The Hornbill Smart Lock with keypad is yet another way to make your house – a smart house, without breaking the bank. This smart lock is a little tricky to install. The best way is to use the holes of a previously installed lock. However, we recommend having someone that has some background in lock installation do it (this can also be purchased when buying the smart lock). It can be a cumbersome job if you have not done something like this before.
After installing the device it will need paired through Bluetooth to the app TTLock. The app does a great job at going step-by-step through the set up. Once the lock is paired, the ability to lock and unlock doors becomes readily available through the app. Locking / unlocking doors can only be done while in close proximity with the lock (within standard Bluetooth connection distance). If the ability of connecting through WiFi and manipulating the lock from anywhere is a must have, a bridge would have to be purchased (this goes hand-in-hand with most smart locks). The good news is these bridges are not very expensive, at about $35 (Hornbill Gateway for Smart Door Lock, Wi-Fi Gateway). The use of voice commands through Amazon Alexa is also available if a bridge is purchased.
The Hornbill Smart Lock has a keypad that allows a custom code to unlock the door. From the app side of it, personalized codes can be set for family and friends to use when no one is home. At any time these codes can be paused or eliminated. The lock also comes with physical keys just in case your batteries inside the unit die (a side note here is the unit does not come with batteries and takes 4 AA batteries).
What we liked:
- Ability to lock and unlock through phone app
- Having key codes for friends and family to enter your house when you are not there.
- Will connect to a bridge to make capability to connect to lock when away from home easy
- Locking the door is easy from the outside with a press of a button on the keypad (#)
What we disliked:
- Installation was not easy, took some time to plan the installation.
- Using the lock where a prior lock works, but if lock is locked from inside and pushed all the way down, it will not unlock with the keypad.
- Settings are very complicated to follow inside the app.
- Price is a little steep, but is in line with other smart locks.
The Hornbill Smart Lock with keypad for front door / deadbolt is a nice lock. It works adequately. Of course lesser money can be spent to obtain one that works better and has an easier installation/ setup. If the goal is seeking peace of mind when laying down at night, making sure the doors are locked, this may be the lock for you.
Check Prices on Amazon: Hornbill Smart Lock
The Hornbill smart lock is adequate, and it will get the job done as a smart device. Installation is a little difficult for a first time user and would recommend if buying and have no experience to purchase to be installed by an expert. If installed purely for that smart lock there really would be no problems. However, as I had used previous lock holes, the lock seems to stick if pushed fully down inside. The price of this is in line with other smart locks, but you can definitely get a lock that performs better if you want to spend a little more.
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