A sizeable number of smart lock products don’t require you to replace all your existing hardware. Replace or retrofit? You’re forgiven if you don’t want to replace your antique doorknob on your vintage Victorian with a metallic device that looks like it would be more at home keeping people out of a strip mall bank branch. That’s fine if you’re looking to get rid of the keys in your pocket, but less impressive if you want to make your entrance portals a true part of your home network. These work with a smartphone app, but can’t be monitored remotely or via a smart home system. One step up from that, you’ll find Bluetooth-only locks. How smart is it? An important caveat to consider first: Some “smart locks” don’t work with a smartphone app or any smart home networking hubs at all they’re really just electronic locks that use a code instead of a key to open up. That said, here are some key considerations to take into account to help you narrow down your shopping list.

The bottom line is that it’s tough to declare that any product is universally perfect for every home. Even top products can balk when dealing with old or stiff deadbolts, doors that don’t shut well, or environments where non-standard fixtures are in use. How do you pick a smart lock? (No pun intended.) This is a young and wildly immature space, and many products on the market are still extremely rough around the edges.

Consider these factors when shopping for a smart lock In a more advanced setting, different keys can be generated for the same lock, so a homeowner can tell when each member of the family came in, or when the housekeeper arrived. Digital locks can be changed at a moment’s notice (which is why that old hotel key card in your wallet isn’t good for anything), and the property owner can generate a record of when each door was opened. But the biggest benefit of electronic entry systems is that they are highly configurable.

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