Editors’ Note, August 10, 2010: The Internet of Things security team at Bitdefender recently discovered a vulnerability in the August Smart Lock Pro + Connect that can allow determined hackers to gain access to your Wi-Fi network. August says it is aware of the vulnerability and is working on a solution. We’ll update this review when a fix is released. Until then, we recommend you consider one of our other highly rated smart locks instead. Our original review from November 1, 2017 is below.

The Smart Lock Pro + Connect ($279) is the latest offering from the folks at August Home, and as with the original August Smart Lock and HomeKit Enabled models, it’s a winner. This third-generation smart lock offers all the bells and whistles you get with the HomeKit model, and adds a few new features, including August’s DoorSense technology, Z-Wave compatibility, and Wi-Fi connectivity. It’s easy to install and can be controlled remotely or with Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri voice commands, and it retains the sleek aesthetics of its siblings. It’s pricey, but it’s the best smart lock we’ve tested, and our Editors’ Choice.

Design and Features

The Smart Lock Pro looks identical to the Smart Lock HomeKit Enabled. It uses an anodized aluminum shell that comes in silver or dark gray and has a hockey puck shape that’s 3.2 inches in diameter and 2.2 inches deep. The outer edge of the lock is textured and a smallish ring of LEDs glows green when the door is being unlocked and red when it is being locked. Inside are four AA batteries, a Bluetooth radio, and a Z-Wave radio that lets you control the lock using a home automation hub such as the Wink 2 or Samsung SmartThings Hub.

Included in the box are the lock, a mounting plate, a door sensor, an August Connect Wi-Fi bridge, and three tailpiece adapters. The sensor measures 1.2 by 0.5 by 0.5 inches (HWD) and is installed on the doorframe close to the lock. It uses August’s DoorSense technology to tell you if the door is open, closed, or left ajar. The Connect bridge (available on its own for $79) measures 2.2 by 2.2 by 1.2 inches and plugs directly into a wall outlet close to the lock. It connects the lock to your wireless network.

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The Smart Lock Pro offers all of the same features that you get with the HomeKit Enabled lock, including HomeKit, IFTTT (If This Then That), and geofencing support. It also works with other August devices as well as Nest cameras, Honeywell thermostats, and Logitech’s Harmony remote. With HomeKit you can control the lock using Siri voice commands and create Scenes to have it work with other HomeKit-enabled devices, while IFTTT lets you create applets to have the lock react to triggers from other IFTTT-compatible smart home gadgets such as lights, thermostats, and garage door openers. You can turn the lock by hand to manually lock and unlock the door, or you can use Alexa or Google voice commands.

The Smart Lock Pro uses the same well-designed August Home app as its predecessors. On the Keychain screen, tap the home icon where the lock is installed (the app lets you manage multiple locks in multiple locations). To manage the lock while away from your house, tap the Remote Connect icon in the upper right corner. Selecting the lock you want to manage takes you to a screen with a large circular icon that represents the lock; if the circle is solid red, that means the lock is engaged (locked) and the door is fully closed. If the red circle is broken into six parts, it indicates the lock is engaged but the door is open. A broken amber circle means that the lock is unengaged (unlocked) and the door is open, and a green circle means the lock is unengaged and the door is fully closed. Simply tap the circle to lock and unlock the door.

At the bottom of the screen is a camera icon that will supply a live feed if you have the August Doorbell Cam installed, and next to that is an Activity icon that displays a timeline of all lock events including manual and app-controlled locking and unlocking, and door openings and closings. If the lock is accessed using the app it will show you who locked or unlocked the door, and when.

The Person icon opens the Guest List page where you can see who you have given access to and what level of access they have. To add users, tap Invite to send an invitation to a mobile number or to an email address. You can grant full-time permanent access, recurring access for specific dates and times, or temporary access with specific start and end dates.

The gear icon takes you to a Settings screen where you can enable features such as Auto-Lock, which will lock the door instantly or on a timer. You can set the timer for 30 seconds up to 30 minutes. The Auto-Unlock feature uses your phone’s location services (geofencing) to tell the lock that you are home. As you arrive at your door the phone sends a message to the lock via Bluetooth to unlock the door.

Other settings include DoorSense Door Ajar Timing, which allows you to set the amount of time needed to trigger an open door notification, Z-Wave, where you can pair the lock to a Z-Wave hub, and HomeKit Settings, where you can choose a Home, add the lock to a Room, and give it a Siri name. There’s also a Calibrate setting you can use to calibrate the lock and DoorSense sensor if necessary, and Smart Alerts, which are part of August’s new Active Monitoring Service, which was in beta while we were testing the lock. Smart Alerts let you receive notifications when a door is left ajar, when the door is Auto-Locked, when the door is locked or unlocked by a specific user, and when the door is locked or unlocked manually. As mentioned above, these events also appear in the Activity list.

Installation

As with the August Smart Lock HomeKit Enabled, the Pro uses most of your existing lock hardware and is fairly easy to install. I already had the mobile app from previous reviews. To get started, I tapped Set Up A New Device, then August Smart Lock, and selected the Smart Lock Pro from the list. The next screen gives you a choice of viewing installation instructions or skipping them. I opted to follow the instructions and hit the Start button, which launched a detailed tutorial on how to install the lock.

I followed the instructions to remove the interior escutcheon of my old lock, leaving the outer cylinder, deadbolt, and strike assembly intact. I inserted the screws from the old lock into the August mounting plate and attached the plate to the door and outer cylinder. Next, I selected the proper tailpiece adapter, slid it onto the tailpiece, and opened the wing latches on the August lock. I attached the lock to the plate, fastened the wing latches, and removed the top cover of the lock. I pulled the plastic battery tab to supply power to the lock and the LED indicator began flashing green. I replaced the cover and was ready to install the DoorSense sensor.

The sensor can be installed on the surface of the door, which is relatively easy to do, or in a flush mount on the door frame, which is more involved and requires drilling. I opted for the surface mount and followed the instructions to use the included double-back tape to attach the sensor to the door frame and secure it with the two wood screws. I popped the cover on and was ready to connect the lock.

I clicked Connect Your Smart Lock and waited around 15 seconds for the app to recognize the lock. I gave the lock a name and selected John’s House, which was there from previous installations. (If this is your first August device you’ll be asked to name your house.) The lock was instantly added to my house and I followed the instructions to calibrate it and the sensor, and enabled HomeKit by scanning the accessory code on the inside of the lock cover. Finally, I selected Add Connect to set up the Connect Wi-Fi bridge. I plugged the bridge into an outlet close to the door, pressed and held the button on the face of the Connect for five seconds until the green light began blinking slowly, and waited a few seconds for the app to find the bridge. After I chose my Wi-Fi’s SSID the Connect was added to my network and as an accessory in the app.

Performance

As with earlier August Smart Locks, the Smart Lock Pro performed flawlessly in all of my local and Wi-Fi tests. It reacted quickly to lock and unlock command using the app, and always generated a notification when the door was locked, unlocked, closed, or left open. I also received notifications when I left the geofencing perimeter and used the Auto-Unlock feature upon returning. Both Auto-Lock and Auto-Unlock worked wonderfully.

Alexa and Siri voice commands to lock and unlock the door worked perfectly, as did my IFTTT applet to turn on a Belkin Wemo Mini switch when the door was unlocked. I added the Smart Lock Pro to a HomeKit scene to turn my porch light on and lock the door, and it too worked without issue, and I had no trouble locking and unlocking the door using the Home app.

Conclusions

There’s a lot to like about the August Smart Lock Pro + Connect. Not only is it attractive and easy to install, it’s loaded with features that let you control it in a number of ways, all of which are easily accessible via the thoughtfully designed mobile app. It offers the same Auto-Lock and Auto-Unlock features as the earlier models, lets you grant full and restricted access to other users, and lets you know who has opened the door, and when. The Pro supports Apple’s HomeKit platform and has its own IFTTT channel which allows it to work with other IFTTT devices and services, and it works with Alexa, Siri, and Google voice commands as well as numerous other smart devices. It’s a great addition to your smart home security system.

The addition of a Z-Wave radio and the August Connect bridge makes this the most flexible lock we’ve tested, and you’ll never have to wonder if the door is fully closed or not thanks to August’s DoorSense technology. Granted, at $279 it’s one of the most expensive smart locks out there, but its best-in-class features and versatility make it a shoo-in as our Editors’ Choice.