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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways
- The Aqara U100 astute fastener was primitively priced astatine $230, but it is presently discounted to $143.
- This astute fastener is the astir versatile I've tested; it offers a assortment of unlocking options, a user-friendly app, and casual integration with Apple Home.
- The Aqara U100 drains the artillery quickly, and the app doesn't ever alert users, resulting successful reduced show wrong 4 months of use.
The Aqara U100 Smart Lock is presently connected merchantability for lone $135 connected Amazon, down from its archetypal terms of $230.
Aqara's archetypal Apple Home Key astute fastener successful the US arrived aft the institution offered galore Home Key-compatible astute locks extracurricular the country. Was the hold worthy it? I've had the Aqara U100 for implicit a year, and the abbreviated reply is: Absolutely.
Also: I tested a TCL astute lock, and its thenar vein designation diagnostic blew maine away
Getting the Aqara U100 connected my beforehand doorway was reasonably simple, adjacent though my circumstantial reappraisal portion didn't travel with instructions. It took a fewer minutes to fig retired which portion goes connected earlier the other, but a deadbolt is simply a beauteous straightforward mechanism, truthful it was easy. The full process took little than 15 minutes.
Once the U100 astute fastener was connected the door, I acceptable it up with the Aqara app connected my iPhone and connected it to an Aqara M2 Hub
Although an Aqara Hub isn't indispensable to usage the basal features of the astute lock, you bash request 1 to execute distant fastener and unlock actions, presumption the existent fastener status, configure password settings from your phone, and make automations with different Aqara devices.
I utilized the Aqara Hub M2 to acceptable up the U100 lock.
Without a hub, the U100 astute fastener tin lone link to your telephone via Bluetooth and beryllium controlled arsenic agelong arsenic you're wrong Bluetooth range.
Also: Your aged router could beryllium a information menace - here's wherefore and what to do
The Aqara U100 astute fastener is unsocial successful the US, arsenic it's the lone 1 connected the marketplace to connection the pursuing unlocking options successful one:
- Passcode unlock: The U100 fastener features a keypad that requires 6-10 digit passcodes to open. You tin adhd one-time passcodes oregon ones that lone enactment during a preset period, similar for a babysitter each weekday from 3-6 p.m. The app allows you to acceptable up to 75 passwords.
- Fingerprint unlock: After mounting up my U100 to unfastened with my fingerprint, I've ne'er had issues with it not recognizing my people oregon failing to respond to it. You tin adhd up to 50 fingerprints successful the app, and Aqara says its fingerprint scholar features a 98.6% designation rate.
- Apple Home Key: I acceptable up the U100 fastener to unlock with my iPhone utilizing the NFC-powered Apple Home Key. This adds a virtual cardinal to your iPhone's Wallet, and you tin unfastened your astute fastener lone by bringing your iPhone oregon Apple Watch adjacent to it.
- NFC tags: You tin besides programme NFC tags to unlock the Aqara U100, which is cleanable for anyone who isn't an Apple user, oregon to usage arsenic keycards for houseguests.
- Mechanical keys: The U100 astute fastener comes with 2 carnal keys, and the keyhole is hidden down a sliding sheet connected the look of the wave.
Although I didn't find the Aqara mobile app precise intuitive, I loved the features disposable for the U100 lock. You tin adhd different users and springiness them each a unsocial unlocking method. For example, I've ever fixed myself a passcode and a fingerprint to way who entered and however they entered erstwhile checking the lock's lawsuit history.
The fastener blends seamlessly alongside my door.
The app besides lets you customize alert settings and take the dependable measurement and connection for immoderate dependable alerts during the locking operation. Thanks to a built-in gyroscope for question detection, you tin acceptable the instrumentality to auto-lock erstwhile the doorway is closed (no other modules are required).
Also: Forget Ring: This information video doorbell has akin features and nary subscription fees
That said, it wasn't each sunshine and automatically locked doors. I sometimes struggled with the app's beta features, particularly erstwhile it came clip to get the U100 to fastener down maine oregon erstwhile I swiped it. At 1 point, I had to spell backmost wrong to find the mechanical cardinal due to the fact that it wasn't working. I aboriginal realized this happens erstwhile the lock's artillery beingness ends aft 3 to 4 months.
While my acquisition was mostly positive, I recovered the app precise dilatory and unreliable astatine giving maine the fastener status, adjacent erstwhile my telephone was wrong Bluetooth range. Sometimes, it would conscionable springiness maine the incorrect presumption and accidental the doorway was locked erstwhile I could spot intelligibly that it wasn't, but this was resolved aft a fewer months and immoderate updates.
ZDNET's buying advice
The Aqara U100 astute fastener has a hidden keyhole.
Why bash I inactive emotion the Aqara U100? The pros outweigh the cons, and the firmware upgrades support improving performance.
Considering however elaborate astute locks tin get, I went into this reappraisal biased toward the simplicity of the Level Lock+ and the sleek plan of the Yale Assure Lock SL. The further unlocking features that marque the Aqara U100 unsocial turned maine around.
Being capable to consistently (and flexibly) unlock my doorway with either my fingerprint oregon Apple Watch, and not 1 oregon the other, has added the nonstop magnitude of convenience to my beingness that I look for successful each astute location devices.
While galore income events diagnostic deals for a circumstantial magnitude of time, deals are connected a limited-time basis, making them taxable to expire anytime. ZDNET remains committed to finding, sharing, and updating the champion offers to assistance you maximize your savings truthful you tin consciousness arsenic assured successful your purchases arsenic we consciousness successful our recommendations. Our ZDNET squad of experts perpetually monitors the deals we diagnostic to support our stories up-to-date. If you missed retired connected this deal, don't interest -- we're ever sourcing caller savings opportunities astatine ZDNET.com.
The recent US tariffs on imports from countries similar China, Vietnam, and India purpose to boost home manufacturing but are apt to thrust up prices connected user electronics. Products similar smartphones, laptops, and TVs whitethorn go much costly arsenic companies rethink planetary proviso chains and measurement the outgo of shifting production.
Also: Tariff warfare has tech buyers wondering what's next. Here's what we know
Televisions, galore of which are manufactured successful these nations, whitethorn acquisition terms increases of up to 20%, making them little affordable for consumers. Manufacturers contemplate relocating assembly operations to countries with tariff exemptions, but specified moves impact logistical challenges and important costs. Companies similar Samsung, which produces a important information of their TVs successful Mexico, expect being little affected than competitors relying heavy connected Chinese manufacturing.
Overall, consumers should brace for higher prices and imaginable shifts successful merchandise availability wrong the location amusement market.
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