Kwikset SmartCode 955 Keypad Electronic Lever Review
Today we continue to focus on another keypad lever style smart lock Kwikset SmartCode 955 Keypad Electronic Lever which is directly one to one competitor of our recenly reviewed Schlage FE595 Keypad Lever. Both of these keypad levers have very similar features so we will also try to compare them in our post.
Kwikset is very pretentious at this lock as being a commercial grade lever. This means it can not only be used at your house’s door but also some other places such as utility rooms, public restrooms, interior garage doors etc. We hope you will find our review valuable before you decide to buy Kwikset SmartCode 955 Keypad Electronic Lever.
Keypad of Kwikset SmartCode 955 Keypad Electronic Lever
Keypad has a very clean and simple design. It is slightly different from Schlage FE595‘s overall design but settlement of the buttons are exactly same. All the buttons are easy to press and working smoothly. There is a key whole in order to help you to unlock your door in case of emergency or battery drain. Lever is reversible so you don’t have to worry for left or right hand usage.
We can not exactly be sure if there will be a wear off on the numbers but we believe Kwikset has already thought of it and took the necessary actions to prevent this. This model is presented as commercial grade lever so it has to be very heavy-duty model to satisfy expecations for huge number of usages. We have positive feeling about Kwikset SmartCode 955 Keypad Electronic Lever when we have a look at overall design.
We have seen the classic top button with brand name written on it at this keypad lever too. This button is used to activate the backlit of the buttons. Once you press it, all the numbers will be illuminated. Brightness of the light is pretty enough for night usage. You will not need backlit on the day time because numbers are designed to be seen very easily.
Weather Conditions
You might be asking yourself “What about performance at cold and hot weathers?”. This questions is very frequenlty asked since it is very important for some of our readers because they live in very cold or hot places. We had no chance to test the weather performance of Kwikset SmartCode 955 Keypad Electronic Lever so as we did before we have contacted with some of the owners and asked their thoughts. What we have learned is you can use this lock in hot,cold,rainy and snowy weathers without problems. They only suggested to install batteries which can perform better in cold weathers in order to prevent battery problems caused by cold weather.
Auto Lock
Just as similar as the competitor model Schlage FE595 Keypad Lever, Kwikset SmartCode 955 Keypad Electronic Lever has also auto lock feature that works exactly same as out of the box. Once you enter a correct code, you will have 5 seconds to unlock the door by using lever. After 5 seconds passes it will be locked automatically. You can change this timer between 1-99 seconds which is very flexible for us.
There are some similar models on the market with flexible auto lock options. We have reviewed some of them before on our blog so we suggest you to have a look at Kwikset 909 SmartCode Electronic Deadbolt Review and Kwikset 913 Smartcode Electronic Deadbolt Review. Thet don’t have a lever but their features are very similar to Kwikset SmartCode 955 Keypad Electronic Lever.
Passage Mode
Sometimes it will be necessary to disable the auto lock feature. In this case you have to turn the turnpiece on the interior unit to horizontal position. After turning you will hear 2 beeps to confrim that passage mode is activated. As long as your lock stays at passage mode it will not require a key or a user code to unlock the door.
User Codes
Kwikset SmartCode 955 Keypad Electronic Lever can store up to 30 unique user codes + 1 one time code with 4-8 digits length. As out of the box there are no user or programming codes are pre-programmed for immediate usage just like the opposite of Schlage FE595 Keypad Lever. Your user codes should have different first 4 digits from each other due to security limitations set by Kwikset.
One time code is a great feature for this keypad lever. Kwikset generally presents you this option for adding 1 one time usage code at their keypad syle locks without smart capabilities. Once you use this code, it will be deleted immediately. Very useful feature for lots of situations.
Adding and deletinsg user codes can be done in 2 ways. You can set a programming code and add/delete user codes easily over the keypad. As alternative you might not set a programming code and use Kwikset Rekey tool to press programming button on the interior unit so start programming process. If we compare the process with and witgout programming code, we can say that adding new users with programming code requires 3 steps less.
We suggest you to use programming code for faster adding/deleting user code operations. Programming manual shows every detail step by step and clearly. Kwikset SmartCode 955 Keypad Electronic Lever programming manual can be found at here.
Security of Kwikset SmartCode 955 Keypad Electronic Lever
Kwikset SmartCode 955 Keypad Electronic Lever is BHMA Commercial Grade 2 certified and BHMA certified as AAA at security, durability, and finish categories. These certificates show us that you can trust this lock to use at your home and some other commercial places which does not require extreme security.
If you want to make your lock bump proof completely. You can achieve this by disabling the key part via filling it. Disabling the key usage can possibly cause risks when your battery drains or you need to open the lock with key in an emergecy case.
SmartKey Security
SmartKey Security™ is widely used on the locks of Kwikset. It is a new designed protection technology by Kwikset. When you have lock with SmartKey Security™ on your door, this means your door is secured by a lock which is pick resistant and bump proof. You don’t have to worry about lock picking or lock bumping (bump key) attacks on your door. Security is the most important case on the locks so we feel confident enough for this keypad lever.
Smartkey Rekey
Smartkey Rekey technology presents us very easy rekeying technology on your own without a locksmith and lots of tools. In simple words you can use a Kwikset KW1 Keyway key on your lock and other locks. Just one key for all locks sounds better than having couple of keys for each lock. We love this feature and enjoy to rekey every time on our own without a locksmith.
Here is the step by step guide for you to perform Kwikset rekey. You can also jump below to watch video.
1) First you have to 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
Battery Life of Kwikset SmartCode 955 Keypad Electronic Lever
Battery life of an electronic device is always very important because people don’t want to spend time and money on changing batteries too often. Kwikset SmartCode 955 Keypad Electronic Lever will make you smile by it’s long performance. System is powered by a 9v battery. As out of the box you will get this battery. However before continuing to read we want to remind you that battery life experience can dramatically change depending on some factorst such as condition of the door, usage frequency, weather conditions, enabled features etc.
Kwikset presents battery life of this lock as 3 years. If what Kwikset claims is true, this means battery life is perfect. As you might already guess we don’t have this much time to test it but we made some calculations based on the battery consumption for locking and unlocking operations with well aligned door and a little worse conditioned door. We have calculated the avarage battery consumption and to have contacted with the some of the users of this product to confirm our calculations. We have learned that you should see minimum 1.5+ years battery life.
Low battery indicator is a must to prevent you from staying in fron of the door with nothing to do with your battery drained lock. After you enter a valid used code you will hear 10 short beeps and see red light flashing 10 times. When you see this warning you shoul change the battery as soon as possible. Your battery might finish completely in couple of days. In case of complete battery drain you can still use your key to unlock the door.
Changing the battery is easy. There is a security screw which is optional to use on the cover of the interior unit. If you don’t install it you can just slide up the cover and reach to battery but if you install that screw first you must remove it and then slide up the cover. You will not change the battery frequently so you can install it. Whole process will end in 1-2 minutes maximum.
Installation process
Please make sure that your door has the following specs before installing:
- Door is either 1- 3/8″ or 1- 3/4″ (35 mm or 44 mm) thick
- Backset either 2-3/8 or 2-3/4 inches wide
- Hole in door is either 2-1/8 inches wide
- Hole in the door edge is 1″
Kwikset SmartCode 955 Keypad Electronic Lever has very easy installation process just like the other competitors. It has very clear instructions which guides you step by step. We have installed Kwikset SmartCode 955 in 7 minutes so you should be able to finish it under 15 minutes. While installing you will need Phillips Head Screwdriver, tape measure, and a pencil. You might also need flathead screwdriver, wood block, and hammer depending on the condition of your door. If you need drilling you will find the templates to guide you inside of the box. We are sharing Kwikset SmartCode 955 Keypad Electronic Lever installation manual at here. Below you can also find the installation video.
Technical Details Chart
| Item Weight | 4.85 pounds |
|---|---|
| Product Dimensions | 3.9 x 4.1 x 9.5 inches |
| Voltage | 9v |
| Batteries | 9v battery ( included) |
| Style | Keypad Lever |
| Material | Metal |
| Included Components | Exterior Deadbolt Assembly, Interior Deadbolt Assembly, Latch, Strike, SmartKey Learn Tool, Allen Wrench, Spindle, 2 Keys, Levers, Installation Hardware, Installation Guide, 9V Battery |
| Batteries Included? | Yes |
| Batteries Required? | Yes |
| Battery Cell Type | Alkaline |
| Warranty Description | Lifetime Limited Mechanical & Finish Warranty and 3-Year Electronics Warranty |
Cons and Pros
Kwikset SmartCode 955 Keypad Electronic Lever gives you all the things it claims to have. Simple, secured, heavy duty and quality product to use at home or at commercial places. Battery life is long enough for handling both crowded families and busy commercial places which requires many operations in a day. Kwikset SmartCode 955 Keypad Electronic Lever will not disappoint you in both these usage areas. There aren’t any smart capabilities but it fits perfectly to places where it is needed. Below you can find cons and pros we have found.
Pros:
Beautiful and simple design
Easy installation
Heavy-duty design
Backlit on keypad
Metal and solid structure
Long battery life
Battery drain indicator
Easy to program/add/delete codes
Easy to change battery
Kwikset Smartkey Rekey
Grade 2 ANSI/BHMA Certificate
30 code memory + 1 one time code
Silent working
Cons:
No Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or Z-Wave connections
No smart capabilities
