Yale Assure Lock 2 with Wi-Fi review: Future-proofing your home security
Smart home gadgets are in a weird spot right now.Matteris finally available for manufacturers, but it’s a waiting game for consumers. Only a handful of devices work as controllers right now, with updates coming for more existing products throughout the next year. Unfortunately, plenty of gadgets at your local Best Buy will never see a Matter update, rendering them difficult to recommend.
Yale’s latest smart lock has a solution in mind. Starting at $160 for a Bluetooth-only model, the Assure Lock 2 uses optional modules to add additional networking support, something that places it among thebest smart lockson the market.
Currently, a Wi-Fi module allows for remote control of your front door from anywhere in the world, with a Matter module set to arrive sometime next year. But these add-ons are expensive, and if you’re coming to the Assure Lock 2 from an Android-focused ecosystem, you might find the experience lacking without an add-on — even as the core smart lock experience remains top-notch.
Yale Assure Lock 2
Yale’s Assure Lock 2 is built for the future, but without a Matter module ready to buy today — and with the expensive Wi-Fi module — it might be the wrong time to pick one up. Still, aside from some Apple-exclusive features, it remains a great way to get in and out of your house safely and securely.
Yale Assure Lock 2: Setup and installation
I’ve replaced a couple of deadbolts in my time, and it’s usually not too difficult. As long as the lock sizes and latch placements all line up, swapping out one for another typically only requires a screwdriver and ten minutes. Thankfully, despite the relative age of my house (not to mention the previous owner’s DIY attitude about home repairs), my front door was a perfect match for the Assure Lock 2.
Yale’s instructions are easy to follow, with a simple measurement guide that makes it easy to select the correct screw set for your door. It also includes a guide for drilling into a new door or adding a deadbolt to a door that doesn’t have one. Unlike other smart locks, this one doesn’t reuse your current lock, so keep that in mind when you’re ready to add one. I found the included latch just as long as the one already installed in my door, so don’t worry too much about potential security issues here.
If, like mine, your door has an existing deadbolt ready to go, installing the Assure Lock 2 follows the usual steps for any lock. Installing the deadbolt latch and strike plate take a couple of minutes — just screw each into their corresponding place on the door or frame, and the two pieces of the lock attach quickly. The keypad is held into the front of the door by attaching the latch plate on the interior side, which also allows you to run the wire from one side to the other.
Truly, I ran into one snag while installing the lock. The interior piece is meant to click into the door plate, but it’s a tight fit. If you don’t get it exactly right, the unit might fall while you’re finishing setup and, in my case, leave the lock’s rubber finish a little banged up. If you may get a hand during setup to ensure your lock doesn’t fall off the door, I’d recommend it.
Before you can pop the batteries in, you’ll need to install the Wi-Fi “Smart Module” if you plan to use it. It’s available as an optional add-on accessory or bundled in the box, as mine was.
These Game Boy Advance cartridge-sized modules are bound to matter a lot in a year or two (no pun intended), as they’ll allow you to add Matter support to your existing lock. Right now, the only one that exists is this Wi-Fi adapter, allowing your lock to work over your home internet rather than relying on Bluetooth alone.
Once that’s in, pop in the AA batteries, put the cover on, and you’re good to go. Setup continues in the app, where you’re able to connect to your local network, set a PIN, and change additional settings.
Yale Assure Lock 2: Design, hardware, what’s in the box
I’m quite fond of the keypad aesthetic found on the outside of my door. I have the keyed variant with touch buttons, which leaves behind a clean black look after a few seconds of inaction. It’s available in a few different finishes; mine is black and perfect for matching any door. The standard keypad is the one to choose if you want as small a profile as possible. It’s a square lock, also available with physical buttons. The keyed variant is ideal for anyone looking for the ultimate backup option.
On the inside, the lock is noticeably less appealing. Because all the mechanics are held inside your door, it’s pretty bulky, and the rubberized black finish is nothing special.
(In the next section, I’ll focus on all of its smarts, but physically interacting with the lock is a treat.) If you’re unlocking the door to grab the mail or an incoming Amazon package, the mechanics are smooth as butter. The lock this replaced was particularly old and occasionally failed to completely latch. With the Assure Lock 2, that struggle is a thing of the past.
The lock is also quick to open when typing in a code on the outside of the door. I never struggled to get the numbers to light up on the keypad, and confidently knowing the lock had properly latched when leaving for a night out was comforting.
In the box, you’ll find the lock’s keypad, the deadbolt, and all of its other mechanics, four AA batteries, mounting hardware, and a DoorSense tag for door detection. My version also came with a physical key and the Wi-Fi module.
Yale Assure Lock 2: Software and functionality
Smart home gadgets live and die by their corresponding apps, and I’m not in love with Yale’s offering. It sports a fairly basic design that doesn’t “feel” like Android, which can lead to some confusing placement for certain controls. Opening the app takes you to a main controls page featuring a large red or green circle, depending on the state of the lock. It’s not immediately apparent what these colors mean, and I’d rather see Yale use an animated version of the actual lock. Show me whether it’s latched or unlatched instead of a basic colored shape.
Using the symbol in the top-right corner, you can judge whether you’re connected via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
I’ve also found it’s a little slow to connect. If you’re standing outside in winter weather trying to unlock your door with the app, waiting for the Assure Lock 2 to link to Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, depending on your location, can feel frustrating. Yale designed its app to swap between the two as needed, but for a device made to be connected to Wi-Fi at all times, waiting for your phone to connect over Bluetooth can add a few awkward seconds of standing around outside your door.
Meanwhile, if you have anApple Watch, you won’t need to pull your phone out to unlock the door. iPhone users get a native wearable app, but Wear OS users aren’t so lucky. Despite the booming popularity of smartwatches in a post-Wear OS 3 world, interacting with the lock via an app requires your smartphone.
Aside from the main homepage, Yale’s app includes an activity log that shows exactly when the door was locked, unlocked, and opened — plus a guest list with specific owners for handing out controls and a Settings page.
The guest list is really handy. For example, you could quickly create specific codes for, say, a house sitter and set access schedules for guests to ensure unexpected entries in the middle of the night. Owners can also operate on set schedules, but unless you’re listing your kids as owners, you’re unlikely to rely on this feature with full-fledged listings.
Settings remain unaccessible for several seconds each time you load the menu.
The settings list is where you’ll find Yale’s more advanced tools. Like the main controls page, these preferences can occasionally be slow to load as the app connects to your lock, leaving most of its options grayed out and inaccessible for a few seconds. Once they’re available though, you’ll have quite a few tricks up your sleeve, including auto-lock, DoorSense, and more.
Auto-lock uses DoorSense to detect when the door is shut for a specific period of time before latching itself. DoorSense is an optional accessory that detects the status of your door, even alerting you when it’s open or shut within the app. Generally, I like DoorSense, and auto-lock works reliably. Just keep in mind that opening your doorall the waymeans Yale’s sensors will realign. It doesn’t necessarily break anything, but I can’t count how many times the deadbolt attempted to latch while the door was wide open.
Auto-unlock is also here, relying on your phone’s GPS to detect when you arrive home to open immediately. As someone who spends all their time at home, I prefer to leave it disabled. Setup was easy, and the door did unlock coming home from the grocery store as expected, but frankly, I’d prefer a Wear OS app over relying on auto-unlock.
Yale supports Google Home, but I found its integration lacking. First, you need the Wi-Fi module; the Bluetooth-only version of this lock only supports Apple HomeKit hubs. Once your lock is connected to the web, Yale works as a partner app, capable of locking and unlocking the door with voice commands or from within the Home app. Unfortunately, I couldn’t add it to any of my routines. Unlocking also requires a custom PIN each time, whether on the app or with your voice. It makes sense, but be careful who’s lurking around when you speak your PIN.
Although the Wi-Fi module is a great addition — it allows you to check in on the lock from anywhere without needing a Bluetooth link — it’s worth looking ahead to the future. Because Yale’s modules are replaceable, the company plans to launch a Matter-certified add-on sometime next year. With Thread support, it should allow you to pair up with Assistant or Alexa without relying on Wi-Fi, all while delivering improved battery life.
Speaking of battery life, Yale’s unit is powered by four AA batteries, but there’s no way to check the actual battery percentage remaining in the app. I’ve been using the lock for the past couple of months and haven’t had to swap out the batteries, but I’m totally in the dark about how much charge is remaining. This review will be updated with more info once the batteries finally die on me.
Yale Assure Lock 2: Competition
Unsurprisingly, the smart lock scene is filled with more options than ever before. In this price range, you might want to check out the August Wi-Fi (4th-gen). As the name suggests, it includes Wi-Fi support built into the unit itself rather than relying on a module. It’s also slightly cheaper than Yale’s web-connected lock, priced at just $230 and often dropping as low as $170 on discount.
There are a couple of things to bear in mind with August’s lock. First, it uses your existing deadbolt hardware instead of replacing the entire kit. To some, that’s a benefit, but others might want to start fresh with new hardware. Second, August’s app is nearly identical to Yale’s, as the same Swedish conglomerate owns both companies. As mentioned, I’m not in love with Yale’s app experience overall, so expect my qualms to carry over to August’s software.
If you’re looking for something more affordable, theWyze Lock continues to be our budget pick. It also utilizes your existing hardware for a far lower price than August or Yale. For around $130, you still get auto-unlock and Wi-Fi, but you’ll need to pay more to add a keypad. Wyze gadgets can get a little glitchy, as our review found, so don’t be surprised if the occasional hiccup hits while using the lock.
Yale Assure Lock 2: Should you buy it?
The Yale Assure Lock 2 is, frankly, a complicated purchase. The base-level Bluetooth-only model is affordable compared to the competition, offering buyers an easy and adaptive way to make their front door a little smarter. That said, unless you have a HomeKit-capable hub, you won’t be able to control the lock with that version remotely.
The Wi-Fi model installed in my house fixes that issue, connecting to the web to allow for remote access alongside Assistant and Alexa support, but it comes at a price. $80 is a lot to ask for the optional Wi-Fi module, whether you’re adding it as a bundled purchase or later on. With the lingering promise of a Matter module, it’s also difficult to tell people to definitely buy the Wi-Fi version — after all, you can only use one module at a time. If you plan on upgrading this lock to Matter down the road,definitelystick to the Bluetooth-only variant.
I hope that Yale will eventually spend a bit more time improving the experience for Android users. The app is functional enough, but could really benefit from a visual overhaul, and the lack of a Wear OS app remains frustrating. Still, despite some shortcomings, I’m pretty happy with the Assure Lock 2. If you can sacrifice remote access for the time being, stick with the Bluetooth-only model for now. That Matter module could be a game-changer.
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