Customer Ratings & Reviews

It says it works with Alexa and Google Home, both of which I have. What It does not tell you until after installation and you begin the setup is that it requires an additional Dedicated Matter Nest Hub to complete the setup. My other Yale Locks all set up seamlessly with Google Home, thank goodness it has a key. It’s just an overly expensive large deadbolt.

Not easy at all, I could not context to my Google home.

Out of the many smart locks I've owned over the years in various settings, Yale has consistently become my favorite brand. The app, locks, and options cover any scenario I need them in. They are good quality locks that are easy to use and install. I feel they are just as secure as any other non-smart lock as well. Overall, I would recommend this lock as it is good quality and good for Google Home, but it is definitely not the best lock Yale has to offer. You should really only consider this model if you are really integrate into the Google Home system. I think the best part of the smart home features of this device is that it supports Matter. Installation: Yale walks you thru this very well. The key thing is having an existing doorlock. I have not experienced the misery of creating a completely new hole/lock setup which could be tough. I digress, that's not on Yale. This should really fit the majority of normal doors easily. Look/feel/use: This isn't Yale's premium product. It works easily and looks like a nicer, yet basic, lock. The sound feedback is always good to have. It looks nice on the door. Works exactly like it should and doorsense is an excellent feature. I do wonder why an extra accessory is needed for it to detect the door being open or closed, since other brands have figured this out quite well, but it's not the end of the world. Battery life: excellent overall. App: This is where it gets interesting. Allegedly, you can use either Google Home or Yale. I much prefer Yale. My Google home set up it quite good but I am still experimenting. Using both in other situations, I feel like the lack of flexibility it constraining. Overall, this is a good lock for the Google Home power user, but not even close to one of Yale's best products. I would stick to another model in their line up overall.

When this offer came up for the Yale - Smart Lock with Matter, designed for Google Home, I was excited at the opportunity. I have a robust Google Home environment with everything from camera's, to smart displays, to smoke detectors, to Yale Smart locks. In the Yale eco-system, I have a couple cabinet locks (keep medications away from curious eyes), and now 3 Yale smartlocks. Outside of my house, my daughter has a Yale smart lock for her college apartment, and my son (a US Navy Nuclear Engineer on a nuclear submarine), has Yale smartlocks on his apartment. He has it set up so that when he is underway, his mom and I get a notification if the lock is ever disengaged, so we can notify the police from 935 miles away. Needless to say, as a family, we are Yale fans. This lock is one my favorites. It has an attractive aesthetic, and the lock also feels quite substatntial. For a security device, that is important. Install was simple. If you may not be the handiest person, no worries. You should still be able to install it. If not, buy a buddy a six pack. As for the tech, it comes with a platform called "Matter". What is Matter? In a nutshell, Matter is the protocol that makes most everything play nice. It’s the unifying language for smart devices, designed to eliminate the chaos of incompatible ecosystems. After install, setting it into my Google Home system was, (per usual), simple. End of the day, this is a great choice for most anyone. If you a Google Home, user, it's a no brainer. Great choice.

I think I would have liked it, but the person you sent said he couldn't install it. What a waste of time!

THIS…. Is the Yale Smart lock with Matter Integration, and my hopeful solution to locking myself out of the house. I picked this lock for a few reasons, mainly the google home integration and the tactile buttons that you can actually press. That being said, lets open the box, and take a look! Taking this out of the box, I am so glad that I got this in the snow white as it just looks so clean. The white pops, and has been rather easy to clean off with a rag or Lysol wipe to restore its color. Outside of aesthetics, this lock is a bit bigger than I am used to seeing… but not an obtrusive size. Setup is similar to any other deadbolt change, and yale gives a good instruction manual on how to install it, with a video tutorial as well. You are going to need a Philips head drill, and installation took me about 30 minutes from the box to installed and ready to go - no hassle noted. The construction is sturdy, with the product exerting no wiggle or wobble as i yanked it around testing it. The locking mechanism is also very smooth, and the sleek silver lock makes it easy to grip even with gloves on. The only removable part is the housing facing the inside of the house, this housing removes to cover the four AA batteries (included) and your factory reset button (more on that later). Once installed, you are given two paths of choice: Install through yales own app, or use google homes matter integration to use it in your own google ‘home’. And you have to pick one or the other, no halvsies! This was by far the biggest headache I ran into and one I was never really able to solve - I couldn’t get it to connect to my google home… PERIOD. Every time I tried, it would show the lock in my google home… but that was it! No password setup, no utility in the home app, nada. It was as if it never connected to wifi, and never would. This caused me to have to use the Yale app, which in my opinion isn’t the biggest deal as I already use the Yale app for another lock… but this defeats the purpose of this being a matter enabled product. I tried resetting the lock, the app and anything I could think of several times to no success. So I settled, and just decided to set up through the yale app. That being said, the yale app is fantastic. It is a quick, responsive app with everything well laid out. That being said, the yale app was a compromise, and not what this lock is really intended for… so if you are looking for matter integration -> take notice. Overall, this lock has its highs and lows. While yes, it's awesome through the yale app… thats not really what I wanted out of it. I will recommend this product with caution, maybe it's just my lock or my home app, and while I reset the lock several times… I digress. I love the lock for what it is, and it is truly the almost perfect deadbolt lock. While I had trouble with my lock, and I couldn’t get it resolved, I still love its look and functionality enough to keep it. As with all smart locks, BestBuy has an awesome return policy, so there is no harm in testing just how well the Yale Smart lock works (or doesn’t lol) for your smart home needs! Until next time :)

The Yale Smart Lock with Matter is my 3rd Yale lock, 6th smart lock overall, and first of any of them to feature Matter compatibility. I found this new generation of Yale locks is a decent refinement over my previous Yale products, though it does have some quirks with the Matter implementation (which shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who has used Matter devices so far). Still, I think this is a very good smart deadbolt that most people will be pretty happy with. #Unboxing/Physical install# The deadbolt arrived in a pretty typical box for this kind of product. In general, not much was very noteworthy with the packaging itself - although I do love that Yale include an actual paper manual (unlike some IoT brands that just give you a QR code to find a video or online manual). Only one key was included, which I thought was kind of odd. Otherwise, everything else was pretty standard. Most of the packing materials were cardboard, though some of the pieces came in plastic baggies (again not out of the ordinary). Installation was a breeze. I installed this in the same location that I had a previous Yale lock. I was able to get this installed in less than 15 minutes with a screwdriver and a drill. Factor in another few minutes to replace your strike plate with the one included from the box (which was identical to my previous plate, so I left it in place). #Setup/App/Matter experience# Once I had the Yale lock installed in my door, things got a little bit messier. I first tried to get the lock set up in Homey to see if Matter would work there directly despite not being advertised as supported. Unfortunately, it didn't work. I was able to get the lock connected to my Homey Pro but it wouldn't accept the lock or unlock commands (though it does recognize when it's been locked or unlocked, so you can use it for other automation purposes). Not surprising, but a bit of a bummer. I then factory reset the lock (very easy to do, and Yale even gives you a nice tool so you don't have to seek out a paper clip!), and set it up in Google Home. Here, everything worked right away, although I was disappointed that the DoorSense feature said it required a firmware update, and in Google Home you just get a "updates will happen within 24 hours" message and no way to force the update through. So, rather than wait 24 hours, I did another factory reset and set it up in the Yale Access app, which warns you that they recommend you do it in Google Home, though the lock works just fine directly in the app. Here, I was able to do DoorSense calibration and verify everything worked perfectly - except it still wouldn't update the Matter firmware to the supported version for DoorSense. Since I would rather have the lock directly set up in Google Home (or ideally Homey) rather than cloud-to-cloud via the Yale app, I went through another factory reset and again set it up in Google Home via Matter. Super easy to do these steps every single time, so as long as you aren't a nitpicky person trying to test every scenario for a review, this will all go smoothly I think. The firmware update ended up being done within a few hours of my install and I was able to get DoorSense calibrated in Matter the morning after. As far as using the Yale lock, it works very well. Setting passcodes is very easy whether you set it up in the Yale app or in Google Home. I like the feel of the physical buttons, and I love the look of the lock in general. Once set up in Google Home via Matter, I was able to share it via Matter to my Homey Pro (as before, I can't initiate commands from Homey, but I can read the unlock/lock status which is useful for controlling lights). Matter has been hit or miss (mostly Miss) for me in my home automation journey, but I think Yale has done a pretty good job with this product. It was is just super easy to get it set up. One other very positive note that I'm adding after typing the rest of my review - the lock doesn't hassle you about 2.4/5ghz shared SSIDs. I'm not sure whether it actually supports 5ghz, but it didn't care that my SSID was set up for both bands and hasn't had any connectivity issues since I installed it. Well done, Yale! The biggest negative with the Yale Lock with Matter is that it's pretty loud. It's by far the loudest smart lock I've used. It's not so loud that my family have complained and said it needs to be swapped back to its older brother... but my wife commented on it right away so it's definitely notable. This is the only reason I took off a star from my review. #Final thoughts# So, who should buy the Yale Smart Lock with Matter? Pretty much anyone, I think. It's priced extremely competively at MSRP, and it is super easy to set up in Google Home (other than an overnight delay for a Matter firmware update). Frankly, it does everything a Smart Lock needs to do, and doesn't require that you set up yet another cloud account with yet another vendor. Matter is showing a lot of promise, finally. Hopefully the compatibility with Homey gets worked out soon. In the meantime, I need to figure out a way to get it to be a little quieter, but otherwise I really like this lock.

The Yale Smart Lock with Matter is a nicely designed, easy to set up device that is a good value. I really enjoy the design. I have this in the Snow color, and I love that the inside cover panel is white, matching the interior of my entry door perfectly. It looks modern, clean, and blends in well. The setup was easy. I tested this in Google Home, using a newer Google Home hub that acts as a thread border router, as well as setting up in the Apple Home app - with an Apple TV on the network acting as a matter router. Both were super easy. The apps walk you through the set up - note that there are 2 QR codes on either side of the interior lock, so make sure that you use the matter one (it is clearly labeled). Setting up the access PIN in Google Home and Apple Home were equally easy, however I prefer the Google implementation. It just seems a little bit easier to use. However, once they are set up, it would be rare that you need to revisit the setup. If you need to, resetting the lock is easy, following the instructions and putting a pin in the tiny hole on the inside (with the cover removed). The keypad is easy to use and the lock mechanism is solid. I like that there is also a key for backup, just in case. I was a little worried about how the deadbolt would line up with my existing one, but it has been perfect. Overall, this was easier to set up than I was anticipating, it looks great, and is a good value too. Easy to recommend.

I like this Yale smart lock. It looks good, and has held up to a midwest storm without crashing. It's definitely waterproof. Installation is pretty standard. There's a great 15 minute YouTube video by Yale that covers the physical installation. It includes how to measure to ensure the lock will fit your door. I had no clue doors varied so much for homes. Reading instructions, watching the vid, and doing the install took me near an hour since I wanted to make sure everything was right and no pinched wires. Setup was challenging. I even had someone more technically knowledgeable help, without success. We could not get it integrated with our Amazon. The Yale lock app did work flawlessly once we downloaded it and set ip up that way.It's just not smart home integrated. A cool thing is we can change that in the future by using a Matter enabled app. I'm sure as we add more smart items to our house, we'll be able to connect it. Evidently if you have a google home or a matter enabled app setup it's easy. I'll keep trying to integrate it with Amazon, and will update the review when I do. All in all, I like this lock, it's easy to program a "guest" code and remove it when not needed. It functions flawlessly, no complaints.

When I first came about this lock I was nervous that I did not have the right hardware so the it could be compatible with my couple different technologies. I was presently surprised when I found out that I can use google home, Alexa, as well as apple home. This is all thanks to the matter technology which makes this lock compatible with all of thee. With the family having different devices this makes it easier. I love the fact that it comes in a couple different standard colors to be able to match different decor. When you are grocery shopping or your hands are full, this lock makes its so easy to be able to walk in because of the technology of letting the door unlock before you even get there. This is such a wonderful thing for the mothers who have children and you are struggling to be able to get in the door. The lock comes with one physical lock. Even though it connect to wifi and everyone is able to get in. I feel it should come with 2 keys for each parent. The Yale app will let you know when the door is locked and unlocked and ion you are already in the bed getting ready to lay down, you can check the status on the app which is awesome. This comes equipped with 4 AA batteries already in the box. I recommend getting the lock with the key pas because say as though you have people coming in fro out of town, you can assign them a temporary code to bed able to get into the house when you are not at home in which you can set. specific time for them to able to work. I love this lock so if you are on the fence about getting this lock, just go ahead and purchase this you will not be disappointed. I gave this four stars because I feel as though it should have come with two keys otherwise, you can't go wrong.

The YALE Smart lock comes with very clear instructions and was very easy to install. Luckily the everything physically lined up with my outgoing lock so no modifications were required to my door or door jam. Getting a code setup and everything connected to my home network was also super simple thanks to the built-in Google Matter support. I just followed the synchronization instructions and it showed up in my Google Home app along side the rest of my devices. I especially like that battery replacement on this particular unit is tool free unlike my previous smart lock. The buttons on this new Yale keypad are also a nice step up from my old lock. Very positive clicks and a nice responsive feel. The all white body with brushed metal handle and sharp lines give the Yale Smart Lock clean look that goes well with a modern esthetic. With it's easy install, simple setup, straightforward home app integration, and good looks this smart lock is a solid recommendation if you already have other Google home products.

I was on the lookout fo r smart lock for our door to the garage so that we could lock it with a deadbolt, but not have to fuel for keys. The garage door obviously will be closed, but this just adds another layer of security for the house I have a version of the Yale on the front door, and their reputation has been solid for decades, so this narrowed down the brand quickly They do offer color options, but since the door I was installing it on is also white...easy choice Unboxing was simple and so was installing. This is a simple process that depending on your experience should take a few minutes to half an hour. Not complicated, but needs to fit together correctly and align Hooking it up to my internet was super simple. If you have a smart phone (who doesn't) and connected any device, then you have it How does it work? As easy as expected. Use the attached keypad to enter your self determined code, or unlock it from the app on your phone As mentioned that I have a older Yale like this on the front door, so I already had the app and access This is great when you are out and about and either don't have keys with you (like a run) or your hands are full and you don't want to reach into a pocket Other benefits include having a history of when the door was locked or unlocked, having it lock automatically after your preset time, and giving friends or family a private or temporary code to get access when you are away. Of course you can unlock it yourself from anywhere

This Yale smart lock replaced another one from the same brand that I had been using for a couple of years. Although functionality is about the same, except for the addition of a physical key which the former didn't have, the biggest improvement for me is that the batteries last a lot longer. The one I replaced needed new batteries once a week. A total waste of money. The issue was related to the Wi-Fi connection that used an older protocol which didn't manage power efficiently. It was so bad that even Yale recognized the issue and just recently offered a device (gateway) to replace the Wi-Fi module to use Bluetooth and then bridge Bluetooth to Wi-Fi again through the gateway which you connect to a power outlet close to the door. I didn't accept it because I had already gotten this new one which was installed a couple of weeks ago and I could hardly believe it when I checked the battery just before writing this review. The level still showed 100 percent. Although I believe it is a bit lower than that, it will very likely last for months. And I don’t have to connect anything else to power. Physical installation was easy. The hardware was very similar to the previous one and that probably helped. One of the reasons I wanted this model was because it supports Matter which all these smart devices should use since it is supported by virtually all smart assistants out there. However, I had two disappointments. The first was the fact that it doesn't work with the Yale app anymore except through Bluetooth. That meant that I had to show the rest of the family how to use Google Home and grant them access again. The second was that to this day, I haven't been able to make it work with Alexa which recognizes it at first but then shows an error message no matter how many times I try. But it does work with Apple Home, and it was very easy to add to that Assistant. Maybe it is just a bug between Yale lock and Alexa. The only concern that I have is because it uses a physical key as a backup which is great if battery runs out unexpectedly, but it makes it as vulnerable to burglary as legacy locks. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do about that. The good news is that I am very happy about it, especially because of the battery life. It is great that it automatically locks in case you forget to lock it manually. With Google Home, I set it up to recognize when there is nobody at home and then to lock itself. When we get home, it automatically unlocks which is great when you have packages in your hands and can't easily reach out to your phone. You can also set up virtual keys for guests. All that from anywhere in the world. If it weren’t for the minor issues above, I would have rated it five stars.

TL;DR: SETUP: It was easy. I unscrewed my old non-smart lock (touchscreen from a competitor), which took me about 20 minutes to take out the old one and put in. I kind of McGyver’ed the new one in place. I scanned in the Matter-Over-Thread code and followed the in-app steps. I used Apple, but you would use Alexa or Google Home, too. USE: It’s very similar to my old non-smart lock, but with additional features. You can use it like a regular keypad deadbolt by typing in the code and turning the latch or use the app (physically or via your voice). USABILITY: It’s just as you’d expect. The app is easy to use and the keypad buttons work perfectly. OVERALL: It looks good and works well. I have no complaints and like the added smart features I didn’t have in my original lock. REVIEW: Installing the Yale Smart Lock with Matter was easier than expected. When I switched from a traditional key lock to my non-smart touchpad, I was very happy with the update. The issue I used to have was that about once a year or so, I would run out and I would accidentally lock myself out. I would have to go to a neighbor to help let me in…if they were home…and if they weren’t, I didn’t always have my phone or Apple Watch with me. I haven’t been locked out since…but having the ability to open my front door from my car, if I have a heavy load of groceries, luggage, or kids…this has made life a little easier. It was easier to install because I did most of the McGyver’ing last time around. The app was easy and I was up and running quickly. The lock takes 4AA batteries which are supposed to last at least a year. With my last lock, the batteries lasted almost twice that, but since this is a smart lock, I’m not expecting that, but am expecting over a year. Time will tell…I think we’ll be good…and it’s supposed to alert you through the app when the batteries are getting low. I like the keypad has raised buttons which are very easy to use. You can set multiple codes for family members, friends, and the housekeeper. You can also lock or unlock the door from the app itself. The auto lock portion is nice, too…which is similar to my original device. Also, you can check if it’s locked from the app, too. Overall, I really like it. My original was more traditional looking. I still like that style, but the contemporary look of the Yale is a nice change. If you don’t have a smart lock and you’re in the market for one, I highly recommend it!

The Yale Smart Lock with Matter is a very nice smart lock. It features multiple ways to unlock, including app, key, and keypad. It has Matter integration, which allows for easy setup across a wide variety of different apps and eco systems, including google home, amazon alexa, and apple home kit. It is designed to just replace a standard deadbolt for easy installation. In my case, installation went really smoothly. I was replacing an older Yale smart lock which originally replaced my standard deadbolt. Installation was as easy as unscrewing my old lock and removing it, and then following the simple steps in the app to install my new lock. I used the Google Home app to set mine up and everything went really smooth. It walks you through step by step, even providing illustrations and videos along the way. Once the lock was physically installed, the app setup was equally simple. I gave the lock a name, assigned it to a home, and gave it a PIN. Boom, done. Now, you can go in and do all sorts of custom stuff, like assign different PINs to different users, set schedules, set auto-lock, vacation mode, etc. The app really does give you lots of adjustability. It's nice to have so many options. Personally, I just like to have smart phone access to my lock, but it's good to know I have the option to add a lot more granularity to how I interact with my lock. The lock itself feels very well-made, and I like the physical number pad buttons as opposed to the touch sensitive ones my previous lock had. The lock is also very responsive. There is little to no lag when locking/unlocking the door, no matter the method you use. Even when using the app, the lock seems to open pretty instantaneously. Overall I am very happy with this lock. It is a very welcomed upgrade to my previous Yale smart lock. It feels very well made, has very simple installation, is easy to use, and has lots of adjustability. I would easily recommend to anyone looking for a good smart lock. And the Matter integration is really nice since you won't have to download yet another app for a single smart product. It will just work directly with your existing smart home app.

The Yale Smart Lock with matter is specifically designed for Google Home as a Google Home preferred product but is also compatible with Alexa, Apple Home and Samsung Smartthings. I recently switch my home thermostats from ecobee to the new Google Nest thermostats so I was already using the Google home app daily. The lock really does install very easily out of the box as it says. If you are a little proficient with a screwdriver and can follow simple directions then you should have no issue installing the lock in 10-15 minutes. This lock is replacing a 1st generation August smart lock that kept losing connectivity after many years of reliable usage. The lock has a nice modern aesthetic to it and the keypad is not too bulky. This lock also features a key so it can always be used as a backup just in case the battery happens to run out prior to being replaced. Set-up was very simple through the Google Home app as the matter code is on the side of the lock and setup take a few minutes. You can then use the generated code to add lock control to Apple Home. I have another Yale smart lock that I control through the August smart home app and there is a slight delay in opening and closing the lock however it is very quick when using the Google Home app. You can assign multiple custom entry codes to people so you can monitor who is coming in and out of the house via the activity feed in the Google Home app. Overall this is a great lock with great smart home functionality which is further enhanced through the use of matter

I've updated every other generation of these and want to share how Yale has taken the time to improve the little things! If you haven't experienced not carrying a house key around everywhere, stop now, get a smart lock, and enjoy coming home! While many may have similar features, I want to share some of the improvements that many might not think to about. Installation...over time, the instructions have gotten more concise, the two sides fit together smoother and easier than previous generations, and getting the bolt to line up with questionably crooked frame holes is where this one exceeded my expectations. Now, I had to restart the setup app a frustratingly amount of times as on every previous generation, but they automated more, cut down on some initial connection issues, and once completed continues to work. Additionally, the matte white finish look surprisingly good and was a welcomed change up from brushed or polished metal like every other door hardware! This particular model looks a little basic, but it certainly has a lot of cool features if you really dig into the depths of the settings menus!!

Yale’s latest smart lock is a compelling offering for anyone looking to upgrade their front door, marrying Yale’s considerable experience with door lock hardware to an equally flexible technical base that makes installation and use a snap. Since it is a bit more externally facing than many tech products and requires integration into your home, it’s hard to give a straight yes/no recommendation without taking into account where it’s meant to be installed. So instead, I’ve just jotted down my impressions on the design, installation process, and general ease of use. Design: The lock is unrepentant about advertising its technical nature. With a design meant to pair with the Nest doorbell and a silhouette that brings to mind a phone icon brought to life, it directly challenges the notion that smart home devices should seek to emulate more classic styling. This can admittedly present some challenges – particularly with the snow white version I received – as you may struggle to find many options for a doorknob which matches the aesthetic. However taken on its own, there’s a lot to like. For whatever reason a lot of smart locks have interfaces that sometimes struggle to be functional, with touchpads that are finicky or overly fragile. Yale has opted for a more robust keypad on the exterior that holds up just fine in inclement weather or while wearing gloves. Meanwhile the interior portion with its brushed nickel knob fares a little better in aesthetics, as it’s easily matched with other fixtures, while remaining very functional. The interior faceplate is held in place by two friction catches, allowing tool-free battery changes and keeping everything looking very sleek and seamless. Installation: Yale’s expertise really shines here. The lock can be easily adapted to the two most common bore sizes and comes with installation templates/measuring guides that should cover just about any scenario you might come across for retrofits or installing a brand new door. In my case it was a simple drop-in replacement for both the bolt and the lock, which really only required a screwdriver, but if I had needed to dig deeper into my tool chest I would not have had any trepidation about it. There is one wire that needs to be passed through the two sides, however it requires no new holes to be drilled and getting it seated in its socket required very little contortions on my part. Setting up the smart functionality was a little trickier, but I’d attribute that more to my inexperience with the Matter Smart Home standard than the design of the lock. The device I’d hoped to use as my border router turned out to be somewhat flakey when trying to pair with a newer device, resulting in it failing to get through the pairing process twice. As it happened I had another option sitting in my parts drawer that just worked as soon as it was plugged in, so it can be painless, but when it failed it did so in a way that offered me very little guidance on where to look for the problem. I think this is unfortunately going to be a somewhat common experience for a little while, as the number of devices with full support for this system is still small and not everything on it comes without a few caveats. Unless you happen to be buying this a year or three after this review is posted when presumably compatibility has improved, I would definitely recommend double checking the supported devices list to make sure whatever border router you plan to use doesn’t have any issues that need to be corrected before you start. Ease of use: Once I got past the initial issues with the install, I found the user experience for the lock to be excellent. Very little configuration was required to integrate it into the Home app and get it set up with an entry code. If you opt to go the extra mile and install the DoorSense feature which allows the system to detect if the door is currently open or shut you should expect to spend a little longer calibrating it for maximum accuracy, but once it’s done it seems to stay done. As far as the app experience goes, I really have no complaints. The ability to give multiple people their own access codes and set up a schedule for when they’re allowed to use them is perhaps not the most useful in my day to day life, but there’s something undeniably cool about it that appeals to my techie heart nonetheless and it’s not hard to see how it could be great for someone looking to add this to a short term rental property or wanting to let the neighbors in to check on the cat while you’re on vacation. There are a few features that I wouldn’t mind seeing get added, such as a better way to use my smartwatch as a digital key that wouldn’t require me to go through the voice assistant, but these are very much minor gripes rather than deal breakers. And as someone who admittedly has a bad habit of accidentally leaving my door unlocked when I go out, being able to double check myself from across town does offer me some peace of mind.

Tl;DR - if you have a compatible Google device to connect this to, the Yale Smart Lock with Matter, designed for Google Home, is a solid choice for a smart dead bolt. Easy enough to install, easy enough to setup, and easy to manage, this is a solid choice for a smart lock. I just wish they used a rechargeable battery instead of AAs in this design. Setup and usage: Unboxing is straight-forward and it comes with everything you'll need for installation outside of the screwdriver. It installs quickly in place of other locks and is also easily removed should something go wrong. Software setup is simple, but you'll need to make sure you have a compatible Google Nest or Google Home device. If you've ever used Apple HomeKit, the process of adding a Matter Device to Google Home is identical - scan the QR code and follow the prompts. Once added, you're ready to go. Google Home makes changing the pin code on the keypad easy, along with managing multiple codes for entry. It also is a great way to make sure you locked up on your way out, or if you need to let someone in and you're not at home (which has already come in handy for me). Compared to my other home access solution, I've found this to be extremely user-friendly. Maintenance of the deadbolt also is simple enough. The inner cover also doubles as the battery cover and is easy enough to remove when it's time to replace them. Although I would have liked to see a USB-C or Qi2/MagSafe rechargeable battery, it's good to see that the AA batteries are easy enough to reinstall. All in all, it's a solid lock. Works well with the keypad, Google Home, and Google Nest speakers. Matter just works. Yale also means quality in terms of the mechanism, so expect this to last for years without issue. The Smart Lock with Matter is a great option for those of us in the Google Home ecosystem.

This lock is pretty smooth and sleek I will say. I like that the buttons are large so less probability of mistyping. I also like that it has a manual key slot just in case the keypad goes bad or doesn't work correctly. I get the same alerts to my phone that I get with my doorbell app, but it tells me when my front door is locked and unlocked; plus I can lock/unlock it from the app too! My main issue was the app setup process via Matter --- I thought it was supposed to work through the Google Home app and it just didn't seem to connect properly. Then after some research I realized you need the Yale app and this other Router installed to make it work correctly. This is not the seamless process that is suggested by the marketing. You need to use the Yale app to access some of the unique features like automatic door unlocking when known people are near the door, so it is basically a two-app needed system, which is a hassle for a simple door lock. Nonetheless, I got this mainly to be able to remotely unlock/lock my door as needed, and this does that so while its not as seamless, it does its basic function well.