Abode’s first ever smart lock won’t ruin the look of your front door

DIY smart home security company, Abode has just launched its first ever smart lock that renters are going to love. The new Abode Lock offers a quick and simple way to turn any lock into a smart lock, without you having to replace the door handle or ruin the look of your front door.

Abode is a relatively new name to the smart home space, having launched in the US in 2014 and the UK in 2020. The smart home manufacturer has a wide portfolio of products available for both UK and US markets, including security cameras, sensors and video doorbells, and now its launching its first smart lock.

Many people and families have been slow to adopt smart locks, despite their improved locking and security capabilities. The main concern for many is that setting up a smart lock can be tricky and often requires you to replace your door handle, something that takes time and can be hard to reverse if you don’t get on with your new smart lock.

But Abode is looking to quash these concerns. Unlike most of the best smart locks you can buy today, the Abode Lock is a Wi-Fi powered retrofit lock that’s installed to the inside of your door to replace your deadbolt. Rather than changing your existing door handle and locking system, the Abode Lock allows you to keep your front lock the same.

For people who live in rented accommodation or who don’t want to replace their existing lock or deadbolt, the Abode Lock is an ideal solution. As the front lock doesn’t change, homeowners can still use their keys to get into the house, as well as gaining digital access with the Abode app and its other accessories.

In addition to locking and unlocking your door using your smartphone, the Abode app supports up to 10 unique users at a time. If you have guests staying with you or you’re running an Airbnb, you can quickly share access to your home with one-time-use or scheduled PINs, and fingerprint registrations.

The Abode Lock is compatible with all standard deadbolts and doesn’t require an Abode security system to work, so you don’t have to worry about any monthly fees or hardware costs. It’s also compatible with smart home ecosystems like Amazon Alexa and Google Home, although it doesn’t have Matter or Apple Home support just yet.

While the look of your door remains the same on the outside, the inside of your door will look slightly different once you install the Abode Lock. It’s not a small smart lock by any means, measuring about six inches tall and containing a chunky 4,000mAh rechargeable battery. While the size is pretty big, the battery built into it can last up to 12 months without needing to be recharged.

The Abode Lock comes with a Bluetooth-connected keypad for PIN and fingerprint unlocking which sits on the outside of your door – the only external sign that you have a smart lock installed.

As of writing, the Abode Lock is only available in the US and costs $159.99. As Abode is still new to the UK, we hope to see the new smart lock become available for UK and EU customers in the near future, although there’s no word on this yet.