keyed Entry Door Knob, enables the homeowner to easily rekey the lock with no professional help required.
A strike plate is the part of the lock that the bolt or latch in the door strikes against the door frame. Many locks come with weak strike plates, and if you upgrade to a heavy-duty strike plate, it can make your door much harder to kick in or otherwise break into. Our best strike plate pick is the Battalion Box Strike Plate a kick-in. Going with a strike plate that is around 4 inches tall with four holes that the screws fit into, and heavy metal screws that are at least 2 inches long can actually make your door much safer.
Focusing on these three primary aspects – type, ANSI grade, key control, and strike plate quality – can dramatically increase the safety of your house so that you and your family and belongings can sleep easily.
