Smart locks have come a long way in the last few years. Some are genuinely useful. Others are flashy gimmicks that fail in Aussie weather or get bypassed within months. Here's what we recommend and what we tell people to avoid.
What smart locks do well
Convenience is the headline. No more lost keys, no more hidden keys under pot plants, no more handing physical keys to cleaners or Airbnb guests. You can issue a time-limited PIN code for a tradie and have it expire automatically when the job's done.
Some models log every entry, useful for landlords or shared houses. The Yale Assure series and the August Wi-Fi smart lock both do this well.
Where they fall down
Battery life. Most smart locks use AA batteries and last 6-12 months in normal use. If you forget, you get locked out. Most have a backup keyway or contact pad to power them temporarily but it's a hassle.
Connectivity. Wi-Fi smart locks need stable home Wi-Fi. If your router reboots and the lock loses its connection, remote unlocking doesn't work until you reconnect it.
Build quality on the cheap models. Anything under $200 is probably going to fail in 2-3 years in coastal conditions. Better to spend $400+ on a reputable brand.
What we recommend for Bendigo homes
Yale Assure Plus Wi-Fi (around $400-$600 installed): solid mechanical lock with smart features. Backup keyway. Good app. Reliable in Australian weather.
Lockwood Touch (around $350-$500 installed): keypad only, no Wi-Fi. Cheaper, simpler, more reliable. Doesn't need internet.
August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (around $300-$450 installed): retrofits over your existing deadbolt without replacing the visible hardware. Good for heritage homes.
What we recommend against
Anything sold purely online with no Australian distributor or warranty. Anything that requires you to keep an account with a small overseas company (if the company goes broke, your lock becomes a paperweight). Anything that uses biometric fingerprint only with no PIN backup.
The simpler alternative
For most Bendigo homes, a good keypad-only mechanical lock (no smart features) is more than enough. Cheaper, more reliable, no batteries to worry about. The smart features are nice but most people don't actually use them.