The August smart lock is exactly what busy families need to manage their front door. Pair it with the August video doorbell for a perfect combination.
My house is a busy place. Even with Covid-19 restricting many activities, my family finds a way to keep the comings and goings frequent and, often, unscheduled. That’s why easy access to the door and thus the house is essential. The August Smart Lock, a mobile-friendly security solution, smoothes over the rough spots when it comes time to unlock the door and grant someone entry.
Similarly, the August View video doorbell joins a slew of competitors in the market. It lets you see who’s at your door so you can confirm it’s just the petsitter before allowing them access into your home.
Find out what we like and don’t like about these particular products in the Android Authority August Smart Lock review.
I was an ’80s latchkey kid. After the school day, I often returned home to an empty house. I let myself in with a key that I nearly always carried — but every so often forgot. Days that I forgot that key were bad ones, particularly during winter (I grew up in snowy upstate New York.) I’d have to wait outside for my mother to return, which was typically one to two hours.
As a parent myself, one of the best investments I’ve made was in a smart lock. My kids can use a four-digit pin to unlock the front door and enter the house after school. No key required. It’s been a great solution, but it’s not perfect. There are times you want or need to grant someone who’s not a member of your family access to the house, and offering up that code is a real matter of trust.
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The August Smart Lock is an accessory for your existing deadbolt lock. Think about it as a tiny motor that turns the lock for you. It slips over the inside portion of the deadbolt and includes its own dial for manually locking and unlocking the door.
It is limited in compatibility. It can go over a single cylinder deadbolt. If you have a fancy or integrated lock/door handle, the August will not work. As it happens, the August Smart Lock was not compatible with my front door thanks to the pin-based lock I already have there. I had to install the review unit on my side door instead. As long as your deadbolt is a simple one, the August lock will most likely fit.
The lock connects to your phone via Bluetooth and/or Wi-Fi. It is driven by two CR123 batteries inside and includes an LED light to let you see the status of the door as it looks and unlocks. The dial itself is made of sturdy materials and is a cinch to rotate left or right for manual locking. It’s beefy, but looks good.
See also: What is a smart home?
It took me maybe 15 minutes max to install the August Smart Lock over my existing deadbolt. The August Home application walks you all the way through the process, which is as simple as you can imagine. Unscrew the existing indoor-facing plate, use the existing screws on a new, supplied plate and piece it all together. The kit comes with several adapters for different types of internal bolt mechanisms. Pop the proper one on and then the lock itself fits right over it.
You may optionally install DoorSense, a little sensor that detects when the door is open or closed. It’s not necessary, but does provide some extra and welcome data about the status of your door.
The software itself is dead simple to use. Mostly.
