With the rise of insecurity across the country, many people deem it important to get a smart security system to maintain their safety. Fortunately, there are many companies offering these solutions – including Gate Labs with their smart lock system.
Thanks to its part video doorbell and part smart lock build, the Gate Smart lock will record clips of people at your door before you unlock it, keeps track of people entering and exiting your home, and connects to your home’s Wi-Fi network. However, it does lack some features that are important to the functioning of smart locks, including support for Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa, as well as the ability to work alongside other smart devices.
Contents
Gate Smart Lock Review and Breakdown – Gate Smart Lock For Video Smart lock deadbolt system
- Keyless lock system is sold separately
- Includes an in-built camera system
As earlier mentioned, the Gate Smart Lock operates on a combination of smart video and smart locking in one package. You can use it to talk to any visitors through a 2-way audio system, stream videos and footage in real-time, and unlock or lock your door.
The strongest asset in the locking system is the versatility it offers when you want to unlock it, as well as its video monitoring capabilities. If you want to let in specific people, it allows you to assign unique pins to them, and it will record anyone who accesses your door at various times.
Its design allows it to work best on doors that have a separate doorknob and deadbolt system, with a thickness between 1.5 and 1.75 inches. If you have a thinner door, the package includes several rubber spacers you can install, as well as some additional tools such as a deadbolt assembly, a screwdriver, both the exterior and interior escutcheons, and a USB charging cable.
What we liked
- Easy to install and use
- Extremely quiet operation
- Includes an in-built camera
- Keyless and keyed operation
- Incorporates two-way audio
What we did not like
- Some of its features require a subscription
- Cannot interact with smart third-party devices
- Expensive
- You cannot use the app to lock the door from within unless the lock sensors detect motion
Gate Smart Lock Specifications
Model | Gate Smart Lock |
|---|---|
Battery life | 30 to 60 days |
Lock dimensions (inches) | 4.0 x 3.5 x 3.0 inches |
Lock weight | 3.7 oz. |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi |
Location services/Geofencing | No |
Installation | Interior Escutcheon, Exterior Escutcheon |
Guest access | Yes |
Voice activation | No |
Touchpad | Yes |
Tamper alarm | No |
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Gate Smart Lock Features
Design
The lock itself looks similar to a high-tech system due to its vented speaker grills, backlit circular keypad, and brushed aluminum finish. Its front section measures 0.9 inches in depth and 3.5 inches in diameter, and has a doorbell key that sends an alert to your phone when pressed, lock key, and 0-9 number keys. Its top has a 720p, 150-degree view camera, and a keyway, in-built microphone and speaker, and motion sensor in its center section.
The pack has a removable, rechargeable battery that can last between 30 and 60 days, while its recharging time is 4 to 5 hours. As you recharge the battery, you can still use a key on the lock, although the audio, camera, and keypad will only work when the battery is present.
Service plans
The package comes with 3 service plans: Basic, Premier Service, and Premier Plus.
The Basic plan is the default free version, and its benefits include administrative rights for up to 4 people, remote unlocking and locking, notifications, two-way audio, and real-time video streaming, but it does not allow for sharing or viewing recorded videos.
When buying the lock, you will get the Premier Service plan for a 30-day trial and pay $4.99 monthly afterward, and this gives all benefits from the Basic plan in addition to unlimited administrative users, access to 5 days and sharing of recorded videos, and schedule up to 10 guest codes.
The Premier Plus plan has a monthly fee of $7.99, and it will give all the benefits of the Premier Service plan, in addition to 30 days of recorded video footage, sharing of these videos, and unlimited scheduled guest code access.
Performance
This is easily among the quietest smart locks you can use and it performs impressively in most tests. For instance, its motion sensor does a good job of picking up and triggering video recordings, although it is advisable to set its motion sensitivity to medium.
The video quality is crisp due to the 720p quality, but it will not work as well at night because it lacks infrared LEDs. However, you will like the guest access schedules and the good keypad lighting.
Who is it best suited for?
The Gate Smart lock will work best for you if you want a smart video locking system without needing to deal with third-party integrations, or if you want to avoid buying a video camera and lock.
Are there alternatives to the Gate Smart Lock?
The August Doorbell Cam Pro offers in-built voice assistant support and is a cheaper option, the Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro is a versatile option that includes a handy fingerprint reader, and the Yale Assure Lock SL allows for quick entry and exit without your smartphone or keys.
Features of alternative Smart locks
Model | August Doorbell Cam Pro | Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro | Yale Assure Lock SL |
|---|---|---|---|
Connectivity | Wi-Fi | Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (adaptor sold separately) | Wi-Fi |
Integrations | Amazon Alexa | Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa | Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Siri |
Camera field of view | 120 degrees | 150 degrees | 180 degrees |
Camera resolution | 1080p | 720p | 1080p |
Night vision | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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Verdict: So, should you buy the Gate Smart Lock?
While the Gate Smart lock has its good features, it is still incomplete in many security areas – making it a product we would not recommend in its current form. However, future improvements may seal it as a worthwhile purchase, especially if the manufacturer improves on its ability to connect to voice assistants, its remote locking and unlocking abilities, and nighttime footage.
FAQs
Does the Gate Smart lock automatically lock itself?
Yes, it has an automatic lock setting that activates after 10 to 30 minutes.
Can I pair the lock with more than 1 phone or device?
Yes, through the smartphone app and granting additional users admin access.
Robinson Wright
Robinson Wright is a home automation specialist and has helped many modern home developers pick the right gadgets for home automation. According to Wright, most people struggle with particular areas in their home, some would want improved security especially when away from home for a couple of days and others will want to improve power consumption. Homeowner's needs can be fulfilled by investing in smart home gadgets but most importantly is that one must know the functionality that they desire to achieve and then choose a product and technology that would fulfill the need. Robinson Wright runs an appliance enterprise and when not in the field working with his clients, he loves spending time in his workshop testing out the new technologies.