Making our home comfortable and safe is one of the main goals of every family. A challenge for which technology provides many solutions forming a smart home or smart homes. Among them, perhaps one of the least known but most interesting is the smart lock. A device that allows us to forget about classic keys and takes the experience with our doors one step further. And here Nuki SmartLock 3.0 Pro he has a lot to say.

A few months ago, the Nuki Smart Lock 3.0 smart locks came on the market as an update from this Austrian supplier, which is a reference in this field in Europe. As in previous versions, we had the opportunity to analyze this new device, which allows for safer, smarter and simpler door management.

Although outwardly the smart lock does not differ much from previous versions, you can find the change in the settings. In addition to the transmission, the new version improves the engine with more power and autonomy. Although the company assures that it also improves noise, the truth is that it cannot be denied that the noise when opening and closing the lock is remarkable.

Nuki Smart Lock 3.0 has two versions: standard (€149) and Pro (€269), which is the one we were able to test. In addition to the price and the fact that the Pro is available in black and white, it has an advanced Wi-Fi remote control option and a power supply that offers more autonomy. Two points that can be attractive but also indispensable if we want to adjust the price a little.

At the level of use, the most complicated thing, as is usually the case with almost all home automation devices, is its installation. Not that this is difficult in itself, but it does mean knowing what type of door we have and if it is compatible with the Nuki system. For this, the manufacturer has a verification guide that gives you an answer quite intuitively quickly. If you don’t have a suitable cylinder with, for example, a double clutch, it offers you the option of exchanging it for your own or someone else’s. At this point, the task may take a little longer.

Once we’re clear on that bowler and device «marry», we’ve almost gone all the way. We just have to insert the key, anchor the device to the door using the stickers it comes with, and put the bowler on. Although the stickers that come with the package are durable, it cannot be ignored that the device is quite heavy, so it is necessary to stick it very well to prevent it from falling.

During this installation process we can Let the mobile app guide you free from home. Being available for Google Play and App Store makes the journey much simpler and easier. Later, this will be necessary for device management, but we will stop there later. We can also resort to in-house configuration tutorials which are well taken care of so that every user can understand and be guided. Here an example:

And the most difficult part is done. From there, we can start designing the lock from within the app to suit our family needs. A point that will take us a while because the truth is that the lock has many possibilities which can be interesting.

Here we highlight some of the function that we have found to be more practical Custom unlock open or close the lock if it detects us nearby and we don’t have to take our mobile out of our pocket, or an authorization system to allow access to third parties, such as family members or an acquaintance who needs to water our plants. A system for configuring closing according to time zones can also be practical, for example to automatically close the door every night.

When it comes to autonomy, the truth is, you can’t complain. At this point, we didn’t have to charge the batteries for a month of use, and according to the manufacturer itself, it could reach up to six months. Of course, it is important to remember that when our batteries run out, we will have to charge them for 10 hours. In the case of the standard version, it does not have a rechargeable battery, so its autonomy will be a little more limited -4 months with an average of 8 openings per day-.

It is important to emphasize, especially for those who fear innovation, that Nuki SmartLock 3.0 does not prevent the classic use of the door. In fact, the lock can be opened with a key, as before, a mobile phone or a smart watch. This is also possible with the ecosystem of additional devices that the brand makes available. At this point it is worth emphasizing that they are all compatible and can feedback as an open door sensor (Nuki door sensor), remote control knob (Nuki Fob) or the keypad to open the door with a key (Nuki keyboard).

In terms of security, the smart lock is approved by AV-Test and all its communication is encrypted end-to-end and uses a challenge-response protocol so that cybercriminals do not find a loophole to get into our smart home through the door.