When we tested the Philips 1000 Series Electronic Deadbolt ($139.99) last year, we liked its sleek design, responsive touch screen, and convenient fingerprint scanner, but we griped about its glitchy pairing process and limited smart feature set. With the 4000 Series Smart Deadbolt ($189.99), Philips adds Bluetooth connectivity, allowing for additional app functionality. Moreover, the 4000 Series adds a built-in door so it can automatically lock when you leave. Still, this smart lock doesn’t have embedded Wi-Fi and requires a separate hub for voice control and remote access. Those features come standard with the more capable Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro Wi-Fi, which is typically available for around the same price and remains our Editors’ Choice. Design and Features: Same Good Looks, Added FunctionalityThe 4000 Series lock looks identical to the 1000 Series. Available with a matte black or satin nickel trim, it’s a complete lock assembly that includes interior and exterior escutcheons, a deadbolt latch and strike assembly, a door sensor, mounting hardware, a user guide, a mounting template, two keys, and four AA batteries.
The aluminum alloy exterior escutcheon has a black finish and measures 6.2 by 2.6 by 0.75 inches (HWD). The glossy black touch screen, which lights up when you place your hand over it, has numbers 0 through 9, a checkmark key that acts as an unlock button once you’ve entered a code, and an X key used for programming. Key presses are accompanied by a beep and a voice prompt to let you know that the entry was accepted. A backlit chevron status indicator at the top of the escutcheon glows blue when the touchpad has been activated and green when the door is successfully unlocked. A red light indicates that the door has been locked and voice prompts inform you when the door has been locked or unlocked. At the bottom of the escutcheon is a round panel with a biometric fingerprint reader. Slide the panel up to reveal a traditional keyway. Missing here is an emergency battery terminal or a USB port like those found on the Yale Assure Lock 2 ($159.99) and the Proscenic L60 ($109.99) to power it from the outside if the battery dies.
The interior escutcheon is matte black and measures 6.5 by 2.6 by 1.2 inches (HWD). It has a thumb-turn knob for manually locking and unlocking the door and a Privacy button that locks the door with a quick press. A three-second press disables the outside keypad and fingerprint sensor, and you can return it to normal operation by entering the master PIN code. To insert the four AA batteries and access the reset button, remove the panel at the top of the escutcheon. Depending on usage, the batteries will last up to a year before needing to be replaced.
(Credit: Philips/PCMag)
The 4000 Series lock uses the same Philips Home Access mobile app (available for Android and iOS) as the 1000 Series, but the addition of a Bluetooth radio provides more functionality. With the 1000 Series lock, you had to use the touch screen to register fingerprints, add and delete user codes, and configure the auto-lock timer, but with the 4000 Series lock, all of this can be done using the mobile app as well as the touch-screen panel. That said, you have to remain within Bluetooth range to use the app as the lock does not have a Wi-Fi radio. This means you can’t access it remotely or use Alexa and Google voice commands to control the lock. That is, unless you plunk down $39.99 for a Philips Wi-Fi Gateway that connects the lock to your home network. Keep in mind that even with a gateway, the 4000 Series doesn’t support HomeKit or IFTTT. The lock appears in its own panel on the app’s home screen. The panel shows a picture of the lock, its battery level, its current status (locked or unlocked), and the door’s status (open or closed). When you tap the panel you open a screen with a large circle for locking and unlocking the door. The circle is red when the door is locked and green when it’s unlocked. Above the circle are battery level and door sensor indicators, and at the bottom of the screen are tabs labeled Activities, PIN Code, and Fingerprint.Visit the Activities tab to view a list of lock and unlock events with the time, date, and method used. The PIN Code tab lets you create up to 100 permanent, recurring, one-time, and temporary PIN codes, and the Fingerprint tab lets you register up to 50 fingerprint IDs.To access the lock’s settings, tap the gear icon in the upper right corner. This opens a screen where you can configure the auto-lock feature (which locks the door after a set period of time), enable the door sensor (which senses if the door is opened or closed), and enable one-touch locking (press and hold any key for two seconds to lock the door). Other settings allow you to disable sounds, change the master PIN code, choose a language (English, French, Spanish), and enable Privacy and Away modes. In Privacy mode, only the thumb-turn, mechanical key, and master code work, and other authentication methods including the scanner and PIN codes are disabled. In Away mode, fingerprint scans and PIN codes are disabled and an alarm will sound if the door is unlocked using the thumb-turn or keyway.Installation and Performance: Works As IntendedInstalling the 4000 Series lock is relatively easy. I removed my old lock, installed the deadbolt latch assembly, and slid the exterior escutcheon and its data cable through the opening. I attached the mounting plate to the exterior component, attached the data cable to the interior escutcheon, and attached the escutcheon to the mounting plate. I inserted the batteries before moving on to the pairing process.
(Credit: John R. Delaney)
You have to download the Philips Home Access app and create an account to control the lock with your phone. I already had an account so I opened the app, tapped Add Device, and the it immediately located the lock and listed it as a nearby device. I tapped Connect, verified that the device was already installed (you can view instructions here or skip them), tapped Next, and within a few seconds I was prompted to create a 4- to 10-digit Master code. Next, I followed the instructions to mount the door sensor on the door frame, made sure the door was unlocked, and tapped Next to calibrate the lock and sensor. I created my first user PIN code and gave the lock a name to complete the installation.The 4000 Series lock worked correctly in testing. The well-lit touch screen was responsive and the fingerprint scanner never failed to identify a registered print. App commands to lock and unlock the door also worked without issue, as did the auto-lock and Privacy mode features. The door sensor correctly reported the door status, and temporary PIN codes expired on schedule.The Away mode feature also worked as advertised, but the audible alarm was barely audible. However, alerts informing me of an Away mode unlock event appeared on the Activities list.Verdict: Good, But Pricey for What You GetThe Philips 4000 Series Smart Lock gives you multiple ways to lock and unlock your door, including a fingerprint scan, PIN codes, a mobile app, and traditional keys. With built-in Bluetooth, you can register fingerprints, manage user codes, and configure the auto-lock timer from its companion app, not just the touch screen. It also supports Alexa and Google voice commands but you’ll need an optional Wi-Fi bridge for this and to access the lock remotely. It works well, but at $189.99, the 4000 Series is pricey for a smart lock without built-in Wi-Fi. In this price range, the Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro Wi-Fi lock is our Editors’ Choice. It works with IFTTT, supports Alexa and Google Assistant out of the box, and allows for proximity-based auto unlocking.
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