A powerful smart lock with excellent value, smooth performance, and a frustrating setup process
Nuki is a company that makes smart locks that let you turn your regular door into a keyless system without replacing the whole lock. Their device attaches to the inside of your door and uses your phone to lock and unlock it, either automatically when you get close or through an app. You can also share access with other people, track who comes and goes, and connect it to smart home systems like Alexa or Google Home. The company was founded in Austria by two brothers, Martin and Jürgen Pansy, after they came up with the idea around 2013 when one of them got tired of always carrying keys. It officially launched through a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2015, which helped it grow into one of the leading smart lock brands in Europe and now it is starting to expand more into the US.
Install and Setup
The item does ship in two different boxes. Inside the keypad box you will find the keypad itself with preinstalled AAA batteries and a small booklet. Inside the box with the deadbolt, you will find the unit itself, the hardware, another small booklet, and a proprietary charging cable for the deadbolt.
I started out by charging the deadbolt and I really wish this had been USB C since the proprietary cable can easily get lost or misplaced. Since this is a retrofit deadbolt, it is supposed to work with your existing deadbolt setup. I scanned the QR code to read the directions, which were honestly a bit confusing.
They tell you to start by using an included measurement card to see if you need to use an extension plate. I disassembled the adapter and checked the measurement card, which showed I did not need the extension plate, so I reassembled everything and started attaching it to the door. I taped the outside deadbolt using the included tape, then removed the two screws holding the deadbolt cover and installed the Nuki mounting plate.
After that it is supposed to be as simple as inserting the correct plastic adapter piece and twisting the unit into place. However, I could not get it to attach at all. It would not twist or lock into place. I went back through the instructions and confirmed I was doing everything correctly, then checked YouTube hoping to find a guide. Since the company is still pretty new in the US, I could not find anything helpful.
Eventually I decided to take the adapter plate back apart. It separates into multiple small pieces that are not labeled, which makes it more confusing. After looking through the instructions again, I decided to try the extension plate instead. Reassembling everything correctly was a bit tricky, but once I did that, I was finally able to attach the lock to the door.
Overall, this process took me about two hours, which is definitely longer than expected for something marketed as easy to install.
After that, setup in the Nuki app was very quick. The lock calibrated itself and I was able to choose settings like auto lock. Next, I installed the Nuki NFC keypad. This part was very simple. You pair it in the app and stick it to the door using the included adhesive. I do wish the keypad had a backlight because it is very hard to see at night.
Overall Use
In everyday use, the lock reads my location from my phone and automatically unlocks the door when I get home, which is one of my favorite features. It feels very seamless and honestly makes a big difference not having to pull out keys every time. The app has been smooth and responsive for me, and the lock itself has been consistent when it comes to locking and unlocking.
You can use it without the keypad, but for multiple people or something like an Airbnb, the keypad is where it really becomes useful. Being able to change codes remotely from your phone whenever you want is super convenient, especially if you need to give someone temporary access. It also supports NFC and fingerprint access, which adds even more flexibility depending on how you want to use it.
One issue I noticed is that since installing this lock, I have not been able to use my physical key from the outside. It seems like the electronic deadbolt might be holding it in place, but I am not completely sure. This is something that concerns me a bit because if the battery dies, I would expect the key to still work as a backup. That being said, the battery life seems solid so far, so this may not be something most people run into often.
From the standpoint of charging the deadbolt, it can be done on the door or off the door, which is nice flexibility. However, each time I charged it off the door, the lock would still read that it was on the door charging, which resulted in having to recalibrate it in the app each time. Thankfully this is not something you will have to deal with often since the battery is designed to last a long time between charges.
I also would have liked to see a backlight on the keypad since that is pretty standard for smart locks in this price range. It is hard to use at night without one. That said, during the day it works perfectly fine and responds quickly to input. It would also be nice if the keypad itself was rechargeable instead of relying on replaceable batteries, but the included batteries should last a while before needing to be swapped.
Overall, once everything is set up, the system works well and adds a lot of convenience to everyday use. It definitely feels like one of those upgrades that you notice right away in your daily routine.
Pricing
The Keypad is available for $179, or you can buy the bundle for $289 from nuki.io
Conclusion
Overall, the Nuki Smart Deadbolt and NFC Keypad bring a lot of convenience to everyday use and do exactly what a smart lock is supposed to do once everything is up and running. Features like auto unlock, remote access, and multiple entry options really make a difference and make your door feel much more modern and flexible. It is especially useful for households with multiple people or setups like Airbnb were managing access remotely is important.
For the price, it is an amazing value. The hardware feels well made, solid, and like it is built to last a long time, which is something I definitely look for in a smart home product.
That said, the biggest downside for me was the installation process. I would really like to see better directions, clearer labeling on the individual parts, and especially some official video guides. Since the product is still newer in the US, the lack of helpful setup content made the process more frustrating than it needed to be. A few small improvements in this area would go a long way in making the experience much smoother.
In the end, this is a solid smart lock with great features and strong everyday performance, but it is held back a bit by the initial setup experience. If Nuki improves the instructions and support around installation, this could easily be one of the best options out there.
For more information, visit nuki.io
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