Yale Assure Lock SL with Z-Wave Review

Yale is very experienced company about lock and home security systems. They have Assure Lock Z-Wave Plus series with 3 types of controllers as keypad, touchscreen and key-free touchscreen. In this post we will explain you Yale Assure Lock Sl Key Free Touchscreen version but we will also give details about Yale Assure Lock Smart Keypad and Smart Touchscreen Keypad versions. Let’s move forward and give you all details.

Connection Standards and Smart Home Controller Options

Yale Assure Lock SL with Z-Wave supports Alexa by Echo or Echo Dot , Ring Alarm, Samsung SmartThings, Wink, ADTt, Alarm.com, Honeywell Alarm and more. It does not support Bluetooth connection,Google Assistant by Google Home or Siri over Apple HomeKit. If you want a smart lock compatible with these then you should look at Connected by August version. You can connect Yale Assure Lock SL with Z-Wave to any system which supports Z-Wave. We will give some information about the popular smart home systems so you will understand what you can do and what you will need for this.

Amazon Alexa

Alexa integration gives you ability to lock ,unlock and check if your door is locked or not just by your voice via Echo or Echo Dot. Even though it is advertised as all you need Echo or Echo Dot , this is not correct. You will need an extra hubs as Wink or Samsung SmartThings to control your smart lock.

These are the voice commands which you can use on Alexa

• Check if your front door is locked or not: “Alexa, is my front door locked?”
• Lock your door: “ Alexa, lock the front door”
• Unlock your door: “ Alexa, unlock the front door ” [you will also need to say your pin code]

Activating Alexa requires some steps to follow. First you must connect your Yale Assure Lock SL with Z-Wave to SmartThings app on iOS or Android. After that you have to connect Alexa to Samsung SmartThings hub. We will not share all the step by step information here but you can find all of these steps as pdf at here.

SmartThings

Samsung SmartThings is the best option for using this smart lock. SmartThings app lets you do to lots of things as sending notifications, triggering locking based on the rules you set, remote locking/unlocking locking/unlocking by voice and more. It is extremely easy to pair with Yale Assure Lock Sl.

• Lock and unlock from anywhere
• Use the app to delete or add user codes
• Receive alerts when a user code is entered
• Control battery level with app
• 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 using code
• Voice control with Alexa

Wink

Wink is another smart hub just as Samsung SmartThings. You can control your smart lock with Alexa by Wink too. Wink unfortunately can not unlock your door over Alexa due to security reasons but you can open the Wink app and control your lock from there. Remote lock and unlocking is possible over the app. You can also set automations which are activated by an action triggering. These are called Robots. As example you can create a Robot to automatically lock your Yale Assure Lock SL when your alarm system is activated or your lights are turned off. Here is the list of the things you can do with Wink at your smart lock:

• Remotely lock or unlock from everywhere
• Use the app to delete or add user codes
• Control battery level with app
• Reminders for removing the unnecessary codes
• Setup Robot to work with other connected devices. E.g. your light will turn off and your lock will be locked
• Create Wink widgets to trigger automation series like “Goodnight” to turn off all of the devices and lock the door
• Voice control with Alexa

Ring Alarm System

If you have a Ring Alarm System at your house then you are a little lucky. Yale Assure Lock SL can be integrated with Ring Alarm System without need of any other extra hubs. Remote locking and unlocking possible over the app. Pairing is extremely easy if you just follow the steps on the Ring app. Below you can find some very useful things you can do after pairing your smart lock.

• Lock and unlock from anywhere
• Use the app to delete or add user codes
• Receive alerts when a user code is entered
• Control battery level with app
• Disable the Ring alarm when user code entered
• Receive notifications if door is open, closed or unlocked/locked
• Set automation series as starting to record when door is unlocked
• Voice control with Alexa
• Arm the alarm when door is locked

Keypad of Yale Assure Lock SL

There are 3 types of keypads available with Yale Assure Lock Sl. These are classic keypad, touchscreen keypad and key-free touchscreen keypad. As you know in this review we are focusing on Yale Assure Lock Sl Key Free Touchscreen version but we will tell the differences between them.

This smart lock has the slimmest Key-free touchscreen keypad on the market. You have an option to lock the door with just a single touch on the keypad. Backlit of the keypad is activated by touching the screen. Light is bright enough to be used day and night. Some of these kind of keypads having brightness problems under direct sunlight but this one is performing good enough if the sunlight is not at the extreme levels. No need to worry about rain or cold weathers. It still performs very well.

Keypad can store up to 250 unique codes with 4-8 digits at the same time. First created code will be the master code. These codes can be created over the app of your smart hub or keypad. If you create the code over the keypad they will always work without any date or time limitations so if you want temporary codes then you should use the app. Here you can find the guide to program codes over the keypad.

User Codes

Creating codes over SmatThings app , Wink app and Ring app is possible. You can add or delete them but you can not change them. You can not also set a date for last usage or can not set recurring codes. If you need to give a temporary code you should delete it after it is used. There is no option to delete them automatically. When it comes to one time password, temporary or recurring we found this lock a little bit lacking. We would expect to see flexible code types which can be easily programmed over any app.

We can not suggest you Yale Assure Lock SL if your main purpose is to use for Airbnb. You can have a look at Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt, August Smart Lock Pro 3rd Gen or August Smart Lock + Connect Wi-Fi Bridge for better solutions. Also whenever someone uses a code to lock or unlock, you will receive notifications over the app.

Auto Locking

Auto Locking is always a great feature that our readers love to have. By detault it is enabled and set to 30 seconds. There is no option to change this timer as it is possible at the most of the other smart locks on the market. When you unlock your door, auto lock will wait 30 seconds and trigger locking operation. You can disable this feature from the keypad. Unfortunately, Yale Assure Lock SL does not support auto unlocking feature.

Battery Life

Battery life is a subject that can dramatically change by many factors such as usage frequency, lock’s turn number, condition of the door, weather, etc. Yale Assure Lock SL is powered by 4 x AA batteries and depending on our tests it will last around 1 year and even a little more with daily 6-8 times usage under normal conditions. Battery life is impressive and you don’t have to worry about it.

Yale Assure Lock SL has 2 low battery indicators. You can also track the status of your battery over the apps. When battery is low, Low Battery Warning indicator on the smart lock flashes RED and you will receive notifications over the app. Couple of days later it will finish completely if you don’t change them. Even if you don’t change the batteries and your battery completely finishes you can still use 9V battery by touching in either direction to terminals below the touchscreen. After that, your keypad will be ready to use again.

Changing the bateries is easy and fast. All you have to do is to remove the screw at the top of the cover on the interior unit and remove it. You will directly see battery holder in front of you. Just take the batteries out and replace the new ones. It will take around 1 minute to change batteries.

Other Keypad Versions

Yale Assure Lock SL with Z-Wave has 2 more different keypad styles. Technically they are almost same as specifications but there are few differences.

Yale Assure Lock SL with Z-Wave – Key Free Touchscreen does not have a key hole and it is completely touchscreen keypad.

Yale Assure Lock with Z-Wave – Keypad has physical buttons on it and it is larger because of key hole. Whenever needed you can use your keys on this version.

Yale Assure Lock with Z-Wave – Touchscreen Keypad has a larger shape than key-free version because of key hole. Rest is same with key-free version.

If you prefer to completely take keys out of your life then you can choose key-free version. It has nice design with small dimensions. If you prefer to keep the key as your plan B and want to have physical buttons then you can choose keypad version. Keypad with physical buttons always works more stable when compared to touchscreens. Finally, if you prefer to have a touchscreen keypad with a key hole on it then you should choose touchsreen keypad version of Yale Assure Lock.

Installation Process

Before moving on the installation process please make sure that your door has the following specifications:

Door thicknes: 1-3/4″ to 2-1/4″

Backset 2 3/4″ or 2 3/4″

Face Bore Hole: 2 1/8″

Edge Bore Hole: 1″

If your door is suitable then you can follow the instructions on the installation manual at here or just install the BILT app to watch step by step guide. Yale Assure Lock SL has extremely easy installation process. It comes with an extandable latch so all you need is a Phillips Head Screwdriver. In some conditions a little drilling may be required but it will not take long time and you will find templates to help you inside the box. We can say that even if you are not experienced about these things it will take maximum 25 minutes to completely finish installation process.

Technical Details Chart

Item Weight	3 pounds
Product Dimensions	5.5 x 5.5 x 10 inches
Voltage	1.5 volts
Batteries	4 AA batteries required. (included)
Connection	Z-Wave Plus
Material	Stainless Steel
Included Components	Yale Assure Lock SL Lock, Z-Wave Smart Module, Deadbolt Strike and Mounting Hardware, 4 AA Batteries, Installation Manual and Door Template
Batteries Included?	Yes
Batteries Required?	Yes
Battery Cell Type	Alkaline
Warranty Description	Lifetime limited warranty on Finish and Mechanical. One year on Electronics

Pros and Cons

Yale Assure Lock SL with Z-Wave is s pretty smart lock with enough features. A home user will find almost everything expected from a smart lock. It has easy installation, long battery life, beautiful design, remote access, voice control, remote control ,integration options with smart hubs and Ring Alarm System.

This smart lock does not have Bluetooth or Wi-Fi support so if these are important for you should have a look at their Connected by August models. If your main focus is not Airbnb then this smart lock can be one of your favorites. We are writing this one to our top smart locks 2019 list too. You will not be disappointed for your decision. Here is the list of cons and pros:

Pros:

Easy installation

Small and beautiful design

Z-Wave Plus

Auto unlock

Multiple smart home hub connection options

Guest access

IFTTT integration

Ring Alarm Integration

IFTTT integration

Remote access, remote lock / unlock

250 user unique user code memory

Stable keypad with very bright light

Long battery life

Easy to change batteries

Battery drain warning

9V battery entrance in case of battery drain

Silent working

Cons:

No temporary, recurring codes

Not Airbnb friendly

No timing options for auto lock

No custom app (you have to use hubs’s apps)

No Google Home, Apple HomeKit support

No Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection