Convenient and Affordable Security? Your peace of mind! Hands-on with the Igloohome Deadbolt 0214/6/2017
By Philip C.
Singapore start-up Igloohome is famous for its affordable yet innovative and simple-to-use smart locking solutions, and we recently got the chance to review the Igloohome Smart Lock Deadbolt 02. Read on to find out what we thought about it!
The Deadbolt 02 is a smart lock that, at first glance, seems like any other smart lock, but it is hiding quite a few cool functions below the hood. We’ll get into all that later, but first, let’s talk about the pricing. Where other digital locks can easily go from $800-$1000, the Deadbolt 02 comes at an affordable $388 (There’s a special promotion from the time of writing till the end of June, U.P $499), with a free installation onto your door as well.
The Deadbolt 02 sports a classy black metal exterior, with a touch-enabled LED keypad, which lights up in blue when activated. There is a keyhole, but it is usually covered by a black cap, and is only opened up and used if there is a need to use the physical key. The back is where the batteries are placed, with the Deadbolt requiring 4 AA sized batteries. In the event of battery failure, the Deadbolt 02 can be jumpstarted with an external 9V battery. However, with the app monitoring battery life and telling you when you should change batteries, this should not become a problem.
So what does the Deadbolt 02 actually do?
The Deadbolt 02’s call to fame is its methods to grant access- via PIN code, by Bluetooth, and via a physical key. The last method is for times of emergency, needless to say, but it is still good that there is this failsafe.
Let’s go through the different methods.
PIN Code Access
As mentioned previously, the Deadbolt 02 is fitted with a touch enabled LED keypad, which enables entry by tapping in the PIN code. PIN codes can be 4 to 9 digits long, and can be set via the companion app, simply named “igloohome” which can be found on both Apple’s App Store and Android’s Google Play Store. Use this method if you do not want to take out your phone or if your phone is not with you. An interesting function of note is the existence of one time PINs, where you can issue a temporary PIN which becomes active and expires when you want it to – all done via the app. This is useful if you have a part time cleaner and you are not in the house – no more hassle of creating another key.
Bluetooth Key
This is a great function that we really like, as in order to unlock the Deadbolt, all you need is your phone with Bluetooth enabled, and unlocking the Deadbolt is just a simple tap of a button away! There is, however, an even easier method for all you lazy people out there, aptly dubbed ‘Easy Unlock’, where turning this feature on enables you to place your palm on the keypad, and the lock will open. This feature will affect battery life on your phone however, as what it does is leave the app continuously running in the background, and when you are within distance of your lock, it lets your lock be opened via the palm method. Even though it drains battery life, we still think that it’s a great feature though!
So should you buy it?
The question should be: why shouldn’t you buy it? If you can afford the $388, by all means, go for it. The Deadbolt 02 is a great convenience to have, with great integration with your mobile phone, and one great thing about it? It does not require an internet connection, unlike some other digital locks. For more information on the Deadbolt 02, do check out Igloohome’s website. For more great news, reviews and articles, do subscribe to our newsletter or like and follow our Facebook Page!
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