Review on Level Bolt Bluetooth Deadbolt Smart Lock - Keyless Entry with Apple HomeKit, Smartphone Access, Compatible with Existing Lock by Johnnie Bowlan

It's been a week since I installed Level Bolt (wanted to test it out before leaving a review) and it's been great! I've used other smart locks in the past but didn't like them due to various issues, so I figured I might as well try the Smart Lock level. I first heard about Level from a friend over a year ago and recently decided to try Level on my last remaining "dumb" lock. To maintain social distancing in light of Covid I have installed a level bolt at my side entrance at street level, the main entrance for our guests and cleaning staff (access to our husband's apartment and garden). As mentioned, I have several other smart locks installed in my home including August Yale for my front door. However, it loses connection several times a week because it depends on our wifi. Compared to August, I prefer using Bluetooth for Level Bolt. Our living space is two floors up from the side entrance and in a week I can attest that the connection is working! I will continue testing in the coming weeks but will most likely switch to a smart level lock for my other doors. What I liked about Level Bolt is how subtle it is. Since we already had a smart lock on our main entrance, I wanted an unobtrusive lock for our side entrance. I also wanted a lock that would allow me to keep the original handle and key, which is helpful because my 65 year old father doesn't like small things and he often uses the side entrance to enter his son-in-law's apartment when he is visiting is. Not only that, the smart lock allows us to open the door for our domestic workers (such as gardeners, handymen, pest controllers, etc.), allowing us to maintain social distancing. I also like the ability to grant specific access to other visitors, whether they have an iPhone or an Android. I initially had some installation issues as the side entry door was built in the 1930's (a typical San Francisco home) and the strike plate that came with it was slightly larger than my cut out in the door frame. I called Level Support who kindly and patiently showed me how to gouge out the frame (using a Phillips head screwdriver and a hammer) and I'm proud to say I managed to chisel it out in less than 2 minutes to install. After overcoming the initial hurdle, I'm happy to report that the rest of the installation went smoothly and the whole process took less than 30 minutes. The app is responsive, easy to use and I appreciate their choice of fonts! Overall I am very happy with the purchase and look forward to new level products. I may replace it with the Touch model as new colors become available.