The biggest drawback of a conventional door lock is that you have to carry around physical keys. As such, if you have a big family, then you may have to get everyone a key, which can be a bit of a chore. Plus, you can’t let friends and family into your house when you’re not around because — you guessed it right — they don’t have a key. So, what if you eliminate the need for a physical key? That’s precisely where a smart lock comes into the picture. Not just that, but you can even enhance the security of your house by getting a smart door lock with a camera.
A smart lock with a camera frees two birds with one key. To wit, it takes physical keys out of the equation and doubles up as a security camera too. This way, you can conveniently unlock the door when you reach home. And when you’re not around, you can check who’s at the doorstep. You can also use the camera to see who is at the door if you have a visitor. Sounds interesting? Here’s how you get this setup at your home using keyless entry door locks with a camera.
Before that, here are some articles we think may interest you –
- If you’re not too keen on the camera, a smart door lock with a fingerprint scanner might be a good option.
- You can also get a wireless video doorbell with Alexa support to keep a check on visitors.
- Protect every nook and corner of your home using home security cameras with local storage.
Let’s now get to the smart deadbolt locks with a camera.
1. Nyober Wi-Fi Smart Lock
Camera resolution: 1080p
Nyober’s solution doesn’t just eliminate the need for a separate camera but it also makes a doorbell redundant. To that end, the lock comes with a dedicated button that acts as a doorbell. So, if someone rings the bell, you can remotely unlock the door via the app.
As soon as someone rings the doorbell, you can see the live feed from the built-in camera on your phone. However, users say that you cannot access the camera unless someone rings the doorbell which is a bummer. As for safety, there are five different ways the Nyober smart lock lets you unlock your door.
There’s a fingerprint scanner which is the most convenient option. Then, there’s a passcode, a keyfob, a physical key, and the ability to unlock via the smartphone app. As for the performance of the camera, reviews say it fairs well during the day but the performance deteriorates at night. If you have a bright porch light, this shouldn’t be an issue.
2. Revolo WFV01
Camera resolution: 1080p
While the Nyober smart lock also has a doorbell function, it only notifies you of visitors on your phone. The Revolo WFV01 comes with a doorbell chime so you’ll know if someone’s at the door even if you don’t have your phone with you.
Along with the doorbell chime, there are a few additional perks that Revolo provides with its smart door lock. For starters, there’s a built-in mic and speaker so you can converse with the person at the door via the smartphone app. The concoction also supports Google Assistant and Alexa so you can control the lock’s features using just your voice.
Another feature that adds to the safety is the ability to set an auto-lock duration. If you leave the door unlocked for a set duration, it will automatically lock. If anything, the reviews say that the camera isn’t wide enough to capture faces when the door lock is installed at a lower height. So, try to position the lock as high as possible on your door. The image quality is good though and you can clearly identify faces.
One issue that a few users have pointed out is that the lock frequently disconnects from Wi-Fi. So, you may not be able to invoke Alexa / Google Assistant to control the lock at times.
3. Blusafe 3-in-1 Smart Lock
Camera resolution: 1080p
The key highlight of the Blusafe smart lock is the way the camera is positioned. Unlike the aforementioned locks that come with a camera at the center, Blusafe has positioned the lens on a tapered edge at the top for a better viewing angle.
The placement of the camera on the Blusafe lock is a great example of how a minor design tweak can go a long way in improving the functionality of a product. We mentioned that the camera on the Revolo lock couldn’t see faces when installed low on the door. The Blusafe lock mitigates the same, so even if you install the lock in the traditional position, you won’t have any issues with the video output.
As for the functionality — there’s a fingerprint scanner onboard along with other typical features like a keypad and entry via an OTP. Note that there’s no chime for the doorbell, nor do you get the ability to speak to the person at the door. You can’t record via the camera either which is disappointing.
It’s a lost opportunity that the camera — in spite of being positioned so well — cannot record or give you a live feed. It can only capture a photo at the time the doorbell is rung. If you can live with this limitation, you should get the Blusafe 3-in-1 smart lock.
4. Eufy Security S330
Camera resolution: 2K
Eufy is one of the most reputed brands in the smart lock space. So while you’re paying a premium, you can expect to get better reliability and features. And that’s already evident with the fact that you get a high-res 2K camera and local storage. You can even unlock your door using your fingerprint, PIN, app, or keyfob.
Since the major focus is on smart locks with a camera, it’s important that you get a lock with good image quality. And, the Eufy S330 has the best camera of all the locks mentioned on this list. Apart from the pixel-dense resolution, the S330 comes with a fairly wide lens which should be able to accommodate visitors in its FoV seamlessly.
The Wi-Fi capabilities of the door lock allow you to link it to Alexa or Google Assistant. You also get the ability to communicate with whoever is outside your door via the smartphone app. More notably, just like Revolo’s offering, Eufy also provides a doorbell chime with the S330 smart lock. The chime also has extra functionality since it acts as a storage device for the camera.
To that end, you can insert an SD card into the chime and you can record footage via the camera on the smart lock. If you choose to not store the footage locally, Eufy also offers its own cloud storage solution albeit with a monthly subscription fee. The majority of the reviews for the Eufy S330 are positive with emphasis on excellent image quality and ease of use.
5. Lockly Vision
Camera resolution: 1080p
The Eufy S330 is the most premium smart lock with a camera in terms of features. Despite that, the Lockly Vision Doorbell camera is more expensive. This is because of the brand’s patented digital keypad. The digits on the keypad reshuffle every time you unlock the door to prevent someone from guessing the pattern.
Unlike other smart locks that have a dedicated key for each digit, the Lockly Vision combines three numbers into one key. This way, you get a T9-like arrangement which you’ll relate to if you texted using a keypad phone back in the day. Needless to say, the brand’s door lock is more secure as the digits get shuffled and rearranged for added safety.
Of course, you don’t have to use the keypad every time though since the lock also has a fingerprint reader. You can monitor the video feed from the camera at all times. In fact, Lockly is kind enough to ship you a 32GB SD card within the box to record footage locally. The rest of the features like communication via the app and real-time alerts are present and accounted for as well.
Most reviews say that the Lockly Vision is reliable and the camera captures good-quality images. However, you don’t get a doorbell chime which is disappointing considering the premium price.
FAQs for Smart Door Locks With a Camera
1. Are smart locks safe?
Smart locks have several layers of security that ensure unauthorized individuals cannot tamper with them. If installed properly, a smart lock is as reliable as its non-smart counterpart.
2. Can a smart lock with a camera replace a security camera?
The answer is yes and no. Yes, because it can record whoever visits your house. No, because it has a very narrow field of view. If you want to monitor a larger area around your door, a dedicated security camera will also be more useful.
3. Do smart locks need Wi-Fi to work?
If you talk about locking and unlocking the door — there’s no need for Wi-Fi. However, other features like accessing the camera stream and talking to the person at the door will require a Wi-Fi connection.
Secure Your Home
Smart door locks with a camera solve multiple problems using a single solution. You don’t have to worry about getting multiple devices and forming an ecosystem. If you want to protect your house while also making entry inside it more convenient, choose from any of the locks mentioned above and they’ll serve you well.
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