Best Smart Locks That Work With Alexa
Best Smart Locks That Work With Alexa
In this post we cover the best smart locks that work with Alexa for your home. Alexa enabled smart locks allow you to control your smart locks using your voice and Alexa commands to lock and unlock your smart lock with your voice.
Smart locks are one of the most popular smart home upgrades you can make to your home and it’s because they can make your life easier. Most smart locks use a keypad entry system that allows you to quickly type in your access code to unlock the door, they also are connected to your phone so you can unlock the door through the phone app.
I have a both a Yale and Schlage smart lock installed on my home and I love that I no longer need to take my keys with me when I’m going to walk my dog or when I go for a run. It’s a truly freeing feeling to go for a run without keys jiggling round in your pocket.
What’s even better than having a smart lock, are smart locks that work with Alexa so you can lock and unlock your door hands free inside your home. It’s great for when you’re having guests and you have your hands full or can’t get to the door.
All you need to do is say is “Alexa, unlock the front door.” then respond with you passcode and the door will unlock. Voice commands also make locking the door easier and I use them almost every night. If your like me and always check that your front door is locked before bed, you can skip that nightly ritual and lock your Alexa smart door lock using Alexa and voice commands.
The best smart locks that work with Alexa are all easy to use, simple to setup and can help you avoid being locked out of your own home. I would say along with smart thermostats, smart lighting and smart doorbells, Alexa smart locks are one of the most popular smart home upgrades you can make to your home.
Related Post: Best Alexa Smart Light Bulbs
What Is An Alexa Smart Lock?
Smart locks allow you to remotely control your deadbolt locks using your phone for locking or unlocking your home remotely. Most of them also keypads that allow you to use keyless entry even when you don’t have your phone and assign temporary key codes to housekeepers, dog walkers, contractors or family members.
With a smart lock compatible with Alexa it allows you to control the lock with voice commands using any Alexa device, including the Echo Show or Echo Dot.
What is Alexa? How Do Alexa Smart Locks Work?
Alexa is the Amazon’s voice assistant that will answer your questions, play music, remind you of calendar activities and allow you to control your smart home with your voice. Alexa smart locks are one of the many smart home devices that you can control with your voice. Once you set up your lock and connect it to your wifi network, you can then connect your Alexa lock to to the Alexa app for voice control.
What can you do with smart locks that work with Alexa?
With standard smart lock configurations you can control your smart lock through your smartphone. But connecting your smart lock to Alexa opens up a whole new world of smart home and smart lock control in that it allows you to control your smart locks using voice commands with Alexa.
You can control your smart locks with Alexa voice commands by saying:
“Alexa, lock my front door.”
“Alexa, unlock my front door.”
“Alexa, check the status of my door.” - Which will tell you if you left your door open or closed.
Adding Alexa voice control to your home is a true luxury and will take your smart home to the next level. I’ve lived with a smart lock in my home for almost 5 years and there’s nothing like laying in bed at the end of a long day and asking Alexa if your front door is locked rather than getting out of bed to check and see if you locked your front door. To control your lock with voice all you need is a smart lock and a Alexa device. One of my favorite Alexa devices is the Echo Show 5 because of it’s compact size and touchscreen capability.
Best Smart Locks That Work With Alexa
#1 Yale Assure Smart Lock
Yale Assure Smart Lock (YRD226-CBA-619 Connected by August Touchscreen Smart Lock)
The Yale Assure lock connected by August is the gold standard in smart locks. It provides a touch screen, remote control with your phone and even has a backup keyed lock if you want to use it.
There are several different models of the Yale Assure smart lock but it’s important that you get the right smart lock that works with Alexa which you can find here or click on the picture above. There are two Yale Assure models that work with Alexa with the main difference being that the other model eliminates the keyhole entirely, and uses a just a touchpad.
If you are wary of using a smart lock or are not ready to make the full keyless transition the Yale Assure Lock still offers the flexibility to use a key or “hide” a spare key just in case. There is no reason for you to need the key as these smart locks are incredibly reliable and built by Yale a company that has decades of experience in the security industry.
With the the Yale August smart lock you can lock and unlock your smart lock remotely from your phone, share access with user codes and track the history of who is using the lock.
A unique feature of the Yale August smart lock that works with Alexa is that it has a built in sensor that can detect if your door is open or closed which can give you that extra piece of mind that your home is secure.
The touch screen feature of this smart lock is probably my favorite feature, it’s a solid durable touch screen designed to withstand the elements and is simple to use. I find myself using the touch screen most often to open or close the clock and it’s much simpler that fumbling with keys.
I no longer worry about taking my keys with me when I go to take my dog for a walk because I can just lock the door and use the touch pad entry to get back in the house. The lock also has an auto lock feature so if I forget to lock the door, the Alexa enabled smart lock will automatically lock it for me after a specified amount of time..
Another nice feature of this smart lock is that it can directly integrate with dozens of different apps and other smart home products to increase functionality. If you run an Airbnb the lock directly integrates with your Airbnb account to provide remote check in through Airbnb and will automatically assign codes for your guests. It also has works with HomeAway in this manner. The Yale August smart lock provides one of the most comprehensive and user friendly control interfaces that gives you the most functionality out of a HomeKit Smart lock.
With Alexa and this smart lock you can lock the door, unlock the door or check the status all by using Alexa commands and saying “Alexa, lock my door.”
If you already have an existing standard deadbolt the Yale August Smart Lock is simple to install and can be done with a screwdriver or a drill. The simple user interface and easy installation make this one of the Best Alexa smart locks and anyone looking to upgrade the security of their home should consider this reliable smart lock. It takes about 20-45 minutes to install a the Yale Alexa smart lock and if you are having any issues with the fitment or operation of your smart lock I recommend looking at our post that provides you smart lock installation tips.
#2 Yale Assure Smart Lock (Touchscreen)
#2 Yale Assure Smart Lock (YRD256-CBA-0BP) - Keyless Touch Screen
This lock works almost identically to the Yale Assure smart lock listed above except it eliminates the Key for a full keyless touchscreen. This smart lock also works with HomeKit and provides all of the same software features and user interface as the #1 Alexa smart lock but goes full keyless to provide a cleaner and more high tech front door appearance.
Choosing between the keyed or completely keyless entry is really a matter of personal preference. I went with a completely keyless smart lock for one of my exterior doors and have not had any issues with it. I also love it’s low profile and great looks on the door. It looks beautiful without the key and has a much smaller footprint. If' you’re a fan of clean lines and simplistic looks this smart lock delivers.
My favorite features of this smart lock are using the auto lock function which automatically locks the door when I leave, assigning guest codes and using the keypad for quick access when I get home.
I have a dog and this has made going on walks with the dog easier because I don’t have to worry about having keys when I go for a walk and when I have things in my hand like a leash I can quickly open the door with the keypad.
The Yale app is loaded with tons of smart features and is easy to use, you can easily assign guest codes, change user codes and set times and experications dates for guests. This smart lock also has native integration with Airbnb which automates assigning guests codes for check in.
#3 Schlage Smart Sense Deadbolt
Schlage is a reliable lock and security brand with a tenure just as long as Yale. However the Schlage gets a slightly lower ranking than both Yale locks because the software side of the Schale smart locks is not quite as polished as the Yale Assure locks connected with August. But don’t get me wrong these are still great Alexa locks that will allow you voice control of your smart lock with Alexa. It should be noted that you will also need to get the Schlage wifi module to connect this lock to Alexa.
The Schlage Smart Sense deadbolt has both a key and a touch screen but most users will find that they use the touch screen more than anything else. The lock allows remote control of your phone with both bluetooth and wifi if you select the version with the wifi control module which is what we recommend.
But out of the box the smart lock will connect to your Phone via bluetooth, but once you install the wifi module it will all you to control the lock remotely and with Alexa.
You can say things like “Alexa, unlock my front door.” or “Alexa, lock my front door.”
Overall the touch screen interface is clean and durable, in 3 years of using Schlage touchscreen lock the touch screens have not faded and reliably work even in the harsh winter conditions in Chicago. Schlage is a great brand with reliable service and support.
Installing this Alexa enabled lock requires only a screwdriver and most people will be able to install the smart lock in 20-40 minutes.
Schlage Smart Sense Works With Alexa Lock - It’s important that you get the schlage wifi control module if you want Alexa and remote control of your smart lock. Otherwise you’re limited to mostly using the touchscreen for access.
#4 August Smart Lock Pro
August was one of the original innovators in the smart lock space and they have greatly refined their product over the years and now even have a smart doorbell that works with the August Lock. August has also partnered with brand name security companies like Yale to provide their excellent software to high quality locks.
August is doing something right and it shows. But the one downside of the August Lock is that it does not have a built in Keypad. You can get an add on remote keypad that works with the August Lock Pro, but in my opinion you are better of getting a smart lock with the keypad built in.
After having smart locks installed for years, I find the keypad to be one of the best features and to me it would be a major drawback to have smart lock without a keypad. However the August lock does serve a niche for apartment dwellers and condo owners who may not be able to change the lock on their front door.
The August Smart Lock Pro can connect to your phone via bluetooth and once the lock is connected and set up on wifi it allows for Alexa control and remote control from outside bluetooth range, anywhere you phone has a connection to the internet. The wifi connection module is included in the box with the August Smart Lock Pro and is easy to set up so you can remotely control your lock and set it up with Alexa.
Without a keypad the August lock works a little differently than the other Alexa smart locks we listed above. You can either press a button on the August App, tell Alexa to unlock the door or enable GPS proximity control to automatically lock and unlock the door when you approach and leave the house. The lock will also provide a history of when the door was opened or closed and who used their code to gain entry. If you want keypad access you can add it by installing the remote August Keypad.
If you are in an apartment or condo association that won’t allow you to modify your door or install a non standard lock this is the perfect smart lock for you as it will allow stealthy smart lock control with no one even knowing. All of the installed components are on the inside of the door concealed from common view, it also allows you to keep the same keylock on the outside so the property manager still has access if needed. The installation and setup are quick that can easily be reversed and the old lock hardware installed when you move so you can take your smart lock with you.
The other smart locks on this list require a little more installation time so it wouldn’t necessarily make sense to take the lock with you when you move but the August lock is super simple to install or remove. This makes the August lock the best Alexa smart lock for renters who want to take smart home control with them wherever they go.
The lock is powered by 2AA batteries and will also alert you when the power is starting to go low, but if the batteries go dead, or your phone is dead you won’t be able to get in the house. So you should hide a spare key somewhere on your property or give a spare to a friend in case of emergency. Having a good hiding spot or a “Fake Rock” can be a great option for keeping the spare in safe hands.
Alexa Smart Lock FAQ:
Do You Need A Keypad For Your Smart Lock?
Yes, in my experience, I think on a daily basis using a keypad for a smart lock is easier than using an app to unlock or lock your front door.
We ranked the smart locks that work with Alexa that don’t have a built in keypad lower than the smart locks that do have a built in keypad.
Why? Because I have found in living with smart locks having a keypad is essential because it’s much easier than fumbling for your phone while carrying groceries. Also to control the smart lock with your phone it requires your phone to be on, charged and working otherwise you can end up locked out or using needing to use a manual key to get back in which defeats the purpose.
The keypad is the most used aspect of a smart lock in my home and I can’t imagine living without it because it’s simple to use, convenient and makes sense. It takes only a second to press the keypad numbers to open the door and is way faster than using keys or your smartphone for home entry.
However some people like the look of a traditional lock or they are limited from installing a smart lock by their rental agreement or condo association. In these cases using a smart lock without a keypad is a good alternative to a smart lock that has a keypad. There are also instances where your door frame or lock might not be properly prepped to install a smart lock and in those cases it can be easier to install a smart lock without a keypad because it doesn’t require you to remove the existing lock so you can use your existing door prep.
What happens if the wifi goes down? Will my smart lock still work?
The smart lock will still work with the programed user codes that are stored internally on the lock. You won’t be able to program new user codes on the Alexa smart lock while your wifi is down or control it from your phone but it will allow you to use the keypad even when the wifi is down with the programed codes to gain access to your home.
What happens when the batteries run out on my smart lock?
The all of the smart locks listed will alert you of low batteries prior to the lock running completely out of power. In our testing the most smart locks lasted more than 6 months and sometimes up to 1 year before needing the batteries replaced. Typically you will get 2-3 weeks warning that the batteries are low through the app before the batteries are completely dead. I wouldn’t wait that long, and your results might be different based on usage, temperature and other factors. However if you do let the batteries go completely dead, you can power up some of the locs to gain access from the outside by placing a 9V battery on two terminals located on bottom of the outside of the lock to temporarily power up the smart lock and to enter your code and gain access to change the batteries.
Best HomeKit Smart Lock Summary
We have listed the top 4 Alexa smart locks in this post. Why didn’t we list all of the smart locks that work with Alexa? Well because these were the 4 best locks that we found in our testing that were reliable and could be depended on to secure your home but also to let you back in. There are over a dozen smart locks that are certified to work with Alexa but not all of them deliver the user experience that we expect of a smart lock.
If a smart lock does not work, you’re locked out and that’s not a good thing, that’s why we were very specific in selecting the best smart locks in this category to compare and rank for you based on our interactions with the locks above. Now that’s not to say that the other Alexa smart locks aren’t good, it’s just that they didn’t meet our standards or we didn’t test them. If you feel there is an Alexa smart lock that we should add to this list please leave a comment below.
If you are looking for the all around best smart lock I would recommend either the Yale Assure Smart Lock without a key or the Yale Assure smart lock with a key as the two best smart locks on this list that will work and operate essentially with a slightly different look and profile. They are loaded with features, have great apps and are backed by a reliable home security company with decades of experience and a good track record.