Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro from U-tec ($ 219.99) is one of the most versatile smart locks to reach PC Labs. As with most models, it uses a mobile application that allows you to lock and unlock the door from anywhere with your phone, and has a keyboard that allows you to use permanent, time-based temporary pin codes. It also has a fingerprint scanner as well as a key cylinder hidden behind the keyboard. As if that weren't enough, U-Bolt Pro can be locked using voice commands and is one of the first smart locks we've tested and that can be unlocked using voice commands. Support third-party smart devices and you will receive our new choice of smart lock publishers.
Design and features
The U-Bolt Pro I tested is a complete set that comes with interior and exterior shields, a lock assembly, mounting screws, 4 AA batteries, a screwdriver, a drill template, and a Wi-Fi plug-in. in the. You can also order without the Wi-Fi Bridge for $ 189.99. The lock fits standard doors with a thickness of 1-5 / 16 to 2.0 inches and a hole with a diameter of 2-1 / 8 inches with a back of 2-3 / 8 2-3 mm.
The black and silver exterior escutcheon measures 2.9 by 2.9 by 1.2 inches (HWD) and is made of a zinc alloy material. It has a 360-degree capacitive fingerprint scanner in the center, with an LED ring that illuminates briefly when the device is locked or unlocked and glows red when an incorrect pin or imprint is used. Around the scanner are 10 backlit numeric buttons (0-9) for entering pin codes and an Ultraloq button that will lock the door from the outside and illuminate the keyboard. One of the strongest features is the hidden key, which is accessed by pulling the keyboard out and folding down on the hinge. On the lower edge of the escutcheon, behind a rubber cover, is a micro USB port that can be used to power the lock with an external power supply in the event of a dead battery.
The interior escutcheon also has a black-silver color scheme and measures 4.9 by 2.9 by 0.9 inches. It has a rotary knob for manual operation and a removable cover for the four AA batteries that power the lock. On the bottom edge is located a reset button.
The U-bolt Pro is equipped with a Bluetooth radio, but lacks a built-in Wi-Fi radio. Instead, it comes with a small 2.4GHz Wi-Fi bridge plug-in, which connects the lock to your home network and lets you control it from anywhere. It also allows you to lock and unlock it using Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands and use IFTTT applets to work with third-party smart devices such as lights and security cameras. That said, it doesn't support Apple's HomeKit platform.
Other features include Auto Lock, which locks the door after a preset time, Auto Unlock, which uses the phone's locator services to unlock the door as you approach it, and Magic Shake, which unlocks the door when you shake the phone. as he stood in front of the outer shield. In addition, you can create permanent pin codes and temporary PIN codes with start and end dates and you can configure them for certain times of the day and days of the week. You can also give temporary users scheduled access to your fingerprint and mobile app.
The U-tec mobile app (for Android and iOS) opens on a screen that lists all the installed U-tec jams. Touch a lock tab to open a screen with a large lock / unlock button that shows the current time and lock status. The button is green when the door is unlocked and red when locked.
At the bottom of the screen are the Lock, Users, Logs and Settings buttons. The Lock button takes you back to the screen with the lock / unlock button, and the Users button takes you to a screen where you can add users and give them permanent, temporary, access and PIN code. The Logs screen displays a timeline of the entire lock activity and shows you who locked or unlocked the door and how (application, fingerprint, voice or manual). In the Settings screen you can check the battery level, enable notifications, beep, activate a lock mode that disables fingerprints and access to applications, update the firmware, and enable / disable Auto-Lock, Auto-Unlock and Magic Shake.
Installation and performance
Installing the U-Bolt Pro is easy. I removed my old lock assembly and installed the new deadlock on the door. Next, I slid the outer shield into the 2-1 / 8-inch hole on the outside of the door and attached it to the door using the mounting plate and screws. After the data cable was removed from the outer shield through the mounting plate, I attached it to the inner scooter and fastened the inner shield to the mounting plate with the supplied screws. Once we introduced the four AA batteries, the lock performed an automatic teaching procedure that tells it when it is locked or unlocked and proceeded to install the application.
After installing the mobile app I created an account, checked my email address, and selected U-Bolt Pro from the list on the Add Device screen. I reached Ultraloq Scan and the lock was immediately recognized. I created an administration code, gave the lock a name, selected a lock direction (left or right), and the lock was added to my account. Back to the Add Device screen I selected the Bridge, connected the bridge to a 10-meter power outlet, and reached Add Bridge. It was immediately recognized so I reached the bridge tab, selected my home SSID, entered the Wi-Fi password and associated the lock to the bridge to complete the installation.
U-Bolt Pro had good test results. The scanner has never been able to recognize a recorded fingerprint and responded as soon as a fingerprint was scanned. It also responded quickly to pin code registrations and application commands to lock and unlock the door, and it followed my temporary pin code and fingerprint programs. Alexa voice commands to lock and unlock the door worked perfectly, as did an IFTTT applet to lock U-Bolt Pro when an Arlo Pro 3 camera detected movement.
Magic Shake, while a neat feature, requires the application to be open for it to work, which overcomes the reason it has it. If you are in front of the lock, with the application open, you may as well press the unlock button and you're done with it, instead of sitting there waving your phone. I managed to unlock the door using Magic Shake, but occasionally it took five seconds to unlock. However, this feature is still in beta and when completion will work in the background.
conclusions
We've reviewed dozens of smart locks and haven't found one that does everything, but the Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro is getting pretty close. This versatile lock has a fingerprint scanner, a keyboard, a unique hidden key and a Bluetooth radio that lets you control it with your phone. It also comes with a Wi-Fi bridge for remote access, can be locked and unlocked using your voice, and uses your phone's location services to automatically unlock when you approach it. As with most smart locks, you can create temporary, time-based pin codes and fingerprint profiles, and track who locked and unlocked the door. The only thing U-Bolt Pro doesn't do is support Apple HomeKit, and if it's a deal breaker, we recommend $ 279 August Smart Lock Pro + Connect. For everyone else, U-Bolt Pro is the choice of our publishers.
