I've finally experienced the future of smart locks and I never want to go back

It seems like every few years the smart lock industry boasts about completely new technology that’s supposed to make securing your home easier, while also making it easier to provide access, even when you’re not home. As such, I’ve tested a lot of smart locks over the years. 

First there was a keypad and a mobile app to set codes over Bluetooth. Then Wi-Fi connectivity allowed me to access the lock from anywhere and get alerts when the door was unlocked. Later, I installed a lock with Apple Home Key support that enables tap-to-unlock with an iPhone or Apple Watch. 

Each one fundamentally changed how my family interacts with the deadbolt on our front door. However, it wasn’t until I used Aqara’s $269 U400 smart lock that I truly felt like I was living in the future. 

The U400 supports all of the features I just named, and it does all of that just as well as the Schlage Encode Plus I used previously. 

Where the U400 really shines, though, is its support for Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology, and with it, hands-free entry. 

That means you can simply walk up to your door, it unlocks, and you walk right in — without even slowing down your stride. The first time I tested it out, I was giddy. 

My biggest complaint about Schlage’s Encode Plus is that it’s slow. Not terribly slow, but slow enough to be annoying. After tapping your phone or watch to the lock, you have to wait a second or so before it unlocks, requiring patience every time you want in the house. 

My kids, however, don’t have patience. Nearly every single time they’d come home, I’d hear the storm door open, the lock beep to indicate it was unlocking the deadbolt, followed by a shoulder ramming into the door — repeatedly — until the lock turned and they eventually burst into the entryway. 

I don’t know how many times I asked them to stop and reminded them to be patient and wait until they heard the lock turn before trying to open the door. 

It got to the point where I’d unlock and slightly crack the door right before they got home just to avoid the entire interaction. 

The Aqara U400 instantly resolved this problem. 

After installing the lock, I sent our family group chat instructions covering how to enable Unlock on Approach, and I’ve yet to hear anyone run into the door. 

Unlocking the door is an incredibly smooth and seamless process, but the technology behind it is more complicated than that, of course. 

In order for hands-free UWB unlocking to work, you’ll need a UWB-capable iPhone and/or Apple Watch. That translates into an iPhone 11 or newer (excluding the SE, 16e and 17e), any Apple Watch Ultra model, and an Apple Watch Series 6 or newer. 

The U400’s hands-free unlock capabilities will eventually work with Android devices via the Aliro standard, but it’s not clear when that'll roll out. 

Smart locks with UWB support aren’t all that common right now, but you do have a few options outside of the Aqara U400: 

• Ultraloq’s $299 Bolt Mission recently launched, featuring UWB hands-free support and a unique design.
• Schlage’s $399 Sense Pro is super pricey, but sure does look nice.
• LG's $349 Smart Deadbolt Lock was just announced alongside the HomeView, new HomePods and an Apple TV. It doesn’t ship until December.

I haven't tried any of the locks I just listed, but I have to imagine they are all just as magical as the U400. I know it seems trivial, but once you experience the seamlessness of hands-free entry, you can't help but feel like you're living in the future.