With the arrival of smart assistants, many more users are interested in making their home more fully domotic. In addition to smart plugs and light bulbs, there is another type of really useful product, such as smart locks . And one of the options is the Nuki Smart Lock , a model that we have been able to test in depth and of which we will tell you all its benefits.
Easy from the start
If there is something that has surprised us about this Nuki Smart Lock, it is how easy its installation can be. The key is that we will not need to remove the bowler hat from the door, since we will have to leave the key in the lock and place the Nuki on it. To perform this operation, the Smart Lock comes accompanied by two metal pieces that will help place the device in the exact place.
Depending on how many millimeters the cylinder protrudes, we must use one or the other, model A if it is little and model B if it protrudes a few millimeters from the plane of the door. In our case we have had to use B.
Once the metal frame has been placed, we only have to present the Smart Lock and place it on the inserted key and the metal frame. The lock is ready to work and we will only have to configure it with the help of the official application.
The lock also has a physical button and a rotating ring that will allow us to turn the key in case of running out of batteries (four AA batteries). This button can work in two ways, depending on whether we click or double-click on it, and the result in each action can be customized from the official application. By default, if we double click, the Lock & Go function is activated, which opens the door and closes it automatically after a defined time. Ideal to leave the house at full speed.
Use your phone as a key
One of the advantages of smart locks is that our phone can do the key functions. But for this we will have to configure the lock for the first time. The process is quite simple, and we will only have to carry out a series of steps guided by the official application itself to correctly calibrate the lock.
This will allow us to know at all times if the door is open or closed, and even if it is locked or unlocked. The application is extremely complete, and due to the number of functions that we can configure, it is possible that for some users it is somewhat confusing. Another type of interface could help improve the experience, although it’s nothing that can’t be fixed by spending time on it.
With the terminal configured, we can open the door in a thousand ways. These are some examples:
- Open it with the shortcut of the widget installed on the main screen of the phone
- Open the door by asking Alexa
- Automatically open the door when we are a few meters from home
- Open the door from anywhere in the world
- Give someone permission to enter the house
The Importance of Bridge
Nuki offers a large number of accessories in its store, but if there is one especially important it is the Bridge. This bridge will be essential to take advantage of all the functions of the lock, and is that it will be in charge of connecting the Smart Lock to the internet. For you to understand, the lock can only be connected via Bluetooth with your mobile, so there is no way to get to it when we are on the street.
To solve it, the bridge establishes a connection between our router and the lock, so that it will be visible from the outside, and also when you want to control it with smart assistants such as Alexa or Google Home. Once again, the configuration of this new element will be extremely simple thanks to the application’s step-by-step configuration.
Nuki Smart Lock’s most interesting features
Previously we had already tried other smart locks on the market, however, this one from Nuki has seemed the most complete and the most “futuristic” thanks to many of the options it includes.
- Possibility of opening the door as you get closer to home : it is a function that could scare many, but the truth is that it works frankly well. The official application is capable of recognizing your location and determines the distance you are from the lock. If you are close enough, the door will open automatically so you don’t have to do anything when you are in front of it.
- Keep track of what happens at the door : a detailed record of all events will let you know when you left the house, if someone with access entered a certain day or when the lock detected your presence.
- User management : You can give access to other people so that only with the help of their mobile phone they can access your home. You can even grant limited access to define what days of the week and what hours the door can open.
- Door always closed : With the help of a magnet included in the box, the lock can control the state of the door. This way, if the door is closed, the lock will automatically lock, thus helping us to always have the lock thrown at all times. We can also configure a night mode so that the door is locked every night at a certain time.
Will this lock be worth it?
Given that smart devices may seem like whims for some users, this is one of those gadgets that facilitate many everyday situations. Being able to go out to do sports only with our phone can be quite comfortable, and even giving access to certain people from anywhere in the world is something that could be very useful on certain occasions.
Learn more: Nuki
