After a weeklong business trip spent in keyless hotel rooms, using keys to unlock your old school front door can be frustrating. On top of that, losing your keys can become a pain when you return home. What if you could unlock your home doors using a smartphone app? The ULTRALOQ U-Bolt Pro Smart Lock allows just that.
Smart locks have been around for quite a while now but the new device called ULTALOQ U-Bolt Pro goes hand-in-hand with innovation. If you’re looking to replace your door lock, be sure to consider this device.
| Preview | Product | Price | |
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Smart Lock, ULTRALOQ U-Bolt Pro, 6-in-1 Keyless Entry Door Lock with App, Fingerprint, Bluetooth and... | $149.00 | Buy on Amazon |
Last update on 2023-06-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This U-tec smart lock is an all-black compact device that brings a satisfying change in an industry dominated by large lock systems.
You may not like the exterior, which gives it an appearance of a wall safe to keep out evil-doers, but then when do smart locks make a great visual impact? Nonetheless, the functions are simply awesome.
Here is everything you need to know about this new smart lock.
Overview of the ULTRALOQ U-Bolt Pro Smart Lock
It comes with appealing aesthetics and unique features that are hardly seen in smart devices.
With its promising hook, the device unlocks the door when you shake your smartphone in a specified way. So it’s not long before we’d see people performing weird moves outside their homes to unlock their doors.
On a serious note, the device seamlessly pairs with automation platforms or other smart devices and brings a whole new set of features to the table. Requiring no drilling or wiring, the smart lock is effortless to set up.
Don’t worry about the shaky moves at your front door. The device offers multiple ways to unlock the door.
Pros
If you know exactly how to use this device, you’ll find out that it brings endless advantages. Pair it with automation platforms or smart home apps to discover how convenient life can be.
With this device, everything seems to be on your fingertips, or even better, automatic. Here are some pros of the device:
- Amazingly versatile device offering 6 different ways to unlock the door
- Allows automatic Locking and Unlocking
- Offers built-in support for Smart Home platforms and technologies
- Allows you to control entry remotely
- Incredible user management
- Data storage and security
- Flawless fingerprint scanner
Cons
Human beings are imperfect. Hence, no product they create can ever be free of weaknesses. Yes, the ULTRALOQ U-Bolt Pro is smart but not perfect. The following are some cons of the device:
- Pretty expensive
- Can be difficult to install
- The app can take time to pair
Features
The ULTALOQ U-Bolt Pro is a versatile device that offers 6-in-1 keyless entry to your home. This means that that the device not only eliminates the key-related hassles but also helps you reduce the chances of you being locked out of your home any other way.
The six ways to unlock your door include using a smartphone app, magic shake, auto-unlock, code, fingerprint, and a mechanical key.
The following are several features enabling the ease of entry to your home:
Access via Smartphone App
Single Button Press
The device makes your smartphone a convenient way to unlock your front door. You’ll need to download the U-tec app that’s available for both Android and iPhone users.
Once you’ve installed and paired the app with your smart lock, you’ll be able to lock or unlock the deadbolt by tapping the big red or green button that appears on the screen when you open the app.
Red color indicates that the door is locked, while the green button means it’s unlocked.
Auto Unlock
As long as you have a smartphone in your pocket the device will automatically unlock the door without requiring you to enter a code or press any buttons. It comes with two automatic unlock features explained below:
Magic Shake
Instead of pressing the big red button to unlock the door, you can simply twist your smartphone to unlock the mechanism. This automatic unlock feature is referred to as the Magic Shake.
Geofencing and Smart Home Integrations
Another automatic unlocking feature offered by the smart lock device is geofencing, which again relies on a mobile app. It activates the auto-unlock feature when you return home after being away. In addition, the device supports all three major smart home assistants including Google Assistant, IFTTT and Alexa.
In fact, once you integrate you pair your device with any of these assistants, you can give any commands.
For instance, if you have Alexa, just call out “Alexa, lock my front door,” and it will automatically lock the door. Even though the voice capabilities of the feature are limited, you won’t have much trouble working the lock.
Remote Usability
One of the most amazing features of ULTRALOQ U-Bolt Pro is its remote usability, which allows you to control entry access to your door to others from anywhere. This innovation is another tremendous breakthrough for those hosting people via Airbnb.
You can grant access to guests and visitors remotely by sharing a temporary code of eKey that will be activated for the specified dates or times you want. Whenever someone enters the door, you’ll receive a smartphone notification to keep you informed. Using secure 128-bit AES and a dynamic key, it offers two-layer protection.
360° Live Fingerprint, Passcode, and Mechanical Key
The 360° Live Fingerprint Identification simplifies it even further. You just need to press your finger against the circular center on the keypad and the device will use the finger impression to instantly unlock the door.
Likewise, you can choose to enter a passcode to unlock the deadbolt, allowing you to add random digits before and after the passcode to protect it from prying eyes. You’ll love this feature if you host people through Airbnb and often need to enter the code to let people in.
To help you in emergency overrides such as malfunctioning, the device does come with a mechanical key as a backup entry option.
User Management and Data
The device also features incredible user management, allowing you to add or delete users through the smartphone. Its data-driven capabilities maintain a record log of who entered your home and at what time.
Plus, you need not worry about data security either. The app or the device doesn’t leave you or other users vulnerable to data theft or breaches. To keep all data safe, the device also features dual data
Auto-Lock
The automatic lock feature administers additional convenience and security by re-locking automatically once you get past the door.
Low Power Consumption
The device makes use of the ultra-low power consumption technology of Bluetooth 4.0 so that the 4 AA batteries can work non-stop for a year through regular use. Plus, you’ll keep getting notifications for low battery when on your smartphone.
If you ever faced a situation when the battery goes dead and you need to unlock the door, the device allows you to re-activate the lock using an external battery that can be connected via a micro-USB cable. When the battery dies, the faceplate of the lock automatically pivots down to expose the physical keyhole.
The device comes with two spare keys. Thus, if you don’t have a micro-USB and the battery is dead, you can use the key to get past the door.
DIY Installation
The installation process of the device requires no drilling or wiring. It has been designed keeping in mind all the measurements associated with standard US doors. Hence, while the device promotes DIY installation, you may still find the process a little tough.
Installation of ULTRALOQ U-Bolt Pro Smart Lock
Let’s now go through the steps to install the smart lock:
Step 1: Prepare your Door
Before you try to install the device, check the dimensions of your door. The door thickness should be anywhere between 33 mm and 50 mm.
The diameter of the hole should be 53 mm.
The door’s backset can either be 60 mm or 70 mm, the standard measurements for US doors.
The diameter of the hole in the door edge should measure 1 inch or 25 mm.
If you intend to buy or just bought a new door, make sure that your drill holes according to these dimensions.
Step 2: Install the Bolt and the Strike
Once the door is prepared, begin by installing the bolt into the door, adjusting the bolt backset length to either 60 mm or 70 mm based on the measurement of your door. Then, fix the strike inside the door frame.
Step 3: Install Exterior Assembly
You will now need to break off the cylinder tailpiece. Its flat metal bar passing through the deadbolt mechanism that enables it to rotate. You will need a couple of sets of pliers to trim down the tailpiece. However, users have reported that the tools aren’t sturdy enough to trim the tough metal and some had to use a hacksaw to snap off.
Based on the latest updates though, U-tec might be trimming the tailpiece in the factory so you may have a chance to skip this tough step.
Once the tailpiece has been trimmed, keep it horizontal and the bolt retracted as you proceed to install the exterior assembly. Align the two escutcheons together.
Each side of the exterior escutcheon has two sharp teeth designed to hold it in place and prevent the common issue of the lock listing to the side.
Step 4: Install the Interior Assembly
There’s a hole on the interior assembly mounting plate. Route the cable through it and use screws D to secure the plat to the exterior assembly.
Then, open the battery cover of the interior assembly and connect the cable to the socket, pressing it firmly until it is properly fixed.
Rotate its knob to a strictly vertical position to keep it unlocked. Finally, attach the interior assembly onto the mounting plate, tightening it with two screws.
Step 5: Insert the Batteries
Rotate the knob to a horizontal position to keep it locked. Then, install four AA Alkaline batteries. Following this, the bolt should automatically retract and extend to sense the door orientation. This process, critical to the lock operation, is known as door handing. Attach the battery cover after this process.
By following this step-by-step process, you can install the device on your own. However, there’s one thing you need to know about device installation: it’s quite sensitive about screw tightness. The screw tightness should reach equilibrium in fastening the lock to the door and at the same time allowing enough freedom to the deadbolt to spin.
Finally, you need a small Wi-Fi bridge that connects the smart lock to your home network by pairing the device’s internal Bluetooth radio with your home Wi-Fi. You need a power socket within 10 feet from the bridge since it relies on electric power. You’ll either get it as part of the ULTRALOQ U-Bolt Pro Bundle or will have to purchase separately for around $50.
Once you’ve installed the smart lock device, all you need to do is download the relevant app, get paired and start controlling the door locks.
Final Verdict: ULTRALOQ U-Bolt Pro Review
In summary, if you’re looking for a versatile smart lock that offers alternative ways to unlock your front door, ULTRALOQ U-Bolt Pro makes an excellent choice.
Not only does it offer the convenience of entry, but it also ensures maximum security as no one can guess the code you just entered, nor can anyone get past the entry points without you getting a smartphone notification. Besides, it makes a good addition to the myriad of smart devices controlled via smart home technology or applications.
It’s not an inexpensive option by any means, but innovation and quality come at a high price. Installation can be a serious problem if you aren’t used to using toolkits. It may not be regarded as the perfect product but it certainly is the vision of the future.
The bottom line is that you won’t regret your decision after buying the device.
Also Read:
What Smart Locks Work with Simplisafe
Are There Smart Locks for Sliding Doors?