Avia Smart Deadbolt+

The Avia Smart Deadbolt+ is built around Apple Home rather than adapted to it. Avia designed the lock for iOS first, so Apple Home Key, the Home app and Siri are the primary interface rather than an afterthought bolted onto a manufacturer’s own app.

It carries an ANSI A156.40-2020 AAA security rating, the top grade in that standard for forced entry, which is unusual in a smart lock and worth weighing against the plastic-fronted competition.

What works in Apple Home

• Tap an iPhone or an Apple Watch on the lock to open it with Apple Home Key.
• Lock and unlock the door from the Home app, and see the current state.
• Get a notification on every lock and unlock event.
• Use the lock in scenes and automations, and control it with Siri.

Siri asks you to authenticate before it unlocks the door. That is how Apple Home treats every lock, and it is not a limitation of this model.

Connectivity

The Deadbolt+ supports Matter over Thread, so it joins a Thread network through a HomePod or an Apple TV 4K. It also works over plain Bluetooth if you have no home hub yet, which means it is usable on day one and gets faster when you add one.

Ways in

Apple Home Key, a backlit soft-touch ten-key keypad, two supplied key fobs and a standby mechanical key. Auto-locking and the audio feedback are both configurable.

Before you buy

Avia sells an optional solar panel that tops the batteries up from daylight and stretches the interval between changes to several years. If the door gets any sun, it is worth pricing in at the same time.

Specifications