This is the best smart lock for iPhone users and it doesn’t even look like one

Why this deal is ZDNET-recommended:

• The Level Lock+ is available for $329. 
• The Level Lock+ supports Apple Home Key, NFC, and physical keys and can be locked with a touch.
• The Level Lock+ doesn’t have a keypad; one must be purchased separately. The Apple Home app can be slow to connect to devices.

I’ve had the fortune of testing several smart lock brands and models and, through all the ups and downs of that process, have finally found the one for me. The Level Lock+

What lies within the Level Lock+?

The Level Lock+ is an impressive piece of engineering, given its small size. Many consumer-grade, smart home locks are bulky and imposing, while the Level Lock condenses its entire apparatus, including its CR2 battery, into the cam slot mechanism of your door’s borehole.

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Still, installing locks is not always a one-size-fits-all experience. The Level Lock+ wasn’t the easiest smart lock I’ve ever installed. I had a few issues making sure the deadbolt assembly was aligned correctly and with the Level Lock’s thick strike plate after removing my existing lock, and I had to chisel out a few extra millimeters in my door and door frame to get the right fit. After installing the new smart lock and adding the included battery, setting up the Level Home app was a breeze. 

The Level Lock+ uses Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to connect to your phone and comes in three finishes: Satin Nickel, Matte Black, and Polished Brass. It also includes two physical keys and key cards, just in case your phone dies. The latter must be set up in the Level Home app and use NFC technology so anyone using a key card can hold it up to the smart lock and wait for it to unlock.

What is Apple Home Key?

Home Key allows iPhone users to unlock their door using near-field communication (NFC) technology, so simply holding your iPhone or Apple Watch up to your Level Lock+ will unlock it; no passcode, physical key, or touching is required. This is much like using Apple Pay, as your virtual house key is saved in your Wallet, like your debit and credit cards, government IDs in some states, loyalty cards, and, if Apple has its way, eventually your car key.  

After adding your Home Key-supported smart lock to HomeKit, you can choose from two options: Express mode to unlock the door without unlocking your device or Require Face ID or Passcode, which have you to unlock your iPhone to undo your lock after holding it close to it. 

Apple Home Key works with iPhone XS or newer (iOS 15 or later) and the Apple Watch Series 4 or newer (WatchOS 8 or later).

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Express mode has been my favorite of the unlock features Apple Home Key supports. I don’t always like having my door automatically unlock when I arrive home because I don’t always go through my front door when I get home — most of the time, I come in through the garage. 

Having the option of quickly unlocking my front door using my Apple Watch, without entering a code or using a key, has been superb, especially when my hands are full of grocery bags or kids’ backpacks.

After installing the Level Lock+, you can use it either with the Level app or your Apple Home app. I’ve enjoyed how intuitive the Level app is to navigate and found the Home app to be slower to refresh and discover devices (in general, not just with this smart lock), so I mostly use the former.

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Like most smart locks, you can set up and customize different auto lock and auto unlock features, Apple Home automations, and different settings for manually locking and unlocking the Level Lock. Because there is no keypad to unlock the door, the Level Lock features touch-to-unlock or lock settings. Once you customize and enable these in the Level app, you can touch the front of the door lock to either lock it or unlock it in just a few seconds.