Make an Old Lock Smart: Kēvo Convert Review
ITEM REVIEWED:
Kwikset Kēvo Convert
The Setup.
In early July 2018, I decided to put my toe further in to the ‘Smart Home’ water. I determined my next step was to install a ‘Smart Lock’. The Kēvo™ brand made sense for me to try, as their site claimed their Convert Smart Lock Conversion Kit would work with my existing Baldwin deadbolt.
Let’s Get To It.
During the unboxing, I saw there were three ‘kits’ that could be used for the install. It wasn’t obvious which one I needed at that time, so I pulled them all out and set them aside in their individual packages. After laying out the rest of the contents, I followed the ‘Quick Setup Guide’ that was also included. As instructed, I downloaded the Kēvo application, opened it, created an account, confirmed I received their email to the address used in the application, then I was on my way to device installation and setup.
This is where things started to get tricky. Using the application on my phone, I confirmed I had the suggested tools in front of me and my deadbolt and door dimensions were listed as ‘compatible’. The guide then began walking me through installing a brand new deadbolt, which I didn’t need, so I skipped those sections. The next part caused me to take to the internet for further instruction. The guide in the application was showing me how to install a latch that contained cables which needed to be routed through the holes in the deadbolt lock. Since this wasn’t the correct scenario in my case, I went online to see if I could find a guide for this particular model. I found Kēvo’s DIY Installation video here and it walked me through the entire process quite nicely. The interactive guide on the same page was helpful as well.
A word of warning – if you are like me, you may need to force yourself to stay with the guide while watching the video. Try not get ahead of her because you ‘think’ you know what comes next. I extended the installation time by quite a bit because I thought I knew where she was going. I jumped ahead, found out it wasn’t working as it should and realized I’d obviously missed some key points or didn’t listen well enough. I had to reverse the steps I’d taken and figure out where’d I’d gone awry, then start again from that point – after also putting the video back to the same point. Sadly, this happened more than once.
Before adding the interior cover, you’ll need to pair the lock with your smart device of choice. I wanted to include that sentence here because I may have ‘skipped’ the pairing step as I happily secured the cover to the interior assembly, then tried to pair the unit. (Hint: it doesn’t work that way.) After removing the cover again, however, it was easy to follow the instructions inside the Kēvo application and ‘set up a lock’.
When the steps are followed correctly, installation time could be as little as ten minutes. The video instruction was clear and installation was simple and easy.
Does It Work?
I followed the instructions and tested the unit’s orientation prior to pairing and adding the interior cover (again). The testing resulted in a green LED success light. However,once the door was closed and I tried to engage and disengage the bolt using the application on my smart phone, I received an error message stating there was a ‘Bolt Jam’. The bolt would still engage, but the Kēvo application got confused and didn’t know if the door was locked or unlocked anymore. This isn’t helpful.
Kēvo Support.
I emailed Kēvo support regarding the ‘Bolt Jam’ error and the connection issues I was having. I did this using the ‘Send a Question’ option on their support page. I didn’t receive a ‘request received’ automated response from the site, nor have I been contacted by anyone from online support since.
Email is my preferred form of communication and I wasn’t sure when I would have time to get back in front of the unit for phone support and troubleshooting. James the Cat at least tried to help. But he quickly became more interested in the discarded packaging.
It has now been weeks with no contact from Kēvo Support, even when attempting to communicate through a third party in marketing. I can admit that, perhaps, I could have typed my email address incorrectly when submitting my initial support request via their website, but I know this is not the case when my emails were forwarded to support later. I’ve found the lack of communication from the support team disappointing.
SUCCESS!
In one final attempt to fix the issue with the deadbolt having difficulty during the ‘engage’ process, I dismantled the unit again. I had tried both of the mounting plates that were said to be used for different Baldwin deadbolts (Kits B and C) and just wasn’t sure what else I could try.
During the process above and in my desperation to get it to work, something occurred to me. When I moved into the house, I switched out all of the hardware. I put the Baldwin hardware on all of my exterior doors. However, I did NOT switch out the deadbolt mechanisms – just the striker plates and exterior components. Since the deadbolts were already working, I didn’t want to jeopardize their alignment unless I needed to.
What that means is the actual deadbolt I am using with Kēvo Convert is NOT manufactured by Baldwin. I went back to the drawing board and used the one mounting plate I hadn’t tried – because it wasn’t for Baldwin – and once installed, the deadbolt engaged and disengaged smoothly when the inside assembly and outer cover were put on again. Heck, even the screws securing the inside assembly and outer cover went in easily and flush, unlike my previous attempts.
Final Thoughts (for now)
First and foremost, do not be a ‘me’. Confirm the brand of your deadbolt mechanism and not just the exterior components that operate it. That, and following the instructions carefully (as noted above), will get the Kēvo Convert installed and working properly in minutes!
That being said, after putting this in place, thinking it would be a great beginning to a smarter home, I’m not sure I’m sold on the idea. If you have to be within 100 feet of your door for this unit to function properly, you may as well have a physical key in hand and simply walk up to it, unlock it and gain entry the old-fashioned way.
I know this might be better used to hand out ‘electronic’ keys (eKeys) to those who might need entry to your home, but I’ve never come across a time where this would be necessary. However, I HAVE come across a time when I was away unexpectedly and wished I had given a spare key to someone so they could stop by to check on things. Those are the times I wish I could unlock the house for someone when they show up, and those are the times I am much further than 100 feet away from the lock.
In those cases, in order to use an eKey, the user must have either a Wi-Fi or a cellular connection on their device. Yes, as difficult as it is to believe, there are still people who have not stepped in to the smart phone age. There are also those who may have a smart phone, but aren’t really savvy in how to utilize all of its functions and applications. They just need it to call people. Often those are the people I might need to let in to the house.
Kēvo has an additional product, the Kēvo Plus, which allows you to unlock and lock the door from anywhere in the world, but that requires a separate $99 investment. Our friends over on appmyhome.com have a nice review of this little unit.
I think the Kēvo Plus may also help with any connection issues and, to me, would make this smart lock smarter and turn it into an all-around winner for me. If I decide to go that route, I’ll be posting a review of my new Kēvo Plus and how it integrates with everything in the home and on the smart devices.
With all of this in mind, if issuing eKeys or accessing your lock within a limited distance with a smart device works for you, or if you have an existing deadbolt and you’d simply like to swap its controls out for something more dramatic that can be operated via Bluetooth, the Kēvo Convert should be a great addition to your home. It is very stylish, functional and easy to assemble and install.
Update: August, 2018
As expected, I acquired a Kēvo Plus and have installed it. The installation was simple up to the last step, which directed me to follow the instructions inside the Kēvo app to complete the configuration. Seems simple enough, but there is nothing ‘obvious’ in the app that pops up to direct you along the way. The instructions made it sound as if you would just open the app, it would detect the a new device that needs to be set up, then would walk you through it. This is not the case.If you’ve read through the review above, you’ll note I may not have followed all instructions exactly throughout the process, which added time and stress to the whole thing. When I got the Kēvo Plus, I was determined to follow along, step by step and would not be distracted by shiny objects or my brain telling me I already knew what to do. It took longer than I care to admit to finally figure out I needed to get into the set up mode in the app all by myself. You need to pair the device in the app much the same way you would have paired the Kēvo Convert, in the above review. It doesn’t say that in the instructions, but now you know. You’re welcome.
So far, I’m very pleased with this device. The application comes up on my phone and connects to the lock almost immediately, regardless of whether I am in the house or away on a special journey.
It does exactly what it says it should and adds many features to the original Kēvo Convert I installed earlier. Along with the ability to access and control your lock from anywhere with an internet connection, it provides unlimited eKeys to be sent, integrates with Alexa (I’ve already found this helpful when I’ve gone to bed and realize I might not have locked the door. Who wants to get up and make the trek all the way downstairs to check, when Alexa is ready and willing to help a buddy out?), it can also integrate with other smart devices – I don’t have any others, but I trust this is an accurate statement – and the online application (http://mykevo.com) makes it look as if you can set up a schedule. I’ve not tried this yet, but I can see how that would be a great advantage if it works. I’ve not been able to find that function in the mobile app.
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