The smarter your smart home gets, the smarter you get. At least that’s how it’s supposed to work, right? With so many smart home devices available on the market, it can be hard to pick the right home ecosystem for you. You can choose to stay brand loyal and only use options from, say, Amazon that feature Alexa support. If you’re an Apple fanatic, you want to use HomeKit-enabled devices.

There’s the option to look to the future and opt for devices that communicate with one another. These would be devices that use the nascent Matter protocol; the tech doesn’t require one kind of hub and can utilize Thread border routers or Matter-enabled devices to communicate. As more and more devices are being offered with the technology, manufacturers are trying to keep up with the demand. The smartest of smart homes are going to have devices that efficiently and quickly communicate.

That is why the latest smart lock from Aqara is set up that way. The Aqara Smart Lock U200 offers native Matter capability, as Aqara is an active partner with all the Matter updates. For those that have the latest technology, the U200 is a great addition to their home. But for those who don’t, it can still function well without ever hitting its full potential. I’ve been able to use the Aqara Smart Lock U200 for a little while and here are my thoughts.

Price, availability, and specs

The Aqara Smart Lock U200 is available now in North America and Europe. It retails for $270 in the US and can be purchased on Amazon. If you go to the Aqara website, it will bring you to the Amazon web page in order to purchase the smart lock. The lock itself weighs 1.37 pounds and measures 2.44 x 2.36 x 5.98 inches. That means that it is compatible with US deadbolt locks that are between 2 3/8 and 2 3/4 inches. This is wide compatibility, so while you should check to see if the U200 will fit your door, chances are good that it will.

This is a biometric lock that connects via Bluetooth in order to work with your smart home and smartphone app. You can control the U200 from the Aqara app as well as with many other devices. The lock is powered by rechargeable Li-ion batteries that are slated to last up to six months per charge, which is boosted because of the Matter capabilities. You can also hardwire the lock with an AC or DC power supply. The app will also tell you when you need to recharge it.

What I liked about the Aqara Smart Lock U200

It has a lot of useful security features

As someone who has reviewed a lot of Aqara products before, I knew what to expect when setting the U200 up. Previous Matter-supported devices such as the Motion and Light Sensor P2 are easy to set up in the Aqara app and need a hub to work well. With most of Aqara’s devices, the company’s Hub M3 is necessary. That isn’t necessarily the case here. You can use other Thread border routers to get the functionality you want out of the U200. However, it will work best with the Hub M3, which, of course, is sold separately.

Once I connected the U200 to my Hub M3, I was able to then integrate it easily into my home ecosystem. I rely on Amazon Alexa in my home and synced it with my Echo Show 8, which is a Thread border router in its own right. With that and the Alexa app, I’m able to set up automations for the U200. Because I have the Hub M3, I was able to set up the remote unlock feature. As you’re setting up your Aqara Smart Lock U200, you’re able to do so much in terms of understanding how to operate it.

You can unlock this smart lock a few different ways. There’s typing in a passcode on the keypad, which you can create easily for extended use, or you can generate a temporary passcode with the Aqara app. You can use your fingerprint to lock it, but that is a bit finicky. Using Amazon Alexa to unlock the door works well because of the integration. Pressing the unlock button in the app lets you remote open or lock the door. It will also work with an NFC tag or Apple Home Keys, neither of which I have. Finally, it does come with a physical key if you want to use it.

The U200 is sleeker than other Aqara smart locks, such as the U50. The Quiet Mode feature doesn’t require the use of a hub or Thread border router and can be done from the app, as it will unlock the door quietly, so as not to disturb anyone in the home. You can also turn on the Auto Lock feature, which will automatically lock the door once it is closed. There are also incorporated Tamper Alert functions that keep your privacy secure if someone is trying to read your pin over your shoulder or hack into your door.

What I didn’t like about the Aqara Smart Lock U200

It’s not as easy to install as I hoped

Normally, I don’t mind installing Aqara devices. Many of them are simple and you just need to scan a QR code to bring up instructions or a video on how to install something. But for some reason, the Aqara Smart Lock U200’s QR code brought me to a dead link instead of an installation video. The user manual that pops up makes use of an incredibly small font and is mostly filled with pictures that don’t describe exactly what you need to put where. When installing a door lock, it isn’t the most intricate process, but it does require some understanding of what happens before another step. It was harder to figure out because of the poorly designed manual and the dead link.

Aqara boasts that the capability of the U200 is that it works with Matter over Thread devices. That is true, and it is the way of the future. But in order to get the most out of your smart lock, you have to have either a Thread border router or an Aqara Hub M3. This requires additional purchases on top of an already expensive lock. This may deter some people from purchasing. Also, I don’t love that the lock itself has rechargeable batteries, but the keypad can be run with AAA batteries, causing you to change two types of batteries at different times.

Should you buy the Aqara Smart Lock U200?

The Aqara Smart Lock U200 is a fancy-looking lock that will certainly protect your home with its incredible security features. The fact that you can unlock or lock this in so many different ways is a real testament to the design by Aqara. Unfortunately, you will likely need to spend even more money to get the most out of its functionality. This isn’t uncommon with Aqara products, so if you are someone who is familiar with the company, you are likely aware of this situation. But it is worth stating for those that aren’t.

If you want to set up your home with technology that is only going to serve it well as more smart home capabilities come out, it is a smart purchase. But if you aren’t equipped yet to use it to its full capacity, it may be worth waiting a while. That being said, the Aqara Smart Lock U200 is a smart lock and will help your home become even smarter.