PROS
- Share access remotely, in real time.
- Notifications of access attempts
- Zinc body – resistance against vandalism
CONS
- Doesn’t work with all phones
- Doesn’t come with the screws
- A bit overpriced in our opinion
Masterlock Bluetooth Lock Box Review
A few years old now, the bluetooth key safe from MasterLock is still leading the pack for remotely accessing homes. We give an honest, unbiased opinion.
- By Reece Thompson
- Last Updated: September 2020
Our Rating:
4.5/5
We normally use a traditional lockbox, but we often get asked is it worth it to upgrade to a more advanced bluetooth version? The short answer is… it depends.
When it comes to the subject of door security and keeping your all-important keys safe, an initial thought may be to pack as much strength into your door locking solution as you can. That will ensure no one can break into the unit, right?
But interestingly, it is not always about the brawn but the brains too, and this thought is relevant to a product such as the Master Lock’s bluetooth 5441EURD, which is a traditional key safe in one sense but brought into the modern area thanks to its bluetooth compatibility.
In short, this Bluetooth enabled smart product is very well made and feels robust.
A real highlight with this item is the fact that the number dials are illuminated, meaning it’s easy to see in poor natural light. It stays illuminated for about 15 seconds, but you can press the logo again to re-start the lighting of the number dials.
It also comes with a rubberised cover, meaning the face of the product is protected from the natural elements.
The Master Lock Brand
Master Lock should know a thing or two about locks as they were founded way back in 1921 and were responsible for helping Harry Houdini pull off some of his legendary escape routines!
In general, they have a reputation for well-made items that often beat off their competitors with ease. Trust us when we say this is a company that has a strong reputation when it comes to locks.
As new technology becomes available, even companies that have been around for a long amount of time can still find ways to implement advancements into their designs, in a way that proves beneficial to the consumer.
Thanks to improvements in certain areas of technology, locking systems can reap the benefits of having extra features that help the products to reach their security-related goals. On this train of thought, regular, mechanical locks can be given a new lease of life and usability when they are connected and enhanced with Bluetooth, and accompanying apps downloaded to a smartphone or other device.
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BLUETOOTH MASTERLOCK
About the Bluetooth Lockbox
So far, Master Lock has released two Bluetooth enabled products. The one which we will be focusing on for this review is the Lockbox.
(By the way, please click on the following link if you’re looking for our overall review of the best lockboxes).
You may well be familiar with a traditional lock box: a storage unit that through various security firewall options can keep keys safe and secure. Not only helping prevent anyone who should not be taking your keys from getting their hands on them, but also preventing you from losing them too!
This device consists of a box affixed to a wall which you can open with a combination to gain access to said stored keys, for example when you are renting a shared property.
A lot of other companies like offer these sorts of devices, but in all honesty, not all of them are the most strongly built, or have a reputation for surviving even light attacks, so it will pay to find an option that is likely to be more reliable. Master Lock’s offering fits the bill in this respect.
What’s in the Box?
- Instructions manual x 1
- Master Lock Bluetooth Lockbox x 1
"Giving access to friends and family by way of bluetooth access to my holiday home has been a massive timesaver. I love it!"
Benefits of the Product
It doesn’t matter if you require a lock box for indoor or outdoor use, this item will suit either scenario.
Should you need it to be placed outside, note it is weather resistant to -40 degrees. That is a pretty good range, and the far end of that temperature is unlikely to be reached in most general situations, especially when thinking about using the product concerning holiday property renting.
Just to focus for a moment on the space inside the Lockbox, and you have plenty of space to hold either a regular key or access card key.
Furthermore, should you need to hold multiples of either, you also have a fair amount of room to do so. Of course, what makes it special and one of its major selling points is its connection to smartphone technology via Bluetooth.
You can use your smartphone to unlock the Lockbox, although there is still the option to enter a numerical code on the actual product, which is probably a good back up if, for example, you do not have your smartphone on you when you require access to your keys. As a further intelligent feature and to help increase security levels further, the Lockbox will not unlock if a synchronised phone is not located within its Bluetooth range.
Shared access is also covered. So if you need to share temporary or even permanent access via Bluetooth or using the onboard code option, guests can be allowed access in this way.
You can keep an eye on activity to make sure no one is using the device in a way that they should not be, and as well as receiving tamper alerts you can also have notifications of the devices’ battery status, this is all done via an app which can be downloaded for Android or iOS smartphones.
Pricing? It is a bit on the Expensive Side
You can purchase a monthly data package or shared access option for no additional fees. There is no activation cost and any other monthly usage will not result in ongoing fees. Master Lock does not try and tie you up into a long-term contract through the use of their packages. The actual device itself will cost around $100 (or £90) in most retailers.
You can find it for sale in security stockists as well as more general retail stores such as Amazon.
Our Final Thoughts
For a well made (further backing up Master Lock’s reputation for high-quality locks) product that completes its task of safeguarding and accessing security keys to a high standard, buyers will find a worthy investment at an appealing price. There are plenty of other similar products on the market, including some that may be a little cheaper, but many of them will not have the staying power or quality build as Master Lock’s offering.
And if you are only going to have to replace one of the cheaper options after it has not lasted in the long term, it makes more sense to spend a little more on something initially that will save you money in the long run because it will be far less likely to suffer damage, whilst serving its key purpose well.
The physical construction of the storage unit and its locking structure is made to the kind of high standard that fans of Master Lock will be accustomed too, and their innovation of using Bluetooth to further enhance the device has been a success, receiving very large amounts of positive feedback.