Aqara Smart Lock U100, Fingerprint Keyless Entry Door Lock with Apple Home Key, Touchscreen Keypad, Bluetooth Electronic Deadbolt, IP65 Weatherproof, Supports Apple HomeKit, Alexa, Google, IFTTT, Gray

FYI: I'm judging this lock based on both my experience with it so far AND in comparison to our Level Lock Plus, which is the "other" Apple Home Key compatible lock.We've been using our Level Lock Plus for about a year now and it's been a surprising disappointment. We incorrectly assumed that the build quality, marketing, US support, etc. meant it would do what we needed it to do. It didn't.So when we got a sale notice from Amazon on the Agara lock we figured we should give it a try.The documentation (which is available online when you scan the QR code in the box) could be better but the installation is just about what you'd expect. If you've installed smart locks before you'll be fine.The build quality of the lock is good, though if you've already had a "higher-end" lock like Levels it will feel cheaper. I don't believe it's cheaper in a way that would shorten the life of the lock or hinder its use in any way. It's a good quality product.The app, like the documentation, could be better. It's not as intuitive as most others and the keyboard (in iOS anyway) has a habit of covering the screen so you can't see what you're typing. It's a minor annoyance at best when you compare the functionality...This lock easily beats any of the locks I've had to date. It provides access via HomeKey and most NFC devices, a code with the integrated keypad, accurate fingerprint access, and a conventional key which is included (x2).Each user can store up to 10 prints which seem like overkill but I'll take it. Each individual print is saved using a collection of 6 scans (just like Apple's TouchID) and while I rarely use it, it's never failed to open the door on the first try.But if HomeKit and HomeKey are your primary reason for purchasing this lock just stop reading and buy it.With the Level Lock you have to wake and unlock your device before it'll unlock the door. I use both an iPhone and an Apple Watch. The Apple Watch refuses to open the level lock 90% of the time. Our cameras send us a notification when we get to the door so we need to clear that notification and return to the home screen for the lock to have any hope of opening. Most of the time it still doesn't.But the Aqara lock just works. Notification? It doesn't care. In Facebook? No problem. The HomeKey implementation is bulletproof. No fiddling or having to mess with stuff. If you hold either device to the lock it opens.We tested the Aqara U100 because our Level Lock was very unstable and uncooperative. The reason we switched was because the Level lock started unlocking on its own. We lock up and leave and the lock opens by itself 15 seconds later.Thus far the U100 has shown NO signs of being prone to similar faults.Conclusion: The Aqara U100 is a great lock. Its battery lasts longer and it performs far better than the presumed market leader by every metric. Can't see a reason to buy anything else.Congratulations Aqara!You put out a fantastic product.Thank you for it.

I got the Aqara Smart Lock because it works with Apple HomeKit, and I love the idea of just holding my phone or Apple Watch to unlock my door. It's super cool and convenient since I always have my phone and Apple Watch with me.Setting it up took a bit longer than I thought it would, but it wasn’t hard—just a little time-consuming. Once I got it up and running, it worked great with Bluetooth. The Bluetooth connection can take a few seconds to connect when I’m close to the lock, so it’s not instant. But once it connects, I can see logs of who opened or closed the door and control the lock.You really need the Aqara hub if you want to check logs or control the lock away from home. I ended up getting the Aqara Smart Hub E1, which is the cheapest one I could find. It took a bit of work to connect it to my Wi-Fi since it only works on 2.4GHz. I had to temporarily disable the 5GHz band on my Eero router, but thankfully, the Eero app made that easy. It disabled the antenna for 30 minutes, which was more than enough time to finish the setup.Make sure you set it up in the Aqara app first before syncing it with HomeKit. I accidentally tried to set it up in HomeKit first, and that caused the Aqara app to not recognize it, so don’t make the same mistake I did!Once the hub was connected, the lock connected super quickly, much faster than with just Bluetooth. You do have the option of controlling the lock with just an Apple HomeKit hub like an Apple TV or iPad without using the Aqara hub at all, but having the Aqara hub is way better. It gives you faster connections and access to all the management tools while away from home, unlike HomeKit, which only lets you lock and unlock it remotely. So if you just care about unlocking and locking while away from home and already have an Apple TV as a hub, then you technically don’t need the Aqara hub as well.Overall, I really recommend the Aqara Smart Lock. It’s the fastest operating lock I’ve ever used, the fingerprint sensor is the most accurate I’ve seen, and it’s been extremely reliable. It has so many ways of opening it that my family finds it very convenient. I love this lock, and I hope it continues to work well for many years.