Developed by smart lock maker Level, the Level Lock+ is one of the first Home Key-compatible smart locks on the market, designed to automatically unlock a door when placed near a Home Key-enabled iPhone or Apple Watch.
Level Lock+ replaces the previous-generation Level Lock, and it uses the same outstanding design. Many smart locks are instantly recognizable as smart locks, but the Level Lock+ looks like any standard deadbolt with all the smart capabilities hidden inside the door, with no bulky components inside or out.
There are limited color options with the Level Lock+, but it comes in satin nickel and matte black. It doesn’t match well with bronze, gold, or similar door hardware, so I wish it came in additional color options. Level Lock+ looks sleek and I’m a fan of simplicity. It’s neutral on the door, and it looks like nothing special, so it doesn’t attract attention.
The Level Lock+ replaces an existing deadbolt and installation is fairly straightforward. I had a setup that included a keypad, so I wanted to paint the door and do some repairs before installing it. I’ve never installed a door lock before, but the Level Lock+ instructions were easy enough to follow.
The bolt is adjustable and has two sizes. The end of the bolt needs to be basically outside the borehole and if it is not undersized, it needs to be adjusted to the larger size. For my door, the larger size was too long and the smaller size wasn’t quite right, so I had to do some sanding and tweaking of the deadbolt cutouts to get things to fit properly.
After about five minutes of sanding, I was able to get the bolt in the right position, and from there, the Level Lock+ hardware fit into the deadbolt cutout and onto the end of the bolt, where the battery is housed. This is a clever setup as you can change the battery by popping the end of the deadbolt.
Once I got everything lined up correctly, it was just a matter of screwing everything together. I ran into another problem with the strike plate, as it was shorter than my existing strike plate. I had to drill new holes, which wasn’t a big deal. In the end, everything lined up correctly and I was up and running in about 20 minutes.
The level lock takes a CR2 battery, and I’m not sure how long the battery lasts before it needs to be replaced CR2 batteries cost about $4 each, and the amount of battery life you get will likely vary based on how often you unlock your door. There’s a physical key, so access is available when the battery dies and you’re not home.
After setup, I was able to add the lock to the Level app and connect it to HomeKit, making it available for use in both the Home app and the Level app. Once added to ‘HomeKit’, the Home app gave me the option to use the Home key with Level Lock and I had to tap on the Home app banner to add Level Lock to the wallet.
Home Keys is an iOS 16 feature that lets you store your home keys in the Wallet app and, from there, unlock your front door with your iPhone using NFC. The home keys didn’t work for me initially, but I re-added the lock to HomeKit and then it worked fine.
With Home Keys, you can enable “Express Mode” in the Wallet app to unlock doors without Face ID or a passcode, which is convenient. You just tap the top of the lock with your iPhone and it unlocks without any other authentication and even when the phone is locked. Thanks to NFC, the ‘iPhone’ can continue to unlock doors for hours even after the battery dies.
There is a a lot How to unlock level lock. In addition to Home keys, you can use the Level app, the Home app, ask Siri, use a key, or set up a key card. With a home hub, you can remotely open the lock for guests or provide them with a pass so they can use their own smartphone to unlock your door as needed.
You can set it up so that everyone in your household can access the level lock, and the level app has a list of every time the lock has been locked or unlocked. You’ll also get Home app notifications when Level Lock is accessed. The Home app supports automation, so you can set up the function to lock the level lock when the last person in the house leaves, lock it at night, and unlock it when you get home if you want.
Since I’ve been able to set up home keys, I’ve had no problem accessing the level lock through any of the methods available, and it’s convenient to be able to open my lock in many ways, and the option to open it for a guest when I’m not home. When instructed to do so the level lock only takes a few seconds to unlock and you can hear the process inside working.
I want to touch on the physical security of level locks because the lockpicking lawyer has a popular video that shows him accessing level locks in just a few seconds with a simple rake tool. A level lock is not a difficult lock to pick, and anyone with a modicum of lockpicking knowledge and simple tools can probably get into it. My partner, for example, does lockpicking as a hobby and was able to pick a level lock in less than 30 seconds.
There are plenty of deadbolts and door locks that are easy to pick and take little effort to access, so it’s not a big surprise, but the layer could increase security here. Some easily acquired deadbolts from companies such as Schlage are more secure, making them selectable, but with a greater time investment and more specialized tools.
A door lock is more of a social contract than anything else, serving as a signal that your home is locked and should not be accessed. anyone really Wanting to get into a locked house probably has many alternative ways to do it outside of lockpicking, such as breaking a window. Still, I think selectivity is something any potential buyer should be aware of.
Level says its lock has a BHMA AAA rating, but that rating is based on weight, withstanding a sledgehammer and withstanding attempts to open the door. It also takes into account durability, such as smooth operation and resistance to dents, but is by no means a measure of protection against lockpicking. If security is a top priority, you’ll be better off with specialized high security locks than Level Lock+ or anything you can buy off the shelf at a big box store.
bottom line
Level Lock+ is super convenient, plus it looks sleek and neutral. It’s nice to be able to tap my iPhone on my lock and open the door, and I found it easy to unlock the door for guests in other rooms, as well as let staff in when I’m not home.
That said, it’s an expensive lock at $329, and I’d like to see a stronger, more secure product at that price point. Level notes that the Level Lock+ has a common C lock cylinder used by hundreds of lock brands on the market and many consumer grade locks are easy to pick, but that doesn’t seem like a great excuse for a lock that ends up at the $300 level. Most of the locks I’m talking about are about $30 at Home Depot, and that’s a major price difference.
Hopefully the next iteration of Level Lock will include some additional security features. It doesn’t need to be unselectable because it’s not the main way that criminals are getting into the house, but just an extra layer of security would have been nice to prevent it from being opened in 30 seconds with basic tools.
How to buy
Level Lock+ can be purchased from the Apple Store for $329.95 or directly from Level for $329.00. A keypad add-on accessory is available for $79.00 or $59.00 when purchased with a lock.
Note: MacRumors provided Level Lock+ for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an authorized partner with Level. When you click on a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps keep our site running.
