While SimpliSafe prides itself on its ultra-simple setup and alarm administration—its alarm system units up in minutes and doesn’t even require an app—the optimist in me questioned how it will fare after including a sensible lock to its assortment. Notoriously unfriendly in each setup and use, the good lock trade has made solely child steps towards usability since its introduction a number of years in the past. Would SimpliSafe be the corporate that kickstarts the idea of simplicity on this enterprise?
The reply is a professional sure, and customers who want completely fundamental good lock options would possibly discover worth on this reasonably priced however relatively stripped-down gadget.
The SimpliSafe Smart Lock is, just like the August Smart Lock, an improve product, which implies it solely replaces the inside escutcheon of your door lock, leaving the outside untouched (together with your current, keyed lock). This is due to this fact not an acceptable answer for a brand new dwelling or an unfinished door. You’ll have to maintain your exterior escutcheon and the deadbolt {hardware} (together with the connecting screws) if you set up it.
The SimpliSafe Smart Lock comes with a wi-fi numeric keypad that may be mounted outdoors your door.
The slim inside escutcheon installs comparatively simply, supplied you comply with the well-written directions intently. Again like August, SimpliSafe supplies a group of adapters that allow the lock work with the wide range of tailpiece types, so that you’ll have to take care to select the best one. Another attention-grabbing wrinkle: While a small plate attaches to the door immediately by way of your current screws, the inside escutcheon merely clips on to this plate thanks to 2 sliding “wings” on both aspect. It’s an uncommon design that makes for a surprisingly sturdy connection that requires no extra screw-work, and elimination is a snap with any type of pry device (together with the one included within the package).
Christopher Null / IDGThe SimpliSafe app is offered solely as a part of a subscription for skilled monitoring, nevertheless it provides little or no in the best way of good lock options.
I’m much less offered on the general look of the gadget, which is skinny however fairly tall; the alabaster white design choice that I acquired will doubtless conflict with many exterior doorways, which frequently are completed with wooden stain, not white paint. The lock can also be out there in black, or white with a nickel-finished inside knob. The plastic cowl over the battery compartment (4 AAs come already put in) additionally feels a bit chintzy.
Because SimpliSafe doesn’t require the usage of a cellular app, the package additionally features a weatherproof numeric keypad to permit for entry from the surface. This small black gadget, concerning the dimension of a typical storage door opener, stands utterly alone from the lock and is designed to stay to the outside wall by way of adhesive tape. Presumably you possibly can even take the keypad with you if actually needed to maintain your house safe from intruders, although this isn’t formally prescribed.
SimpliSafe’s promoting level has at all times been simplicity—it’s proper there within the title—and whereas my {hardware} set up was pretty clean, I had fairly a number of hang-ups getting the system activated and getting the lock linked to the SimpliSafe base station. Don’t learn an excessive amount of into this: Some of those issues had been because of the lock being so new that my SimpliSafe hub hadn’t acquired a software program replace to work with it; different bugs had been probably as a result of a previous model of the SimpliSafe hub nonetheless being connected to my account. Either manner, I spent a day enjoying cellphone tag with SimpliSafe tech help earlier than I lastly received issues up and working. With all that stated, I doubt most customers will expertise any of this hassle.
Other than this hiccup, the software program setup couldn’t have been less complicated, though that’s primarily as a result of there’s so little to do. You don’t (and may’t) even assign a PIN to the lock: It makes use of the PINs you have already got set as much as disarm the SimpliSafe alarm. You can drill down into the SimpliSafe settings system or use the net portal to alter the automated relocking system and alter how the 2 alarm modes work together with the lock, however that’s it. There is actually a complete of 4 choices of any substance for the consumer to handle.
Christopher Null / IDGLock exercise is logged within the SimpliSafe alarm system app, so you understand when the door was unlocked and who unlocked it (based mostly on PINs). It may even inform you when the door was locked, however not by whom.
And that, in fact, is on objective. SimpliSafe is designed to attenuate confusion and, as a aspect impact of that, it minimizes configurability. While the system does combine lock exercise into the SimpliSafe grasp logs, you gained’t discover a lot in the best way of power-user choices right here. Namely, PINs both open the lock or they don’t. There’s no option to make short-term PINs or time-restricted PINs. This isn’t the kind of lock you’d need to use on an Airbnb property.
The SimpliSafe lock does work with its cellular app, however stated app is simply out there to those that buy the higher-tier, $25-per-month monitoring plan. If you’re not already utilizing the monitoring plan, there’s no actual sense in shelling out for this only for cellular app entry to the lock. The app can solely lock or unlock the door manually and it provides no extra options; it’s a lot quicker to only use the keypad when it is advisable get in.
The SimpliSafe Smart Lock prices all of $99, which makes it a reasonably low-risk endeavor if you wish to give it a strive. On the entire, the lock does succeed at focusing on the identical customers as its alarm system: Those who need the fundamentals and have zero technical potential to cope with any issues that may come up. As such, it’s not probably the most versatile, environment friendly, and even engaging good lock available on the market, however at this rock-bottom value it’s exhausting to complain an excessive amount of.