The Level Lock+ is one of the first Home Key-compatible smart locks on the market that can be used with an Apple watch.
The Level Lock+ uses the same design as the prior generation. The Level Lock+ looks like any standard deadbolt with all of the smart capabilities hidden away inside the door, with no bulky components inside or out.
The Level Lock+ comes in two colors, matt nickel and black. It's not going to match with bronze, gold, or similar door hardware, so I would like it to come in more color options. The simplicity of the Level Lock+ makes me like it. It doesn't draw attention to itself because it looks nothing special.
Installation of the Level Lock+ is relatively easy. I needed to paint the door and do some repairs before I could get it installed in my setup. The instructions for the Level Lock+ door lock were easy to follow.
There are two versions of the bolt. If the bolt doesn't stick out of the hole, it needs to be adjusted to the larger size. The larger size of my door was too large and the smaller one was not quite right, so I had to do some sanding and tweaking to get things to fit right.
The Level Lock+ hardware fit right into the deadbolt cutout and snapped into the end of the bolt after about five minutes of sanding. The battery can be changed by popping the end of the deadbolt.
It was just a matter of messing everything up once I got everything aligned. I ran into a problem with the strike plate as it was smaller than my previous one. I had to drill a new hole. I had the lock up and functional in less than 20 minutes.
I don't know how long the CR2 battery will last before it needs to be replaced. The CR2 batteries are about $4 each, and the amount of battery life you get depends on how often you open your door. If the battery dies, there is a physical key that can be used.
I added the lock to the Level app and connected it to HomeKit so that it could be used in both the Home app and the Level app. HomeKit gave me the option to use Home Keys with the Level Lock, and I just needed to tap on the banner in the Home app to add the level lock to wallet.
Home Keys allow you to store your house key in the Wallet app and use it to open your door using your phone's Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. I added the lock to HomeKit after Home Keys didn't work for me.
You can use Home Keys to enable "Express Mode" in the Wallet app, which will allow you to open the door without Face ID or a password. When your phone is locked, you can simply tap the top of the lock to open it. After the phone's battery dies, it can continue to open the door for a short time.
There are many ways to get to the level lock. Home Keys can be used with the Level app, the Home app, use a key, or set up a key card. Guests can use their own phone to open the lock if you give them a pass with the Home hub.
The Level app has a list of all the times the lock was locked or unlocked, and you can set it up so each person in your home can access it. Home app notifications will be sent when the Level Lock is accessed. The Home app supports automations, so you can set up functions to lock the Level Lock when the last person in the home leaves, lock it at night, andunlock it when you get home.
Since I was able to get Home Keys set up, I haven't had a problem opening the Level Lock with any of the available methods, and it's convenient to be able to open it for a guest if I so choose. The mechanism inside the Level Lock works and you can hear it when you open it.
There is a popular video from Lockpicking Lawyer that shows him using a simple rake tool to gain access to the Level Lock. Anyone with a small amount of lockpicking knowledge and common tools can get into the Level Lock. My partner is a lockpicker and was able to pick the Level Lock in less than 30 seconds.
There are a lot of deadbolts and door locks that are easy to pick and take little effort to access, so this isn't a big deal, but Level could have increased the security here. Schlage's deadbolts are more secure, which makes them pickable, but with more of a time investment and specialized tools.
A door lock is more of a social contract than anything else and serves as a signal that your house is locked up and should not be unlocked. A person who really wants to get into a locked house can break a window. Potential buyers should be aware of the pickability.
The BHMA rating for Level's lock is based on weight, withstanding a sledgehammer, and trying to open the door. It is not a measure of security from lockpicking due to the fact that it takes into account a number of factors. If security is a top priority, you would be better off with specialized high security locks than the Level Lock+, which can be purchased off the shelf at a big box store.
The Level Lock+ is easy to use and stylish. It's great to be able to open the door with my phone, and it's even better to be able to let people in when I'm not at home.
I would have liked to see a more robust, secure product at that price point. The Level Lock+ has a typical C lock cylinder used by hundreds of lock brands on the market, but that doesn't seem like a great excuse for a lock that's over $300. A lot of the locks that Level is talking about are around $30 at Home Depot.
The next iteration of the Level Lock might have some additional features. It doesn't need to bepickable because that's not the main way criminals are breaking into houses, but just an extra layer of security would have been nice to keep it from popping open.
The Level Lock+ is available from the Apple Store.
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