Yale boosts in-home security with Smart Safe and Cabinet Lock | CES 2020
Having previously focussed on boosting the external security of your home with its smart devices, Yale is now turning to the inside of your home with two new products: the Smart Safe and the Smart Cabinet Lock.
It’s the Smart Cabinet Lock that’s, perhaps, the most interesting. Designed to fit into an existing cupboard, this battery-powered lock is built to prevent unauthorised access. For example, if you’ve got kids and you want to keep them out of the drinks cabinet or medicine cupboard.
The Smart Cabinet Lock comes as two parts: the main lock fits into the cupboard and locks automatically when the door catch engages. The lock is Bluetooth powered and can be controlled directly from your smartphone when it’s in range. You can also connect the lock to Apple HomeKit, which should mean that you can remote control the lock if you have a Bluetooth-enabled home hub in range, such as a HomePod or Apple TV. You can also connect the Smart Cabinet Lock to the Yale Connect Wi-Fi Bridge, controlling it remotely from the Yale Access app.
When the lock starts to run out of battery, you’re sent plenty of warnings. Should you choose to ignore them, there’s no override option for this lock, as the entire device is hidden in a cupboard. However, we have been told that if you put more than 40kg of pressure on the lock, the door catch will snap, giving you access: this is the cheap bit to replace, leaving the lock intact.
Yale has also thought about what would happen if a child were to lock themselves in a cupboard, and the Cabinet Lock lights up when it’s dark to highlight the push-to-unlock button on top. We’re told that the Cabinet Lock will go on sale in Q2 for €70 (around £60).
Joining the Cabinet Lock is the Smart Safe, which is exactly what you think it is. This model can be controlled from the smartphone app or connected to the Yale Connect Wi-Fi Bridge for remote control.
As with Yale’s other safes, the Smart Safe has keypad entry on the front. If the batteries run out, the safe can be temporarily powered via a 9V battery, in much the same way as the company’s smart locks, such as the Yale Conexis L1. There’s also a physical key to override the safe door.
The Smart Safe will also be available in Q2, priced at €200 (around £170). We’ll bring you reviews of both when samples are available.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
