Level makes some of our current favorite smart locks, in both the retrofit and full-replacement categories. Their appeal lies in their attractive design, and they look nothing like the bulky smart locks the competition has to offer. You literally can’t tell them apart from conventional deadbolts.
The one drawback to not having a numeric keypad on the lock, however, is that you must have either a physical key, your phone, an Apple Watch (and an Apple HomeKit hub to go with it), or—with the Level Lock Touch Edition—a special key card. That changes today with the introduction of the Level Keypad.
This review is part of TechHive’s coverage of the best smart locks, where you’ll find reviews of the competition’s offerings, plus a buyer’s guide to the features you should consider when shopping for this type of product.
The LED-backlit Level Keypad communicates with any Level smart lock over Bluetooth and can be mounted anywhere within 30 feet of the lock. Powered by two AAA batteries, the device features a waterproof enclosure, so it can withstand exposure to the elements. Homeowners can create as many as 50 four- to six-digit codes that can be shared with family members, friends, visitors, maintenance workers and the like.
The Level Keypad communicates with a Level smart lock over Bluetooth and can be installed anywhere within 30 feet of the lock it’s paired with.
Level
The codes can be restricted to specified time windows and days of the week. They can also be set to automatically expire after a defined period, making them just the ticket for vacation rentals. The homeowner can use the Level app (for Android and iOS) to share these codes via iMessage, SMS text, email, and other messaging platforms. Each code can be assigned to a person and given a name or nickname. The app will create log entries each time a code is used, so the homeowner knows who is accessing the home and when.
The Level Keypad is available to order now for $79 by itself or $59 when purchased with a Level Bolt, Level Lock, Level Lock: Touch Edition, or Level Expressions lock and entry-handle combos. You can click on the following links to see our Level Bolt retrofit lock review, Level Lock review, and Level Lock Touch Edition review.
Corrected shortly after publication to restate the Level Keypad’s battery requirements: The device uses two AAA batteries, not two AA batteries as we originally reported.
Author: Michael Brown, Executive Editor, TechHive
Michael is TechHive's lead editor, with 30+ years of experience covering smart homes, home networking, and home audio/home theater. He holds a BA in Multimedia Journalism, authored the book Desktop Video Production, and was awarded Best Online Review by the Computer Press Association. Michael built a smart home in 2007 and used it as a real-world product-testing lab. Now living in the Pacific Northwest, he is converting his 1890 Victorian bungalow into a modern smart home. Michael has worked at CNET, PCWorld, Electronic Musician, and Maximum PC. As a freelancer, he contributed to New Media, Camcorder, MacWeek, and more.