Eufy Security\u2014Anker\u2019s sub-brand spanning just about everything from video doorbells and security cameras to baby monitors\u2014has now moved into the world of smart locks, hitting the market with a svelte piece of hardware that\u2019s loaded with features. And most<\/em> of them work well.<\/p>\n The Bluetooth-only lock offers a quite appealing design, decked out entirely in black. Adopting the now-standard upright rectangle design, Eufy keeps the chassis thin both inside and outside your door, where the escutcheons jut out from the surface only about 1.5 inches and 1 inch respectively.<\/p>\n This review is part of TechHive\u2019s coverage of the best smart locks, <\/span>where you’ll find<\/span> reviews of competing products, plus a buyer\u2019s guide to the features you should consider when shopping.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Installation is outlined in a detailed, printed manual, and the numbered boxes inside the kit help novices keep track of what\u2019s what. The whole affair goes together simply and traditionally: You bolt the exterior escutcheon to an interior mounting plate, and then connect that to the interior escutcheon. Four AA batteries power the unit, and Eufy says they should last a full year.<\/p>\n You just drag down from the center of the screen to open the lock using Eufy\u2019s app.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n You\u2019ll need the Eufy Security app\u2014not the EufyLife or EufyHome apps, which are reserved for other Eufy smart home gear\u2014to configure the lock. Unfortunately, the app wasn\u2019t working when I first attempted to install the lock; it wouldn\u2019t even let me set up a username and password. After some troubleshooting, the company said it was a temporary server problem on its end.<\/p>\n The next day, the app choked again during setup, a bit further along. Once again, the company blamed a server error. Since I was testing the lock a few days before its official launch, it\u2019s tempting to chalk this up to beta pains, but since the app (and Eufy\u2019s servers) have been around since at least 2018, the multiple-day hiccup feels alarming.<\/p>\n After the server issues were resolved, I had no other real problems with setup except for a buggy calibration process that wouldn\u2019t turn the deadbolt at all. Carefully loosening some of the bolts\u2014a common fix\u2014got things moving, though Eufy\u2019s motor sounds like it struggles more than most when operating the lock.<\/p>\n Again, the lock is Bluetooth only, so it doesn\u2019t really integrate with other smart home gear (outside of anything you might already be using within the Eufy Security app), including voice assistants. Apple HomeKit support is also not in the cards. In addition to using the app to operate the lock, you also get three additional methods of gaining access: numeric keypad, physical key, and fingerprint reader.<\/p>\n The app stores a robust and detailed log of when the door was unlocked and by whom.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Eufy\u2019s app is fairly straightforward, making it easy to operate the lock on demand, set up access for additional users, and see a history of who\u2019s come and gone. The settings menu offers a significant depth of extra options, including a lock-out system that limits the lock\u2019s usability when wrong PINs or unregistered fingerprints are scanned and a scrambling system that allows users to input dummy digits before or after their PIN as an extra security measure (reducing the likelihood of a criminal deducing the real PIN by scrutinizing which numbers have fingerprints on them).<\/p>\nInstallation hiccups<\/h2>\n
![\"eufy](\"https:\/\/images.idgesg.net\/images\/article\/2020\/06\/eufy-smart-lock-2-100849938-orig.jpg\")
<\/a> Christopher Null \/ IDG<\/small>Ecosystem limitations<\/h2>\n
<\/a> Christopher Null \/ IDG<\/small>