Intelligent locks usually come in two general versions: those that replace your existing bolt and require obvious electronics or interfaces that are attached to the inside or outside of the door, or those that are only screwed over your existing bolt so that you Most of your latch can keep original hardware, including your keys. With either design, you can usually control the lock from your phone or through automation, but neither is particularly discreet.
The Level Lock is a new intelligent lock that takes these trends into account: Once installed, it is completely invisible and hides all the electronics and mechanics in your existing bolt lock. You can still open and close the lock remotely using your phone or voice using Apple's HomeKit platform (more on that later) or manually using the same key you have always used. But if you didn't know that the level lock was in place, you would never suspect that the modified latch was intelligent at all. It has the same exterior and interior appearance as before, and even manually turning the lever is as smooth as a normal bolt without a motor whirring or dragging.
At $ 229, the Level Lock certainly charges a premium for its discreet design. And as I will find out shortly, it is not as comprehensive as other smart locks that you can buy. If you are really in love with the way your existing lock looks but still want to add some basic smarts, the Level Lock may be for you.
The level lock essentially replaces the interior of your existing lock, including the lock itself. The electronics for communicating with your phone (a Bluetooth radio) and the motor required to open and close the lock are located between the existing ones Keyhole on the outside of the door and the lever on the inside. You basically take apart your existing lock, remove the inner mechanism and screw, install the leveling mechanism and screw, and screw the lever back in. The entire process, including replacing the striker on the door frame, takes approximately 10 minutes.
Inside the screw is a CR2 battery that Level claims holds "over a year" before it needs to be replaced. You can monitor the battery life in the level app. In the three weeks in which I tested the lock, it never fell from "full".
The app itself is extremely simple, and this is where the level lock restrictions begin. With the app, you can create an account, assign the lock to your account and lock or unlock the door when you are within Bluetooth range. You can also set up an automatic lock feature that locks the latch after a set period of time and provides time-limited passages for other users to use the lock. Both the iOS and Android versions of the app are essentially identical, with the same sparse (to the point where it looks almost incomplete) design and functionality.
A demo of how the level lock works once it is installed in a latch.
The only smart home platform with which the level lock works is Apple's HomeKit. A HomeKit hub (e.g. Apple TV, HomePod or iPad) must be set up in your home for use. This is the only way to control the lock when you are away from home, or to set up automation for the lock. It doesn't work with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, at least not at the time of this review's release. When I asked about other platforms, a spokesman said the company had "plans to expand support to other platforms in the future but not currently sharing details."
If you fully rely on Apple's HomeKit platform for automation or geofencing functions (e.g. automatically unlocking the door when you get home), the level lock will lag somewhat behind August and other smart locks. In my experience, Apple's geofencing features are not the most reliable. And since you have to manually confirm the phone every time you want it to unlock the door, it is nowhere near as automatic or seamless as the automatic unlocking in August. It can also take a long time for the Apple Home app to communicate with the level lock to determine its status or issue a command. On the other hand, the lock's voice control via Siri works well and there are not long delays when I say a command and the lock answers. The lock sounds whenever the bolt is successfully opened or closed.
Since the level lock only works with HomeKit, I wouldn't care if you are an Android user. You have no way to control it outside the home or set up automation. You can only press a button in the Level app when you are within Bluetooth range to lock or unlock the door.
Level Lock's limitations are generally frustrating. If I were to look at a smart lock for my main entrance, I would probably use one of the more extensive locks available, even when compared to complete eyesores. However, as a technological undertaking, the level lock is very impressive and indicates a time when we can embed all kinds of intelligent technology in our homes without being reminded that it is there every time we get home. It's just not quite there yet.
Photography by Dan Seifert / The Verge
