Keyless entry is convenient and genuinely useful for some homes — but it isn't magic. Here's where smart locks shine and where they don't.
Smart locks have gone from gadget to genuinely useful, and we fit a fair few now. But "smart" doesn't automatically mean "more secure". Like any lock, a good one fitted well is excellent, and a cheap one fitted badly is a weak point. Here's the honest picture.
What smart locks are genuinely good at
- No keys to lose. Codes, fobs or your phone instead of a key that can be copied or left in a pocket.
- Access you control. Give a cleaner, dog-walker or holiday-let guest a code that you switch off afterwards — no cutting keys, no chasing them up.
- A record of who came and went. Useful for households, lets and small businesses.
- No more "did I lock it?" Many auto-lock behind you and let you check from your phone.
Where people get caught out
The lock is only as strong as the door and frame it's fitted to — a brilliant smart lock on a flimsy door is still a flimsy door. Cheap models can have weak physical mechanisms behind the clever electronics. Batteries go flat (good ones warn you well in advance, and most have a key or power backup). And anything app-connected needs sensible passwords and updates, just like your phone.
Smart, or just a good traditional lock?
For a lot of homes, a quality British Standard cylinder or mortice lock is still the right answer — simple, insurance-friendly and nothing to charge. Smart locks earn their place where convenience and access control genuinely matter: busy families, shared access, lettings, Airbnbs. Often the best setup is a strong physical lock with smart convenience on top, not one instead of the other.
We fit and advise on keypad, fob and app-controlled locks alongside traditional ones — see digital & smart locks, or talk it through with us before you buy.
Digital & smart locks
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Two Keys is a father-and-son locksmith team in Egham — UKLA Trusted & Vetted, DBS-checked, fully insured. Straight prices, agreed before we set off.
We cover Windsor · Ascot · Weybridge · Guildford and the wider Surrey, west London and east Berkshire area — see full coverage.