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You wouldn't believe the amount of keys I've had made. Whether it's dogwalkers, housesitting friends, or contractors I've passed them onto, the retention rate is always far lower than it should be — to say nothing of my own inclination towards misplacing things. I'm not a paranoid person, but having multiple keys to my house floating out in the ether doesn't feel great in a big city, which got me looking into the world of smart door locks.
I quickly found that the gap between form and function was high across the board: the best-performing locks were often the worst-looking. I didn't want some bulky lock cluttering up my front door… or god forbid, a huge numeric keypad. There had to be a sleek, intuitive solution that elevated my door instead of making it clunky.
And there was. Thanks to Level Home.
Founded by two former Apple C-suite executives, Level Home shares that brand's same knack for streamlined design, engineering the smallest smart lock ever made. In fact, it hides in plain sight, appearing to be like any other analog lock while offering a range of tech-savvy options for its owners. Level users can manage their locks from anywhere in the world through its proprietary app, which in turn is compatible with most major smart home platforms. It doesn't just allow you to leave traditional keys in the dust, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities.
We like
- Minimalist design with premium quality that doesn't scream "tech upgrade"
- Easy functionality within the app, especially for sharing access with others
- Built-in safeguards (key cards, physical keys, smart home pairings) mean you'll never be locked out again
We don't like
- Not compatible with every door lock
UNLOCKING NEW POTENTIAL
Level's co-founders John Martin and Ken Goto understand, as I do, the messiness and frustration that can result from a misplaced key. In fact, the lightbulb moment that led to their brand's development came when Martin had to wait nearly an hour for a locksmith to arrive at his vacation home in the middle of a snowstorm. Their simple but radical idea for a Bluetooth-enabled smart lock that you can open easily with your phone, as well as share digital "keys" to friends and houseguests remotely, was enough to kickstart two massive rounds of funding. Seven years later, that road has culminated in the second iteration of their groundbreaking product: the Level Lock+ Connect ($349).
What's made the product such a resounding success is that it keeps all the perks of a traditional lock while doing away with all its drawbacks. Like an analog lock, the Level Lock+ Connect is incredibly easy to install, requiring only 10-15 minutes with a screwdriver. It also has a traditional look, though the finish is still elevated, and doesn't draw attention to itself as a "tech" fixture. That said, it gives you plenty more ways to let yourself in. Level Lock+ Connect can be managed with the Level Home app, Apple home keys, key cards, an optional keypad, or a smart home integration with Google or the Amazon Alexa.
All of this was a revelation to me after years of hiding keys under the least conspicuous flower pots. With a series of trips on my horizon this fall, when I'd need to line up access to my house for everyone from my cleaning lady to the friends watering my plants, it felt like the perfect time to try out the Level Lock+ Connect for myself. Thanks to a quick ship time, I didn't have to wait long for my entry and exit routine to change for good.
OUT OF THE BOX
As could be expected from Apple alumni, Level's products arrive in sleek, well-designed packaging. Once unboxed, each piece of hardware comes nestled in a perfectly sized compartment, without mountains of plastic sleeves to unwrap and throw away. It's worth pausing to mention that Level Locks aren't sized to fit every single door lock; it's worth consulting this compatibility guide even though standard doors will have no issue. Older houses, the kind where you have to jam the door all the way forward in order to turn the lock, may also prevent an issue since the electronic lock needs to be able to glide in and out on its own.
On the vast majority of doors, though, installing Level is as easy as advertised. I'm not particularly handy (read: not at all), and I tackled it easily with one screwdriver and the included instructions. Once I placed the battery, also included, in the deadbolt I heard a pleasant digital chirp — my first sign that my entryway was about to be state-of-the-art. From there, I downloaded the app and within a few minutes of onboarding and Bluetooth syncing, I had a fully paired smart lock whose access I could share as needed.
I added my partner as a full-time admin and sent test passes to a friend or two, eager to see what the user experience would be on their end. And though they had to download the app, which might feel like an inconvenience for a one-time use, it saved both of us the headache of keeping track of spare keys. Everyone that used their phones to lock and unlock the door had zero issues, something that's still a marvel to me every time I do it. I've never had to use the key cards or analog keys that came along with the product, though the worrier in me does love having them on hand for backup.
HOME MADE EASIER
Even within its simple, elegant design, the Level Lock+ Connect packs features I'm delighted to discover every day. As easy as it is to lock my door within the app, I recently found that I can tap the lock with my finger on my way out and it will lock up for me. It also integrates with my Google Home speaker, so I can say, "Hey Google, unlock the door" and the rest is handled. Plus with my annual holiday party coming up, I'm looking forward to creating a Party Pass that all my guests can use, instead of having to generate and send tons of individual passes.
Though the Level Lock+ Connect is new to my life, it integrated so seamlessly it feels like I always had it. I'm wary of tech that seeks to totally overhaul "the old way" with total automation, but Level leaves it completely up to you how digital or analog you make it. Through power outages or WiFi issues, my Level Lock+ Connect has yet to let me down, thanks to all its built-in safeguards and backup plans. I never have to worry about being locked out again — which is more than I can say for the days of good old-fashioned keys.
