Lockly 7S Smart Deadbolt 2022 REVIEW

Lockly 7S Smart Deadbolt keeps your home safe with a beautiful device at a reasonable price.

Our family enjoys using smart devices since it makes our lives easier. For a while, we’ve had a smart lock on our door. It wasn’t app-controlled, but it was a tactile keypad and we each had our own codes to unlock it. Since we’ve had this for a while we thought that maybe we could take the next step up and install a complete smart deadbolt that features a touch-sensitive display as well as a connection to our smartphones and virtual assistants, like Amazon Alexa. The Lockly Model 7S is the lock we settled on and while we had a few bumps in the road as we installed it, it’s been a good choice for our family.

ABOUT LOCKLY MODEL 7S

Lockly is a company that focuses on “…ensuring homeowners, rentals and businesses protect their property and personal items with security and convenience.” Their product line includes award-winning locks that feature advanced technologies such as fingerprint readers, cameras, and app integrations.

The Lockly Model 7S Single-Cylinder Smart Deadbolt Lock is a beautifully designed, sleek deadbolt setup that brings together value and intelligent control for its users. This single-cylinder smart deadbolt includes a touch screen keypad with discrete PIN code input and Bluetooth connectivity.

FEATURES

Multiple ways to access: Access home, office, or rental property using PIN Genie digital touchscreen, smartphone, eKeys, Offline Access Codes, or physical key.

Hack-proof digital keypad: Patented PIN Genie touchscreen prevents codes from being guessed by randomly shuffling PIN number locations after each use.

Mobile app control: Unlock, lock, or check door status through Lockly’s smartphone app. 

Offline Access Codes: Issue Offline Access Codes™ that do not require users to download an app or have Wi-Fi or internet connection to use.

Send eKeys to friends and family: Grant one-time use or specific time duration access by issuing codes or digital eKeys remotely via a mobile device.

Easy, one-person, DIY installation: Replaces existing deadbolt with basic household tools in about 15 minutes using easy-to-follow 3-D video instructions. Fits both left and right swinging standard doors, 1 3/8 to 2 inches thick. 

Rekeying Capability: Replace a 6-pin cylinder with readily available rekeying kits.

OPTIONAL CAPABILITIES

Add optional Secure Link Wi-Fi Hub to enable:

• Voice Control: Unlock, lock, or check door status by simply using your voice through Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa.
• Grant Access, even when you’re not home: Remotely lock and unlock your door from anywhere using the Lockly app.
• LOCKLY Access Portal: Manage 1 or 1,000 locks across multiple properties with LOCKLY Access Portal^TM

SPECS

What’s in the Box: Model 7S Smart Lock hardware (Strike Plate, Strike Plate Housing, Back Plate), 2 x physical keys, quick start guide

Battery-powered: 4 x AA standard alkaline (non-rechargeable) batteries required; not included

Dimensions: Height 7.05 inches; Width: 2.91 inches

Specs

• Function: single cylinder deadbolt lock
• Door handle: reversible
• Backset: adjustable 2” or 2 3⁄4″ (60mm or 70mm) Bolt: 1⁄2″ (12.7mm) throw steel
• Working environment: 4 ~ 140°F (-20 ~ 60°C)

Requirements

• Free LOCKLY app for iOS or Android
• Door size: 1″ – 2” (35mm- 50mm) automatically adjust
• Door Preparation: 2 ” (54mm) diameter face hole and 1″ (25mm) diameter latch hole

USER EXPERIENCE

I need to start this review with a disclaimer: I am very hesitant to fully submerge myself into a fully automated world. I may receive some slack for this, but I feel that a reliance on technology for every single aspect of my life is unhealthy. For me, personal responsibility for my possessions is essential.

I don’t want to lose the awareness I have inside my home or for my vehicles. I don’t feel comfortable with doors that lock automatically, headlights that automatically turn themselves on and off, or cars that drive themselves. Technology is great — until it fails. You are locked out of your home or you are stranded in a parking lot because the car battery died. 

I do realize that sometimes tech failures are related to human error but there are more opportunities for outside factors to come into play that are 100% out of a human’s control. Those are the times that concern me. With that said, I did like the idea of having a ‘smarter’ deadbolt incorporated into our household. So, I stepped out of my comfort zone and took a leap with the Lockly 7S.

Installation process

My husband removed our previous deadbolt and replaced it with the beautiful Lockly 7s. He states the installation process was fairly simple. He didn’t have any issues connecting to Bluetooth and syncing with the Lockly app. He was also able to easily change the PIN for the lock.

The Lockly 7S requires a hub device (not included) in order for it to connect to WiFi. In other Mac Sources review experiences, when a device requires a secondary hub device in order to connect to a WiFi network, that can be problematic. Connecting to Bluetooth was no sweat and since we didn’t have the WiFi step, we saved ourselves a headache in during the installation process.

Even though the installation process was easy overall, my husband did encounter a couple of issues. The biggest issue was the adhesive on the back of the battery compartment. It wasn’t very sticky and failed to secure the inner components of the lock to the door.

In order to complete the installation and secure the inner components to the door, my husband had to drill an additional hole into the door. He wasn’t happy about drilling a new hole into our front door. Unfortunately, this issue added to the installation time.

The extra hole in our front door is something we will have to keep in mind in the future when it is time to replace the lock. He also noticed some discrepancies with the installation guides offered in the app versus online. He felt this caused some confusion as he was working to install the new deadbolt. 

Lockly 7S in Practice

As I mentioned earlier, the lock is beautiful. I really like the satin nickel finish and I feel this adds a very modern touch to the design. I like that the user has a choice about how they unlock the door. They can opt to use the Lockly app with Bluetooth, enter their PIN on the keypad, or use a key to enter the home. For me, this was a great compromise between technology and mechanical devices.

Even though my husband didn’t have any issues with the Bluetooth setup using his phone, I did have issues connecting the Lockly app to the app via Bluetooth. I have yet to get this set up successfully, so I have not been able to use the app to unlock the door. I plan to reach out to customer service in the future, but now this is not a priority for me as I can easily use the keypad to enter the PIN or use the key. 

My biggest issue with the keypad is that numbers constantly change place. Lockly calls this feature the “patented PIN Genie touchscreen keypad”. This feature randomly shuffles the location of PIN numbers. I realize that this is an added layer of security and I appreciate that, but I feel that this mechanism isn’t very disability friendly. Those with neurodivergent disorders could encounter some issues when entering their six-digit PIN code.

Quick note, to wake up the keypad you must tap the screen to display the keypad. Once you have entered your six-digit PIN, you must tap the circle with the blue wavy lines (kind of resembles a fingerprint) located under the keypad before the door will unlock. If you don’t tap that button the door will not unlock. 

Another feature that I am not overly fond of is the automatic locking mechanism. At first, the door would automatically lock within 30 seconds of opening. Now it is random and can take a couple of minutes to 30 seconds. We have not made any adjustments to the relocking timer as I need to use the app to make changes and I am not able to access our settings or even enter my home via the app at this time due to a connectivity issue. 

CONCLUSION

I do feel the Lockly Model 7S is beautifully designed and crafted. The price is reasonable. It is relatively easy to use, with a few hiccups. As far as the lock goes, it does feel very secure and well-built. I do hope that future designs will be more accessible for neurodivergent individuals. 

Lockly Model 7S is sold exclusively through Home Depot.

For more information, visit lockly.com, Facebook, and Twitter.