Announced in Jan, the lock is available to buy now
The smart lock space is hotting up – literally. Traditional lock maker Hampton is moving into the smart home space with its first smart lock, which comes with Alexa support, multiple access options, and even solar charging.
The Array was announced back at CES in January but is now hitting the market. It isn’t blazing a trail in design, opting for quite a traditional look – but slide that solar panel up and beneath is hiding a backlit keypad, should you prefer to access your home by punching in a password
Alternatively (as is the way with most smart locks) you can use the Array app on your smartphone to lock and unlock the door. But if you’d prefer to go old-school, there’s still a traditional key lock here too.
There are two rechargeable batteries inside that can be recharged, but one of the Hampton lock’s unique features is that solar panel, which will help keep the power running for up to nine months, the company said. Otherwise you’re looking at 90 days max between charges.
You won’t need a hub to have the lock work either; the Array connects directly to your home Wi-Fi. However, that does mean no Z-Wave or Zigbee support, and generally it looks like the Array is quite limited in wider smart home integration beyond Alexa support. No Google Assistant or Siri compatibility either.
On the plus side, Hampton said it’s a quick and easy lock to install with just a screwdriver. The Array comes in two finishes – contemporary Cooper and traditional Barrington – and costs $299. You can pick one up from the company site or from an ACE Hardware store in the US.
