Kwikset SmartCode 910 Z-Wave Smart Lock Review
Kwikset SmartCode 910 Z-Wave Smart Lock is on our blog today. This smart lock is twin of Kwikset SmartCode 909 Electronic Deadbolt as the keypad apperance but with additional Z-Wave connection which gives it smart capabilities. We have tried to have a look at this smart lock at the perspective of a customer who wants to buy it so we hope you will find all the answers to your questions in this post. Let’s start our review.
Connection Standards and Smart Home Controller Options
Kwikset SmartCode 910 Z-Wave Smart Lock is one of the most flexible smart lock options on the market. It works almost with all of the smart home controllers and hubs which support Z-Wave. Both of the voice controllers Alexa and Google Assistant also supported at this smart lock. However, it doesn’t support Apple HomeKit so if you are looking for a smart lock with Apple HomeKit you better look at our Kwikset Premis Touchscreen Smart Lock Review , Yale Assure Lock Touchscreen Connected By August Review or Schlage Sense Smart Deadbolt Review.
Due to lack of devices we have on this list, we were not be able to test Kwikset SmartCode 910 Z-Wave Smart Lock with ADT Pulse and Vera Smart Home Controller but we have learned the capabilities for you from the users of them. We will try to explain you what you can do with these controllers on your Kwikset SmartCode 910 Z-Wave Smart Lock.
Google Assistant
Google Assistant working perfectly well with Kwikset SmartCode 910 Z-Wave Smart Lock. You will need a Z-Wave Hub like Samsung SmartThings, Nexia Z-Wave Bridge, Wink ,Vera, ADT Pulse, Ring Alarm System at your home network to pair the smart lock with Google Home. You will be able to control your smart lock as asking Google to lock,unlock and check if your door is locked. There is a delay between the commands and application as 5-10 seconds but it acutally works without any problems. You can use Android Wear watch to use voice commands too.
Some of the voice commands are:
To lock the door: “Hey Google, I’m leaving”
To unclock the door: “Hey Google, lock the front door” for locking
To check whether door is locked or not: “Hey Google, is the front door locked?”
Amazon Alexa
Voice control over Alexa by Echo or Echo Dot is an another solution for Kwikset SmartCode 910 Z-Wave Smart Lock. Again you will need one of the smart hubs such as Samsung SmartThings, Nexia Z-Wave Bridge, Wink ,Vera, ADT Pulse and Ring Alarm System at your home network to pair your smart lock with Echo or Echo Dot . All voice commands are supported as locking, unlocking and checking if the door is locked or not. Alexa is working perfectly well with this smart lock. You should add skills of the hub you own to Alexa. Kwikset 910 Alexa pairing is a simple process.
Here you can see some voice commands to control your Kwikset SmartCode 910 Z-Wave Smart Lock. At these commands we are assuming the name of the smart lock as “Home”.
“Alexa, lock Home.”
“Alexa, unlock Home.” (you will be asked for your pin)
“Alexa, is Home locked?”
Home Automation Systems
Wink:
- Remote locking and unlocking from anwhere outside of the house or inside the house
- Check the battery level of your smart lock over the app
- Setup Robot to work with other connected devices. E.g. turn off the lights and lock the door when alarm system is armed
- Create Wink widgets to trigger automation series like “Goodnight” to turn off all of the devices and lock the door
- Voice control with Alexa and Google Home Assistant
- Get notifications when a user code is entered
- Schedule to auto lock the door at any time you want
You can not add, delete or manage user codes remotely with Wink.
Nexia:
- Remote locking and unlocking from anwhere outside of the house or inside the house
- Create scheduled codes which will work at the time range you will define. Suitable for home services as handyman, dogwalker and for rental purposes.
- Get alerted when a user code used
- Check the battery level of your smart lock over the app
- Receive notifications when door is locked / unlocked by hand or using code
- Voice control with Alexa and Google Home Assistant
- Set automation series with triggers as locking the door and turning off all of the connected devices
There is no option to add, delete or manage user codes remotely with Nexia.
Ring Alarm System:
- Remote locking and unlocking from anwhere outside of the house or inside the house
- Get notifications when a user code is entered
- Check the battery level of your smart lock over the app
- Disable the Ring alarm when user code entered
- Receive notifications when door unlocked/locked
- Set automation series as starting to record when door is unlocked
- Voice control with Alexa and Google Home Assistant
There is no option to add, delete or manage user codes remotely with Ring Alarm System
SmartThings:
- Lock and unlock your smart lock remotely from anywhere outside of the house or inside the house
- Use the app to delete or add user codes remotely with Lock User Management app by RBoy Apps
- Set scheduled codes to work in the time range that you defined. Suitable for home services as handyman, dogwalker and for short term rentals as Airbnb. Lock User Management app by RBoy Apps needed for this
- Receive alerts when a user code is entered
- Check the battery level of your smart lock over the Lock User Management app by RBoy Apps
- Set automation series with triggers as locking the door and turning off all of the connected devices
- If you have more than one smart locks installed, you can check status of all of them from the app
- Receive notifications when door is locked / unlocked by hand or using code
- Voice control with Alexa and Google Home Assistant
As out of the box if you pair Kwikset SmartCode 910 Z-Wave Smart Lock with Samsung SmarThings and use the default app, you won’t be able to set user codes remotely and set scheduled user codes. You must download User Management app by RBoy Apps in order the gain access to these features. It is easy connect Kwikset 910 to Smartthings.
ADT Pulse
- Remote locking and unlocking from anwhere outside of the house or inside the house
- Create scheduled codes which will work at the time range you will define. Suitable for home services as handyman, dogwalker and for short term rentals as Airbnb
- Get alerted when a user code used
- Disable the ADT Pulse Alarm when user code entered
- Check the battery level of your smart lock over the app
- Receive notifications when door is locked or unlocked
- Voice control with Alexa and Google Home Assistant
- Set automation series with triggers as locking the door and turning off all of the connected devices
You will need ADT Pulse app to have all of the features stated above. ADT Pulse Smart Home Security System must be installed in your home network to use ADT Pulse.
Vera
- Remote locking and unlocking from anwhere outside of the house or inside the house
- Create scheduled codes which will work at the time range you will define. Suitable for home services as handyman, dogwalker and for short term rentals as Airbnb
- Get alerted when a user code used
- Check the battery level of your smart lock over the app and get low battery e-mail
- Receive notifications when door is locked or unlocked
- Voice control with Alexa and Google Home Assistant
- Set automation series with triggers as locking the door and turning off all of the connected devices
Both Vera Plus and Vera Edge devices are compatible with Kwikset SmartCode 910 Z-Wave Smart Lock.
Keypad Of Kwikset SmartCode 910 Z-Wave Smart Lock
Kwikset SmartCode 910 Z-Wave Smart Lock has very clean, solid and stable keypad which is the twin of Kwikset SmartCode 909 Electronic Deadbolt. There is still a key hole for the emergency cases when you need to unlock the door with your key. There is a lock button in the middle of the keypad. It is used to lock the the door by one pressing and activating the backlit before you enter the code. Brightness of the light is good enough for night usage.
Programming Codes
Programming the lock is easy and you will have 2 options. You can directly program the code over the keypad by pressing the programming button at the interior unit as many times that corresponds the user code position that you want. As an example you should press 3 times to program the 3rd code. Mastercode is optional but we suggest you to enable it to add extra protection on the programming process. You can find the manual for Kwikset Smartcode 910 programming over the keypad at here.
Since the lock itself doesn’t have a custom app to program new user codes , you should use Samsung SmartThings, Vera or ADT Pulse in order to program codes over the app remotely. Vera and ADT’s apps are already doing this but you will need Lock User Management app by RBoy Apps for Samsung SmartThings. By using these apps you will also be able to program scheduled codes depending your needs. You can program 1 master code and 29 user codes with 4 to 8 digits length.
Weather conditions
As you might already imagine, we didn’t have a chance to test Kwikset SmartCode 910 Z-Wave Smart Lock under cold and hot weathers but we still want to give our readers some important information. We have contacted with some of the users of this smart lock and asked their experiences. They commonly stated that you need some batteries which performs well under cold and hot weathers. Other than this, they haven’t talked about lack of performance or similar problems.
To summarize, weather conditions are not effecting Kwikset SmartCode 910 Z-Wave Smart Lock too much expect battery performance. It would be better to buy rechargable batteries as Energizer Rechargable AA batteries to reduce the cost.
SmartKey Security
SmartKey Security is a new kind of technology desgined by Kwikset in order to prevent your lock from lock picking and lock bumping attacks. Lock bumping is an attack on a lock to unlock it by using Bump Key. This technique had worked for many of the locks but Kwikset have a protection for it. Kwikset SmartCode 910 Z-Wave Smart Lock uses KW1 which has bump proof mechanism to protect your door. Bump Key and lock picking attacks will not work on your lock but of couse no one can guarantee your 100% safety. Additionally, this smart lock has also BHMA Grade 2 certificate which shows that it is safe enough to be used at house.
Smartkey Rekey
Kwikset presents SmartKey Rekey at the KW1 keyway compatible locks. Kwikset SmartCode 910 Z-Wave Smart Lock also has KW1 keyway so Smarkey Rekey is possible. At your house you might want to use 1 key to lock/unlock multiple different locks to prevent having lots of keys. In this case, you will need rekeying by a locksmith but thanks to design of Smartkey Rekey, you can do this on your own at your house without a locksmith. Whole rekeying process will take around 3-4 minutes to finish. When compared with Schlage locks, we can easily say that Kwikset Smartkey Rekey is extremely more easy. Here is the step by step guide for you to rekey. You can also jump below to watch video.
1) As the first step, remove the battery and set deadbolt to locked position
If you have a knob or lever, make sure it is in the lock position
— Make sure that your door can not be closed by wind or other factors while you are at the outside
2) Insert Currently Used Key :
— FULLY insert your currently used key then rotate 90 degrees clockwise (note that instructions are the same regardless of cylinder orientation)
3) Insert SmartKey tool fully and firmly into the SmartKey hole :
— You may feel the tool click inside the lock which is normal
— Remove SmartKey tool
— Remove current key
4) Insert New Key
— Insert Kwikset (KW1) keyway compatible key you wish to use with lock
— Make sure that the key is FULLY inserted
— The edge of the key touched the indent on the cylinder surface
— Rotate the key 180 degrees clockwise but please don’t pull or push the key
— Finally, pull the key without too much force to make sure it will NOT come out in this position
Auto Lock Feature of Kwikset SmartCode 910
Auto lock feature is very useful at these kind of smart locks. Especially if you have kids in your house who goes out and comes back frequently. In case of forgeting to lock the door, auto lock saves your life. It is disabled by Kwikset as out of the box. If you want to enable it, you will have to slide up the cover of the interior unit by removing 2 screws on it. After that, you will see 4 switches. Just change position of switch 2 from left to up and you are ready to go.
After enabling the auto lock of your Kwikset SmartCode 910 Z-Wave Smart Lock, it will automatically lock the door after 30 seconds passes over the last unlocking operation. You can set different timers by using the app of your smart hub if 30 seconds is very short for you. Defining an exact hour for auto locking is also possible as a part of the home automation system.
Battery Life of Kwikset SmartCode 910
Kwikset SmartCode 910 Z-Wave Smart Lock is powered by 4 x AA Alkaline batteries which are not included in the package. For a longer performance you can choose to buy Duracell batteries. As we have suggested before, you can also prefer to buy Energizer Rechargable AA batteries. This smart lock is battery eater so if you choose to use cheap batteries, you will find yourself changing the batteries very frequently.
Battery life depends on many factors at these kind of devices with many features. Weather conditions, condition of the door, usage frequency, enabled features will change the battery life. We have contacted with the users of Kwikset SmartCode 910 Z-Wave Smart Lock and learned that you can expect to see 1,5 – 2 months battery life averagely. Kwikset claims 1 year of usage for 10 times daily operation but this doesn’t seem to be realistic.
Battery level can be tracked over the app of your smart hub. This is not the only way to see if your battery draining. Once your batteries start to drain, you will will see a red light flashing with a beep voice for 3-4 seconds. After this point you should change your batteries as soon as possible. Battery changing will take around 2 minutes. It is just easy as sliding up the cover of the cover of the interior unit after removing the 2 screws on it.
Installation process of Kwikset SmartCode 910
Kwikset SmartCode 910 Z-Wave Smart Lock has an extendable latch inside the box which will fit to all standard door preperations. This latch can be used as 2-3/8″ or 2-3/4″. Below we are sharing an image to explain you all the dimensions clearly. Please check it before you buy this smart lock.
We have installed Kwikset SmartCode 910 Z-Wave Smart Lock in 15 minutes without any kind of drilling. Even if you need drilling, you can find templates inside the box to help you. All we used was a ruler and Phillips Head Screwdriver for the whole installation process. You might need some extra tools as hummer and wood block depending on the condition of your door. For an inexperienced user you can expect to finish Kwikset 910 installation around 20-25 including the pairing. For detailed instructions we are sharing Kwikset Smartcode 910 manual at here. Below you can also watch the Kwikset 910 installation installation video.
Technical Details Chart of Kwikset SmartCode 910
| Item Weight | 3 pounds |
|---|---|
| Product Dimensions | 3.5 x 5.4 x 9.9 inches |
| Voltage | 1.5 volts |
| Batteries | 4 AA batteries required. ( not included) |
| Style | Deadbolt |
| Connection | Z-Wave |
| Included Components | Exterior keypad, interior assembly, latch, mounting plate, allen wrench, adapter ring, strike, keys, smartkey tool, fasteners |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | Yes |
| Battery Cell Type | Alkaline |
| Warranty Description | 1 year manufacturer, lifetime mechanical and finish warranty. |
Cons and Pros of Kwikset SmartCode 910
We have reviewed some smart locks with Z-Wave connection support in the past including Yale Assure Lock SL with Z-Wave , Schlage Connect Smart Deadbolt , Kwikset SmartCode 916 Z-Wave Smart Lock and Schlage FE599NX Connected Keypad Lever with Z-Wave. All of these smart locks don’t have a custom app to control them. You will need to use the app of your smart hub in order to access full features of the smart lock. Only the exception is August Smart Lock Pro 3rd Gen + Connect as it has it’s own custom app. Lack of having a custom app might cause confusing results about the maximum capabilities of the smart lock as you might not find what you are looking for. Kwikset Smartcode 910 is complicated in this case.
Overall design is solid and heavy-duty to work for long time without problems. We loved the feel of the lock on the door.If you are looking for something with flexible features and if you have time to dig around to find how to use them then Kwikset SmartCode 910 Z-Wave Smart Lock is a gold mine for you. You can discover more possibilities with different smart hub controllers.
Can we suggest you to buy this smart lock? Yes, we can suggest because this smart lock will give you what it promises. It is not the best smart lock on the market but if you already own Samsung SmartThings, Nexia Z-Wave Bridge, Wink ,Vera, ADT Pulse or Ring Alarm System at your home network then you can directly buy this smart lock without any hesitations. After all of these we can say that it is very similar to the other Z-Wave smart locks we have stated above but 1 step behind of both Yale Assure Lock SL with Z-Wave and August Smart Lock Pro 3rd Gen + Connect. Below you can find the cons and pros:
Pros:
Easy installation
Beautiful design
Multiple smart hub options
Voice control over Alexa and Google Assistant
30 user code memory
Remote lock/unlock
Scheduled codes over some apps
Stable keypad with backlit
Suitable for Airbnb and short term rentals
Easy to change batteries
Battery drain warning
Key usage if battery drains completely
Solid structure
Smartkey Rekey
Bump Key protection
Code usage logs
Receive notifications when user code entered
Cons:
No custom app
Features are not easy to access
Big dimensions for interior unit
Motor working very loud
