Smart locks are incredibly useful devices whether you have a full smart home, just a few smart devices, or want to get your feet wet with your first smart home device purchase. Smart locks have several advantages over traditional door locks:
- Keyless entry with passcodes, fingerprint scans, NFC (Near Field Communications) Cards, etc.
- Controlling access to your home while you are away.
- Unique access codes for family members, visitors, trusted neighbors, and even, tradespeople. Access codes can be revoked or changed at any time.
- Status notifications when people enter or leave your home
- Automatic locking of the lock after the door has been closed.
- And more…
In addition, if you have a smart home with smart lighting and other smart home devices, events generated by a smart lock are useful for triggering automations. For example, you can trigger pathway lights to turn on when you enter your home at night. This provides both added convenience and safety.
First, it makes it easy to walk to the kitchen when you bring home a load of groceries because when your hands are full, it can be very challenging to turn on lights. It also keeps you from tripping over toys left on the floor.
Level
Level has made a name for itself as a manufacturer of high-quality smart locks. Level was founded in 2016 by John Martin and Ken Goto to create sleek, intuitive smart locks that seamlessly integrate into everyday life. In 2024, Level was acquired by Assa Abloy, a global lock manufacturer. This acquisition allowed Level to:
- Focus on developing innovative smart lock technology.
- Continue operating as an independent brand under the umbrella of Assa Abloy.
- Leverage Assa Abloy’s manufacturing capabilities.
The Level Lock+ was initially introduced in 2022, with a new Matter smart home standard-compatible version released in 2024.
Level Lock+
The Level Lock+ is designed to combine smart home technology with the look of a traditional lock. Here are the key features of the Level Lock+:
1. Invisible Smart Home Technology
- Focus on Aesthetics: The Level Lock+ is designed to look like a traditional deadbolt lock from the outside and inside of your home. This maintains the aesthetics of your entryway.
- Multiple Finishes: The original Lock+ is available in four finishes, including matte black, satin chrome, satin nickel, and polished brass. The Matter-compatible version is only currently available in matte black and satin nickel.
2. Keyless Entry
- App Control: The lock can be locked and unlocked through the Level Home smartphone app. This allows you to unlock the door remotely through an Internet connection or close by using Bluetooth connectivity.
- Apple Home Key Support: You can unlock the phone through the Apple Home key when the lock is integrated with the Apple Home ecosystem.
- Auto-unlock: The lock can automatically unlock when it detects your phone nearby via Bluetooth.
- NFC Tag Unlock: Included with the lock are 2 key fobs with NFC (Near Field Communication) tags built in that can be used to lock and unlock the lock. Additional key fobs are available for purchase.
- Optional Keypad Unlocking: The optional keypad offers the ability to unlock and lock the Lock+ by entering a four-to-six-digit code on the wireless Level Keypad.
3. Auto-lock & Unlock
- For added security, the lock can be set to lock automatically after a specified period. It also supports auto-unlock when you return home and is within range of the lock’s Bluetooth radio.
4. Multiple Access Options
- You can create temporary or permanent digital key codes to share with family, friends, guests, tradespeople, and others.
- You can manage the people who have access to your home.
5. Secure and Private
- End-to-end encryption: All communications between the lock and your phone are encrypted for security.
- The physical lock mechanism is as robust as a traditional deadbolt, offering high security in case of attempted break-ins.
6. Activity Logs
- The Level Home app allows you to view logs of who accessed your home and when.
7. Easy Installation
- DIY installation: The lock fits where the existing deadbolt hardware was located, so there is no need to make changes to your door or your current door hardware.
- Only Basic Tools Required: The Level Lock+ can be installed by most people in less than 30 minutes with only a screwdriver.
8. Battery Life
- The lock is powered by a replaceable battery that can last up to 6 months, depending on usage. The app will alert you when the battery runs low to ensure you’re never locked out of your home.
- Replacing the battery doesn’t require the disassembly of the lock.
9. Integration
- Integration with Smart Home Systems: Compatible with major smart home ecosystems, including Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and other smart home ecosystems that support the Matter smart home standard.
- Voice Control: Integration with voice assistant platforms (Alexa, Google Assistant, etc.) allows the lock to be locked and unlocked using voice commands. Unlocking requires the annunciation of a personal identification number (PIN).
Hands-on with the Level Lock+
Level provided me with a Level Lock+ and Level Keypad to evaluate for this article.
I’ve worked with quite a few smart locks. The first thing you notice when opening the Level Lock+ box is the quality of workmanship. Unlike many other smart locks, there is very little plastic used in the Lock+’s construction. The metal construction allows the Lock+ to meet ANSI 156.40 residential deadbolt standards.
The only tool you will need to install the lock and keypad is a screwdriver. It is important to note that Level does not recommend using a motorized drill and driver for installation. This is to avoid the chance of stripping any of the screws.
Installing the Lock+ was very easy. In the box is everything you are going to need. Level even includes two keys and two key fobs with the Lock+. In addition, the instructions cover both removing your existing deadbolt and installing the Lock+. I found the instructions straightforward to understand. Level says that you should be able to install the Lock+ in thirty minutes. I took longer than that due to running into 2 minor problems.
The first problem I encountered was an issue shared by all smart locks – alignment. Because smart locks use small electric motors to operate the deadbolt, you have to make sure the lock and bolt mechanism are perfectly aligned to minimize any resistance. Otherwise, the motor will not have sufficient power to slide the deadbolt into place to lock your door. It took me several tries before I got the alignment of all the parts correct so the Lock+ would work properly.
Second, I found that the deadbolt on the Lock+ was longer than the deadbolt of my old lock. When I used the app to lock the Lock+ I would see a notification that the lock was jammed. To solve this, I took my drill out and increased the depth of the hole in my doorframe that the bolt slides into.
Even with these minor problems, I thought the Lock+ was very easy to install.
The unique aspect of Level’s smart locks is that they look like traditional locks. Given this, I wondered how hard it would be to replace the Level Lock+’s battery. Again, Level has made it very easy. The replaceable CR2 battery is hidden inside the lock’s bolt. To change the battery, you simply unscrew the end of the bolt, slide out the old battery, slide in a replacement, and screw the end cap of the bolt back on. An O-ring makes sure that moisture can’t enter the battery compartment.
With the physical installation of the lock complete, the next step is to install the Level Home app on your smartphone and add the lock. A QR code is included in the instructions that take you to the app store to install the app. Once the app is installed, you need to create a login, set a location for your home where the lock is installed, and connect to the lock through Bluetooth to register it. I found I had to place my iPhone very close to the lock to maintain a good wireless connection during setup.
Once the lock is registered, the app will update the lock’s firmware. I ran into a problem here. The firmware update got stuck at 99% complete. Retrying the update didn’t fix the problem. I finally shut down the app and restarted it. It turned out the firmware update had been completed, but there appears to be a software bug in the app that doesn’t recognize when the update completes. Once the app was restarted, everything was fine, and the app recognized that the lock’s firmware was fully up to date.
The Lock+ and the Level Home app don’t offer quite as many features as other locks I have worked with, but I found them easy to use. The features it does offer are:
- Auto Lock – Automatically locks the lock after a selected time.
- Sounds – Plays a sound when locking and unlocking. You can choose the volume for sounds or turn off this feature.
- Boost Range – Increases Bluetooth radio power for a longer range or improved connectivity to a smartphone or smart home hub at the expense of battery life. Level says that boosting the range will reduce the expected battery life by a month.
- Touch to Lock – Allows the Lock+ to be locked with the touch of a finger for a specified time after it is unlocked, or the lock is unlocked and the motion of the door is detected.
- Touch to Unlock – You can touch the lock to unlock it for a specified time after you have left home far enough to exit the Level app’s 200-meter geofence and return home.
- Guest Users – You can give family members, trusted neighbors, contractors, etc. access to your home. Guests can be permanent or temporary users. For example, a plumber who needs access to your house while you are at work can be given access that only functions on the day they are scheduled to work on your home’s plumbing. A house cleaning service could be given access to your home periodically, such as every Monday. A guest user must have the Level Home app installed on their smartphone to access your home. I do wish there was a way for a guest to unlock the Lock+ without having to install the app. A contractor or cleaning service may not want to install 3rd party apps on their phones.
- Passes – You can create a pass that gives people access to your house for a specific time. This is useful for a party where you don’t want to have to run to the door when each guest arrives. The same mechanism could also be useful for a contractor that needs access to your home. Again, like guest users, a person using a pass must have the Level Home app installed on their smartphone.
Integration
After trying all the above options (they all worked fine), my next step was integrating the Lock with Apple Home. Again, the Level Home app made this process easy. I selected “Works With” in the app and then chose Apple Home. The app then walked me through scanning the QR code on the back of the Lock+ instructions to complete the process. I was then able to lock and unlock the Lock+ using the Apple Home app, as well as to integrate the Lock+ with Alexa through Matter. With the Lock+ integrated with Alexa, I could use voice commands to lock and unlock the Lock+. This all worked seamlessly.
I also integrated the Lock+ with Home Assistant through Matter. Then, using the process I outlined in the article I wrote on integrating Crestron and Home Assistant (the article can be found here), I could easily have integrated the Lock+ with my Crestron smart home processor.
Level Keypad
Level offers an optional keypad that works with the Lock+. The advantages of the keypad are:
- It provides a way to lock and unlock the Lock+ without carrying a smartphone or one of the key fobs.
- It provides a way to give tradespeople, guests, and other people the ability to unlock the Lock+ and gain access to the home without requiring them to install the Level app on their smartphone to use a pass or be configured as a guest user.
The disadvantage of the keypad is that it makes it obvious to people that you have a smart lock and not just a traditional deadbolt lock. That probably isn’t an issue for most people, but the allure of the Lock+ for some is that it is indistinguishable from a traditional deadbolt lock. That being said, it should be mentioned that the keypad connects to the lock through a wireless BLE connection. So, in some entryways, this may allow a keypad to be placed in an unobtrusive location.
Installation of the keypad, like the Lock+, is very simple. You start by scanning the QR code on the back of the keypad’s instructions. This will open the Level Home app and walk you through the process of pairing the keypad with your lock. The app will even check the wireless connectivity between the keypad and the lock to ensure that the location you’ve chosen to mount the keypad will work properly.
Once the pairing process is complete, the app will update the keypad’s firmware. I ran into the same problem I had with the Lock+ where the firmware update process gets stuck at 99%. Again, I force-closed the app and restarted it to fix the problem.
Finally, the physical installation requires a few screws or you can use the included double-stick pad.
The keypad supports:
- Always and Temporary codes where temporary have a start time and date and end time and date.
- One-touch locking where you press and hold the “checkmark” button on the keypad to lock the lock. You can lock the lock by entering a valid code and pressing the checkmark button. Touch to unlock is also enabled for 10 seconds after touch to lock has been used.
Like the Level Lock+, the Level Keypad worked well though it doesn’t support some of the advanced features offered by other smart locks. More on this below.
Areas For Improvement
I was very impressed ease of use and simplicity of the Level Lock+ and the Level Keypad. However, I do think there are a few ways these products could be improved.
- The Level Lock+ should be able to detect when the door it is installed in is closed. In this way, the auto-lock can be triggered by the door being closed and not just a period of time after it was unlocked.
- The keypad should support single-use codes. These are very useful when you have a plumber, electrician, etc. showing up at your house when you won’t be home. Once the code is used by the tradesperson to enter your home the code is immediately disabled.
- The keypad should include a fingerprint scanner. Fingerprints are a very convenient way to unlock a door. All the other smart lock keypads I’ve recently worked with include a fingerprint scanner for this reason.
- It would be nice if the Level Lock+ and Level Keypad were available in an oil-rubbed bronze finish. This is a finish used for door hardware in traditional homes where Level’s products are designed to fit into the aesthetics of the home’s entry.
Conclusion
The Level Lock+ and the Level Keypad are very well-designed and constructed smart home devices. Level has focused on a home’s decor in making the Lock+ indistinguishable from a standard deadbolt. Level has also focused on making these products very easy to install and use. However, the Lock+ and Level Keypad aren’t as feature-rich as competing products from other manufacturers.
