Our favorite smart lock is on sale for the first time today
Brandt Ranj is a commerce reporter for The Verge writing about the best deals and gadgets. He previously wrote for Business Insider, Rolling Stone, Futurism, and Popular Science.
Setting up a smart home security system is important, even if you never want to think about having to use it. Thankfully, Kwikset’s Halo Select — the best smart lock we’ve ever tested — is currently down to $259 ($20 off) at Amazon, Lowe’s, and The Home Depot, marking the first time the lock has been on sale since its launch late last year.
In her review, Verge reviewer Jennifer Pattison Tuohy praised the Halo Select for supporting four entry methods: a physical key, Kwikset’s app, a location-based auto-unlock feature, and a pin code. The lock was also easy to install thanks to the detailed instructions Kwikset provided, along with its intuitive mobile app. Out of the box, the Halo Select works with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Kwikset’s app via the cloud. If you have a Matter controller and Thread border router — such as a current-gen Apple TV, a recent Echo speaker, or an Eero router — you can connect to those platforms locally, and gain the ability to control the lock using Apple Home or Samsung SmartThings.
In our tests, using the Halo Select over Matter significantly improved its battery life. However, using the Halo Select via Matter meant giving up its auto-unlock feature, which worked reliably. Having your door unlock itself as you’re walking up to it is very convenient, but Matter doesn’t currently support auto-unlock, door sensing, fingerprint access, or facial recognition. The auto-unlock feature also requires you to have Kwikset’s app open on your phone in the background. Still, if you want a futureproof smart lock that can do almost everything (even if you have to make a tough choice about which features to prioritize), it’s our top pick.
Three more great deals
- If you need a basic tablet for streaming TV shows and reading books, Amazon’s latest Fire HD 10 is a great choice, one you can pick up for $89.99 ($50 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target. It has a 10.1-inch 1080p display, 32GB of storage (which you can expand with a microSD card), and an eight-core processor. The tablet is compatible with the Made for Amazon Stylus Pen and Made for Amazon Bluetooth Keyboard Case, too, if you’d like to use it for sketching or long-form writing projects.
- Using the wrong gaming mouse can put you at a disadvantage when playing fast-paced online games where every millisecond counts. Luckily, Razer’s DeathAdder V3 Pro is down to $84.99 ($65 off) at Amazon and Best Buy, matching its Prime Day price. Razer says the optical mouse can be clicked up to 90 million times, lasts up to 90 hours per charge, and has been designed ergonomically to reduce hand fatigue. The wireless mouse features eight programmable buttons and a 30K optical sensor, which allows you to use it on most surfaces — including glass — without a reduction in tracking accuracy. You can also connect the V3 Pro to your PC wirelessly via a 2.4Ghz USB dongle (included) or with a USB-C cable.
- The Sonos Era 300, my go-to smart speaker, is on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart for $359 ($90 off), which matches its all-time low. It’s one of the few that can convincingly play Dolby Atmos surround sound music with perceptible depth (provided it’s mixed properly). The wireless speaker sounds great whether it’s connected to your devices via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, and you can hook it up to a wired source (including a turntable) using an optional $19 dongle. You can also pair two together for better stereo and Dolby Atmos separation, or use them as rear channels with a Sonos soundbar for a more effective home theater system. Read our review.
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