Level Lock Pro Review: An Apple Home Key Smart Lock That Doesn't Look Like One

The Level Lock Pro is Level's latest astute lock, featuring Matter connectivity for Apple Home, aggregate unlocking methods, doorway status, and the unassuming plan that Level products are known for.


I've tested and reviewed respective large HomeKit-compatible astute locks, but Level Locks are my idiosyncratic favourite due to the fact that of the look. From some the wrong and the outside, Level Locks look similar a modular deadbolt and not similar a astute lock. I had feature-rich astute locks from Aqara that I was utilizing for astir a twelvemonth aft a review, but I got bushed of looking astatine the bulky boxes connected my doors. A mates of months ago, I bought 2 modular Level Locks, and past later, Level sent maine the Level Lock Pro.

I don't deliberation there's immoderate astute fastener solution that has a amended aesthetic than the Level Lock, truthful if that's important to you, these are the locks to get. It comes successful satin nickel and matte black, truthful it should lucifer galore modular doorknobs. The Level Lock Pro has an IP54 h2o and particulate absorption rating, truthful it volition clasp up good successful the rain.


Level Locks are not the cheapest locks connected the market, and depending connected what you're comparing against, there's a premium for design. The Level Lock Pro is $349, and the Level Lock is $249. Aqara locks scope from $150 to $270, and Matter locks from Eufy, Yale, and Kwikset are successful that aforesaid range.

The Level Lock Pro replaces a modular deadbolt and onslaught sheet connected your door, truthful installation is simply a substance of pulling retired the existing deadbolt and walking done the Level Lock Pro instructions to instal the caller lock. I americium going to blasted this connected my crummy doors, but I person much occupation installing Level Locks than different astute locks. Level Locks person a wide, circular bolt that's not the signifier of astir deadbolts, and I haven't had a Level Lock setup wherever I didn't person to fuss with the acceptable of the fastener successful the doorway oregon the acceptable of the sheet connected the doorframe. I mostly get things to work, but there's vexation involved.


There are astute locks that tin unlock your doorway with fingerprint sensors, thenar recognition, facial scans, and codes, but the Level Lock Pro is simpler. You tin usage a key, 1 of the 2 included NFC cardinal fobs, pat to unlock with your telephone oregon watch, usage the Home app oregon Level app, oregon inquire Siri to unlock the door.

The Level Lock Pro integrates with HomeKit utilizing Matter, and it besides supports Apple Home Key truthful you tin store a cardinal successful the Wallet app connected iPhone oregon Apple Watch. With Home Key, I tin unlock my doorway without having to unlock my iPhone and with nary request for Face ID. I conscionable pat my telephone oregon my ticker connected the lock, and it unlocks.


‌Siri‌ and the Home app enactment for unlocking too, and there's a Level app. I don't usage the Level app, but it is disposable for locking and unlocking, assigning codes, mounting up car fastener and car unlock (which uses Bluetooth and unlocks erstwhile you're successful range), adjusting sound, giving idiosyncratic a doorway code, and enabling doorway status. Like the Level Lock, the Level app has an uncomplicated design, truthful it's casual to get to each of the features.

Door presumption is simply a Level Lock Pro diagnostic that lets you cognize if your doorway is unfastened oregon closed, and it works erstwhile the doorway is unlocked. I person the Level Lock Pro connected my store door, and it's a doorway that's often not locked, truthful it's utile to get an alert erstwhile it's opened.

I usage the Home app and ‌Siri‌ to unlock my Level Locks, particularly if I'm not location and request to fto idiosyncratic in. I besides inquire ‌Siri‌ to unfastened the doorway arsenic I approach, truthful a batch of the time, I'm not adjacent utilizing pat to unlock. The Home app sends a notification to my iPhone and Apple TV erstwhile a connected fastener is locked oregon unlocked, and the Home app Activity log keeps way of erstwhile each doorway was locked oregon unlocked. Everyone that's invited to an Apple Home tin entree the lock, but you tin besides stock entree with the Level app. The Level app supports impermanent entry, which is utile for a one-time lawsuit oregon a play cleaning.


The Home app is besides utile for automations, similar locking up automatically erstwhile everyone leaves the location oregon unlocking the doorway astatine a definite time. I person an automation that locks each my locks astatine 10:00 p.m., conscionable successful lawsuit I hide to fastener 1 of the doors.


For distant entree features, you request a Matter-over-Thread controller and a borderline router, which are requirements fulfilled by a HomePod oregon ‌Apple TV‌. You request 1 of those to adhd immoderate Matter-enabled instrumentality to ‌HomeKit‌. The Level Lock Pro connects to Apple Home utilizing Thread alternatively of Wi-Fi, but if you privation Wi-Fi connectivity, determination is an optional Level Connect Wi-Fi Bridge. I haven't needed it due to the fact that ‌HomeKit‌ provides each of the aforesaid functionality. You tin besides adhd connected a keypad if you privation that option.


Most astute locks person a artillery successful the container that goes connected the door, but the Level Lock Pro's artillery is successful the deadbolt. It uses a CR2 Lithium battery, which fits wrong the deadbolt erstwhile the headdress is taken off. Changing the artillery is simply a substance of opening the door, locking it, popping retired the aged battery, and adding successful the caller one. The Level app lets you cognize artillery status, truthful you tin support tabs connected erstwhile it's clip to update the battery. Each artillery lasts for astir a year, and I haven't had to alteration excavation yet.

According to Level, the Level Lock Pro has an ANSI Grade 1 bump- and prime resistant cylinder, which isn't communal for astute locks. That means it's resistant to lockpicking, it's harder to drill out, and fastener bumping is harder.

How to Buy

The Level Lock Pro is disposable from the Level website oregon from Amazon.com for $349.

Note: Level provided MacRumors with Level Lock Pro for the intent of this review. No different compensation was received.

This article, "Level Lock Pro Review: An Apple Home Key Smart Lock That Doesn't Look Like One" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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