So after that whole UPS voice demon fiasco, you might wonder – is this dumb lock actually secure? Cause honestly, Brian was bragging how his uncle’s LS-S61 stopped a “sophisticated hack” (plot twist: uncle forgot his coffee mug inside). My expectations? Low. But lemme tell ya… weirdly, this thing kinda slaps for peace of mind. Mostly. If you ignore the wildlife incidents.
First: Feels Sturdy. Like, really solid. After installation drama (still have nightmares about dropped springs), I accidentally shoulder-checked the door hard carrying a ladder. Old lock would’ve rattled like my granddad’s dentures. This? Barely flinched. Even kicked it once testing (don’t tell Brian!) – deadbolt held firm. Feels like chunky metal. Probably *SSDD metal* or whatever. Feels good.
Access Control? Actually Nailed It:
- Fingerprint: My sweaty post-gym thumb? Works 9/10 times. Wife? Perfect. Kids? Flawless. Intruder? Nope. Unless they chop my thumb off… which feels unlikely for my cat food delivery.
- Guest Codes: Lifesaver. Dog walker? Permanent code. Plumber? Temporary one expires Friday. No keys floating around. No hiding them under the creepy gnome (everyone checks there!).
- App Lock/Unlock: Best anti-paranoia tool. Did I lock it leaving for Vegas? Pull out phone at airport: YEP. Bliss. No frantic calls to neighbors. Also saw the meter reader snooping near my hydrangeas. Gave him a little app “BEEP-BOOP!” alarm sound scare. He jumped. Fun.
Actual Security Features (That Kinda Work):
- That Temper Alarm: Not “temper” like my mood, but TAMPER. If someone tries prying or messing with the lock? This airhorn-from-hell blares inside and outside. Triggered it once trying to remove a sticker. My ears rang. Neighbors peered out. Mrs. Henderson called. BUT – the raccoon trying to steal our trash last week? *Absolute gold.* Little bandit stood frozen on the porch, paws over ears, looking genuinely offended before bolting. Stopped the attempted raid! 10/10 wildlife deterrent. (Human thief? They’d probably just panic and run).
- Auto-Lock: Can set it to lock after 30 seconds. Great! Unless you pop outside for mail barefoot and the door slams shut behind you in January. Ask Brian. (He laughed. Jerk). Learned to keep the back door unlocked now when grabbing packages. Minor trade-off.
- Activity Log: This one’s low-key awesome. App shows every unlock: Fingerprint, code, app, time-stamped. Saw the cleaner came at 11:03 AM? Check. Kid got home from school? See it. Mysterious 3 AM unlock attempt? OH HELL NO. Turns out… it was a low-battery ghost signal. Freaked me out anyway. Changed passwords just in case.
Potential Weaknesses? (Brian Shut Up):
- Wi-Fi Vulnerability? Okay, Brian went on about some “cloud exploit”. But honestly? Hackers gonna hack. If some pro wants my house, they’re smashing a window, not hacking my lock’s firmware update path. The physical lock is solid steel. Smash-proof > hack-proof for my neighborhood, honestly. Plus, constant software updates? Annoying pop-ups, but fixes stuff.
- Batteries: Like anything else. Let it get super low? Could glitch. Got that “CRITICAL BATTERY” alert… AFTER it started acting weird. App notification was tiny. Fixed it fast, but stress city. Lesson: Replace AAs BEFORE they scream at 3 AM with a ghost unlock log entry.
- Brian: Technically a security risk. He knows all the codes. And uses ‘password123’ for everything. Sigh.
The Verdict? Surprisingly Thief-Proof (Raccoon-Panic Guaranteed):
Is it Fort Knox? Nah. A determined pro with a chainsaw? Still getting in. But against the average sketchy opportunist? Heck yeah. Physical bulk, smart access controls, tamper air-raids, and the sheer visibility of it all (plus checking your phone anywhere)? Honestly, it layers security better than anything before it for me. Way better than my key-under-the-gnome days. The alerts and logs create real deterrence. Plus… it stopped a raccoon! Worth the weird voice chat demon features alone. For real-world, practical home security that’s easier than remembering keys? Yeah, the LS-S61 absolutely earns its hype as one of the most reliable, feature-packed, and (raccoon-proven) effective top rated smart locks out there right now. My paranoia levels? Significantly lower. My raccoon grudge? Deepening daily. Totally worth it.