There are plenty of smart home kit to ramp up your home security, and smart locks are ideal for making sure your gaff’s main entry point is safe. But there are few options that actually look good or would give you the option to match your home’s aesthetic. But Yale’s new Linus Smart Lock L2 is finally one I’d actually consider putting on my own front door.
The Linus L2 comes with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, which means no more faffing about with extra bridges or hubs. Just install it, connect via the Yale Home app, and enjoy smugly watching your door auto-unlock as you approach with your phone. It also supports geofencing, so if you’ve ever wanted your house to treat you like royalty upon arrival – this is your moment.
Integration is kitted out, with support for Alexa, Google Assistant, SmartThings, Philips Hue, and even Matter. There’s also the new Yale Dot tech, which lets you tap your phone on a small sensor to unlock the door. It’s got all the expected security bells and whistles too: two-factor authentication, 128-bit AES encryption, and support for physical keys. There’s also a rechargeable battery pack that runs for up to six months. It can be installed in a way that it can be removed, so this smart lock is renter-friendly.
There’s also a new Yale Smart Fingerprint Keypad, for those who prefer to use biometrics. It stores up to 10 fingerprints and lets you set PIN codes for friends, family, or that one neighbour you only half-trust. The keypad glows in the dark, locks with a single touch, and can even send a little digital “ding dong” to your phone or smart speaker when someone uses it.
This smart lock set-up is actually suitable for actual UK doors, thanks to two rather clever Yale accessories. The Linus L2 Backplate Handle is made for those “lift-to-lock” doors that usually make smart lock installation a pain. And then there’s the Pull Escutcheon for handleless auto-engage setups. Both come in silver and matte black, because heaven forbid your door hardware clash.
The Linus Smart Lock L2 is available now for £220 from Yale Home or Amazon. The Backplate Handle will set you back £40, and the Pull Escutcheon costs £25. The Yale Smart Fingerprint Keypad is also out now, priced at £110. US availability hasn’t been confirmed yet, but we’ll let you know if there’s any change to this.