No more hassle with keys as your door opens via bluetooth

The first clue that I had done something wrong when installing the Loqed smart lock came when I couldn’t get into my house. The app told me the door was unlocked, but the handle stubbornly refused to budge.

That presented something of a dilemma. I was on the outside, no one was inside and the only other way into the house was behind a locked gate and a rather high wall.

But let’s be clear: this wasn’t the fault of Loqed. Or the app for that matter. At some point in the installation process, I’d done something backwards, and the lock that was supposed to open when I approached was now staying firmly closed.

This is precisely why Loqed cautions you against installing the smart lock outside of the hours when its customer support can guide you through any issues. You should be able to install the lock yourself in about 30 minutes, with just a screwdriver and the supplied hex key. And when you do everything correctly, it actually works quite well.

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The idea with Loqed is that you use your phone as a bluetooth-enabled key. As you walk up to the door, your phone connects to the lock and you can unlock it with a single touch. No more scrambling for keys, or juggling the shopping. And you can send bluetooth keys to friends, family or anyone else who may need access to your home while you are out. It is designed to make your life more convenient, and a bit more secure.

But back to my dilemma. I’d been in this situation before with the traditional key lock: that time it required a locksmith and a fee. This time, I just had to open the app and tell the door to do the opposite of what I needed. A quick bit of DIY to fix my earlier mistake later and we were back in business – and, more importantly, the house. The lock has worked perfectly ever since.

It comes with two parts – the lock itself, which should fit most standard doors, and the bridge, which allows you to control the lock remotely. You can open the lock a few different ways: using an access code, which is punched into the touch-sensitive panel; automatically through the app on your phone; or, as previously mentioned, remotely. You can also set different access codes for different people, and have them work only at certain times, so if you have regular visitors they can let themselves in at certain times and not at others.

It gives you more control over your home, and also lets you see who is arriving and when. In my case, we installed the Loqed on the porch door, which allowed us to give access to delivery people and avoid the doorstep shuffle searching for keys.

If you are a bit wary of smart locks, you aren’t alone. But the Dutch company behind Loqed is keen to stress its security features. It uses 256-bit encryption – the same level of encryption your bank uses – so it is quite difficult to hack.

You can also enable and disable certain features, such as the auto open or touch to open, if you want to up the security level. These features rely on you moving a certain distance away from the lock (500 metres) for more than five minutes, so it shouldn’t be triggered if you are in the garden, for example, unless you have a particularly large one.

The ability to set a schedule – to have the lock automatically deadlock at a certain time of night for example – means that home security has improved. No one forgets to deadlock the door at night any more.

There are the obvious questions though. What happens if you lose your phone? Can anyone just walk in? An inconvenience certainly but, unlike losing your traditional keys, you can gain or revoke access (changing access codes) to the bluetooth keys stored on your device by logging into the company’s website, or via another device linked to the Loqed account. No codes, no entry.

The lack of a keyhole may also work in Loqed’s favour from a security point of view. Several years ago, a neighbour was burgled; the thieves got in by “bumping” the lock. In short, all keyholes are not equal in terms of security, and some have their own vulnerabilities. On balance, Loqed has improved that, at least in my home.

Good

The lock itself was easy to install, following the step by step instructions on the app. When the slight hiccup was discovered, it was an easy fix. Once everything was installed correctly, the Loqed worked seamlessly. Packages were dropped off securely, carrying multiple keys was eliminated, and even when your phone dies, you aren’t locked out.

It is not reliant on wifi or mains power, so if there is a power cut or an internet interruption, you won’t lose access to your home.

Bad

It takes a frankly terrifying amount of batteries, but they should last for almost a year and you get plenty of warning on the app when they need to be replaced. There is also a power kit you can buy with rechargeable batteries. Should the worst happen and the batteries die, however, a 9 volt pressed to the two contacts outside will get you powered up enough to get inside. Crucially though, you will still need to enter the security code or have your phone handy – it won’t just magically unlock.

The lock won’t suit every door – there is a compatibility checker on the Loqed website you should check out before you invest – and it can be a little bigger than whatever slimline handle was there before.

Everything else

You can personalise the unlock message to be (almost) anything you want, which has resulted in a few choice messages.

It integrates with lots of different services, including Google Assistant, Homey and Home Assistant. The Apple Watch integration requires Siri shortcuts and some messing about though. Matter support is on the way too.

Verdict

Smart, slick – this is a definite upgrade from old-fashioned keys.

Loqed Touch Smart Lock

https://loqed.com/en/

4 stars