Kwikset Kevo 1st Gen vs 2nd Gen Review

In today’s post we’re doing a Kwikset Kevo 1st Gen vs 2nd Gen review.

If you’re not familiar with Kevo, it is a “Smart Lock” that allows you to lock and unlock your deadbolt without using a physical key.

This is a nice feature for landlords who want to make their rental stand out from the competition and this is something a tech savvy renter would appreciate.

The second generation lock launched in August 2016 and brought several improvements with it.

Improvements to Kevo 2nd Gen Lock

kevo-1st-gen-vs-2nd-gen-review

  • Improved Internal Design
  • Improved Security
  • Improved Installation Guide

The 2nd generation model has a sleeker internal design and the cover you see above is made out of metal instead of plastic.

From the outside, the deadbolt looks the same, but has improved security to protect against “bump” keys that a thief could use.

The installation guide that is built into the app is extremely slick. In the image below you can see that you have a choice between an interactive guide and your classic PDF.

kevo-2nd-generation
This link from Kwikset will go over installation tips if you’re curious.

You can check out even more information and reviews on Amazon.

Implications for Landlords

Positives:

Kevo can certainly add value to a rental because it’s the first thing a prospective tenant will experience when they do a walkthrough.

Some people won’t care for the device but to a tech savvy consumer they will love the idea of keyless entry into their apartment or home.

If you hook up Kevo Plus you can open and close the lock from anywhere as long as you have an internet connection.

This could be a good solution for a tenant who is always locking themselves out since you can remote open the door.

Potential Negatives:

The Kevo App logs opens and closes by user. This seems like a nice feature but could seem a little big brother to a tenant if they’re aware of it.

Also, the device does take 4 AA batteries so there is some upkeep to consider there. If the batteries die, it can still be opened using a traditional key.

Listings On Amazon:

You can click the image below to see a list of smart locks on Amazon

Smart lock reviews

Closing Thoughts:

After looking back on this product after one year of use I can say that I prefer the keypad version.

There are issues with the Bluetooth from time to time so I replaced the Kevo with this keypad.

It really depends on your rental and who you’re trying to attract.

But, I can’t think of any upgrade under $250 that would generate more interest/intrigue from a prospective tenant.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

(Special thanks to Kwikset for sending us a Kevo to try out for a review)