What are the best smart locks in 2026?

Schlage Encode Plus tops for Apple users—rock-solid, Home Key magic. Yale Assure Lock 2 crushes rentals with modularity. Aqara U100 steals value show.

Does Schlage Encode Plus work offline?

Yes—local Matter keeps basics running sans internet. No cloud lockout.

Are smart locks secure as traditional deadbolts?

Grade 1 models like Schlage/Yale match or beat 'em, plus remote monitoring trumps blind keys.

🚀 New Releases

I Ditched Every Key in My House for Smart Locks—Six Months of Chaos and Magic

Keys? Ancient history. I swapped every door lock for smart ones, braved the rain, outages, and glitches—here's the unfiltered truth from a true believer in tomorrow's connected homes.

theAIcatchup Apr 08, 2026 3 min read

Row of smart locks installed on wooden house doors under rainy sky

⚡ Key Takeaways

Schlage Encode Plus: Unbeatable for Apple homes, 8-month battery, Matter-ready. 𝕏
Avoid August: Cloud dependency and flaky Wi-Fi kill the dream. 𝕏
Matter changes everything—local control via Home Assistant is now standard. 𝕏

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theAIcatchup

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#Matter smart home #Schlage Encode Plus #Yale Assure Lock 2 #smart locks

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Originally reported by dev.to

⚡ Key Takeaways

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