This premium smart lock is small, stylish, and among the fastest on the market

1 week ago 1

The Nuki Smart Lock Ultra is the fifth generation of Nuki’s popular smart lock, and with previous generations performing well overseas, this one is finally getting a U.S. release. Slated to arrive in Europe later this year and stateside in early 2025, the Nuki Smart Lock Ultra is aiming to be one of the fastest — and most stylish — smart locks on the market.

The first thing you’ll notice about the Nuki Smart Lock Ultra is its striking design. The stainless steel smart lock exudes luxury, and it’s more elegant than most smart locks available today. With an LED indicator and little else, it’s a streamlined device that should look great on most doors.

Aside from looking great, you’ll find the usual lineup of smart home features — including a mobile app to lock or assign access permissions, Auto Unlock, and support for Matter, Google Home, Apple Home, and Amazon Alexa.

One of the biggest improvements Nuki made for this generation is a new motor that allowsthe Smart Lock Ultra to unlock your door in about 1.5 seconds. That’s quite a bit faster than most currently available smart locks, which often take 2 or more seconds to complete the task. And when it’s cold outside or you’re holding bags of groceries in your other hand, every second counts.

The Nuki charging while installed on a door.

There’s also been a change in batteries, as the Nuki Smart Lock Ultra features on-door charging. The built-in lithium-ion battery takes about two hours to charge and runs for about six months. What’s a bit quirky about this, however, is that you charge the device directly on your door.

Instead of swapping out a battery pack or replacing disposable batteries, you’ll have to run a cable from a nearby outlet up to the installed smart lock. Your purchase comes with a lengthy 2-meter charging cable — so hopefully you have an outlet within six feet of your front door.

The Nuki Smart Lock Ultra is compatible with existing Nuki accessories, and since it doesn’t come with a keypad, the Keypad 2 might be a good item to bundle with your purchase. There are certainly some quirks to the upcoming Nuki release, but no doubt it’s a unique option for shoppers interested in a streamlined aesthetic.

The European version of the Nuki Smart Lock Ultra is now available for preorder for 349 euros. Expect the U.S. version to arrive sometime in early 2025. For more options, check out our roundup of the best smart locks.

Jon Bitner

Jon Bitner is a writer covering consumer electronics, technology, and gaming. His work has been published on various websites…

This smart water bottle is more useful than I expected

The Water.io water bottle on a tble.

Smart water bottles never seemed like a necessity to me. Instead, I assumed they were overpriced gadgets that didn’t do enough to warrant their price tags. But after checking out the Water.io smart water bottle, I'm starting to change my tune. Let me be clear -- I still don’t think everyone needs to rush out and buy a smart water bottle. However, if you’re a fitness enthusiast or trying to cut back on your soft drink consumption, they might be a good fit.
Just smart enough

Though they may be called a smart water bottles, most of these products don’t actually sync with smart home platforms like Google Home and Apple Home. Instead, they’re “smart” by way of a mobile app. That holds true for the Water.io water bottle. It’s in the app that you’ll enter information such as your height and weight, allowing the water bottle to set a target hydration goal for you. With that done, setting up the Water.io is largely complete.

Home Depot expands Hubspace with a smart door, smart lock, and other cool gadgets

The new Hubspace smart door and smart lock.

Home Depot held its Hubspace Fall Preview event today, showcasing a variety of smart home products arriving later this year. One of the coolest new additions to the catalog is the Smart Glass Door by Feather River Doors, as it lets you toggle between clear or opaque glass via voice commands and syncs with most smart home platforms. Home Depot also revealed a smart lock, smart freezer, string lights, and home alarm system -- all of which are fully supported by the simple-to-use Hubspace app.

The Smart Glass Door is undoubtedly the most unique item in the upcoming collection. Pricing starts at $798 with a launch date of September 30, and it’s looking to bring some seriously cool features to your home. The big allure is the central glass pane, which can quickly change between clear and opaque styles using voice commands or a physical button. That means you can activate clear mode when you want a bit of sunshine, then swap to opaque mode for privacy. Beyond Hubspace, it integrates with Alexa and Google Assistant.

Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) vs. Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium

The Nest Learning Thermostat 4th Gen on a wall.

If you’re searching for the fanciest thermostats on the market, you’ve probably discovered the new Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) and the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium. These two gadgets make it easy to keep your home comfortable at all times of year while also helping you save money on your monthly bills.

But is one of these thermostats a smarter choice than the other? Here’s a comparison of the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) and Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium to help you decide.
Pricing and design

Read Entire Article