[sc:hardware-category ]I picked up a Weiser Kevo Bluetooth door lock a while ago when I had to replace my main door lock, it seemed like a good idea but after a few months of using it I have to admit it’s not a good as it should be.
The idea of course is to use your phone or a key fob to open your door without having to fiddle with your key chain to find the right one.
Walk up to the door, touch the Kevo ring and it will automatically open for you.
The Kevo is easy to install (it was a drop in replacement to my old lock) and reasonably easy to setup.
It has several good features, like being able to tell the difference between the key fob being inside or outside the house (not a good idea to let an intruder activate the lock from the outside with the key fob sitting inside but within range).
However, there are a few downsides that really hurt it:
- Doesn’t support Windows Phone and only a few Android devices (mostly due to the Bluetooth low power mode requirement).
- The key fob is big and ugly. The insides of the fob are tiny but Weiser has decided to encase it in a big, cheap plastic housing.
- The key fob seems to eat batteries and isn’t rechargeable.
- At best I’m getting 50% activation with the lock sometimes just doing nothing for a long time.
- Even when it does activated it takes a long time to recognize the fob and unlock.
- When the fob isn’t recognized, you have to pull it out of your pocket and hold it close to the door, defeating the purpose of the whole thing.
- The powered lock mechanism seems a little underpowered, sometimes it stops half way through a cycle.
- It’s too easy to accidentally touch the Kevo on the outside of the door if you have a tendency to grab the door by the edge and start a lock/unlock cycle.
I have to say I still like the idea of a Bluetooth enabled door lock, but the Kevo isn’t worth the cost and hassle. Perhaps the second generation Kevo will be better but for now I couldn’t recommend it.
