Kwikset Obsidian Review: Minimalist Key-Free Smart Lock

Our Verdict

The Obsidian is a very nice-looking smart lock for minimalists, but smart home integration requires a Z-Moving ridge smart home hub.

For

Clear install procedure
Make clean, striking design
SecureScreen keeps others from guessing codes

Confronting

Sometimes takes a few touches to answer
Requires Z-Moving ridge hub to piece of work with Alexa or Google Banana
Has just 30 codes

Tom'southward Guide Verdict

The Obsidian is a very nice-looking smart lock for minimalists, only smart home integration requires a Z-Wave smart habitation hub.

Pros

+
Articulate install process
+
Make clean, striking design
+
SecureScreen keeps others from guessing codes

Cons

-
Sometimes takes a few touches to respond
-
Requires Z-Wave hub to work with Alexa or Google Banana
-
Has but 30 codes

Do you live in a minimalist paradise filled with nothing but the essentials? Then the Kwikset Obsidian is the lock for you. This device replaces outmoded concepts like door keys with a shiny, black keypad. Bear on it and an illuminated keypad lights upwardly. Enter your code (the lock can hold up to 30), and the door opens. Touch the lock icon, and the door locks.

And … that's almost information technology. The model we tested as well comes with Z-Wave wireless support, then yous tin control or monitor the lock with Alexa or Google Assistant, provided you have a Z-Wave smart abode hub (like Samsung'southward SmartThings). Nonetheless, the Obsidian's minimalist design was enough to cleft our best smart locks page, but just barely.

Kwikset Obsidian: Toll and availability

The Kwikset Obsidian smart lock was launched in 2017; it'southward available in two versions: A non-continued model, which can store up to 16 codes, costs almost $140. A connected model, which works with Z-Wave smart abode hubs, costs about $210.

Kwikset Obsidian Review: Design

The front of the Obsidian is, as the name suggests, a shiny, blackness, square slab that sits on the front door. In true Henry Ford style, it comes in whatsoever colour you want, as long as information technology's black. The lock certainly looks impressive, but it really needs a simple, modern-design door to set it off. Put it on an older, wooden door, and it volition look out of place. Put it on a flat, white modernistic door, and information technology looks very impressive.

Kwikset Obsidian Review: Setup and installation

Installation of the Obsidian is easy, thank you to thoughtful touches like colour-coded screws for different door thicknesses. You can program up to xxx codes, which is far fewer than most other smart locks offer; also, none of the codes can exist programmed to elapse at a given time, which you can do with August's smart locks. If the 4 AA batteries that power the lock run out, you can touch a nine-volt bombardment to the base of the front touch on-screen panel and power the lock temporarily.

Kwikset Obsidian Review: Functioning

An anti-stick coating on the touch screen repels fingerprints. If you are actually paranoid, yous could have advantage of a feature chosen SecureScreen; information technology prompts y'all to touch random digits before yous enter your code, so no one tin estimate the code past looking at fingerprint marks on the screen.

We did find that the Obsidian sometimes took a few touches to wake up and illuminate the keypad and so you tin can enter the keycode. In one case the device was awake, though, it sensed most touches without issues.

Kwikset Obsidian Review: Smart home compatibility

If y'all want to control or monitor the Obsidian remotely, y'all'll take to connect it to a smart home hub with Z-Moving ridge; for almost people, this ways getting Samsung's SmartThings hub ($70). Once connected, you'll be able to control the lock from your smartphone or with Alexa or Google Banana.

Kwikset Obsidian Review: Verdict

The Kwikset Obsidian is an impressive-looking smart lock for a modernist house. It's easy to apply and has some prissy security features, likewise. However, you'll have to spend at least $70 on a smart habitation hub if you want to command this lock remotely or apply information technology with Alexa or Google Home. And it tin can be programmed with only xxx codes, as opposed to the hundreds that other smart locks offer.

Amidst the best smart locks, the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is our favorite for its born Wi-Fi, its ease of installation, and its compatibility with the widest range of smart habitation devices. Amongst keyless locks, we prefer the Yale Real Living Assure SL, which has 250 codes and works with more smart-domicile systems. But, the Kwikset Obsidian is a capable smart lock for those who want a modern await.

Credit: Kwikset

Michael A. Prospero is the deputy editor at Tom'due south Guide overseeing the home, smart abode, drones, and fitness/wearables categories, every bit well every bit all buying guides and other evergreen content. When he'due south not testing out the latest running watch, skiing or training for a marathon, he's probably using the latest sous vide auto or some other cooking gadget.