How to Choose an Electronic Deadbolt
Looking to upgrade from a standard deadbolt to an electronic deadbolt? In 2022 we have so many options at our disposal that it can be hard to know which is best. There are really three main types of electronic deadbolts, Keyless, Keypad with Keyway, Keypad with Phone App.
Keyless Electronic Deadbolt
Just don’t buy one of these. Look, they’re cheap yeah, I get it. The problem with a completely keyless deadbolt, is if it is your only entrance and the batteries die, in most cases you’ll be drilling it out. It’s better to just spend the extra few dollars at get an electronic deadbolt with a keyway. If you’re still dead set on the most budget option, the Weiser Powerbolt is going to be the way to go.
Weiser Powerbolt 1.0 Black Keyless Entry Electronic Deadbolt | The Home Depot Canada
Keypad with Keyway
In this realm you’ll have two options, a push button keypad, or a touch screen. The touch screen while beautiful and modern, sometimes can have issues when its cold outside. The screen may become unresponsive due to the cold. Pushbutton, while certainly not as elegant looking, will have more consistent operation. However, the one major drawback to pushbutton, the numbers may wear out, and it can be easier to narrow down what code unlocks the door. Either way, an option with a keyway is far more desirable as when the electronics malfunction, and I’m sorry to burst your bubble they will, you’ll have a key to get back in. In this bracket you could consider the Weiser Elements.
Weiser Elements Keyless Entry Touchscreen Electronic Deadbolt in Black | The Home Depot Canada
Keypad with Phone App
I’ll be honest, the price is going to jump. Right away, if you want phone access you won’t find much under $200 CAD. You might find an amazon special, but just be aware that getting new physical keys for some of these locks might be difficult, and they may not be rated for use in North America. The apps can be clunky, and worded poorly because they’re made in China with poor translations. You really have two good options here, Schlage Century Connect, or Weiser Premis / Halo. We’ve breached this subject before in our Weiser Vs Schlage blog. To recap though, both products are decent. Schlage certainly has the better physical key, but Weiser wins out on the app. The Schlage Century Connect product requires a smart home hub, and only certain ones play nice with it. The Weiser app is a stand alone app, all you need a smartphone and the lock. For this reason we much prefer the Weiser. Look, I know it seems like we’re taking Weiser’s side a lot in this one, but they really truly just make a decent electronic lock. Don’t get me started on SmartKey, that keyway is absolute trash. Their electronics though are great. I personally prefer the Premis over the Halo, but both operate fairly similarly. I find the sleek low profile design of the Premis feels more elegant than the chonky boy that is the Halo. You do you though. However, that being said, we have recently been able to use the Schlage Encode, and wow. What a fantastic product. This, this is what Schlage needed to be doing right from the start. Robust but beautiful, the Schlage Encode meets that perfect road of quality keyway with easy to use app. This is our new go to.
Schlage Encode™ Smart WiFi Deadbolt
Installing an Electronic Deadbolt
All of these deadbolts will generally fit right where your old deadbolt was. Obviously if you have some weird extra long deadbolt, or super thick door, you may need to reconsider your options. Some older deadbolts could also be installed with a smaller diameter of hole, so you may need to drill a larger hole for the lock to fit in. For the most part though, all you’ll need is a phillips head screwdriver and at most an hour of your time. Or you could just call your local locksmith and have them take care of it for you.
Are you considering getting an electronic deadbolt, but don’t want the hassle of installing it yourself? Venture over to our Lock Installation page, or give us a call today. We proudly service most of the Fraser Valley.
Schlage Electronic Deadbolt
