HomeKit-Enabled Level Touch Lock Features Hidden Design

[MacRumors]

Level Home today announced the launch of the Level Touch, a follow up to its invisible Level smart home lock that's meant to look like a traditional lock with a minimalist design.

The Level Touch features the same unassuming design and minimal footprint as the Level, so it doesn't impact the look of the door like many other smart locks on the market. It is unrecognizable as a smart lock given its resemblance to a traditional lock.

Available in Satin Chrome, Satin Nickel, Polished Brass, and Matte Black, the Level Touch is made from stainless steel. there are options for both keyed and keyless entry. For keyless entry, Level Touch uses Bluetooth, allowing the door to automatically unlock when you're nearby.

Locking the door can be done with a finger on the lock, but it will also automatically lock after a preselected amount of time. The device also ships with NFC-enabled keycards that work without a phone. It's powered by a CR2 battery that provides power for a year, and it offers HomeKit support.

With HomeKit, the Level Touch can be controlled with Siri voice commands, accessed remotely with a Home hub, and included in home automations alongside other HomeKit-enabled products.

The Level app that works with the Level Touch can allow you to provide entry for friends, family members, dog walkers, repair people, and others from anywhere. Level says that the Level Touch is BHMA AAA certified "to meet the highest industry standard for security and durability."

The Level Touch can be purchased from the Level website for $329 starting today.

Article Link: HomeKit-Enabled Level Touch Lock Features Hidden Design

 

[Sasparilla]

For a straight up smart lock, this looks really nice. Of course the price you pay over a regular lock is rather eye watering for that smart capability.

 

[martyjmclean]

I've been wanting a HomeKit lock. This one looks good, but is more exxy than others. Does anyone have any recs?

Edit: this only ships to america

 

[BGPL]

Really clean look, cleaner than what I have now. Problem is, I like my keypad for when I have nothing on me including my phone.

I highly doubt the battery will work for a year. I've had numerous deadbolt smart locks, and right now I have several that are powered by 4xAA batteries and they last about two months on a busy door. Problem is, there's usually some amount of imperfection in the bolt slip and it comes into contact with the jamb, creating friction and more work for the battery. Wood swells and contracts and it makes it tough for a bolt to have a smooth trip in and out of the slip. Just my personal experience with doors and door seals.

 

[TheFluffyDuck]

I am a massive geek and try and jump on all the new bandwagons, but try as I like, I cant seem to justify a smart home. "Turn a light off" well I am at home, I can do it myself. "Smart lock", I am usually already at the door when I need to use it. "Smart thermostat", mine saves even more energy when its off, and on when I do. I can understand smart security or video intercoms, that's cool. But even then I don't have one.

All these things need batteries or replacements or lose wi-fi/Bluetooth connection, or incompatible with other stuff, and use needless electricity waiting for the 0.5% of the time they will be used by your device. Even for me, who loves to tinker they seem like too much effort.

 

[FightTheFuture]

I am a massive geek and try and jump on all the new bandwagons, but try as I like, I cant seem to justify a smart home. "Turn a light off" well I am at home, I can do it myself. "Smart lock", I am usually already at the door when I need to use it. "Smart thermostat", mine saves even more energy when its off, and on when I do. I can understand smart security or video intercoms, that's cool. But even then I don't have one.

All these things need batteries or replacements or lose wi-fi/Bluetooth connection, or incompatible with other stuff, and use needless electricity waiting for the 0.5% of the time they will be used by your device. Even for me, who loves to tinker they seem like too much effort.

Not sold on smart switches either, but everything else you mentioned really enhances your living space. One of the best things about smart locks is how it can mimic the keyless entry of car doors.

I bought an August smart lock myself because I have this terrible paranoia of questioning if I had locked the door. I’ve turned my car around several times to double check if the door is locked.

 

[Dimwhit]

Definitely looks better than the August smart lock I have. But that price is insane.

 

[gnasher729]

One bolt in a wooden frame, so a good kick will open it. My front door has two bolts, plus two strong metal hooks, all in a metal frame.

 

[DaveN]

I am a massive geek and try and jump on all the new bandwagons, but try as I like, I cant seem to justify a smart home. "Turn a light off" well I am at home, I can do it myself. "Smart lock", I am usually already at the door when I need to use it. "Smart thermostat", mine saves even more energy when its off, and on when I do. I can understand smart security or video intercoms, that's cool. But even then I don't have one.

All these things need batteries or replacements or lose wi-fi/Bluetooth connection, or incompatible with other stuff, and use needless electricity waiting for the 0.5% of the time they will be used by your device. Even for me, who loves to tinker they seem like too much effort.

It isn't so much "turn on a light" as it is "set the lights to tropical sunset" while watching a movie in the dead of winter. Hard to set the color and brightness of lights with an on/off wall switch. As for locks, also not terribly useful to me at home but if I had a vacation rental, they would be great and also useful if I had a housecleaner or dog walker.

 

[mattopotamus]

The less I have to carry the better. Now I just need my state to allow a digital copy of my Driver's license, and I can ditch a wallet.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

One bolt in a wooden frame, so a good kick will open it. My front door has two bolts, plus two strong metal hooks, all in a metal frame.

The point of the lock is not to make your house impenetrable. If someone wants to get in your house, they will. I suppose you have windows in your home or doors with glass in them...easy points of entry. If I was going to bust in a house I wouldn't do it through the front door where everyone can see me.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

The less I have to carry the better. Now I just need my state to allow a digital copy of my Driver's license, and I can ditch a wallet.

If your license is the only thing in your wallet, why not just carry it without the wallet?

I ditched a dedicated wallet ~7 years ago. I just have a wallet case on my phone with my Tesla keycard, Driver’s license, and Credit Card (the Tesla keycard is obviously a newer addition - I carried a keyring before I got the Tesla. Now my keyring just stays in the glovebox of the car for the once a year I need a key for something.)

 

[Nabby]

That is the nicest, cleanest looking smart lock I've seen.

Even better, it works with HomeKit.

Then the $329 price tag...

 

[GIZBUG]

Having bought their original lock, and now seeing the price tag on this, my next look with be August (already own 2 of those).
Any why do we not have more options past 3 minutes for the AUTOLOCK function in their app? I've asked for this for 6+ months now that I've had their lock. They won't add it. August, thanks for listening to the customers and giving up options for Auto-Lock function in your app!

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

I’ve had one of these for about 8 years. It uses no batteries and has never given us any trouble. They cost around $29, depending on the supplier. Never looked back once. It may not be fancy but I’m just opening a door and it works. I trust people enough that anyone I trust I tell the code to and for everyone else I don’t. And if I want to see who’s at the door I open it. YMMV, it works perfectly for us.

 

[yurc]

I would approved this as sleeper smart door knob.

 

[rodpascoe]

Not quite the same and designed for different uses.
In a shop floor environment then that lock you quoted is fine.
I have an office that I need to allow people in and out of when I’m not there and managing keys is a nightmare.
With a smart lock I can just send them a “key” from my phone.

View attachment 947332

I’ve had one of these for about 8 years. It uses no batteries and has never given us any trouble. They cost around $29, depending on the supplier. Never looked back once. It may not be fancy but I’m just opening a door and it works. I trust people enough that anyone I trust I tell the code to and for everyone else I don’t.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Not quite the same and designed for different uses.
In a shop floor environment then that lock you quoted is fine.
I have an office that I need to allow people in and out of when I’m not there and managing keys is a nightmare.
With a smart lock I can just send them a “key” from my phone.

For some business uses perhaps it’s not ideal, but for home use for us it is.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

I am a massive geek and try and jump on all the new bandwagons, but try as I like, I cant seem to justify a smart home. "Turn a light off" well I am at home, I can do it myself. "Smart lock", I am usually already at the door when I need to use it. "Smart thermostat", mine saves even more energy when its off, and on when I do. I can understand smart security or video intercoms, that's cool. But even then I don't have one.

All these things need batteries or replacements or lose wi-fi/Bluetooth connection, or incompatible with other stuff, and use needless electricity waiting for the 0.5% of the time they will be used by your device. Even for me, who loves to tinker they seem like too much effort.

The state of MA gives you a $100 rebate for buying a smart thermostat. I bought a $100 (before rebate) Sensi smart thermostat... so it was free, and I’m quite happy with it.

I put four (I think?) AA batteries in it several years ago. It’s still running just fine, so it’s clearly not an energy hog. It lets me view or set the temperature from my phone whenever/wherever I want. So if I’m on vacation and I forgot to tell it before leaving, I can do it later and allow the house to have wider than normal temperature swings. And then I can turn it back to the comfortable settings a few hours before I get home.

I’m also happy with my smart garage. It sends me reminders if I forget to close it, and I can open and close it from my phone or watch - nifty if I want to head out without my car or a key to the house.

Then there’s the Tesla. Date night has become picking up takeout, then just watching Netflix in the car ever since the pandemic started.

 

[kcslc]

I've been wanting a HomeKit lock. This one looks good, but is more exxy than others. Does anyone have any recs?

Edit: this only ships to america

I have a Schlage sense and I love it. It is big and bulky but works great with HomeKit. It uses 4 AA batteries, which are easily replaceable. I love opening my door with a code. Or Siri. Or the app. Plus, the finish on the keypad is matte so it doesn’t show any fingerprint smudges. I paid $200 US for it.

 

[Wildkraut]

? As if I would hand out my home security to any Apple connected device. At the end they decide to terminate my or the developers AppleID, and I can’t enter my home anymore.

Imagine if EPIC had installed.
Just a joke, but not so far from reality.

 

[GeoStructural]

If someone wants to get in your house, they will. I suppose you have windows in your home or doors with glass in them...easy points of entry. If I was going to bust in a house I wouldn't do it through the front door where everyone can see me.

One of the first observations I made when I came to the US: “who could be stupid enough to have glass on their doors and windows without metal bars”. Well, in turns out most people. Growing in Latin America we don’t do that, and it is not easy to get to the back door, the side alleys (if they exist) have high walls and no gate.

 

[Wildkraut]

The less I have to carry the better. Now I just need my state to allow a digital copy of my Driver's license, and I can ditch a wallet.

And just „a click“ away from vanishing yourself... ?

 

[Shpyda]

I am a massive geek and try and jump on all the new bandwagons, but try as I like, I cant seem to justify a smart home. "Turn a light off" well I am at home, I can do it myself. "Smart lock", I am usually already at the door when I need to use it. "Smart thermostat", mine saves even more energy when its off, and on when I do. I can understand smart security or video intercoms, that's cool. But even then I don't have one.

All these things need batteries or replacements or lose wi-fi/Bluetooth connection, or incompatible with other stuff, and use needless electricity waiting for the 0.5% of the time they will be used by your device. Even for me, who loves to tinker they seem like too much effort.

True massive geeks don't need a reason to justify this stuff, they do it because it is awesome technology. I have a ton of smart home gadgets and love how they interact together. I love setting up scenes based on time and events. I love having full remote control of my home from the sprinkling system to the garage door. Rules like turning on lights and unlocking doors upon the first persons arrival, but only at night all while turning on music to favorite genre at the desirable volume level are what this technology is all about and it's pretty priceless so far.

 

[iZac]

...Elegantly engineered for when the company goes bankrupt and you're forced to use it as a traditional lock again.

I know that may seem sarcastic, but it's a genuinely good approach.