By sunny 
Can you imagine? Nowadays, you can buy a fingerprint lock for only $100, and it also supports remote unlocking by mobile phone! The price is so low that it is beyond imagination. To know, a few years ago, when the fingerprint lock just emerged, the price is high, not moving on thousands, ordinary people simply can not afford to buy.
But now, the price is like sitting on a slide as straight down, the times are changing fast! In addition to the price of one hundred dollars, fingerprint locks and what let a person shocked off the jaw price? This issue of smart lock guide takes a deep dive into fingerprint lock scams and buying tips. If your home is not yet decorated, then the following content must be read.
Those outrageous prices
The advent of smart door locks has brought great convenience to people who often forget their keys. For most homeowners, it really eases the burden of going out without worrying about forgetting keys, fingerprints, passwords and mobile phones can be unlocked, very convenient. However, the price of smart door locks is now ridiculously low, only you can’t think of, no business can’t do.
A netizen said he spent 100 yuan online to buy a smart door lock, support password and mobile phone remote control. Another netizen deer also said that he bought a smart door lock only cost 100 yuan. But the use of the process, the biggest problem is that the battery replacement is too frequent, almost 20 days to change once. Online search, found that this is a common problem, the most serious even 7 days to change.
In fact, around 100 yuan or even lower price of smart locks is not uncommon, in some platforms sales are also very good. The price of such products is low, the lock cylinder grade can also reach C level. After testing, it was found that there are a lot of products with such prices and sales, and the sales of some products even reached 100,000+.
But the quality of smart locks is not determined by the lock cylinder alone. A truly secure smart lock, not only to lock core good, lock body good, but also to ensure data security. The shell of such inexpensive products is usually plastic, and the internal lock body is made of iron, which is of general quality and has no security to speak of.
In addition, data security is also a problem. A netizen bought a brand OLA smart lock, the results of the small programme stopped operating, and now can not change the password, fingerprints, and can not see the power, just like a traditional iron general, no intelligence to speak of.
Therefore, this type of cheap goods is not recommended to buy. After all, every penny counts, and price determines value. Although the cheap price can save the budget, but every day to be worried, always worried about being locked out of the door, this kind of taste is not good. That’s the key point this smart lock guide would like to remind you, don’t let the low price go to your head.
Smart Door Lock Buying Tips
In the era of Internet of Everything, smart locks have overturned the traditional concept of security by virtue of ‘unlocking in seconds’, ‘remote control’ and other black technology. But the products on the market in different forms, the price ranges from tens of dollars to thousands of dollars, in fact, how to choose it? The following smart lock guide will be from the security performance, unlocking mode, range and other six core dimensions, for you to open the bottom logic of the smart door lock purchase.
Safety performance
The core of the door lock is security, lock cylinder grade is a key indicator of security. The Ministry of Public Security will be divided into lock cylinder A, B and C. C-level lock cylinder using double-row blade composite curve groove design, technical unlocking time of more than 270 minutes, is currently the highest standard of civilian anti-theft. When choosing, be sure to recognise the product specification on the ‘C level lock cylinder’ logo, alert business with ‘super B level’ and other fuzzy concepts to confuse the public.
In addition to the lock cylinder, the lock body structure is also very important. Full-automatic locks compared to semi-automatic locks, after closing the door can be automatically locked, can completely eliminate the ‘forget to lock the door’ hidden danger. Anti-cat-eye unlocking, anti-black box (Tesla coil) attack and other functions, can effectively resist the technical means of unlocking.
It is recommended to choose products certified by the professional electronic anti-theft lock standard, this authoritative certification is equivalent to the lock’s ‘security identity card’. This is also a key point of safety and security emphasised in the smart lock guide.
Unlocking methods
There are more than ten kinds of smart door locks on the market, from the basic fingerprints, passwords, cards, to face recognition, palm vein recognition and other black technology. But the more features are not the better, enough to use on the line, combined with the use of rational choice of scene.
For ordinary families, semiconductor fingerprint recognition is the first choice. It is fast and not easy to be cracked by fake fingerprints, and can be easily used by the elderly and children.
In rental scenarios, password unlocking + temporary password function is more practical and convenient for changing tenants. For high-end housing, you can choose 3D face recognition or palm vein recognition, which can provide a senseless unlocking experience, but pay attention to the recognition accuracy in backlight and bright light environments.
Be wary of gimmicky features such as iris recognition and voice recognition, which are not only overpriced, but also have yet to be verified for stability in actual use. This is also a smart lock guide to give you practical advice to avoid spending money.
Endurance
The range of the smart door lock directly affects the experience of using it. At present, the mainstream products are powered by lithium batteries or dry batteries. Lithium battery capacity is usually 5000mAh – 10000mAh, fully charged can be used for 6 – 12 months; dry battery power supply generally use 4 – 8 AA batteries, life up to 1 – 2 years.
It is recommended to choose products with dual power supply design. When the main power supply runs out, the door can be opened via the Type – C emergency power port or a mechanical key. In addition, pay attention to the low battery alert feature of the door lock. When the power level falls below 20%, the lock will warn you through voice and indicator lights to avoid ‘difficult to return home’ due to power failure. This point should not be ignored in the guide to smart locks, you can avoid a lot of trouble.
Networking
Smart locks can be connected to the Internet to provide more convenient services, but there are also security challenges, after all, the risk of information leakage is not low. Smart locks that support Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity can be used to remotely view unlocking records, issue temporary codes and other functions, which is especially suitable for courier collection, housekeeping services and other scenarios.
However, networking also increases the risk of being attacked. It is recommended to choose products that support encrypted transmission protocols (e.g. TLS 1.2), and regularly update door lock firmware to patch security vulnerabilities.
If you are sensitive to cybersecurity, you can choose a standalone door lock that is not connected to the Internet, which sacrifices remote functionality but eliminates the potential for cyberattacks at the root. This is also the recommendation in the smart lock guide about balancing security and convenience.
Installation Adaptation
Before purchasing, be sure to check the fit of the lock to your home’s door. Measure the thickness of the door (usually between 35mm – 120mm), the size of the guide plate (length, width, hole distance) and other parameters, and compare with the installation standards provided by the merchant. Some special door types (e.g. copper door, armoured door) may require customised fittings and the installation cost will increase accordingly.
Choose to support free door-to-door installation of the brand, professional master will debug the lock sensitivity during installation, and guide the use of methods. Avoid self-installation that leads to damage to the lock or hidden security risks. This step is critical in the smart lock guide to ensure the normal use of the door lock.
Brand after-sales
Smart door locks as durable consumer goods, after-sales protection is crucial. Priority should be given to brands that have been established for more than 5 years and have a wide coverage of offline service outlets, such as Cadiz, Deschamps, Xiaomi, and so on. Check the product warranty period (at least 1 year), and confirm whether it includes free door-to-door maintenance, parts replacement and other services.
In addition, through the evaluation of the e-commerce platform, social media community to understand the real user feedback, alert to the low-priced miscellaneous brand products ‘only sell regardless of repair’ after-sales traps. This is also a smart lock guide to give you protection advice, so you do not have to worry.
In short, the price of smart door locks is ridiculously low, dozens of dollars of products are not uncommon. However, when shopping, you can’t just focus on the price, you have to consider the above six points comprehensively. Both focus on the hardcore security configuration, but also to weigh the functional utility and budget, in the many products to find the most suitable for their own security guard.
We hope this smart lock guide can help you choose a satisfactory smart lock to make your life safer and more convenient. Remember, following the points in the smart lock guide to pick one will allow you to avoid many pitfalls and buy a truly practical smart lock.