Wyze’s latest offering is a departure for the smart home company. The Wyze Lock Bolt is a smart lock that ditches cloud connectivity in favor of local control over Bluetooth. The Wyze Lock Bolt is a rectangular matte black keyboard with a fingerprint reader that replaces your entire deadbolt for $69.99 (plus $10 shipping), in keeping with Wyze’s reputation for delivering premium tech at the lowest price . Given the recent controversy surrounding the company’s failure to disclose the security breach of its original cloud-connected Wyze Cam, the current lack of internet connectivity could be a smart move for Wyze.
Starting today, the Wyze Lock Bolt is a motorized deadbolt that unlocks with your fingerprint or a code entered on the integrated backlit keyboard. The lock has two accessible parts: the keypad/fingerprint reader mounted on the front of the door, and the rear housing where the battery and motor are located. It doesn’t have the option to use a traditional key; you can use the Wyze app on your smartphone (iOS or Android) to program a code and fingerprint locked via Bluetooth.
If you’re within 16 feet of a Bluetooth 5.0 radio (so, on the couch or in a car in the driveway), you can use the app to lock or unlock the doors. Other than that, there’s no Wi-Fi or other connectivity, so no smart home integration. You can’t add a lock to any home automation program, lock or unlock when you’re away from home, or control it with your voice assistant.
Wyze says the Wyze Lock Bolt fingerprint reader will unlock your door in a second.Image: Wyze
No connectivity other than Bluetooth helps keep prices low; most smart door locks range from $150 to over $300. For example, a similar Eufy Smart Lock Touch with WiFi is $220, and Kwikset’s Smart Fingerprint/Keying option is $240. Wyze’s other smart lock, the Wyze Lock, costs $130. It uses Zigbee and Wi-Fi to enable smart home integrations, such as adding a lock to your goodnight routine, or having Alexa or Google Assistant lock your door for you with a voice command. This lock is not a complete deadbolt replacement, but it is an add-on to your existing deadbolt.
Fingerprint access is my go-to for smart door locks; it’s a quicker way to open doors than entering a passcode, and Wyze says its locks will unlock in under a second. The Wyze Bolt can store up to 50 prints locally on the lock, along with 20 keypad codes. The keyboard is also peep-proof – you can add some random extra numbers to either side of the code in case someone peeks over your shoulder.
The Wyze app can log who accessed the lock, how, and when, which is handy for keeping track of what’s in and out of your home. (Although you’ll only get that information when you’re in bluetooth range when you’re at home). 20 access codes and 50 fingerprints can be assigned to different people, and you can schedule access on specific days or times of day.
The rear shell of the lock allows manual control of the deadbolt.Image: Wyze
It runs on 4 AA batteries, which Wyze says can power them for up to a year.Image: Wyze
With no power-hungry Wi-Fi radio inside, the Wyze Lock Bolt promises impressive battery life — Wyze says you can get 10 to 12 months on 4 AA (included). Most locks I’ve tested take three to six months before needing more juice. If the Wyze lock does run out of power, there’s a USB-C charging port on the bottom of the lock that lets you charge briefly, long enough to enter a passcode.
The lack of out-of-home control can be a deal breaker, as the main benefit of a smart lock is that you can lock and unlock it remotely. But Wyze has partially solved this problem with a new “one-time code algorithm” that lets you remotely generate a code in the Wyze app and give it to anyone at your door so they can unlock it . These can even be generated outside of Bluetooth range, similar to how two-factor codes are generated offline to provide access.
Locking the door is done with a traditional thumb turn on the inside and a locking button on the outside. You can also use the app if you’re within Bluetooth range, and there’s an auto-lock option that automatically locks the door after a custom time. You can disable automatic locking at certain times, but there is no door-sensing technology to determine if your door is open or closed, so it will still “lock” your latch even if the door is fully open.
Introducing a smart door lock that lacks some of the key features of a smart door lock is an odd move for a smart home company. But for homeowners who don’t want to put their home’s security online, the Wyze Lock Bolt makes it easier to give up your keys and choose from a variety of simple, secure ways to unlock your door. Its price is also very competitive. Standard non-connected keypad deadbolts from Schlage or Kwikset cost about $100, you have to program them manually, and they don’t have a fingerprint reader option, which is the easiest and fastest way to unlock the door.
