August Smart Lock Review

Today, in this August smart lock review we’ll go over the good and the bad aspects you should know before buying it. Smart door lock is a step forward to home automation. Let’s check it out.


What is an August smart lock?

The August smart lock is an intelligent and secure way to control access to your home. Together with August Connect (a Wi-Fi bridge), it gives you the freedom to manage the lock from anywhere you are. All you need is an Internet connection and an App. No need to worry about losing your keys or forgetting the door codes. Encrypted locking technology will keep your home safe and secure. Sounds incredible, doesn’t it? But let’s take a closer look.


The good about August smart lock:

august smart lock

  • Total Control: only you will have complete control over who has an access-key to your home and how long it will last. You can issue a 24/7 access-key for your family members and a temporary-use key for your cleaning person. Simple and convenient.

  • Log History: check an App for log in/out report. It will show you who and when exactly has entered or left your home.

  • Instant Invites: use an App to simply issue the keys in seconds by picking family, friends, or services from your contact list.

  • Always On: even if the power or Wi-Fi goes down at your home, you’ll still be able to control your August smart lock. The lock uses 4 AA batteries, so it will be running in any circumstance. Also, an App will alert you once the batteries get low.

  • Auto-Unlock: the August smart lock uses geolocation of your phone. So whenever you are getting close to the door, the Auto-Unlock mode will sense it and unlock the door for you. No need to reach for your phone to do it.

  • EverLock™ technology: the same as Auto-Unlock but the complete opposite. Every time you leave, the EverLock™ technology will lock the door behind you. No need to worry that you left your front-door unlocked. The August smart lock will take care of it.

  • Discreet installation: no wiring is required. All you need is to replace the interior part of your existing door lock. Exterior door hardware remains the same, so technically you’ll still be able to use your old door lock.


The bad about August smart lock:

august-smart-lock package

  • No visual cues: when looking at the August smart lock it is nearly impossible to tell if your door is locked or unlocked. Even using an App to figure it out gets confusing; it only shows the color (green or red), but doesn’t say anything about the door being actually locked or unlocked. So, does the green color mean that your home is safely protected or that guests are welcome?

  • Installation is not that smooth: you can pull the trigger by overtightening the screws. Once it happened, the backing plate will be bent increasing resistance on the smart lock. So when you finally attach the August smart lock to the plate, it won’t function. But there is actually a way out, even two: bend the plate back or have August send you a new one.

  • Faceplate keeps falling off: it’s not even an issue, it’s more a joke that an around $250 smart lock can’t even hold together. Maybe a double-sided tape will help.

  • Remote control for extra $50: it might not be obvious that in order to control your smart lock remotely via Wi-Fi, you have to buy a separate Wi-Fi bridge. It is called August Connect. Otherwise, you’ll only be able to control your smart lock via bluetooth with a standard approximate range of 100 meters or 328 feet. Not fun.

  • Frequent loss of connection: sometimes the August app just can’t find your lock. That means you need an actual key to open the door. Same stuff happens with Auto-Unlock feature. It works when it wants to, but normally it’s not in the mood to work.

  • Connecting to the lock: it might take up to 20 seconds for the August app to find and connect to the lock. At least you know it will happen eventually. Whereas finding misplaced standard keys might never happen.

  • Unlocks randomly: based on customers reviews, the August smart lock sometimes unlocks itself without any command from the user. You might be at home when it happens or far away. It’s completely insecure and unsafe. Of course you can locking the door with a standard key for the night, or for the time you’re gone. But what’s the point of “smart” door lock then?

  • Registration on August website is a must: want to give someone an access-key to your home? Tell them to go through registration on August website first. This is a mandatory step which they can’t skip.

The bottom line:

august smart locks colors

Since the first gen locks, August has released a line of new Gen 3 smart locks that offer extra security features for a piece of mind. Make sure to check out the new line up in our August Smart Lock vs. Pro vs. Gen 2 — What’s the Difference? atricle.

Last update on 2024-03-28 at 05:01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

2 thoughts on “August Smart Lock Review”

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