PINEWORLD Biometric Fingerprint Smart Lock Review

The Pineworld Biometric fingerprint smart lock is a really interesting device, and I have a lot to say about it.

Although the Pineworld Biometric Fingerprint smart lock works okay, it is far from the best lock on the market. Users can expect some compatibility issues as well as difficulty with set up and use.

Preview	Product	Price
	PINEWORLD Biometric Fingerprint Smart Lock, Q202 Electronic Keyless Entry Door Sash Mortise Lock...	$133.21	Buy on Amazon

Last update on 2021-11-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Contents show

Overview

There are a lot of smart locks out there, and you can really get lost in the sheer volume of options for your front door. Locks that have their own flare on what a “smart lock” definitely seem to stand out. This lock is one of those locks that stands out.

The Pinewood Biometric Fingerprint Smart Lock is really cool. Not very many smart locks are choosing to go with the option to use a fingerprint scanner as well as an RFID card option.

In the smart lock world, features are first. Chances are that if you have a smart lock that has a lot of cool features that are easy to use, you will be successful.

This lock has plenty of features, some of them are good, but some of them are bad.

Let us get into some of both.

The Good

This lock does several things really well that I think need mentioning.

Design

I don’t know what it is about these cheaper smart locks, but they do a great job at making their locks seem really attractive. I am a huge fan of how this lock looks. It is sleek, black, and things are well places.

For example, this lock has the fingerprint scanner placed in a spot that I have never seen before. Most of the time, the fingerprint scanner is bulky and sits above the keypad. This lock did a really great job of integrating the fingerprint scanner directly into the handle.

It makes sense!

iPhones remain my favorite phone because they have done something similar. I love the fact that the fingerprint is in a place that is already being pushed by my thumb anyway. This locks design allows me to access the door very quickly and with one hand. That is a large priority.

Honestly, this lock just looks great. Most smart locks choose to replace either just the deadbolt or just the handle. This lock made the decision to replace both the deadbolt and the handle portion of the door lock. I am a huge fan of this type of all in one system, but it comes with drawbacks. We will talk about the drawbacks later on.

App Management

The app on this thing is well done, and that is not something to overlook.

If you have a smartphone, you probably have an app that you need to have, but you absolutely hate. I can think of several apps that are so poorly designed that I do anything I can to refrain from using them.

Some smart lock apps can feel that way. They can feel cheap and poorly designed. Luckily, Pineworld decided to go with a third-party smart lock management app in order to make sure that the experience is good.

There are so many different abilities that come baked in the app including really good user management. In order for the RFID type access to work, you better have a really awesome app and hardware, and I am happy to say that this will work great for you. Honestly, this is such a relief to know that this guy has a great app.

Price

For a lock with a fingerprint sensor, this lock is really cheap. Coming in at around $$$ USD, you will struggle to find a lock in this price point that has this type of functionality. Check out the current price on Amazon by clicking here.

The Bad

Some things about this lock just don’t sit right with me, and you should really know about them before you go out and purchase one.

Direct to Wifi

Most smart locks limit themselves to Bluetooth and Z-Wave in order to save battery life, but this lock vouched to connect directly to WiFi. Although that may seem great, it comes with a really huge cost. Let us dive into why.

If you go out and buy a lock that is accessible through Bluetooth, then you are limiting yourself to only being able to change settings on your lock from within the range. This is okay for a lot of users since some people find that they don’t leave their houses enough for it to matter. I find it really important to have complete control over who has access to my house wherever I am. Maybe my dog is making a lot of noise and my neighbor is worried, if I only had Bluetooth on my lock then I wouldn’t be able to let my neighbor in without disclosing my personal password or telling her where I hid my spare.

In order to have access to your lock from anywhere in the world, it needs to connect to wifi somehow. Most locks use some sort of hub that connects to the lock through BlueTooth or Z-wave and then sends data to your network. These hubs are typically connected to a wall outlet and do most of the heavy lifting in terms of processing.

The reason why a lot of smart locks are designed this way is to conserve battery power. Most of these Bluetooth or Z-wave smart locks can last up to a year on one set of batteries.

Smart locks that connect directly to Wifi are notorious for lasting only a month or two. Although that may seem really long to somebody that doesn’t own a smart lock, I can tell you that I would be really frustrated if my smart lock was dying that often. This lock is your primary way of entering your home, and if I was in a rush and just swinging by my house to pick something up, and had to figure out how to charge my lock in order to get into my house I would be really mad.

Incompatible with most doors (without modifications)

This is a really big dealbreaker for most people.

Generally, you can go out an buy a smart lock that will go into the currently existing spot that the lock is already in. This is not the case with the Pineworld Biometric Fingerprint Smart Lock. This lock requires a specific door lock design, and will not fit most pre-cut doors.

If you are not sure if it will fit, I can almost guarantee that it will not. These doors are really rare, and the only time I would recommend buying one of these is if you are installing a custom door yourself and have a lot of knowledge and experience in the carpentry field.

Should you buy PINEWORLD Biometric Fingerprint Smart Lock?

If you know for a fact that you will be able to install this guy easily, sure. As long as you have plenty of batteries ready to go.

Are you not sure if it will be compatible? If yes, then absolutely do not buy this lock.

I am a huge fan of buying products that are really simple to install and use. Although this lock may be simple to use, it is not going to be simple to install.

I want to prevent headaches for everybody, and installing a lock like this on a door that has holes already cut in it is going to be an absolute nightmare. Don’t try to do this unless you are fully confident that you will get it working quickly and you have the right tools to do so.

Other (Better) Options

There are so many smart locks out there that might be better for you and your door, but here is one that I think many of you will love.

Schlage Encode Smart Lock

Although this Smart lock doesn’t have fingerprint scanners or an RFID chip reader, it is one of the best locks on the market.

Unfortunately, you are not going to find a lock that has a fingerprint scanner and chip reader that doesn’t require a complete overhaul of your door, and therefore this lock is going to be much easier for you.

The great thing about Schlage locks is that they are compatible with most smart home devices. They will work with almost anything you want them to!

The other thing that is great about this lock is that it comes in a multitude of different designs and colors, so it is going to match your door for sure.

This lock is a solid buy, and if you want a lock that is consistent and easy to install/use, this is your guy. There are tons of other smart locks out there, so shop around and find out what you like. Click this link to learn more about the Schlage Encode on Amazon.