Many people, including myself, have said that 2014 would be the year the smart home would be taking off and expanding at larger rates. And to say the least, that has happened, this time around we have been putting the Kwikset Kevo Wireless Bluetooth Lock powered by UniKey through its paces for the past couple of weeks and our full review is here. You might remember UniKey from ABC’s shows Shark Tank and since then they have grown quite a bit. They have partnered with Kwikset and when browsing your neighborhood Home Depot, you might just notice a large Kevo wall display. With many different smart locks on the market, from the names of DanaLock and August, does the Kevo stick out? Keep reading to see our full thoughts on the Kevo Wireless Bluetooth Lock.
One issue with many of the current Bluetooth locks is that they are shaping up to be complete keyless systems. One thing about the Kevo is that you get more than just the capability of wirelessly unlocking the door. The Kevo provides you with three ways of unlocking the door, from your smartphone, the key fob, or with a classic key. This way the chances of you ever being locked out of your house are brought down to zero. The key fob has to be a fan favorite, as you can just pop it into your purse or on to your key chain and you will be good to go. As long as the fob is with you, when you’re around three to five feet away of the door, it will make the connection, then simply tap to unlock it. The opening and unlocking process is just as seamless with the mobile application, which is currently available for iOS. The reasoning behind the iOS and iPhone only availability at this time, would be because of Bluetooth LE or Bluetooth Smart, which currently is not fully supported on Android smartphones. As UniKey wants the experience to be seamless, they are waiting for this to be made available and as soon as that happens, you can expect compatibility very soon after. Using the iOS application is very easy, as you simply have the app open and turn Bluetooth on, from there unlocking or locking is as easy as tap on the lock. Of course the classic key is just like a normal regular key, not much to say there.
The design of the Kevo itself, does not look like some futuristic lock on the outside, and this is good, as it doesn’t draw much attention. It looks like a regular deadbolt and if you have a preexisting deadbolt on the door already, installation is incredibly simple. You simply swap out the two locks, all-in-all the installation of the Kevo’s hardware took about fifteen to twenty minutes at most. And if you get into some trouble or need some assistance, there is a customer service number included in the box where you can call and get some help. . The Kevo on the outside is essentially, like any other lock, but when you touch it you will notice the touch sensitivity and the circle LED lights that flash. For instance when you lock the Kevo, an orange LED circle will glow and the Kevo will lock. The installation and the usage of the device is very easy.
One really big feature of the device, is the ability to send e-keys and they can be restricted e-keys if necessary. Out of the box you get six of the keys and they can be activated, deactivated, or even reused as much as you need. So, you have a cleaning team, a babysitter, or even just a friend, you can lend them an e-key and restrict it as much as necessary. These restrictions allow you to make sure people are only being allowed in, when they are supposed to be allowed in.
The Kevo’s only minor issues, might be the price of $219, as some people may not want to spend that much on a lock. But, as I stated before, the biggest thing that differentiates the Kevo, would be the minimalistic and ordinary design that still has the traditional key hole. The Kevo will not be drawing people’s attention and after all the whole idea of the product, is for it to be as safe as possible, to literally lock most of the people out and let some of the people in, if they have the access. On top of this big pro about the Kevo, there are many other pros in that it is super easy to set up, the LED ring is hidden when you don’t need it and it’s there when you do, reuseable e-keys come in very handy, and many others that I have highlighted. If you are in the market for a smart lock, I highly suggest you take a look at Kevo. Click Here For More Information On Kevo. We would like to thank UniKey for providing us with a “Kwikset Kevo powered by UniKey Wireless Bluetooth Smart Lock” for us to review.
