Yale Assure Lock SL (YRD 256) Review - Review 2022

When nosotros reviewed Yale's Existent Living Touchscreen Deadbolt Lock (YRD 240) a few years dorsum, we gave it high marks for its pleasing aesthetics and easy installation, only took issue with its hefty cost and lack of a dedicated app. The new Yale Assure Lock SL (YRD256) offers a streamlined look, keyless touch-screen entry, and Z-Moving ridge circuitry that lets you control information technology using a dwelling automation controller such as the Flash 2 or the SmartThings hubs. That said, it doesn't still doesn't offering an app, and while it's not quite every bit expensive every bit the YRD240, it's still a pricey smart lock at $250. You tin get more for your money with our Editors' Choice, the August Smart Lock HomeKit Enabled.

Design and Features

Bachelor in an Oil Rubbed Statuary, Polished Bronze, or Satin Nickel terminate, the Assure SL ($198.98 at Amazon) offers a much more streamlined design than other touch-screen locks such as the Yale YRD240 and the Schlage Sense. The diminutive outer escutcheon measures three.6 by 2.6 by 0.7 inches (HWD) and has a blackness drinking glass capacitive console with a white backlit keypad. The keypad remains dark until y'all put your paw up against the screen. The left side of the escutcheon has a speaker for vocalism-assisted programming and keypad beeps. The interior escutcheon measures six.9 past 3.0 by 2.one inches (HWD) and has a thumb turn machinery for manually opening and closing the lock. Behind a removable cover are a battery compartment for four AA batteries (included) and a slot for installing a network module.

Yale Assure Lock SL with Z-Wave (YRD 256)

The Assure SL fits doors that are betwixt 1.75 and 2.25 inches in thickness and uses the standard 2-ane/8-inch diameter bore hole. You can gild the lock with either a Z-Wave or ZigBee module depending on your dwelling house automation setup, or yous can club it without a module and salve $50. Y'all can't connect the lock directly to your Wi-Fi network, which means you can't make information technology interact with other smart habitation devices or control it with IFTTT applets or Alexa voice commands unless yous're using a compatible home automation hub such equally the SmartThings or Wink two. However, an Apple HomeKit module will exist available in the virtually futurity that volition bring Siri vocalization support and interoperability with other HomeKit devices.

Features include up to 250 unique Pivot codes, All Lawmaking Lockout, which restricts all user codes except for the Master lawmaking, Automated Re-Lock, which locks the door thirty seconds after an opening, Ane Bear on Locking, which lets you engage the lock (lock it) by touching the capacitive panel, and Shutdown Time, which shuts the lock downwards for sixty seconds after 5 repeated incorrect code entries. There's as well a tamper alert that will sound an alarm if an attempt is made to forcibly remove the exterior escutcheon, a low battery indicator, and a Privacy manner button, located on the interior escutcheon, that puts the lock into a do not disturb state by disabling all user codes.

Equally with the YRD240, the Assure SL uses voice-assisted programming instructions that go far easy to add and remove users and turn features on and off.

Installation and Performance

Installing the Clinch SL was fairly simple. I removed my existing deadbolt lock and latch hardware from my door and followed the detailed illustrated directions that come with the lock. I installed the new bolt and strike plate and slid the bear upon-screen escutcheon into the door's bore pigsty, making sure to feed the information and power cable through the hole in the deadbolt latch.

Next, I attached the interior mounting plate to the touch-screen escutcheon using the included bolts, continued the cable to the slot on the interior escutcheon, and connected the interior escutcheon to the mounting plate using the provided screws. I then installed the Z-Wave module and the four AA batteries, attached the embrace, and programmed in my Master Pivot code and several user codes. The entire procedure took less than 10 minutes. Finally, I used the vox-activated instructions to pair the lock with a Z-Wave-enabled GetSafe Home Security hub, which took all of two minutes.

Yale Assure Lock SL with Z-Wave (YRD 256)

The Assure SL worked flawlessly. It never failed to open when a code was entered, and the backlit touch-screen keypad is bright and responsive. The lock responded quickly to my lock and unlock commands sent via the GetSafe mobile app. The Automatic Re-Lock feature worked like a charm, as did the Privacy manner and Shutdown Time features. It should be noted that the Privacy button is disabled by default and must be enabled before you lot tin use it.

Conclusions

If you're looking for a stylish keyless deadbolt lock, the Yale Assure Lock SL (YRD256) is a solid bet. I had no problem pairing information technology with a Z-Wave controller, and it responded quickly to lock and unlock commands using the controller's app. A dedicated app that lets you lot programme the lock and add users would be nice, but without Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity that's not likely to happen anytime soon. That said, the lock performed wonderfully on its own and was very like shooting fish in a barrel to install and plan.

If y'all're not ready to automate your dwelling with a smart hub but want a smart lock that you can control from your phone or with your voice, check out our Editors' pick, the August Smart Lock HomeKit Enabled. It's not quite as sleek as the Assure SL, but information technology doesn't require a home automation hub

Yale Clinch Lock SL (YRD 256) Specs

Connectivity	Z-Wave
Integration	Apple HomeKit
Installation	Exterior Escutcheon, Interior Escutcheon
App	Mobile
Notifications	N/A
Geofencing/Location Services	No
Invitee Access	Yes
Tamper Warning	Yes
Touchpad	Yeah
Phonation Activation	No
Product Category	Smart Locks