Before I ever heard of Lockly, we had reviewed a number of door locks, and even had a video doorbell shootout a couple of years ago. A neighbor installed one of the other Lockly door lock models. I was impressed with its fingerprint scanning capability. We had never reviewed a lock with this feature. I don’t know if Lockly was first, as today a couple of the big name brands have a model or two with fingerprint. But, I believe it is Lockly that has pushed that capability to us end users, as a better solution.
like the idea of integrating everything into a single product. Of course, there’s likely to be a feature or two that you can’t find on a combination unit like this Lockly model, that might show up on individual video doorbells or door locks, but, not having “every” feature, is typical for multi-function devices.
This Video DoorBell Review – Background: I just replaced a very small I replaced my front door lock every year or two, to do my next review. In this case so I can review the Lockly Vision Elite – their flagship device. It was time. My last lock was the Kwikset Obsidian, which only had a keypad to open it – no backup key, etc.
My problem with that older lock, is “old tech”. I switched almost two years ago to the Eero 6 Pro Wi-Fi router system – reviewed here, they do mesh Wi-Fi between the 3 Eeros, to cover larger areas.
Like virtually all smart locks, until just a few years ago, my Kwikset relied on Z-wave technology, which was the dominant communications solution for security. But more and more locks and other security devices are going to Wi-Fi and or Bluetooth. In other words, without router Z-Wave compatibility (think SmartThings – Samsung), my old Smart Lock wasn’t very smart at all. It was basically reduced to being a Keypad lock where you could have multiple codes for different people. It was complemented by a Ring Doorbell. This Lockly easily replaces both!
Favorite feature and benefit: I love the fingerprint smarts. I’ve since looked at, but not reviewed, a couple of other smart locks with fingerprint capabilities, but those all had the fingerprint sensor on the front, which probably means easiest to use one’s thumb. I like the side mounting better. And there’s enough space between the lock and the door frame that even a really big person with large hands shouldn’t have any problem sliding their finger up to the sensor!
Best part of the fingerprint sensor system, is that it’s really fast, much faster than a keypad. And the lock itself opens a good bit faster than my last couple of locks, once it starts. So, from the time I touch the sensor, until the time I’m swinging the door open is normally under 2 seconds! (3 if I’m juggling packages). Try that, keypad users!
Shortcomings? Not really! Sure if you need a Matisse system to run more than a few door locks, the Lockly isn’t for you, but otherwise, this is, at the very least – a full featured smart lock, with the addition of a video doorbell. If you want the most comprehensive video storage options, that’s probably going to be an annual subscription with some other locks, but I believe that the “up to 90 hours” of video storage, is all most of us would ever need. (Just remember to delete content every so often.
I found one thing my old Ring’s camera has an advantage over the Lockly’s. Our front door faces, basically the emergency exit, we’re in a corner. The Wall next to the door frame is on an angle, so the Ring, mounted there, is on an angle, allowing it to look almost all the way down the hallway. Because the video camera is built into the door lock itself, it faces straight out. (A fancier model in the future might put the camera on a swivel? But Lockly doesn’t have that yet, and maybe never will. Still it’s wide angle is good, as you can see. No problem.
As you would expect, the Lockly allows you to be notified, with different options, such as motion by the door, or ringing the doorbell. One of the notifications I get is every time the lock auto locks after 45 minutes. I need to see if I can turn off notifications for that one feature.
Replacing a Kwikset smart lock and a Ring video doorbell with this Lockly Elite Vision, won’t save you money, but it will do pretty much anything 95%+ of us ever will need, and do it in a single package, with a single app!
Last thoughts OK, the real bottom line, is that this Lockly Vision Elite is a $499 list price combination. You definitely would have a good selection of door locks and video doorbells you could select, and probably spend as little as $250 (off brands), to $400 for big names like Ring and Nest. So, this single unit really won’t save you any money, compared to two, but, it will install as quickly as a normal smart lock, and you are installing one device not two.
That makes going Lockly easy, compared to the alternatives.
Both my wife and I are really happy with the Elite Vision. Please remember we’re not newbies at this. We’ve installed reviewed and used for extended periods of time a variety of locks and doorbells from Ring, Kwikset (3), Schlage (2), August (1), Ring (1)…
If we used 5 star ratings, I’d give it all 4’s and 5’s, really mostly 5’s, except for Value which I’d give it a 4, because of the $499 list price. I think that having one device is better than two, but in this case, it’s also more money, than most alternatives. For example, a friend recently ordered the a Ring video doorbell, a newer version of the one I still have mounted. That one currently sells for $149 (it has mic and speaker, so you can speak with folks at your door. – The Nest base unit base unit doesn’t, is $99, but I do recommend the voice option. There are plenty of good door locks for $300 or less.
Still, I really like that one App handles everything, And it just works well. I’ve answered the door, talking to a delivery guy, while I was 1000 miles away. It’s great that I can easily record all the activity in the front of my door using its motion sensor (whether the bell is rung or not), while I’m away on a two week vacation, while it’s all stored on a memory card in its Wi-Fi controller. Various basic cloud storage charges for storing video run from about $5/mo to $10/mo depending on the company. Mid-priced is Google’s Nest basic for $8/mo. I prefer Free!
As a door lock, this Lockly is my favorite door lock so far. Having the combination of features all in one device is great. The speed and ease of the fingerprint sensor, just blows away any of the code based locks we’ve reviewed over the years.
That speed and ease scores big points with me as a day-to-day user! I didn’t find any deal breaker types of issues, so I’ll be keeping this one on my front door for years to come. I’ll let someone else review the next door lock we do. -art
