My Schlage Encode Plus has stopped working. I already have a replacement on hand, but I'm considering other options.
I know the Schlage Encode Plus gets great reviews. That’s why I bought one and used it for about two years. I haven’t used smart locks from other brands, so I can’t really compare, but honestly, those two years left me wondering why it has such a good reputation.
My Schlage Encode Plus suddenly stopped working. I had been using it for about two years, but since it was still under warranty, Schlage sent me a replacement Encode Plus. I have a dog, and on weekdays, a dog walker takes him out for walks. At first, I was managing access using a schedule, but since the battery drained quickly with a Wi-Fi connection, I switched to a Thread connection. Unfortunately, that meant I could no longer use the access management schedule.
I reported this malfunction to Schlage, and when they told me it would take 7 to 10 days for a replacement to arrive, I snapped back, “Is that really the best a company that makes safety-critical products can do?” I hadn’t been using the various features offered by the Schlage Home App, but I’d been telling myself that it had a good reputation, was reliable, and wouldn’t break. However, after this incident, I’m honestly thinking of switching from the Schlage Encode Plus to another brand. I own a few Aqara products, so I’m considering Aqara—do you have any recommendations?
My home uses Apple HomeKit, and I own a HomePod Mini and an Aqara M3 Hub. For my doorbell, I use the Aqara Doorbell Camera G400.
It would be helpful if you could also let me know the pros and cons of the products you recommend, as well as what you like and dislike about them.
Thank you!
Edit as of 5-18-26 @ 3:26 am.
Thanks, everyone! I’m going to start by checking out all the products you recommended. That was a huge help. I might ask more questions if I run into anything else, so please keep me in mind!