At Alpaca Immobilier, we've been using smart locks for both personal and professional purposes for nearly ten years now. While some see them as gadgets, others recognize their genuine value. Here's our honest user feedback!
What's the purpose of a smart lock?
Smart locks are one of the flagship elements of the smart home: they allow you to lock/unlock a door no longer exclusively with a mechanical key, but also via a smartphone, an app, a code, or even a voice command locally or remotely. If you use a key box, this is much more discreet and secure. Another interesting use case in business is that it avoids having to make key copies for each employee, thereby preventing loss risks, costs, and potential disputes when someone leaves.
Why use them?
Here are the main benefits:
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Daily convenience: no need to pull out your key to get inside with full hands, or wonder if you've locked up properly.
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Easy access for guests/family/services: you can grant temporary access (rental, babysitter, family) without physically handing over a key. For example, if you want Sophie to only be able to open the house on Mondays between 9am and 12pm, that's possible! Outside those hours, the lock remains closed.
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Traceability: the app records who opened/closed the door, which is very useful for rentals or when you want visibility.
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Additional security and modernity: thanks to smart functions, you can automate behaviors (e.g., automatically lock at time X, or if the door remains open) and integrate it with the rest of your home.
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Compatibility with rental properties: in a typical Airbnb or short-term rental context, using a smart lock is a real plus: you can generate temporary access codes, ensure the door is locked, intervene remotely, etc. Nuki is also directly connected to Airbnb, which allows you to automate the creation of access rights for the property.
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For your primary residence too: even without rental, it's an added benefit: comfort, modernity, well-being.
Why (and when) not to use them - beware of constraints
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Non-disengageable cylinder: if your door's cylinder isn't "disengageable" (meaning it doesn't allow you to use a mechanical key even when the motorized part is jammed or failing), then in case of a smart lock failure, you could find yourself locked out or dependent on a professional. It's absolutely essential to install a disengageable cylinder and keep a backup mechanical key with you. Replacing the cylinder takes less than 10 minutes; Nuki sells them, but there are others on the market.
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Low battery/forgetting to charge: even the best models need to be recharged or have batteries replaced. In 10 years of use, we've had fewer than 2 "mechanical" failures. However, you might forget to charge it, which is why it's useful to keep a key somewhere :). The battery life of recent models is 4 to 6 months without stress depending on usage (number of openings/day and cylinder rotations).
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Smartphone dependency: if you lose your phone, you risk being locked out.
Why the Nuki smart lock specifically?
We personally use models from Nuki (Smart Lock all generations since the beginning!). They've continuously evolved and the latest generation is excellent because it's much smaller, more powerful, and more elegant. Nuki is an Austrian manufacturer that's the only one to guarantee:
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Installation without drilling or replacing the entire lock (retrofit). Only the cylinder needs to be replaced.
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Development in Europe, with a focus on data security and safety.
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It offers all modern features (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Matter/Thread, access sharing, history).
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Quick unlocking speed.
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Digital key sharing and access management.
Other manufacturers like Legrand or Asian manufacturers develop equally high-performance models, but with less track record on all these aspects and different implementations.
Smart locks fit on most European doors: accessories exist for door handles, for example. Cremone handles are also compatible.
Accessories
Many accessories are available from Nuki and other competitors: remote control to unlock remotely, keypad with fingerprint sensor to unlock, smart intercom for apartment buildings, etc. With the Matter protocol and home automation, it's also possible to create scenarios such as: gate opens -> door opens after 2 minutes, etc...
Conclusion
Using a smart lock isn't only for tech geeks or technology enthusiasts! It's a real ally to make your daily life easier or automate access to your short-term rental property. The main constraint is recharging it 2 to 4 times a year depending on your usage.
And since we're super nice, we found you a promo code to save 10% on your purchase directly from Nuki: REF-HPk6CurqR1 All models are also available on Amazon and sometimes in stores at Castorama or Leroy Merlin.
