Is installing a keyless deadbolt lock worth the money?

Pros and cons of skipping traditional keys for battery-operated, fingerprint-optional entry

Jun 21, 2024

This is an example of a keyless entry lock. Featured: samtechT store keyless-entry keypad fingerprint smart lock (silver)

Umbrellas and keys. Those are two objects I was notorious for losing throughout my entire childhood up until my 20s. (Let’s be real. The only reason I stopped losing so many umbrellas is because I work from home and have less opportunities to leave them on a Chicago el or a Metra floor.)

The key situation was especially problematic because I was a latchkey kid. So guess who was going to let me into my home if I lost my keys? There were a couple of days where I just sat on my front porch, hanging out with my neighborhood friends until my older brother came home. One time, I left my purse, keys and umbrella on a CTA el. It’s an ongoing joke in my family that I took the childhood nursery rhyme about “Hansel and Gretel” way too seriously.

I’m the woman who has definitely left something behind in the early stages of dating a guy — not because I’m territorial; I just have a habit of sitting things down and getting distracted by the next shiny object. Owning a car for 15 years significantly helped cease this habit. It’s kinda hard to leave a 2,700 pound piece of property behind — until I dropped my house and car keys in an alley while walking my dog.

I retraced my entire walk and still couldn’t find them. While moping and walking in an alley (with an oblivious dog who enjoyed the extra steps), I happened to glance by a garbage can and there were all of my keys that apparently fell off my bag hook. And I was 40 at the time.

One of the worst times I lost a set of keys was while walking someone else’s dog in the middle of a very snowy winter day. I have no idea where the key landed. I returned to the dog’s home and realized I had my keys but not their keys, the latter of which I thought I slid in my coat pocket. Even worse, the dog owners were out for date night and didn’t answer the phone so I could ask for their keyless lock code.

ADVERTISEMENT ~ InVideo

Did you like the video above? Would you like to create your own artificial intelligence video FOR FREE? Click the banner below. Or, click here for more details on paid subscriptions!

After making one more lap and failing to find the keys in two to three inches of snow, I finally gave in, guided the dog into my car and took it to my own home while I waited for the owners to answer my messages. While they had a keyless lock, their access instructions were only to get in the home using an actual key. I still got a five-star review after apologizing profusely, and them seeing their dog was unphased by this random house visit, but that was the day I 100% appreciated keyless entry.

Recommended Read: “The scariest moment for a dog walker ~ Shamontiel's Halloween-themed stories for 2023: What happened when she lost the keys to the pet owner's door?”

Photo credit: Leticia S. Costa/Wikimedia Commons

Pros of a keyless deadbolt lock on your door

Access to the home if physical keys are lost or damaged
Backup home access for unexpected guests
Convenient for pet owners during coming-home-late workdays when the dog needs to be walked and a loved one needs to get inside to do so
Safer than storing physical keys under BBQ grills (ex. magnetic locks), welcome mats, porch tables, flower pots, etc.
Option to create a “guest” code, which keeps track of who has entered and exited the home
Opportunity to stop carrying around the extra weight of keys, especially if every door has a different key entry (ex. garage key, front door key, back door key, basement key)
Skip paying for copies of every individual house key for loved ones who need spare keys
Option for the homeowner to use physical keys if the electronic version fails or needs a battery replacement
Key hack: Hide a spare key with a prescription bottle and a rock (refer to DIY Creators below or skip to 3:11 mark)

Of course, with all those pros, there are some cons. One of the main ones is either having to pay a locksmith to install the keyless lock. Or, find a good do-it-yourself video from someone who can show you how to install the lock on your own.

Cons of a keyless deadbolt lock on your door

Initial installation may be pricier
Follow-up repairs may be pricier than fixing a key stuck in the lock
Batteries may die before you can replace them (depending on how often the low battery alerts go off)
Hacking is always a possibility with any smart appliance
Risk of a family member or friend sharing the lock with someone else
For landlords, risk of an unwanted tenant returning and changing the code
Risk of accidental break-ins if a stranger overhears the keyless code
Must be aware of code change if a contractor is given a temporary code

As with any smart appliance or any home upgrade, for every pro, there is a con. It’s up to you to decide whether it’s worth it. Should you decide to install a keyless lock, consider using it on a door with less traffic to see if you like it first. If the keyless deadbolt entry is a hit there, then you may want to start adding and replacing as needed.

Keyless lock recommendations:

(Note: I have used multiple keyless locks, primarily for pet owners. However, I have NOT tried these locks listed below. These are eight highly rated locks found on Amazon that caught my attention. As an Amazon Associate, and if you use my referral links, I earn a percentage from qualifying purchases of the recommended items below.)

Did you enjoy this post? You’re also welcome to check out my Substack columns “Black Girl In a Doggone World,” “BlackTechLogy,” “Homegrown Tales,” “I Do See Color,” “One Black Woman’s Vote” and “Window Shopping” too. Subscribe to this newsletter for the monthly posts on the third Friday.

If you’re not ready to subscribe but want to support my writing, you’re welcome to tip me for this post! I’ll buy a dark hot chocolate on you. Thanks for reading!

Homegrown Tales