Closing on the new house next week and looking for suggestions on door locks since we will want to replace the current ones.  We have 4 doors, handle and deadbolt on each to replace.  Would prefer to have them all on a single key.

I am looking for something that is pretty decent quality without being overly expensive.  As far as residential is concerned, what is the real difference between grade 1, 2, and 3 locks?  Not planning on replacing the doors (at least not right away).  Would grade 1 or 2 locks be a waste on fairly normal outside doors?

Although I am no locksmith,  imo you have 2 choices of good quality - Schlage and Kwikset . This year I have been replacing my rental homes(they are nice homes) with Kwikset due to their smart key system. A fucking snap to rekey all the locks upon installation of knobs or if changing keys when tenants move out. In the past, I have had to pay a locksmith $7 a door and a service charge, now I do it for the cost of a key.
On the other hand, if I were building and on my home I use Schlage G2(residential security). I think the quality and finish is just a bit better. Make sure and spend the extra scratch on a keypad deadbolt or knob.
Best of luck.

I love the Kwikset Smartkey locks. Have been slowly replacing all the locks in my house with them. They are only grade 2, and do have a known exploit. However, I would venture to guess that 99% of breakins are using a size 12 boot and not lockpicks. As such, having the ability to re-key a lock in seconds outweighs not having the highest security lock around. I still ended up with a Medeco M3 for my Armory. No way would I spend that kind of money ($200-ish) on all exterior locks.

Use and install Jamb Armor and a Medico dead bolt would be the best choice. Second would be Jamb Armor and the best Grade 1 dead bolt I could afford. My next house I will spend the funds on a good solid set of doors with locking contacts besides the dead bolt. If I stay in this home I will upgrade the doors.

I have kicked, Haligan tooled, sledged many doors open. Usually just a shoulder or a Globe boot opens most locked homes.

Kwikset Smart Key is a disaster
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR-h64WwfW8[/youtube]

If you want security, do what zoe17 says. The door handle and dead bolt wont keep anyone out. The weakspot is usually the jamb. Often the dead bolt cant even latch all the way because the deadbolt hole in the jamb isnt deep enough.

 
I wouldn't call it a disaster. Its a forced entry using a special tool sold by the very guy making the video. I do recall that Kwikset is getting called out because they claim a Grade 2 rating when it doesn't meet the sheer force requirements which would prevent that forced entry most likely.


Then again, most crooks are not using exploits or picks on locks. They are kicking in your door, or breaking out a window.

Just an FYI.

Change-a-lock offers kits to re-key several brands of locks for about $15.00 shipped.  Each kit does 6 locks and is DIY friendly.  I just re-keyed my house for the second time (1st time was 15 years ago, still in business)

No affiliation other than being a happy customer.

The bold, underlined part above is the really crucial thing here.

A $200 Medeco deadbolt doesn't do shit when there is a landscape brick and a window 3 feet to the side of the entry door. Your home security is only as strong as it's weakest link or most easily exploited vulnerability and the fact of the matter is, most crooks are exploiting the ease of a brute-force attack (kicking the door, breaking a window, etc). No high-end dead-bolt will prevent those from happening. Another likely vulnerability is a lost/stolen key, repairman that makes a copy of the key etc. Having the ability to quickly & conveniently change the locks is a huge security advantage. When I bought my house I outfitted it with smart-key deadbolts and handle-sets. Numerous sets, I bought them all strategically picking out the "key numbers". What I ended up with was 7 sets of 4 keys per keying. I continually rotate through keys so even if a key is copied/stolen in some way unbeknownst to me, the crook will have to act fast before the key will no longer work (except at some unknown time in the future when they key will come back in rotation).

If you have commercial steel doors with steel jambs, properly installed and have no windows at ground level then sure, a high-end deadbolt will provide a security advantage.


The known vulnerability of the kwikset is, IMHO, bs the competitors use to "prove" their stuff is better, when in fact, the vulnerability is more along the lines of being vulnerable to skilled picking. A number of locks are vulnerable to a skilled lock-picker, but how many break-ins take place at the hands of skilled lock-pickers?

I live 15 minutes from the guy that first discovered the vulnerability in the kwikset smart-key locks. He has never once come to my house and let himself inside...

For full disclosure: I used smart-key locks and have been for a number of years. I have also used their warranty (long story, not really the fault of kwikset, it was my fault) and it is very good (they overnighted a new dead-bolt to me to fix my mistake). The finish on them is susceptible to extended UV exposure. I have 1 door on the south side of my house that isn't shaded. The finish on the top of the handle and top of the dead-bolt bezel is degraded and a bit cracked, but that is only the "clearcoat" type finish. Everything else is holding up fine and they still work excellent. They have been in service for 7 years now.

So, in theory, I might just be able to re-key the current locks (if they are decent), or, if the current locks suck, I could buy whatever locks I prefer and re-key them all to the same key?

Yes, the vast majority of locks can be re-keyed. It's not terribly difficult to do yourself, but it takes a little knowledge, patience, the necessary tools & parts, and the ability to work with very tiny parts/pieces without losing your cool when they fall all over the place.

Make sure they are decent quality before rekeying them.

IMHO, I would want, at minimum, a bump resistant lock. Bumping is probably the easiest way for a crook to get in your house and leave no signs of a break-in. Mid-grade to high-end locks are bump-resistant. The Kwikset Smart-Key, by their inherent "unique" design, are virtually bump-proof.

What are the thoughts on using the locks with the keypad on them for this?  A lot of them allow you to change the codes, or set temporary codes on them, don't they?  

Are the keypad type locks more vulnerable?  What are the disadvantages of them?

As long as they are the same brand of lock.  I have Schlage deadbolts and doorknobs all keyed alike.  Check the website for more info.

If they are decent locks (schlage is the only decent residential, non-high-security locks imho), it will be far cheaper to have them rekeyed. If they are all the same brand, you can have them all keyed alike.

If you end up replacing the locks, go to a real locksmith shop and buy them there. If you are buying in quantity, they can normally do a deal near what home depot can do and they will come keyed alike...

At places like home depot, the most locks I have ever found keyed alike in a set is two dead bolts and two door knobs from schlage.

For a landlord or someone who is going to be changing keys frequently, the removeable cylinders are a good investment, but the kwikset ones are junk. There are much beter brands out there with the same ability for not much more.

I've got Yale locks on my house. They came with it and have lifetime warranties on finish and mechanicals. I've used it a couple of times now and there's no problem with their customer service. (1 external doorknob began to tarnish and peel. 1 door knob stopped working with its key. Both were replaced for free and shipping was free.) The 2 incidents happened over the course of 10 years.

They are easily defeated as well but that being said I have them on my house. They are great and convenient. I never get my keys out anymore. You definitely want one that doesnt use a motor to turn the deadbolt though, they eat through batteries and are less reliable.
For fun [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_rdg10AceY[/youtube]

I always go for Medeco.  They're expensive, but provide me a better sense of security.

Does anyone have a good source for Abloy Protech2 deadbolts? They seem to be impossible to find online, just one site that sells at full MSRP.

My brother has kwikset doorknob locks and dead bolt. He went camping and forgot to feed the cat. Took my bump key set over there and had the door open in a minute or two. The deadbolt was WAY easier than the doorknob. Got the dead bolt in only a couple atempts. No pro just an novice who dabbles. and I can open 70% of keyed locks.

Locksmith checking in.

Don't buy Kwikset. Anything. Ever. Their smart key locks are easily defeated with a flat head screw driver and a pair of vice grips... Every single time. Just turn them hard enough and the shitty aluminum .3mm thick gears will sheer are bend. They'll break all on their own soon enough too. Their regular stuff can be picked by fart.

Schlage is great for residential security. I would suggest their B560 deadbolts withy Everest or primus cylinders. Primus are key restricted bump proof and nearly pick proof. Even Everest is nearly bump proof because nobody has Everest blanks or bump keys. They're also very pick resistant.

I have Everest cylinders on my house because we don't deal primus.

Medeco is great, but entirely unnecessary. They're super restricted and super expensive and trust me you don't NEED the benefits or the hassle if you ever try to get duplicate keys made. (You'll need the credit card thing they give you, and you WILL lose it. Everyone does.)

Definitely up armor your jambs. Jamb armor is good to go and you can likely self install.

Medeco fan myself, as mentioned, don't lose your duplication cards.

My .02, buy high end locks and if you move, take your good locks with you and go slap on a $10 Home Depot deadbolt when you move.

ASSA/Abloy, Mul-T-Lock, Bi-Lock are also other good locks.

+1 on not using Kwikset SmartKey. Not only can they be defated but they have a habit of causing lockouts, especially when poorly duplicated keys (like the ones made at hardware stores) are used.

I like the Stanley K2 grade 1 line. They offer multiple keyways and are a well built product, at a price less than medeco.

I am not a fan of everest or other restricted keyways for home use.

Medeco user here.  When we bought our lock we had the locksmith make a bunch of extra keys that he didn't charge us for.  When we moved from VA to CO we took the lock with us and installed a cheap lock from Home Depot.  

While total overkill for our house in many aspects and the fact we rarely use the front door I like the fact that keys can not be duplicated.