Eufy FamiLock S3 Max evaluate: a video sensible lock with loads of methods

Eufy’s FamiLock S3 Max ($399) is a multitasking workhorse. Launched earlier this year, it combines a smart lock and video doorbell in a single, and it’s one of many first locks with a digital peephole and a wave-to-unlock function. It additionally has a keyway, keypad, and Matter help, so it really works with all the most important sensible residence platforms (the lock portion a minimum of).

It’s a beast of a door lock, and it screams excessive tech sitting in your entrance door. My favourite function is the built-in video display, which exhibits a reside feed of who’s on the opposite aspect of the door with out you having to tug out your telephone.

In case you have a peephole or a window in your door, this won’t be a lot use to you — and you may choose to get the lock with out the display for $50 much less. Nevertheless it’s useful as a fast strategy to verify who’s on the door earlier than opening it, particularly in case your youngsters are residence alone or with a babysitter or grandparents who don’t have your video doorbell app downloaded.

Because the title implies, this lock was designed with multigenerational households in thoughts. As a substitute of a fingerprint reader, it makes use of palm vein know-how to unlock, which is supposedly extra dependable, particularly for people with extra finicky fingerprints. That’s a typical subject for youngsters, older adults, and my husband, who’s a firefighter and has apparently burned off all his fingerprints.

Not like fingerprint tech, which depends on floor options that may be degraded, palm vein recognition makes use of infrared gentle to view vascular patterns beneath the pores and skin.

In my testing, palm unlocking wasn’t any sooner or simpler than utilizing your fingerprint, and I discovered it a bit more durable to get used to. You will have a extra apparent goal with a fingerprint than with a palm, and I discovered myself waving awkwardly on the lock a couple of instances earlier than getting the dangle of it. I even have a outstanding door jamb that stands proud to the fitting of the lock, limiting my waving movement.

However as soon as I acquired the dangle of it, it labored reliably. Each my youngsters additionally picked it up shortly, and my husband actually favored it. You’ll be able to’t wave to lock the door, nevertheless, which might be sort of cool; as a substitute, there’s a small button on the keypad that locks it. It’s also possible to allow auto-lock within the app.

The touchscreen keypad was responsive, straightforward to see, and straightforward to make use of. There’s additionally a keyway hidden underneath the doorbell button, if you happen to want it. The lock connects to your sensible residence over built-in Wi-Fi, permitting you to regulate it remotely by way of Eufy’s app. It additionally helps Matter, so you’ll be able to add it to Apple Residence and different sensible residence platforms. It’s solely the lock that works with Matter, as cameras aren’t supported but.

The Matter integration is basically restricted to controlling the lock and setting PIN codes by your sensible residence ecosystem of alternative. As typical, if you wish to use a tool with Matter, you need to sacrifice options. It’s not an encouraging pattern.

In spite of everything, it’s the built-in video doorbell that’s the primary purpose to contemplate this lock. There are cheaper palm vein choices accessible from Eufy, in addition to Philips and TCL, if that’s what you’re serious about. At $400, the FamiLock is pricey, however you’re getting two units in a single.

Including a video doorbell to a lock places loads of pressure on the battery, and there’s no strategy to hardwire it. This very giant lock comes with a 15,000 mAh rechargeable battery that Eufy claims will final roughly 5 months. I examined it for a month on probably the most intensive “peak surveillance” setting, and the battery was right down to 41 %.

You’ll be able to modify a number of settings to assist save energy, together with conserving it on the default setting of solely recording when the door is locked, however 5 months nonetheless appears optimistic.

Because the battery takes some time to recharge, the lock has 4 AAA backup batteries to maintain fundamental operate whereas it expenses. It’s also possible to decide up a spare battery to have readily available.

To assist preserve battery life, the FamiLock’s built-in 2K peephole digicam solely prompts when somebody presses the lock’s doorbell or if you happen to press a small button on the again of the lock. The outside doorbell button may be very outstanding, with a blue LED that lights up on movement to attract your customer’s consideration. Urgent it additionally emits a doorbell sound. (You’ll be able to’t join the doorbell to your present chime, although you should utilize an Alexa Echo speaker or an Eufy HomeBase as a chime.)

The lock’s doorbell digicam supplies clear, crisp video throughout daylight and first rate evening imaginative and prescient, though my protruding door body mirrored the LEDs, inflicting the footage to blow out a tad. Its 180-degree diagonal subject of view meant I might see high to backside and all of 1 aspect (not the opposite aspect, although, due to the aforementioned door body).

Packages and folks had been clearly seen, which is most of what you need to see with a doorbell digicam. Getting folks to press the button was difficult, although, even with the glowing gentle, because it’s simply not the place folks anticipate to press.

There’s no charge for viewing recorded footage of holiday makers within the Eufy app, and movies are saved domestically on the machine. Reside views and recordings pulled up shortly within the app, sending alerts for movement and folks promptly.

Nonetheless, there aren’t any different sensible alerts, not even bundle recognition, which is an odd omission for a doorbell cam. Should you join the lock to an Eufy HomeBase 3 ($149), you get extra superior sensible alerts, together with facial recognition that may warn you to who’s at your door — a useful function just a few different doorbells provide (together with Google Nest, Aqara, and HomeKit Safe Video-compatible doorbells). You additionally get car and pet alerts, however nonetheless no packages.

The video portion of the door lock is suitable with Amazon Alexa and Google Residence, permitting you to view a reside feed instantly over Wi-Fi to a sensible show corresponding to an Echo Present. However I discover these will be very gradual to tug up a reside feed; it’s typically faster to only stroll to the door.

Eufy not too long ago launched its own smart display for $200, which mechanically streams a reside view from the FamiLock’s digicam when there’s exercise or somebody rings the doorbell. I examined this, and it pulled up the feed sooner than utilizing a third-party sensible show, making it a greater choice if you would like a video intercom.

I nonetheless favor separate options for a sensible lock and video doorbell, however if you happen to can’t add a video doorbell to your door however can change your door lock, then the FamiLock is an effective, albeit barely overpowered, answer. I’ve examined a few video door locks, together with an earlier mannequin from Eufy and one from Lockly, and that is my favourite by far.

The very best function is seeing who’s on the opposite aspect of the door as I strategy, with out having to attend to tug up a reside video feed on my telephone or sensible show, trouble with a peephole (mine is definitely damaged), or attempt to peer by the aspect window with out them seeing me.

Images by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge