Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsGood lock, with some significant issues
Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2024
Positives: Good lock. Schlage is a trusted brand. No-hub wifi is a plus (my previous Schlage Z-wave lock required a hub, and first Wink then SmartThings steadily reduced support, leaving the lock harder and harder to manage). Very easy installation. Schlage app works very well, for locking/unlocking, reporting status, and adding/deleting codes. Smaller indoor profile than earlier generations of Schlage smart deadbolts.
Now for the Negatives, which aren't trivial: 1) If I lock the deadbolt with a key, then turn the key back to get it out of the lock, the deadbolt retracts again most of the way. The app registers the lock as open, and with only a bit of the deadbolt extended the lock is less secure. I called a locksmith to fix it. He lubricated and fiddled with everything, but the deadbolt remained "sticky" (his word) and partially retracted every time he tried to lock it with a key. He even tried replacing the cylinder, but that didn't help, so the problem was elsewhere in the lock mechanism. 2) After one week of use, the batteries have gone from 100% to 85%. That doesn't bode well for getting six months from a set of batteries. 3) Be aware that if you plan to use the Bluetooth capability to allow unlocking just by tapping with your iPhone, this capability works only with a single iPhone unless you buy a separate Apple Homepod or other Apple Homekit device to set up an Apple home network. Otherwise the Apple connection can only be enabled on a single iPhone/account and won't work for your whole family. So count on spending another $100 on an Apple hub to make this feature work.
The faulty deadbolt retraction is the biggest issue. But now that the log is installed and synced to my Schlage app and Apple Homekit, it would be a real hassle to return it. Not to mention that I'd have no lock during the return process. So I'll just be living with a semi-functional, semi-defective lock. Bummer. Because it should work, and Schlage locks (dumb and smart) have always worked for me in the past.