Level has been building smart locks that feel like they were made for Apple users since the very beginning, and the new Level Lock Pro might be its most exciting upgrade yet. I have been testing it ahead of my full hands-on review, and it is clear that this is the direction smart locks need to go. Home key support is still the gold standard for Apple users, and Matter over Thread brings the speed and reliability that make it work extremely well with your daily schedule.
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Ever since Apple introduced Home Key, it has completely changed how I think about smart locks. Once you get used to walking up to your door and unlocking it with a tap from your iPhone or Apple Watch, everything else feels like a step backward. Level was one of the first brands to adopt Home Key, and the new Level Lock Pro feels like the culmination of everything the company has learned so far. After spending time with it, it is clear this is the direction smart locks needed to go, and it feels reliable enough that I’d recommend it to anyone, regardless of whether they are “tech savvy” or not.
What’s included with Level Lock Pro?
Inside the box, you get the full deadbolt assembly, the strike plate, the internal mounting hardware, a CR2 battery, two physical keys, and two NFC key fobs. The key fobs work a lot like home key. You tap them on the outside of the lock, and the door opens. I find these perfect for kids to unlock the door, but you don’t want to give them an iPhone yet. This is a MINOR request, but I’d love the ability to order multiple at a time and have them all be on the same physical key as well.
Level includes everything you need to get the lock installed with nothing more than a Phillips screwdriver. Installation is basically the same process as a traditional deadbolt. If your door already has the standard bore hole and the common backset lengths, everything fits without any drilling. That is part of what makes Level unique. It hides inside your existing hardware and looks exactly like a traditional lock once installed. I’ve installed dozens of these, so swapping a deadbolt only takes me around five minutes. The strike plate was slightly different than my existing one, so I chiseled a lot of the interior door frame out so the lock wouldn’t catch at all. That’s not anything Level could account for, but just how the strike plate was originally installed/cut out when the home was built.
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