The smart lock market has a marketing problem: the advertising focuses on features — voice control, guest codes, auto-lock, app history — and buries the security spec. From a locksmith's perspective, a smart lock is a deadbolt with a motor and a radio. The motor and radio do not change how the lock resists a kick, a bump attack, or a pick. The cylinder and the installation do.
ANSI/BHMA grading is the relevant standard. Grade 1 is the highest residential rating, requiring the lock to survive 250,000 open-close cycles, a 10-pound impact on the bolt, and a 360-pound kick resistance test when properly installed with the recommended strike. Grade 2 is adequate for most applications. Grade 3 is minimal and should not be on an exterior door where security matters. Most smart lock packaging does not prominently display this rating.
The three models we install most, and why
The Schlage Encode Plus is our first recommendation for most Las Vegas homes. It uses the Schlage B-series Grade 1 deadbolt body — the same cylinder that has been in production for decades and has a documented record. The Encode Plus adds Wi-Fi and Apple Home/Matter support without requiring a separate hub. The cylinder is not a high-security pick-resistant design, but it is solid Grade 1 hardware and the bolt throw is a full 1 inch.
The Yale Assure Lock 2 is a Grade 2 body with a cleaner aesthetic, better app experience, and more finish options. If Grade 1 is not a priority — a second entry, a side gate, a storage unit — the Yale is fine. For a front door in a neighborhood with a burglary history, we prefer the Schlage.
For customers who want serious cylinder security, we pair a Mul-T-Lock MT5+ cylinder with the Yale Assure body or a Schlage housing. The MT5+ uses a telescoping pin mechanism with a sidebar that makes traditional lock picking technically very challenging and bump-resistant. It is a more expensive installation ($200–$350 vs. $100–$180 for a standard smart lock) but represents a meaningfully different security level for customers who want it.
What to avoid
Be skeptical of any smart lock under $80 retail — the cylinder grade is invariably low, and the electronic components use lower-tolerance gearing. In Las Vegas summer heat (sustained 115°F+), cheap motor gearing fails within two to three years. We have replaced a lot of Amazon-branded and no-name smart locks that seized in the heat.
Also: any smart lock is only as secure as the door it is mounted in. A Grade 1 lock on a hollow-core door is a good lock on a bad installation. If the door flexes when you push it, reinforce the frame before worrying about the lock.