Aqara Smart Lock U300, Fingerprint Keyless Entry Door Lock with Handle, Matter Over Thread with Apple Home Keys, Touchscreen Keypad, Smart Lever Lock Supports Apple Home, Alexa, Google, IFTTT, Black

The media could not be loaded. I have been anxiously waiting for this lock since it was announced earlier this year and after finally getting my hands on it, I am impressed. This lock is packed with many features that make it not only a great lock but also allow it to be future-proof for newer technologies, such as Matter and Thread connectivity. Having owned various Aqara products, it’s clear that Aqara continues to go above and beyond with their products, and I’m also happy to see them develop locks for the United States market - I’ve always been a bit jealous that their other smart locks have only been available outside the United States, until now!* Overall Impressions *The lock is packaged very well and the hardware itself looks and feels premium, it has some heft, and the materials appear to be high quality. The lock has a touch screen with numbers that disappear when not in use, making it look like a high-end door lock that blends in with any other door locks you may have and doesn’t look out of place - other smart looks look like smart locks and they don’t match more contemporary or modern homes, but this lock is sleek and modern without overdoing it. This lock is also packed with newer features, like it supports the newer Matter standard, which allows you to easily pair the lock not only to Aqara’s ecosystem, but also supports systems like Apple HomeKit, Home Assistant, Google Home, and Amazon’s Alexa - just be sure you have the proper controllers in place (see my installation tips below). I installed this lock on my home office door, but I am planning on buying additional locks for my garage entry door and a few other doors that would benefit from easy keyless entry.* Digital Installation Guides *Although the kit itself does come with some basic getting started instructions including a physical installation template, Aqara is following suit with other modern companies in that they are mostly paperless. Although the lock doesn’t come with a traditional full paper manual, they have a lot of resources on their website such as installation videos and digital user manuals - I highly recommend reading through these free resources to familiarize yourself with the lock and its features and to ensure a successful installation.* Pros *This lock can be unlocked using so many different options like a fingerprint, a PIN code, using your iPhone or Apple Watch, an NFC tag for those who may not want to use their phone, and through the Aqara app using Bluetooth or Matter over Thread. If you’re more of a traditional key user, it even has a neatly hidden away keyhole underneath the fingerprint scanner. I like that Aqara doesn’t limit this lock to their own system and they have clearly been working hard to make it compatible with other smart home systems like Home Assistant, which is rarely heard of by other major manufacturers, and gives you a choice in the smart home system you want to use. You also don’t have to worry about being locked out if your batteries run out - this lock can be easily charged through a USB-C charging port, so you can easily give it enough juice so you can get back inside - I love that they included one on both sides, so no matter how you install your lock, you can easily charge it back up in an emergency.* Cons *I’ve noticed some reviews may not be happy with the auto-locking feature - you can easily work around this by enabling Passage Mode. I feel it’s important that Aqara kept security in mind given that it is a door lock, so although not a con for me, it’s worth noting that this feature may take some adjusting to. The passage mode feature can also be customized in the app, such as how long it stays unlocked, including indefinitely. Additionally, when installing the lock, it can be a bit tricky to align the plate to the door at first glance and determine how to best stuff the cable back into the door, but I highly recommend watching their installation videos which will help you get a perfect fit - don’t try to force anything.* Installation Tips & Suggestions *To fully utilize this lock’s features, you’ll need to ensure you have a compatible Matter controller with Thread capabilities, such as an Aqara M3 Hub, an Apple TV 4K, or an Apple HomePod Mini. The lock will still work without a controller, but adding a compatible controller will allow you to use additional features like remote unlocking and remote PIN management for your guests. I also highly recommend using the Aqara app and exploring all the settings and features of the lock - there are a lot of customizations you can do in the app such as muting the sound for a quieter household, customizing how long passage mode stays unlocked for (including permanently, until you relock the lock), and even locking the lockout entirely, for when you’re not expecting any guests, such as night for greater security.* Matter & Thread Support *Matter and Thread are newer kids on the block, and these features are still evolving. This lock supports Matter over Thread, and as long as your smart home supports both, you can unlock this lock’s potential. Since Matter supports multiple “fabrics”, I can have this lock not only paired to my Aqara M3 Hub but also have it linked to Apple Home using my Apple TV and Home Assistant, which also support Matter and Thread devices. Matter and Thread can take some getting used to, so I recommend reading up on how they work if you’d like to use these features. The Aqara app also makes it easy to use these features if you have a supported Matter hub like the M3, but it’s not required if you don’t want to use those features or if you already have another compatible hub like an Apple TV or HomePod Mini.* Aqara Support *Having owned other Aqara products, I’ve always had a great experience with their support team. They’re also very open to feature requests and suggestions. If you run into issues or have any ideas on how to improve their products like this lock, shoot them an email and hopefully, they can make it happen.

We got a bunch of U100 and U200 locks previously and Aqara lying to us! The batteries last a lot longer than they say! And I pass through our doors a lot more often than the average person. And yes, I'm in a cold climate in both Detroit where we lived and now in the mountains of West Virginia.For the house in WV I ordered six of these and installed one to date. Did so right at the beginning on the cold. When I installed the lock it was 70º, sunny and beautiful. By the time we left it was 24º and the lock was crusted over in a thick layer of ice.Get this! The lock read my thumb print through the nice - no problem! And the keypad also worked brilliantly. I've got to say Aqara, at least with their lock products, seems to have an "under promise and over deliver" policy and I love it!I don't like to mention competing products in reviews but I've got to say: I removed our top-of-the-line Level Lock Plus in favor of an Aqara lock. They're more responsive, less troublesome, and far more trustworthy as devices go. You get the sense from their marketing that Level is the top of the heap but they're not. If you're running an Apple Home these are the ones you want. Turn on Express Passage and your door unlocks the first time you raise your device to it - every time, though you'll never use the feature with these as the thumb print is so much more convenient.I don't work for them. I didn't receive a test product. I'm just a really, really impressed and extremely happy customer. Aqara did it again with the U300. It's about as perfect as lock as you could hope for if you're needing a smart knob-replacement lock that truly supports your chosen ecosystem.Go on and buy with confidence.These things are dope. ❤️💋Regarding some of the issues reported by users here and in other places:1) Communication issues are likely environmental in my experience. Make sure you have an AppleTV, HomePod, or HomePod mini within 30ft of your lock. Make sure there's no brick and very little plaster and lathe between your lock and your HomeKit or Aqara hub.2) Apple Home, HomeKey and other issues: Just remember you don't actually need the Aqara App if you're using HomeKit. It's a good idea to use the app so the lock is associated with you through their app and your account, but the app itself has nothing at all to do with HomeKit. In fact, anything you do through HomeKit is written to the lock separately. They're two different worlds and Aqara was wise to keep them separate.3) If you're thinking about a smart lock have a look at your door first. If your closure is weird or unreliable, if after your close your door you notice there's a lot of pressure on the knob latch, or if your door frame has simply relinquished "square", this or any other smart lock is likely going to be problematic. Manual locks on doors that require fidgeting to make work are generally fine because they're manual. But those same doors are likely to introduce problems as most smart locks are made for new doors, or at least doors that close and rest properly. Be sure to assess your door first, If it has problems get those addressed BEFORE trying to install any smart lock. A bad closure will see your locks fail, not last, batteries may die faster...