We tested Danalock V3, the smart lock compatible with HomeKit

Home automation continues to invade our home in an unstoppable way, and when not long ago some already foresaw that in time we would open the doors of the house with our smartphone, few imagined that this would be available to anyone so soon. It is already a fact that we can do it and we have tried the first HomeKit compatible smart lock that we can use in Europe.

Danalock V3 is the model that we already have available and that you can install yourself in the lock at home. Integrated into the Apple platform with all the possibilities that HomeKit offers us, we show you how it is installed and how it works. Opening the door of the house with your voice or your watch is now possible.

Installation kit

In order to install the smart lock on your door, you need to purchase the complete kit consisting of the Danalock smart lock and the cylinder that turns your conventional lock into a Danalock compatible lock. You can buy the elements separately, there are even compatible high security cylinders, but the most economically interesting thing is to buy them together.

The Complete Kit consists of the Danalock smart lock, the cylinder and several adapters that serve to make the cylinder the necessary length so that everything works perfectly. There are many types of door, so it is important that you know that you will not have any type of problem since everything is included. In the video you can see how these adapters are used in the assembly process. It is not difficult, and you can always go to the Danalock website to see how-to videos. Anyone with two hands can do it and the procedure takes just 5 minutes.

A question that many have asked me when I told them about the lock was how it could be opened without running out of batteries or locking. Of course the lock also works like a conventional lock with its key, and if you are inside the house you can open it using its manual mechanism. Its security is very high, and in addition to the fact that you can buy compatible security cylinders, the Danalock system has 256 AES encryption so security is not a problem. By the way, since we have discussed that batteries can be used up ... don't think that they will do it in a month, since the brand assures autonomy of more than two years even opening the lock 10 times a day.

The matter of the keys is important. Danalock has two types of cylinders, its own, which include 5 keys and you cannot get any more copies (you should order another cylinder), and others from the Gerda brand (which is the one I have). These keys cannot be copied anywhere, you can only order copies from the manufacturer itself (orders@igerda.com) at a price of € 15 the copy and € 5 shipping cost. To order the copies you will need the code that is included in the lock card.

Configuration and operation

Once the installation is finished we will have our lock ready to work. First we will have to calibrate the lock so that it knows what route to do when we want to open or close. The lock is capable of opening any door, even those that in addition to the lock have a slide, and you can decide if you want me to open it completely or just open the closure and then you open the slide. It all depends on how you calibrate the lock, something that you can change at any time.

The lock works through your app or through the iOS Home app, WATCH (and macOS from September). The connection to our devices is made through Bluetooth. Danalock's application is quite rudimentary, and also does not allow remote access, so once the lock is configured and included in my HomeKit devices, the reality is that I have not used your application again. Yes, you should use it when there is a firmware update for the lock.

HomeKit opens up a world of possibilities

It is what makes this lock much more interesting than the ones you can get in hardware stores. The integration with the Apple platform, in addition to guaranteeing the security of the system and the perfect integration with all your Apple devices, will give you remote access, possibility of giving access to other users that you authorize, notifications every time the lock is opened or closed and a long etcetera. You can check the battery level, something important when working with 123V CR3A batteries, very common in cameras.

We cannot forget the most interesting: automations. You can configure your lock to open and close at certain times, without having to worry about closing it when you go to bed. You can also configure that when nobody is at home the lock closes automatically, or when opening it after a certain time the corridor light turns on. These are just some examples of the possibilities offered by the Apple platform and this Danalock lock.

Of course we can use our Apple Watch to open it, we can even use Siri to do it. In order for the Apple assistant to open the lock, it will be necessary for the iPhone to be unlocked, otherwise, it will not be able to open the door. And with the HomePod something similar happens: you can close but not open. Apple's speaker doesn't have voice recognition, so anyone could ask to open the door from the street. To solve it, Apple has taken the shortest route: with the HomePod you can close but not open.

Editor's opinion

By design and performance, the Danalock lock is superior to any other similar lock that we can find on the market. Its great strength is the integration with the Apple platform, HomeKit, which gives it a huge amount of possibilities in terms of use with Apple devices as well as automations that can be configured. Its installation process is quite simple if the manufacturer's instructions are followed, and it is not necessary to resort to any professional to do it. Its only point for improvement is the iOS application, something completely irrelevant considering that it is handled perfectly from the Home app on our devices. The complete kit that includes the lock and cylinder is priced at € 248 on Amazon (link). It is also available in the online Apple Store (link) and on Danalock's own website (link)