SwitchBot Smart Lock Review – How Many Ways Can You Enter Your House?

SwitchBot Smart Lock with keypad

Make Life Click is reader-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. More details

Current testing methodology is v1.2

Release Date
August 30, 2022
Price
$139.99
Model:
‎W1601700
Weight
1.32 lbs
Size
4.39 x 2.32 x 2.87 in

If you ask me, SwitchBot is really upping its game in the last 12 to 18 months with a range of new products, some really smart packaging, and improvements to the app that make it feel like it really is reaching the point where it’s playing with the big boys.

COUPON CODE! USE 7SWITCHBOT and get 25% off on both Amazon and Shopify till Oct 17th

What I love most about their devices is that they are so easy to use. Simple, well-thought-out hardware to make your home smarter.

I also like that they’re playing in spaces where a lot of people aren’t with things like their SmartBot switches and curtain-opening devices.

Recently, you will have seen that I did a review on the new SwitchBot Pan/Tilt Cam, which was a great little device that I’m enjoying having in the house.

And you might also know, if you’re a regular reader, that I have the SmartBot switches that still control my old air conditioning unit, which requires push-button manual activation.

SwitchBot sent me their Smart Lock to have a go with.

And while I’m not getting paid to say anything good about this, it’s been a really great experience playing with the unit with the exception of a couple of comments which will be important for some of you, which I’ll mention shortly.

Editor’s Pick

SwitchBot Smart Lock + Keypad Touch

Amazing value and quality smart lock with so many ways to access via the Keypad Touch

5/5
Price Range: $
Brand: SwitchBot
SwitchBot Smart Lock packaging box

TL:DR;

The SwitchBot Smart Lock is so well put together it feels impossible not to like it.

The price is excellent, the thoughtfulness in the development of the software and hardware is impressive.

While not for ‘tricky’ deadbolts this is an excellent pick for a non-destructive way to add a smart lock to your home.

The app lets you share codes + NFC + fobs + biometric entry.

Let me count the ways I like this lock.

The Specs

  • Lock Type:  Single Deadbolt
  • Automatic Locking:  Yes
  • Mechanical Key:  Yes (For both Smart lock & keypad)
  • Virtual Code:  Yes (Keypad)

What’s in the Box?

  • SwitchBot Lock
  • PH1 Cross Head Screwdriver
  • Magnet
  • SwitchBot Tag
  • Thumbturn Adaptor
  • Wet Wipe
  • Additional Double-sided Tape
  • Spare Screws
  • Memo Sticker(for SwitchBot Tag)
  • User Manual

Stuff I like

  • Numerous ways to enter using the Keypad Touch with the lock
  • Excellent price
  • Includes everything you need to get it fitted – everything has been thought of
  • Nice retail experience and packaging
  • Non-destructive fitting – no screws or swapping out locks
  • Smartphone app is getting really good
  • Compatible with ALL the smarthome bridges and smart speakers
  • Easy to fit

Stuff I like less

  • Not strong enough for tough deadbolts

Comparable products to consider

August Smart Lock
August Smart Lock

Compact design with built-in Wi-Fi for full voice and remote access functionality, but on a priecier side.

WeLock Smart Deadbolt Lock
WeLock Smart Deadbolt Lock

With multiple ways to unlock: IC card + Temporary E-key + Pass-Code + Smartphone + Mechanical Key + NFC

The SwitchBot Lock comes either on its own or also comes with two types of keypads. There is a keypad with biometric controls and one without.

If you have a SwitchBot Hub, you get extra features such as a lot more controls from your smartphone, but the lock can operate independently without needing the Hub.

First impressions

First impressions of this were really good. The box and packaging, the design, and the unboxing experience were really good.

And because, as I say, with all SwitchBot devices, they might make things smart and simple, it wasn’t an exhaustive process figuring out where everything in the box was and the Smart Lock itself.

SwitchBot Smart Lock keypad touch
The Keypad Touch adds a fingerprint reader | Make Life Click

As soon as I opened the box and saw how easy it was going to be to install, I really just wanted to get into it.

I have a couple of other Smart Locks in my house. I have a Yale Keyless touchpad lock and also a WeLock Smart Lock on the front door, which is a biometric lock, which has been very successful in my house, especially with my kids.

But all of these locks require some manual installation to get them working. For the Yale, I had to replace my old deadbolt and then fit the new lock.

And with the WeLock, I couldn’t get my front door, existing door-handle latch lock off the door, so I actually had to get in a locksmith to do it for me.

What I love about WeLock is that you don’t need any intervention. It is still designed for use with deadbolts that have a turn latch at the back.

Build quality

Build quality on this is really excellent.

The machining and the feel of it are impressive, but I will say that it was a lot lighter than I expected. Likewise, the keypad was incredibly well put together and it feels like something that is durable and can handle the elements outside.

I don’t have any doors left in my property for this style of lock, but I was happy to receive them because I have a friend who has the perfect door for it. So, I bundled it up and rolled around there to have a go on his door.

This is where I discovered that the SwitchBot Smart Lock is excellent in some situations but not perfect for all.

SwitchBot Smart Lock
SwitchBot Lock width | Make Life Click

Getting it fitted

The great thing about this lock, which makes it especially appealing for renters or people that don’t wanna do anything destructive to their doors is that it literally adheres itself to the door using very strong outdoor strength 3M pads.

You can mount the outdoor keypad with more enthusiasm, and metal brackets or you could still also use a 3M pad for the keypad.

I love this because I really hate having to drill holes or make adjustments to hardware in my house, especially with smart devices because technology changes quickly and you always wanna know that you can make changes in the future without having to buy new pieces of the house for them to all fit on.

When you look at the lock, you can tell that they’ve really allowed for a lot of scenarios.

All the things you need for fitting it

There are three different latch size fittings so that if your thumb-turn latch at the back of your deadbolt is fat or particularly deep, then one of these is bound to fit, with no problem, and they’re very easy to swap out.

In addition to that, there’s a lot of great movement on the lock which allows it to compensate for how the lock might turn, whether the lock is fitted on a 60/40 style bolt, or whether it’s maybe the dead center of the latch at the back.

SwitchBot Smart Lock upside down
Upside-down picture of SmartBot Lock showing the battery case and adaptor | Make Life Click

The lock allows for this, which is a good piece of mind if you’re looking at buying it.

In addition to that, there are different heights of latch on the back of a lot of doors and SwitchBot has allowed for that too by including a bracket that can be extended just by unscrewing a few screws and you can extend it out on the door to allow for different depths.

I think you can have confidence in this lock working with pretty much any back-latch, deadbolt-style lock.

My one warning note

I really only have one main warning for fitting this onto an existing lock and that is you need to make sure that the lock is easy to turn and the deadbolt slides in and out of the door jar smoothly and with no difficulty.

The SwitchBot Smart Lock is really designed for doors that have very free-flowing deadlocks.

The door that I did mount this on has a very stiff mechanism and no amount of lubrication seemed to free it up. It’s just a bit of a stuck lock.

Opening it by hand is easy, but having a mechanism like the SwitchBot Smart Lock was not quite strong enough with just adhesive on the door to make the lock work.

So, I would just say to anybody that is thinking of getting this, just make sure that you test your lock first and feel pretty confident that it’s very easy to turn, or else the lock will struggle.

SwitchBot Smart Lock mount
Lock thumb turn adaptor | Make Life Click

What’s in the box? 

The included accessories were super impressive.

Everything you need to mount the lock and the keypad outside is included in the box.

The screwdrivers, the different fitting mounts, the screws, the double-sided tape, which is…and there is one additional, one supplied, should you need to move the door in the future, although you could use any outdoor 3M tapes if you really want a strong adhesive to the door.

Once the lock is fitted, and you can fit it vertically or horizontally depending on how your door works if you are using the keypad touch, there are an unbelievable number of ways to get access to the house for you or your guests.

The first is that you can use the app to manage codes and share codes. So you can use it as a normal keypad.

It also has NFC and there is an included key card which you can tap on the device to get in.

There is the biometric thumbprint pad, which you can use to program different appendages to get access to the house.

And there is a unique thing that SwitchBot have developed, which are NFC tabs, which are very small NFC dots, and when you tap your phone on them, they open up the app and you program them to do specific things.

You can program one of these NFC tabs to open the door. So, when you tap your phone on the NFC tab, the app opens up to allow you and you hit the button and then it will do what you’ve programmed it to do and that could be open or on, or lock or off, or on and off, or lock and unlock.

SwitchBot Smart Lock accessories
SwitchBot Lock accessories | Make Life Click

You can have it that for each tap it does the opposite of what it is. This is really quite genius.

So, between all of these different methods, it’s really impressive how many ways the keypad works to allow access.

I really like our front door WeLock, but I do find that I would feel a bit more confident and it would be a little bit more practical if I could also offer codes to people rather than just the touch key fobs and the biometric entry.

Summing it up

Overall, the SwitchBot Smart Lock is well thought out, well put together, and really well executed.

In addition to the keypad or keypad touch, it makes an excellent addition to anybody’s home, especially for those who are renting or have doors that they don’t wanna have to remove the old lock and fit the new lock.

Of course with the SwitchBot Smart Lock, from the back, you can still turn it manually.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS ONE?
SwitchBot Smart Lock with Keypad Touch, Bluetooth Electronic Deadbolt, Fingerprint Keyless Entry Door Lock, Smart Door Lock Front Door, Compatible with Wi-Fi Bridge (Sold Separately)
SwitchBot Smart Lock + Keypad Touch

It’s not 100% smart lock only, so entry and access can still be done from the front with keys and from the back by turning the latch, which is doubled up on the SwitchBot Smart Lock itself.

As long as you have a free-flowing deadlock, then this is amazing value for money and I can’t recommend it more and am considering that when we do upgrade our front door, which isn’t too far off, I’ll probably use this as the lock that I fit the new door.

Any questions, fire them away in the comments below.

SwitchBot Smart Lock box
SwitchBot Smart Lock + Keypad Touch
Build Quality
Lock Feature
Easy to Install
Easy to Use
4.7

Endless hours of experimentation, professional work, and personal investment in Home Theatre, Hi-Fi, Smart Home Automation and Headphones have come to this.

Former owner of Headphones Canada, a high-end headphone specialty retailer.

This post was last updated on 2024-03-26 / Some images from Amazon Product API & some links may be affiliate links which may earn us a commission from purchases.


Helpful? Sign up and get more interesting posts like this. No Spam.

Get access to insights, deals, competitions and giveaways. Unsubscribe anytime.

* indicates required

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.