Review: Aqara U50 Smart Lock

Aqara’s newest lock, the U50, has been on my front door for the better part of three months. I almost forgot about it as it smoothly inserted itself into my family’s life just before the holiday season. My family learned the new code, and even though I handed out the included two keys, none of us needed them.

It’s the most affordable lock I’ve tested. However, it comes with all the features I want in a smart lock: automated locking after a certain time and the ability to generate multiple entry codes, and it can tell if the door is open or closed without any added extra accessories or sensors. It doesn’t even have any of the sneaky subscription fees that you’ll find with some smart-home and security companies.

I really like this lock. But you’ll want to get the Aqara M3 Hub ($110) to get access to all of its features, and the hub’s price tag just about doubles the cost of purchasing the lock. If you can get by without needing Wi-Fi access, though (which means no smart-home integrations and no remotely checking on the door’s locked status), this affordable lock is a great purchase.

Slim Formation

The U50 has a minimalist design, with a simple, modern-looking keypad on the exterior panel and a sleek deadbolt on the interior panel. I like the large sans serif font Aqara has on the keypad, and there are two buttons after the zero: an Away Mode button, which you can configure in the Aqara app, and an Enter/Lock Button, which you need to click after entering the door code or to relock the door after yourself. The keypad does require you to tap it and wake it up before you enter the code, which isn’t difficult, but I had to intentionally press a button to wake it up versus lightly tapping somewhere on the keypad.

There’s also a large area underneath the keypad that is actually a hidden keyhole. It’s covered with a panel that you slide downward to reveal the keyhole. The sliding cover will click into place to stay open, so you don’t need to worry about holding it open while you use your key. It’s a nice extra security feature if you’re worried about lock pickers, since it’s not obvious just by looking at the lock that the panel will slide open. You can also have a professional locksmith rekey it.

Photograph: Nena Farrell