Deadbolt smart security that works across multiple home systems
Aqara has kickstarted the Matter smart lock movement with the launch of the Smart Lock U100; a smart deadbolt that plays nicely across multiple smart home ecosystems.
As well as the headline Matter smart home compatibility, the Aqara Smart Lock U100 also syncs with Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home – but there are a few caveats based on how you want to integrate it into your home.
Out of the box, it will only work with Aqara Home and Apple Home/HomeKit.
If you want to add Matter, Alexa, or Google Home to the mix then you’ll need to pair it with one of the multitudes of Aqara smart home hubs.
If you want Matter control then that hub needs to be the Hub M2 as Matter rolled out on that back in February. Other Aqara hubs – like the Hub M1S, Hub E1, Camera Hub G3, and Camera Hub G2H Pro – will apparently be receiving the update over “the coming months”.
- VERDICT: Aqara Camera Hub G2H Pro review
Even then, it’s not quite so straightforward (nothing really is with Matter at the moment)… Alexa, for example, doesn’t yet support locks (or bridges like the Hub M2) but that is set to change soon.
If you go down the Matter / HomeKit route, though, then the U100 is well placed as it is also compatible with Apple Home Key, which means that you can use Apple Wallet to ‘store’ your key and unlock your door with either your iPhone or Apple Watch.
And with Apple’s Power Reserve feature (supported on iPhone XS or later and Apple Watch Series 4 running watchOS 8 or later) you can even open your door up to five hours after your phone or watch has run out of battery.
Read this: The best smart locks
Aside from the HomeKit smarts, the U100 also supports a number of other unlocking options including fingerprint, password, NFC, and a mechanical key.
You are also able, through the Aqara Home app, to create one-time and periodic passwords to give access to guests for short-term, long-term, or specific time frames.
The U100 is powered by four AA batteries and Aqara tells us this equates to 8 months of life. You’ll get a low battery power warning at 20% and if you do let the juice run dry you can use a physical key or charge it via a USB-C port.
Aqara is a rapidly expanding brand and is a great option if you’re looking for inexpensive, reliable ways to expand your Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant-powered smart homes.
A couple of years back we published our comprehensive Aqara smart home review; so make sure you take a read of that for more information and details of exactly what’s on offer – we’ll be updating that review very soon as well, so stay tuned for that.
The Smart Lock U100 is available right now on Aqara’s Amazon store for $189.99.
